Active travel charity Sustrans Scotland has awarded more than £15m in Scottish Government funding for the creation of walking and cycling infrastructure in the country over the next year.

All projects are required to be match-funded against the allocation, which means a further £15m will be invested into active travel projects through the programme.

A total of 44 organisations including, local authorities, housing associations, national parks and community trusts are to be awarded grants from the Community Links programme, which is funded by Transport Scotland and administered by Sustrans Scotland.

The charity said the 225 successful applications include ‘bold initiatives’ to overcome significant barriers to pedestrians and cyclists, such as dangerous junctions and busy roads.

Scottish transport minister Humza Yousaf MSP said: ‘Since 2010, more than £100m has been invested in the Community Links programme providing grant funding for over 700 cycling and walking projects.

‘The applications demonstrate real innovation and enthusiasm to deliver improved and innovative environments for walking and cycling to take place in Scotland.’

Daisy Narayanan, deputy director, built environment at Sustrans Scotland said: ‘The high quality of the applications to our Community Links programme, demonstrates the continued commitment from current and new partners to creating safe and accessible walking and cycling routes across the country.

‘We have worked hard to carefully select those of the highest quality to fund and we look forward to working with all our partners to ensure the successful delivery of their projects.’

One of the funded projects is a segregated cycle path that will connect Speirs Warf and the Forth and Clyde Glasgow National Cycle Network Route and the cycle routes at the east-end of Glasgow.

Sustrans has awarded Glasgow City Council a provisional grant of £25,145 for the project with up to £251,455 available upon provision of a programme of works and detailed designs.

This article first appeared on Transport Network