Indicative allocations for the first stage of funding show that the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead could receive £140,000 from the Department of Transport with the potential for additional funding later this year.

The funding is being provided by the government to enable the council to use pop-up and temporary interventions to create an environment that is safe for both walking and cycling within areas that may become congested and where social distancing requires changes to local infrastructure.

Councillor Gerry Clark, cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, says: “We are seizing this opportunity and have been working at speed to identify potential schemes.  We still have further work to do before the £140,000 is allocated, but I expect that the we will start implementing the proposed schemes before the end of June.

“The measures we are considering will help towards re-opening the town centre as well as supporting our climate change strategy which goes to Full Council later this month.”

Schemes that could potentially be carried out in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead include:

• Introducing 20mph zones in Maidenhead and Windsor town centres
• Widening footpaths in some of our town centres
• Introducing cycle parking in various locations across the borough

The Department of Transport have a total of £250 million with £225 million provided directly to local transport authorities and London boroughs, while £25 million will help support cycle repair schemes.

The £225 million allocated to local authorities will be released in two phases. The first tranche of £45 million will be released as soon as possible so that work can begin at pace on closing roads to through traffic, installing segregated cycle lanes and widening pavements.

The second tranche of £180m will be released later in the summer to enable authorities to install further, more permanent measures to cement cycling and walking habits.