Transport funding bids

We work with partners to bid for external funding to deliver local transport improvements.

March 2024

Active Travel Capability Fund 2024 Allocation

Hampshire County Council has been awarded just over £1m of revenue funding to be spent during 2024/25 on activities that align with the previous allocations from the Capability and Ambition fund. This includes a focus on building capability and technical skills, undertaking good quality local community engagement, as well as doing early-stage feasibility work for priority LCWIP schemes, and funding behaviour change initiatives. Full details of the types of activities that are within scope for this funding are provided in section ‘September 2022’.

February 2024

Active Travel Fund Tranche 4 Extension

Following a bid submission in late November 2023, Hampshire County Council has been awarded circa £2.6m of Capital funding to support the delivery of two priority active travel schemes:

  • Aldershot Station Access; this funding will be put towards the delivery of the scheme and may enable us to reallocate some of the S106 funding towards other priority schemes in the local area.
  • M27 J9 to A27 Segensworth Link - Eastern Footway; this funding will enable us to build upon the existing scheme to provide a new footway along the eastern side of the A27 between M27 Junction 9 and the Segensworth roundabout. It will provide a new shared use ramp from the footway down the embankment, to enable people walking and cycling to access the existing shared use path that routes in an east to west direction under the A27 and connects the two side of Segensworth Business Park. It will complete the walking and cycling link between Segensworth and North Whiteley via the recently completed facilities at M27 Junction 9.
December 2023

Zero emission bus funding (ZEBRA 2)

Following on from a successful ZEBRA 1 joint bid with Portsmouth City Council in 2021/2022, that is seeing 62 new electric buses commence service in early 2024 across Gosport, Fareham and Portsmouth, Hampshire County Council, in partnership with Stagecoach, have submitted a bid for funding to the Department for Transport for round 2 of their Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) Scheme funding for a share of the £129 million available across England to support the introduction of more Zero Emission Buses, being awarded via a competitive bidding process.

The Hampshire/ Stagecoach ZEBRA 2 bid covers two distinct project areas. The first location is the Portsmouth and South East Hampshire area, covering 3 high frequency interurban bus corridors radiating out from the city of Portsmouth to connect it with the towns of Havant, Waterlooville, Emsworth and Chichester and the Hoverbus service providing multi-modal connections between Portsmouth city centre and Southsea hovercraft terminal.

The second operating area is the town of Basingstoke in the north of Hampshire. This covers 6 high frequency corridors that connects suburban areas and Tadley to the town centre.

The project if successful in securing ZEBRA 2 funding will deliver 68 new ZEBs, supporting the growth and levelling up of the economy by improving the quality and perception of public transport services within the two areas, providing greater accessibility to healthcare, jobs, education and training opportunities, especially amongst the 20-25% of households living in the Portsmouth & SE Hants and Basingstoke areas without access to a car.

The Department for Transport is expected to announce which ZEBRA 2 projects have been awarded funding in March 2024.

Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) 2 - Application Form

Update: On 22 March 2024, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced which Local Transport Authorities had secured a shared of ZEBRA 2 funding. Following an assessment process, 25 of the 45 project bids that they received were successful. The HCC bid was unsuccessful. If there are future bidding rounds for electric bus funding, then HCC will give consideration to submitting a bid.

February 2023

Active Travel Fund Tranche 4

Hampshire County Council have submitted a bid to Government for £9.7 million of Capital funding to develop and deliver new walking and cycling infrastructure schemes. This follows on from successful bids to the Department for Transport (DfT) for previous tranches of the Active Travel Fund, as well as for two tranches of the Capability and Ambition Fund. For the Tranche 4 bid HCC have been given an indicative allocation of £4.8m with the option to bid for additional funding over and above this. The bid is split into funding for the design of schemes and funding for the delivery of schemes.

Schemes submitted for design funding include segregated cycle routes and walking improvements in Portchester, Gosport, Havant, Winchester, and Basingstoke; as well as work to develop the schemes included in the forthcoming Winchester Mini-Holland feasibility study.

Schemes submitted for delivery include works to enhance or complete walking and cycling links being undertaken as part of the Transforming Cities Fund projects. This includes works along the A27 Providence Hill, Elmleigh Road in Havant and new crossings in New Forest and Eastleigh. In addition, the funding would cover key walking and cycling links in Fleet, Segensworth, Winchester and Basingstoke.
September 2022

Capability and Ambition Fund

Following a submission in September 2022 Hampshire County Council have been awarded £1.005m of revenue funding in order to enhance our capability to deliver an ambitious programme of walking and cycling improvements throughout the County. This submission builds upon last year’s successful bid to the Capability Fund and successful bids to the Active Travel Fund and will support a variety of schemes such as continuing to develop our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs), feasibility studies for new high-quality cycle schemes and behaviour change activities.

Specifically, the bid includes funding for:

LCWIP Development
Finalising the remaining four LCWIPs in Hampshire to ensure 100% coverage of the county. Prioritisation of schemes in the completed LCWIPs to inform our future programme of works and to provide a basis for future funding bids. Development of walking zones identified within completed LCWIPs.

Scheme Planning and Design
Scheme planning and design for eight corridors identified as primary routes in LCWIPs. This will include feasibility studies setting out high-quality walking and cycling schemes which will be designed to the latest standards to provide a step change in provision in these areas.

Public Engagement
Funding for greater engagement in the development of walking and cycling schemes, particularly at an early stage so that residents and other local stakeholders are able to input into the design of emerging schemes and have a say in proposals as they develop.

Staff Training
Ensuring that relevant staff are trained in the latest active travel guidance and design standards. This will include training in Healthy Streets, the new Manual for Streets and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

Behaviour Change
Providing additional staff time to continue to support schools and workplaces with travel planning. Undertaking walking and cycling events at schools and workplaces. Setting up cycle training and cycle maintenance training. Work with Public Health and marketing teams on an inactivity campaign to be used at the launch of active travel schemes.

August 2022

Active Travel England – Assessment of Capability and Ambition

Hampshire County Council were asked by Active Travel England to provide a self-assessment on their capability and ambition to deliver high quality walking and cycling improvements. Following moderation and review by Active Travel England they agreed with our self-assessment and have categorized us as ‘Level 2’ described as “strong local leadership and support, with strong plans and emerging work”. The majority of Local Authorities were assessed at lower levels; either Level 0 or Level 1, so our Level 2 assessment demonstrates Active Travel England recognise we have capability, ambition and political support to deliver high quality walking and cycling improvements.

Please view the self-assessment submitted to Active Travel England.

Levelling Up Fund

Following last year’s unsuccessful bid, Hampshire County Council have submitted a second bid to the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund to enhance access to local services, employment opportunities and education in Havant and Gosport. Working with Havant Borough Council and Gosport Borough Council the schemes included in the bid seek to improve walking and cycling routes into Havant and Gosport town centres.

In Havant the bid aims to deliver the renewal of the footbridge adjacent to Havant rail station, providing access for pedestrians and cyclists in line with the latest design standards. The bid also includes walking and cycling routes linking Leigh Park to Havant Academy secondary school and Havant and South Downs College, employment opportunities at New Lane Industrial Park and Langstone Technology Park and recreational opportunities at Staunton Park and Havant Park.

In Gosport walking and cycling improvements are proposed along South Street and Mumby Road to further improve accessibility for local residents to the new bus station and existing ferry terminal as well as to local services and opportunities.

Whilst last year’s bid was unsuccessful, the County Council received positive feedback which has been used to develop this year’s bid. An announcement on the success of this bid is expected in the autumn 2022.

Historic Funding Bids