£5 million boost for walking, wheeling and cycling in Shropshire as councils get active travel cash injection
Councils in Shropshire have received a £5 million cash injection to deliver and improve walking, wheeling and cycling schemes across the county.
Telford & Wrekin Council will receive £3,052,129 while Shropshire Council will receive £2,004,877 up to the 2029/30 financial year through Active Travel England's (ATE) Capability and Ambition Fund (CATF).
The funding will enable councils to strengthen local capacity to design, consult on, and deliver high-quality active travel initiatives. For residents, Shropshire Council says this will mean safer, greener, and better-connected local journeys, along with the accelerated delivery of projects improving access to schools, shops, workplaces, and transport hubs.
ATE announced the funding on Wednesday alongside a breakdown of each local authority’s 'capability rating', which measures councils' ability to organise, plan and deliver walking, wheeling and cycling schemes.
A full breakdown of funding is available here
Ratings run from zero to four, with higher-rated authorities receiving larger allocations.
Telford & Wrekin Council was given a score of two out of four, indicating "strong local leadership and organisational capability, with clear plans that form the basis of an emerging network with a few elements already in place."
Capability ratings can be found here
Shropshire Council received a capability score of one out of four - described by ATE as showing "some local leadership and organisational capability with basic plans and isolated schemes that do not yet form a plan for a coherent network". Council leaders acknowledged there is work to do.
Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for transport and economic growth, said: "This funding will help to improve transport choice in Shropshire, and will enable greater capacity for Shropshire Council to deliver improvements that benefit residents.
"I welcome this funding from the Government which will allow the council to plan longer-term investment in line with its Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.
"However, with our capability score remaining at one out of four, it is clear that we have more to do to show the Department for Transport that the council can deliver and this is something that we’re determined to do."
Across England, councils have been awarded more than £626 million in CATF funding, first announced during the Spending Review in June.
Active Travel England says the investment will deliver 500 miles of new and upgraded walking, wheeling, and cycling routes, along with 170,000 greener, more active trips each day.
Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood said: "This £626 million investment demonstrates our clear commitment to making walking, wheeling and cycling safer and more accessible for everyone. By backing councils with the funding and support they need, we are helping to create healthier communities, safer streets and greener local transport choices.
"Together, we are delivering the high-quality infrastructure that enables people to travel more actively, helping cut NHS waiting lists."
