Resort cycling facilities boosted

A cycle hire scheme will link the town's attractions

Up to £6m is to be spent on facilities in Blackpool to encourage more people to take up cycling.

The resort successfully bid for government cash to become one of 11 "cycling demonstration towns".

A cycle hire scheme linking the resort attractions and projects to boost the number of cycling events in Blackpool impressed judges, the council said.

Improving the health of its residents and reducing obesity levels is central to the authority's plans.

Other areas involved in the scheme will be York, Stoke, Cambridge, Chester, Colchester, Leighton Buzzard, Shrewsbury, Southend, Southport and Woking.

Detailed plans

Bristol, which intends to build a cycle hire scheme similar to one that runs in Paris, has been named England's first cycling city.

The Blackpool cycle hire scheme is central to the authority's plans for the resort, which currently runs a cycling festival in July.

Councillor Don Chapman, who was involved in the bid, said: "It is great to see we are being recognised for the work we have done already to encourage cycling and that we are being supported to be ambitious in bringing about new facilities for people of all ages."

Council staff will now work on more detailed plans for approval by Cycling England, part of the Department of Transport.

It is hoped the new schemes can start to be delivered from 2009.