June 24, 2021

Cumbria County Council has awarded £17,000 in grants to two local community groups to support active travel in Barrow.

The grants will support ongoing efforts to promote more walking and cycling for short journeys, helping people to keep healthy and reduce carbon emissions.

The County Council has awarded a grant of £12,000 to support Barrow Wheels 4 All club and a further grant of £5,000 to the Triple A Project (All About Autism).

Barrow Wheels 4 All plans to use the funding to help establish a club for inclusive cycling activity in Barrow Park, which will enable people of all abilities to engage and enjoy the benefits of cycling.

It follows a successful taster day when local children and young adults with disabilities were invited to Barrow Park to try out a range of accessible bikes, supported by Wheel 4 All.

The Triple A Project provides support for autistic adults to meet and socialise. The Positive Pals group, created by the Triple A Project, provides a safe place for autistic adults to meet and socialise with groups meeting weekly in various locations across the county. The project plans to use the grant to help start safe cycling, enabling group members to use Active Travel to get around the borough and help increase their independence.

Mandy Bland, Facilitator and Project Lead for the Triple A Positive Pals Cycling Group, said: “We’re really looking forward to supporting our group on the new cycle active scheme. I know this scheme will help them all immensely not only with their physical fitness but with their independence, enabling them to be active members within our community.”

Cllr Kevin Hamilton, Chair of Cumbria County Council’s Barrow Local Committee, said: “The members of Cumbria County Council Barrow Local Committee are pleased to support and to part fund these projects to make cycling all-inclusive in the Borough of Barrow in Furness.”

The grants have been funded from the County Council’s Active Travel Fund allocation from the Department for Transport.

The Active Travel Fund allocation will also fund a proposed scheme on Bridge Road and Michaelson Road in Barrow. This proposed scheme includes segregated cycleways, enhanced pedestrian crossings and junction improvements for both cyclists and pedestrians.