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Transport for London (TfL), in partnership with The London Marathon Charitable Trust, has announced the recipients of the 2020 Walking and Cycling Grants London (WCGL) programme.
Grants of up to £10,000 over three years have been made available to community projects across London to deliver programmes that address barriers to active travel among traditionally underrepresented groups.
TfL received 128 applications this year – the highest number in the scheme’s five-year history. A record 68 community and not-for-profit groups have been selected for the 2020 programme.
This year, the scheme is jointly funded in partnership with The London Marathon Charitable Trust (The Trust) as part of a new five-year programme to inspire Londoners to cycle and walk. TfL research has shown that people felt better physically and mentally when they introduced just 20 minutes of walking and cycling per day into their lives, with benefits including an improved mood, feeling more alert and enjoying discovering new parts of London.
The Trust, which distributes the surplus generated from all events organised by its trading company London Marathon Events Ltd, has awarded the scheme £2 million over the five-year period as part of its Strategic Partnerships Grants programme, created in 2018 to support big regional projects that inspire activity.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I’m delighted that this year Walking and Cycling Grants London will support a record 68 projects thanks to the support of the London Marathon Charitable Trust. It is more important than ever that we do all we can to enable Londoners of all ages and backgrounds to take up walking and cycling.
“Not only will this mean they can enjoy the huge benefits they bring, but it will also free up space on public transport for those who cannot walk and cycle which is more important than ever to reduce the risk of a car-based recovery and ensure there is space to socially distance on public transport. Community schemes like this, combined with physical road changes to reduce danger, play a huge role in giving more Londoners the confidence to walk and cycle.”
Sir Rodney Walker, chairman of The London Marathon Charitable Trust, added: “This is the first year of The Trust’s partnership with TfL’s Walking and Cycling Grants London scheme, and we have been very encouraged by the increased number of high-quality applications received. The Trust’s mission is to inspire activity and there are some fantastic projects within this round of funding that will enable more people from underrepresented groups to participate in walking and cycling activities. We look forward to seeing the projects develop and the impact they will have on helping people across London to enjoy the benefits of being physically active.”
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