Manchester offers business grants to boost active travel

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced the creation of an £800,000 (US$1.1 million) funding pot and an interactive website to help businesses and employers support sustainable travel.

The grants will allow companies to install facilities such as bike parking and changing facilities and the site will provide information and resources on encouraging and embedding sustainable transport. This includes options that support flexible working practices to take the pressure off traditional peak travel times.

The transport operator says the package will help towards avoiding a car-led recovery in the city. While the amount of trips taken on Manchester’s public transport network dropped significantly during COVID-19, the number of trips by car remained consistently high and is now close to pre-pandemic levels.

Smarter commuting

Elise Wilson, Greater Manchester Economy and Business Lead and Leader of Stockport Council, warned that if this trend continues and more people opt for private car use over public transport or cycling and walking, traffic congestion could cost Greater Manchester businesses more than the £1.3 billion it did before the pandemic.

“To [prevent this] we need to embed smarter ways of commuting that not only cut congestion and reduce cost to business, but have tangible health, wellbeing and productivity benefits,” she said. “This is a great opportunity and I’d encourage people to visit the interactive portal and find out more about the available funding and what you can be doing for your staff, suppliers and customers.”

Funding package

The new funding package is made up of two pots, including:

• £250,000 for SMEs with fewer than 250 staff for interventions such as cycle parking, pool bikes and changing or storage solutions, up to £10,000 per application.
• £550,000 to help provide cycle parking for small businesses, NHS organisations, housing associations and schools located close to eligible Bee Network cycling and walking schemes being delivered in 2021.

Bike hire scheme

As part of efforts to reduce dependence on cars, TfGM will launch a shared-bike scheme this November and is currently working on the creation of 100km of cycling and walking routes and 95 electric vehicle charging points by the end of the year – with a further 200 by the end of 2022.

Micromobility firm Beryl has been selected to operate the venture, with an initial roll-out of 1,500 bikes – 300 of which will be electric – and more than 200 docking stations.

The scheme is part of wider plans by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to develop the Bee Network – an integrated and accessible low-carbon transport network for the city region.

Image: TfGM