Sustainable Development: Transport
28th February 2008
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Ministers of the Welsh Assembly Government and the UK Government to ensure that adequate matching funding is available to the successful Connect 2 lottery bid; and if he will make a statement. [189215]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues both in Whitehall and the Assembly Government to discuss issues affecting Wales.
I would like to congratulate Sustrans' successful lottery bid for the UK-wide Connect 2 scheme, which won the public vote for the Big Lottery Fund's "The People's £50 million" contest. The Connect 2 scheme in Wales will see funding for 11 schemes across Wales, including a bridge spanning Cardiff bay and other schemes for Merthyr Tydfil, Newport and Carmarthen.
The UK Government and the Assembly Government match fund a number of schemes, including £60 million in capital grants to improve local roads; £3.9 million on cycling infrastructure schemes to provide infrastructure and promote safe use of the network; £8.1 million in capital grants towards local authority safety schemes; and 5.6 million to local authorities to support local road safety schemes.
