£14m investment for British train station cycling facilities

Date: 30/9/2009

Cyclist facilities at rail stations in the UK are to be transformed with money from the government.

The Department of Transport is hoping to encourage greener travel with its £14 million package.

Repair services, new hire schemes and additional bicycle storage facilities are part of the plans, which will take two years to implement.

Transport secretary Andrew Adonis said: "The aim of the programmes announced today is to boost the significant number of people cycling to catch their train.

"This will tackle congestions, promote rail travel and help people develop healthier lifestyles and protect the environment."

Some of the UK's biggest stations are to benefit from the investment, including London St Pancras, London Waterloo, Liverpool Lime Street, York and Sheffield.

According to the Department of Transport, although half of the UK population own a bike and 60 per cent live within 15 minutes of a station, only two per cent travel to catch a train by bike.

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans recently produced a petition to lobby the government to make cycling safer.