AN MP has hailed the promise of £4.5 million in government funding for cycling infrastructure in Barrow.

Simon Fell said the town had a 'high propensity to get more people walking and cycling for short journeys' with a higher-than-average number of people travelling less than 5km to work.

The MP for Barrow and Furness outlined the planned use of the money from the Department for Transport's Active Travel Fund, saying £1.2m would be used on a new cycle route between Jubilee Bridge and Earnse Bay. 

He said the package would also see '£3.3m being spent on 400m of cycle tracks between Hibbert Road and Park Drive, and improvements being made to two junctions'.

"These essential improvements for the cycling and walking infrastructure will undoubtfully benefit the local community when travelling to work or school," he said.

"It is clear that there is a real desire and inclination to be more active when making smaller journeys in everyday life but, for people to make these healthier decisions, the infrastructure needs to be in place for the public to feel safe and able to do so."

Mr Fell referred to £880,000 from the Active Travel Fund that had already been acquired for cycle paths along Michaelson Road and Bridge Road.

Last month, a spokesman for Cumbria County Council said these cycle paths would be the 'first of their kind' in Cumbria.

Cllr Keith Little, cabinet member for highways and transport, said at the time that it was an 'exciting time' for Barrow.

"It’s the county council’s ambition to get more people out cycling and walking for leisure and for everyday short journeys," he said. 

"This not only benefits our health and wellbeing, but also the environment - in terms of air quality and a reduction in our carbon emissions."

Alan Boyle, construction director at Story Contracting, said of the Michaelson Road and Bridge Road scheme: “We look forward to working with our key supply chain to deliver this project to support the council in their promotion of health and wellbeing in Barrow, while also reducing carbon emissions by promoting more sustainable travel in the town."