Greater Manchester is set to benefit from more than £20 million of investment in sustainable and active modes of travel.

Part of an ongoing ambition to expand walking, wheeling and cycling provision as an integral part of the Bee Network, the funding will support a range of activities including new crossings, improved pavements, and an expansion of city’s cycle hire scheme.

Agreed at a meeting of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the commitment comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham pledged, with other Mayors of England, to giving more healthy and green travel options to millions of residents across the city-region.

In Greater Manchester, this means continuing to support the Greater Manchester’s plans to evolve integrated Bee Network. Working alongside local authorities and partners, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) anticipates that176km of Bee Network standard segregated walking, wheeling and cycling routes will have been completed across the city-region.

Commenting on the investment, Greater Manchester’s Active Travel Commissioner Dame Sarah Storey, said: “Last year’s Active Travel Annual report identified a number of areas that needed significant investment in order to address some of the barriers affecting people from feeling safe enough to walk, wheel or cycle their everyday short journeys.

“The allocation of funding in this latest approval is very welcomed to enable more pavements, cycle routes and crossings to be upgraded, as well as to further develop other parts of the programme across the region for the coming years.”

To read more about the funding, including a breakdown of the £20m investment, go here.