DORSET County Council claims a scheme designed to cut road congestion in Weymouth and Dorchester is making real progress.

The authority was awarded £2.4million from the Deparment for Transport (DfT) last year to promote alternatives to travelling by car, such as walking, cycling and using public transport, to help support economic growth and cut carbon emissions.

More than £1.25m has already been invested in the area through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF).

Work includes the newly completed Marsh cycle route and the second phase of the Portland Beach Road cycleway, which have given cyclists in Weymouth a safe route away from traffic when travelling to school, college or work.

New car parking guidance signs have also been installed in Dorchester in a bid to help shoppers find spaces quickly while real-time information has been fitted on Damory Coaches to expand the availability of up-to-the-minute travel information around Weymouth and the county town.

The council’s cabinet member for environment, Hilary Cox, said: “We have invested heavily in Weymouth’s transport network, really widening the range of travel options for people getting to work, school or for leisure.”

She added that the LSTF had also done a lot of less visible work in the local community.

Coun Cox said: “This one-off funding from the DfT means we can support smaller projects that make a big difference in local areas.”

Among those to benefit are Headset, a community group promoting cycling to young people and building their skills in bike maintenance through a workshop on Portland.

Project manager Nigel Coelho said: “The extra funding we received from the LSTF has really helped us expand the project. The past 18 months have seen one small idea grow into a really exciting reality.”

To find out more about the project visit headsetbikes.co.uk The funding has also helped Weymouth resident Malcolm Beeson – in conjunction with the Littlemoor Community Action Group – put together a collection of six walking leaflets encouraging people to explore Littlemoor’s surrounding countryside.

He said: “We wanted to encourage more people to walk, and cycle, in the local area.

“The take-up of the leaflets has been impressive – we’re already looking at extending the range.”

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