Thousands of pounds worth of funding is being made available to get more people walking, wheeling and cycling in West Yorkshire.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is now taking applications from community organisations across the region to benefit from up to £50,000 to help them become ‘active travel hubs’.
The funding will be used to help these groups become one-stop shops for people to access everything they need to walk, wheel and cycle, including equipment, training and group activities, and advice and support on routes.
And thanks to a previous grant of £50,000 from the Combined Authority’s active travel hubs programme, the Shipley Active Travel Hub was successfully set up in 2023.
The funding helped to employ a manager for the hub, renovate the workshop, buy bikes for cycling lessons and equipment for bike maintenance classes.
The hub now supports hundreds of people to get out and about in the local community.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “We are encouraging people to choose walking, wheeling and cycling as a way of getting around, leading to healthier and happier lifestyles.
“This will help us achieve our net zero ambitions and create a cleaner, greener West Yorkshire.
“I’d encourage all community organisations eligible to apply for this funding to come forward and get involved.”
Adrian Aylmer, Manager at Shipley Active Travel Hub, said: “We had a vision for an active travel hub in Shipley to make it more accessible for people to get out and about by bike or on foot, and the funding we received helped bring that to life.
“It’s a fantastic initiative that has helped us provide all sorts of walking and cycling activities, from adult cycling lessons, bike maintenance classes and group rides, to cultural initiatives – and the people in our community have really benefited.”
Since 2022 the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has funded 26 organisations across the region as part of the walking and cycling hubs initiative, investing more than £1 million over the years.
The next round of funding is now open for social enterprises, registered charities, community interest companies, local authorities and private limited companies registered in the UK to bid for up to £50,000 and expand the existing network.
To qualify for the funding, an organisation must be able to show it is committed to developing walking, wheeling and cycling in the community.
The deadline for grant applications is midnight on Sunday 29 June 2025.
To find out more or to apply, visit: https://www.cyclecityconnect.co.uk/get-inspired/our-work-with-communities/community-walking-and-cycling-hubs/.
