THE region was given more than £17m yesterday to help people leave their cars at home and travel by bus, bike or on foot.

Five bids were awarded funds from a Government scheme for small-scale improvements to cut carbon emissions and boost economic growth.

The money will pay for such things as new walking and cycling links, a community-run taxi service, action to tackle parking problems at schools and advice for disabled people.

The leader of Darlington Borough Council, one of the five successful bidders, said it would help the town build on its position as a “national leader for sustainable travel”.

However, the launch of the fund follows a large cut in overall funding for local transport improvements.

The Government cut £95m from transport grants to councils in 2011-12, to £378m.

The authorities awarded money yesterday are:

• Darlington council, which received £4.1m, for its Local Motion project, launched in 2004.

• Durham County Council, which was given £2m for the Local Motion scheme in the south of the county.

• Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, which received £1.5m to build walking and cycling links, including from Grangetown to Teesport, and to provide advice to disabled people.

• Tyne and Wear transport authority, which has been given £4.9m to help children to walk, cycle and use public transport to walk to school, and to tackle parking problems at schools.

• York City Council, which was given £4.65m to cut the number of short car trips to work and shops in the north of the city through better public transport.

Darlington council leader Bill Dixon said: “This is great news for Darlington. The Local Motion project has shown Darlington to be a national leader in developing the area as a place for sustainable travel.”

The council recorded a nine per cent cut in car trips (10,800 fewer per day) and increases in cycling trips (up 13 per cent) and walking trips (up 14 per cent), since 2004.

An accessible taxi service will be launched with the help of the Evolution group and Darlington Association on Disability, and work to persuade parents to leave their car at home for the school run will be stepped up.

Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “All the winning schemes have one thing in common – they will help build strong local economies, while addressing the urgent challenge of climate change.”