Could your idea be this year’s beat the street? #rdg #rdguk Funding for Sustainable Travel Ideas

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: “Reading Borough Council” <webmaster@reading.gov.uk>
Date: Jan 7, 2014 9:49 AM
Subject: Second Chance for Funding for Sustainable Travel Ideas
To: <Racheleden.whitley@gmail.com>

Second Chance for Funding for Sustainable Travel Ideas

07/01/2014
Reading Borough Council Press Release

CHARITIES, businesses, voluntary groups and residents in Reading are again being invited to bid for funding if they can come up with innovative ways to get people to consider more sustainable ways of travelling around town.

Last year it was Caversham’s 'Beat the Street' which grabbed the headlines as part the Reading Borough Council’s first round of grants from its Travel Reading Challenge Fund.

The Council is now offering groups a second chance to bid for funding. Whether it’s a local community group with an idea to help friends and neighbours walk or cycle more around their neighbourhood, or a local business which has developed a proposal to encourage their workforce to choose greener ways of getting to work, the Council’s Travel Reading Challenge Fund could help get the project off the ground.

Any voluntary, community, charity or commercial organisation, group or club that proposes a project that successfully meets the Fund’s aim may apply. Grants will be between £500 and £30,000 for the 2014 application period. The total funding pot for 2014-15 is up to £150,000.

Councillor Tony Page, Reading’s Lead Member for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, said:

“The Beat the Street Initiative in Caversham really took off last year and is a great example of, how something starting as a small project, can benefit from this money. The first round of Travel Challenge Fund bidding generated an enthusiastic response and we are now hoping to see even more imaginative ideas put forward in the second round.

“The Travel Challenge Fund idea was put together by the Council following its successful Local Sustainable Transport Fund bid. As well as the bid delivering on some of the more high profile projects, like a new Bike Hire Scheme for Reading and a new shared pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Thames, the Fund is a good way of getting charities, businesses, voluntary or community groups involved. I’d encourage any group with any suggestions on ways to encourage sustainable travel to put forward their ideas for consideration.”

Interested parties are being asked to fill in and return a Large Grant Application Form if they are seeking more than £2,000. For groups or organisations seeking between £500 and £2,000 they need to fill in and return a Small Grant Application Form. Projects receiving grant funding must be complete by 31st March 2015.

Forms are available to download from http://www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk/challenge-fund-2014.aspx. Grant guidelines are also available. Alternatively, groups or organisations can email transport@reading.gov.uk, phone 0118 937 2653 or write to Reading Borough Council, Transport Strategy, Level 9, Civic Centred,. Reading, RG1 7AE.

All application forms must be submitted by 5pm on Friday, 28th February.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Media Contact: Oscar Mortali
Tel: 0118 937 2301