A £2.8 MILLION pot of cash awarded to Bradford by the Government to boost cycling and walking will help improve a key city centre street and canal towpaths.

The cash will also help create three “active travel neighbourhoods” where measures will be put in place to reduce car traffic and stop rat running, and fund a further roll out of the School Streets scheme.

The funding has been awarded by the Department of Transport to Bradford Council and Sustrans to develop schemes aimed at improving people’s health, enhancing air quality and boosting low-cost travel.

£600,000 will be used to upgrade a length of Darley Street, from Godwin Street to North Parade, to create “a flexible, more pedestrian and cyclist friendly environment.”

The work will tie in with plans for improving North Parade and the top of town area, and the creation of Darley Street Market.

The Council will work with Active Travel England on proposals for the street, which could include widening existing pavements, adding drop down bollards and improving pedestrian crossings.

£525,000 will be used to add three “Active Travel Neighbourhood” pilot projects to three that are currently in development in Saltaire, Bowling, Barkerend and Bradford Moor and Frizinghall.

Now the funding has been awarded the Council and Active Travel England will work to determine the locations of the new schemes.

And £70,000 will be used to expand the School Street Programme to five more schools.

Launched last year, the pilot saws roads directly outside some schools closed to traffic at drop off and pick up times.

A recent Council report revealed the scheme had seen limited success, with limited resources to police the no traffic zones and problems with motorists threatening teachers trying to enforce the closures.

Active travel charity Sustrans has been awarded £958,000 for improvements to the Spen Valley Greenway, £542,000 for Canal towpath improvements between Shipley Bridge and Hirst Wood Lock and £106,000 for towpath improvements at Bingley Five Rise Locks.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “We are very pleased to have secured this funding which we will make good use of to introduce a range of progressive transport measures “Active Travel improves people’s health by encouraging exercise and raising air quality. Reducing rat running and providing alternate transport options can also help make our roads safer. It can save people money, is better for the environment and can have significant economic benefits.”