The Council joined with four other historic European cities last summer to make a bid for the funding through an application to the European Commission CIVITAS Plus programme.

The bid was intended to support promoting sustainable transport strategies in Bath. In addition to the European Commission money the Council will contribute nearly €1.225 million. Seven partners who have supported the bid will contribute €1.339 million.

Councillor Charles Gerrish, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, commented:

"This is excellent news for Bath and North East Somerset Council. Our bid demonstrated a combination of imagination and innovation, subsequently resulting in a substantial funding award from the European Commission alongside our European partners. The Council’s vision priority, amongst others, of improving transport and the public realm will be given a boost by this funding. We especially welcome the extensive involvement of our local partners whose substantial funding contribution alongside the Council’s will offer the city a unique opportunity to manage future traffic management challenges."

A four year programme of work on the schemes should begin by September this year. The successful projects will become a permanent feature of Bath’s transport system.

One of the Council’s partners, Powabyke Ltd, based in Wood Street, Queen Square, Bath expressed their delight being part of the project. Managing Director Nick Child commented:

‘’I am seriously impressed by the aims of the whole project and think Bath and North East Somerset Council have done an outstanding job by putting together such a comprehensive and professional group of business partners. From Powabyke’s point of view it is enabling us to test and establish our electric bike for an easy to access, public rental e bike system that I think is a ‘world first’ , obviously we are honoured to be included in this prestigious and important programme."

Details of the Programme

· The setting up of a freight transhipment depot on the edge of Bath where retail goods bound for the city can be consolidated, in order to reduce the number of HGVs delivering into the city centre;

· The introduction of hybrid vehicles for the city car club as well as cycle hire initiatives such as park and cycle scheme involving conventional and powered bikes;

· A trial for a ‘green’ fuel hybrid vehicle suitable for use in historic cities;

· Improved transport information and signage in Bath;

· Demand management of HGVs and other vehicles in the city centre;

· Improving the environment of a demonstration area in the city’s main shopping streets;

· A study into a personal rapid transit system for central Bath;

· Satellite bus-tracking technology to help provide real-time information for travellers using EC GALILEO technology.

There are around 30 partner organisations in the project. The 7 which are attached to Bath are as follows:

· University of West of England - Evaluation

· ACIS ( Advanced Communication & Information Systems Ltd) – Vehicle Tracking

· ATS (Advanced Transport Systems Ltd) – Personal Rapid Transit Study

· City Car Club ( Smart Moves Ltd ) – Car Club

· Bicincitta (Comunicare s.r.l.) – Cycle hire

· Powabyke Ltd – Powered Cycles

· First Somerset and Avon (Public Transport Operator ) – Alternative fuels

ENDS

Issued by Bath and North East Somerset Council

For more information contact 01225 477283.

Notes to Editors

The calculations of the funding awards and commitments are subject to exchange rate fluctuations;

The European Commission has allocated up to 14.75 million euros (£11m) to the five partner cities.

The Council joined with four other historic European cities last summer to make a bid for the funding.

The Council’s European partners are Perugia in Italy, Szczecinek in Poland, Gorna Orjahovitsa in Bulgaria and Skopje in Macedonia. They formed a consortium called Renaissance and made an application to the EC CIVITAS Plus programme.

The aim of the programme is to investigate bold and innovative strategies for clean and sustainable urban transport. The historic Renaissance cities share a need to introduce sustainable transport policies to protect their urban fabric and heritage.