Swansea Council has received grant funding of more than £7 million from Welsh Government which will be used to complete a series of sustainable transport schemes across the city.
A report to Cabinet on July 18 will seek to approve a number of schemes all aimed at improving transport links and boosting sustainable travel, including:
- The Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro project – a regional transport project that includes Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire will receive £2 million to help continue the development of an integrated transport network for rail, bus and active travel.
- The installation of real time passenger information along key bus routes.
- £420,000 will be invested in the development of passenger transport hubs at Mumbles and Morriston as part of the Swansea Valley Bus Pilot scheme.
- More than half a million pound (£505,000) will go towards the installation of more electric vehicle charging points.
- Eight new ‘fast’ charging points are set to be installed across four sites in Swansea and will increase the city’s overall charging infrastructure which already has 133 charging points across 44 sites in Swansea.
Andrea Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Service Transformation, said: “Swansea is committed to providing better transport links and more sustainable forms of travel to help reduce congestion and pollution.
“The latest funding received from Welsh Government will help us in rolling-out even more electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
“The city already has a wide-ranging network of charging points. I’m pleased we can further extend this across other sites in the city and give motorists, using electric vehicles, the confidence they need, to charge their vehicles.”
More than £2million has also been received as part of the WG Active Travel Fund and will help develop the growing network of walking and cycling routes in the city, including:
- Part of the Active Travel fund (£1.4million) will help develop 850 metres of improved pedestrian and cycle route along Walter Road and Sketty Road. The first phase will stretch from the junctions with Page Street and Brynymor Road.
- The grant will help in the design phase of five new routes, including Penllergaer Woods to Tircoed Village, Penclawdd to Gowerton and Newton to Mumbles.
- Schoolchildren will also benefit from road safety training with more than £90,000 invested in the popular Kerbcraft training scheme and cycle safety training.
Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, said: “The way people travel is changing and they are demanding more opportunities to walk and cycle safely throughout Swansea.
“This means we need to develop sustainable transport routes that link with public transport services and cycling and walking routes to give residents and visitors options for travelling around Swansea.
“By creating new cycle and walking routes we will provide public-friendly routes across communities which will also help reduce traffic congestion and pollution in Swansea.”
