EAST SUSSEX is to receive £1.4 million to develop and deliver active travel schemes across the county.
East Sussex County Council has secured £1.1 million from Active Travel England’s (ATE) Consolidated Active Travel Fund 2025/26, alongside a further award of over £325,000 from ATE’s Active Travel Fund 5.
The funding will help develop and deliver schemes which contribute to enabling people to walk, wheel, and cycle as the natural first choice for everyday short journeys or as part of longer journeys in the county, improving local connectivity to key services and supporting people to get more active.
It is anticipated that part of the funding will be used to develop the county’s School Street’s programme, which looks to restrict access outside of schools at school drop off and pick up times together with identifying measures to support walking, wheeling and cycling in the school neighbourhood.
This is alongside local active travel scheme development in neighbourhoods and the maintenance of active travel measures.
Councillor Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and the environment at East Sussex County Council, said: “I am delighted we have been awarded over a million pounds to develop and improve active travel initiatives in East Sussex.
“This funding will enable us to continue to accelerate the development and delivery of inclusive active travel schemes included in our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan by creating the conditions that make everyone feel safer and more comfortable to walk, wheel, or cycle.
“Creating and supporting active travel options will help reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality as well as helping to boost the local economy, making East Sussex a happier, healthier and greener place to live and work.”
Importantly, the funding will help the county council deliver a package of measures to support the key policies included in the recently approved East Sussex Local Transport Plan 4 to ensure the council plans for people and the places where they live, work and do business.
This includes changing how streets and places are designed and ensuring they are inclusive, as well as developing healthy and sustainable places which reduce health inequalities and support healthy lifestyles.
Active Travel England is an executive agency which is part of the UK Department of Transport – https://www.activetravelengland.gov.uk/#
The recently announced funding for East Sussex is part of a £291 million national package towards active travel – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/almost-300-million-to-gear-up-new-walking-wheeling-and-cycling-schemes
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