A SUSTAINABLE travel project in Cumbria has been awarded a £1 million cash injection by the Government.

Today's announcement by the Department for Transport will mean ‘See More: Cumbria and the Lake District’ can build on the GoLakes Travel programme, bringing sustainable travel benefits to a larger footprint of the county.

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The bid was made by Cumbria County Council and the Lake District National Park Authority and the money will come from the DfT’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF).

The project will focus on transforming how visitors travel to and around the Central and Southern Lake District, enabling them to make greater use of sustainable modes of travel and reduce car journeys.

It will build on the successes of the 2011-2015 GoLakes Travel programme.

The additional LSTF funding announced today will enable the project to deliver integrated travel plans and travel enhancements from four visitor gateways – Carlisle to Hadrian’s Wall; Penrith into the Ullswater valley; Keswick into Borrowdale; and the south eastern approaches into the central Lake District.

Enhancements will include:

• Kickstart funding for shuttle services and water transport
• Pay-as-you-drive car hire and electric Twizy networks
• Development of the Cumbria Cycleway
• Comprehensive travel information

The £1 million from the LSTF fund will unlock over £2 million private investment into the county’s transport network.

Coun Keith Little, Cumbria County Council cabinet member for transport, said: “GoLakes is transforming the Central Lake District into a beacon of sustainable transport and encouraging a step change in the way people visit and travel around the Lakes.

I’m delighted that we have secured government funding for a further year to allow us to build on the success of this pioneering project.”

Richard Leafe, chief executive of the Lake District National Park Authority, said: “The visitor economy is worth billions to Cumbria. It’s fantastic news that Government has once again recognised this in committing this funding to the county.

"As the Lake District moves towards becoming a World Heritage Site alongside Hadrian’s Wall, this programme will make sure that travelling to and around these sites is of truly world class quality.

"We have to think differently about how we improve the county’s transport offer, and this is proof that there are ways of attracting significant funding for the county.”

A separate bid by Cumbria County Council to the DfT’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund for funding for a six-month pilot scheme delivering Sunday services along the Cumbrian Coast Line was unsuccessful.