Funding for active travel improvements, including feasibility work, design development, and delivery on the ground, is mainly provided through grants from Active Travel England (ATE).
Funding comes via bids, revenue and capital allocations, and other sources such as the:
- Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal
- Town Deals
- Levelling Up Fund
Capability rating
In December 2025, ATE confirmed that Cumberland Council remains at level 2 for active travel capability and ambition. Ratings range from:
- level 0 – lowest
- level 4 – highest
The assessment looked at:
- network planning
- leadership and organisational capability
- delivery
- existing network extent and quality
No authorities are at a level 4. Only 11 authorities are at level 3.
Find local authority active travel capability ratings on GOV.UK
To reach level 3, councils need:
- very strong local leadership and organisational capability
- comprehensive plans
- a significant active travel network in place
- growing numbers of people walking, wheeling and cycling
Capability funding
Funding allocations from ATE are now based on our rating and population, unless a specific bid is made.
Capability revenue funding helps boost capability and technical skills to deliver high quality schemes. It can be used for:
- infrastructure plans and designs
- programme management
- training
- communications and engagement
Revenue funding received
The following Capability and Ambition revenue funding has been received:
- 2021 to 2022 – £254,164 (Cumbria County Council, before local government reform)
- 2022 to 2023 – £358,615 (Cumbria County Council, before local government reform)
- 2023 to 2024 – £89,654 (Cumberland Council – split equally with Westmorland and Furness Council)
- 2024 to 2025 – £195,662 (Cumberland Council)
In December 2025, ATE announced new allocations from the Government’s spending review:
- £616 million capital for walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure
- £512 million for authorities over 4 years (2029 to 2030)
- £114.5 million revenue funding for authorities over 3 years (2028 to 2029)
Cumberland Council’s spending review allocation:
- £910,076 capital per year (2026 to 2027 to 2029 to 2030)
- £285,543 revenue per year (2026 to 2027 to 2028 to 2029)
Active Travel Fund (ATF)
ATF supports local authorities with capital and revenue grants for the development and/or construction of of inclusive walking, wheeling and cycling schemes. Five tranches of funding have been provided. Early rounds required bidding and compliance with:
- national cycle infrastructure design standards (LTN 1/20)
- network planning (LCWIPs or similar)
- community consultation
- local leadership support and design assurance
Funding received
The following funding has been received to date:
ATF4 (2022 to 2023)
Projects include:
- Carlisle: Victoria Viaduct, LCWIP Route 36 – preliminary design (£115,000)
- Cargo link: LCWIP Route 38 – design and build (£530,000)
- South Whitehaven NCN 72 improvement, LCWIP Route 14 – design and build (£782,359)
ATF4 extension (2023 to 2024)
Projects include:
- Carlisle: London Road, LCWIP Route 28 cycleway – preliminary design (£180,000)
- Lowca: NCN72 realignment and improvement – design work (£49,926)
- Workington: Central Way, LCWIP Route 10 improvement – design and build (£445,000)
ATF5 (2024 to 2025)
Projects include:
- Carlisle: The Crescent and Warwick Road, LCWIP Route 18 – detailed design (£100,000)
- Carlisle: Newark Terrace, LCWIP Route 9 – preliminary and detailed design (£50,000)
- Funding still to be allocated: £177,163 (dependent on ATF5 design outcomes)
Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF) 2025 to 2026
Active Travel England provided both capital and revenue under CATF as a step towards full transport funding settlements.
Cumberland Council allocation £998,838, consisting of:
- revenue: £226,304
- capital: £772,534
Capital projects depend on ATF5 design outcomes.
Revenue funding is being used for:
- St Bees to Whitehaven active travel link (LCWIP route 16) – feasibility study and concept design
- Thirlmere West – optioneering and detailed design to inform Borderlands See More Lake District Cycling business case
Previous funding (Cumbria County Council)
Earlier tranches of the Active Travel Fund were awarded to Cumbria County Council prior to local government reform:
- ATF1 (COVID-19 emergency fund): £233,000 for projects in Barrow-in-Furness, Grasmere and Penrith
- ATF2 and ATF3: £866,350 and £4.5 million for projects in Barrow-in-Furness