Mayor's £250,000 investment to make it easier to walk, wheel and cycle in Scarborough, Whitby and Malton
Dozens of projects across York and North Yorkshire are set to benefit from a £4 million fund to make it easier and safer to walk, wheel and cycle across the county.
Improved walking and cycling routes, secure bike storage, and training to boost confidence will be delivered thanks to the Mayor’s Active Travel Fund.
A total of 39 schemes have secured a share of the £4 million to help make it easier and safer for people to walk, wheel and cycle across the region, including seven in Whitby, Scarborough and Malton.
The schemes – led by schools, community groups, local councils and national park authorities – aim to tackle some of the biggest barriers to active travel, including safety concerns, a lack of confidence, and limited access to bikes and facilities.
David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “We know many people want to walk, wheel and cycle more, but too often face barriers, whether that’s concerns about safety, a lack of skills or confidence, or the cost of buying a bike.
“That’s why I launched this fund: to make active travel safer, easier and more accessible for people travelling to school, training, work, healthcare appointments and leisure activities.
“We received a huge number of applications from across the region, showing the demand for better infrastructure, training, and the appetite for more opportunities to make affordable and sustainable travel choices.
“I’m proud to support these 39 schemes, investing in new and improved facilities, building confidence, and creating safer routes. Together, they will help leave a lasting legacy of inclusive active travel, safer school journeys, and healthier, greener, more connected communities for generations to come.”
Projects receiving funding include:
North York Moors Inclusive Active Travel Programme – North York Moors National Park Authority
Funding Awarded: £130,635.23
Description: Improving accessibility on the Cinder Track by removing barriers and introducing adaptive bikes, enabling more people of all abilities to enjoy inclusive, active travel.
Whitby School
Funding Awarded: £18,630
Description: Funding for secure bike and scooter enclosures across two sites. The project removes storage and theft barriers, supporting higher levels of cycling and scooting among pupils and staff.
Derwent Riverside Project (Castle Garden)
Funding Awarded: £5,171.72
Description: Secure bike parking to encourage cycling to local amenities and activities, reducing reliance on cars and supporting community wellbeing.
West Cliff Primary School
Funding Awarded: £6,449.96
Description: Funding to expand cycling provision through clubs, Bikeability and staff training. The project targets pupils without bike access and embeds cycling into the wider school culture.
Sparks Project CIO
Funding Awarded: £19,957
Description: Funding to deliver ‘Life MAPS’, a structured behaviour‑change programme supporting adults facing low confidence, mental health challenges and inactivity in deprived Scarborough wards. Through facilitated group sessions, local walking activity and progression pathways, participants build confidence, social connection and readiness for active travel. The project links behaviour change to wider community walking provision, with robust evaluation and a scalable, preventative health model.
North York Moors National Park Trust
Funding Awarded: £51,475.40
Description: Funding to employ a Programme Manager to scale the Natural Health Service across four Protected Landscapes. The role coordinates guided walks, green social prescribing, school cycling and family‑based active travel targeting inactivity, poor health and rural isolation.
Seamer and Irton CP School
Funding Awarded: £23,500
Description: Funding to establish a fleet of school bikes, shelters and maintenance skills training. The project addresses low cycling confidence and equipment access following Covid disruption, aiming to embed cycling as a normal, inclusive part of school life while reducing school‑run traffic.
Joel Brookfield, Director of Recreation and Wellbeing at the North York Moors National Park Authority, said: “The North York Moors National Park Authority is delighted to receive funding for two separate schemes: the Natural Health Service, which will promote health and wellbeing by helping people enjoy walking, cycling and spending time outdoors across all protected landscapes in North Yorkshire, and the Inclusive Active Travel programme, centred around the Scarborough to Whitby Cinder Track.
“Rural and coastal communities across our region face persistent barriers to active travel, including high car dependency, social isolation and low confidence in walking, wheeling and cycling.
“Together, these projects will help more people of all ages and abilities enjoy the health, wellbeing and independence benefits of active travel across York and North Yorkshire.”
For a full list of successful schemes visit: yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk/mayors-active-travel-fund-funded-projects