The York & North Yorkshire region is to benefit from £15.4 million of Local Transport Grant in the current financial year, April 2025 to the end of March 2026.
It is given to Mayor David Skaith and the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA), then distributed to the two councils – North Yorkshire Council (NYC) and City of York Council (CYC).
A report to an NYC Executive meeting on 15th July 2025 explains how the money will be allocated.
YNYCA has stipulated that capital grants from the fund should be spent on schemes that can start construction by March 2026.
‘Transformative and Ambitious’ Transport Improvements
The DfT says the Local Transport Grant should be spent on ‘transformative and ambitious’ transport improvements.
This can include highway maintenance and drainage schemes, but YNYCA has asked that such schemes be a last resort.
The Local Transport Grant can also be spent on active travel. The Combined Authority says:
‘The YNYCA Strategic Transport Framework commits to ensuring that active travel is a core part of an integrated transport network.
In the long term this means a comprehensive network of lit, well-maintained walking, wheeling and cycle routes across the Combined Authority’.
The Local Transport Grant has been split between the councils, with £7.5 million to York and £11.3 million to North Yorkshire.
This is more than the total of £15.4 million. That’s because it is expected that some schemes will ‘fall by the wayside as unexpected circumstances arise’.
City of York Council (CYC)
CYC’s schemes include School Streets, Copmanthorpe Active Travel Route to School, and York Station Gateway.
In contrast to North Yorkshire, CYC’s Station Gateway scheme is well under way and still retains a focus on walking and cycling.
North Yorkshire Council (NYC)
Of NYC’s £11.3 million allocation, well over half requires further information and assurances before the Combined Authority is satisfied that the schemes will be ready to go ahead by March 2026.
The schemes requiring further assurances are the Transforming Cities Fund schemes for Harrogate, Skipton and Selby.
North Yorkshire are world champions at dither and delay, and they are very unlikely to meet a deadline of March 2026.
Thoughts on the Local Transport Grant
Although nationally public finances are tight, in the York & North Yorkshire region there is money available for transport projects including active travel.
In David Skaith we have a Mayor who is very supportive of walking and cycling.
Regrettably, the Mayor is reliant on North Yorkshire Council to deliver ‘transformative and ambitious’ schemes. To date, NYC has proven itself incapable of or unwilling to improve walking and cycling networks.
NYC has – disgracefully – announced that it intends to exclude cycling from its Sainsburys junction of Wetherby Road scheme. When NYC inevitably proves incapable of starting its Local Transport Grant schemes on time, the money should be reallocated to cycling at Sainsburys junction.