A CYCLE parking area will be created at Stroud railway station following a government grant.

Stroud has won a £117,000 grant from the Department for Transport to improve cycle parking in the town centre.

The funding will be used to create covered cycle parking with CCTV at the train station.

It follows an application by Stroud Town Council, working in partnership with GWR, Sustrans and Stroud District Council.

The district council will provide match funding for the project which is due to be completed by March 2020 and will cost £130,000.

Town mayor Kevin Cranston welcomed the news. He said: “During our community consultation process for our Neighbourhood Development Plan, improving the area around the railway station and doing more to promote cycling was high on people’s wish list.

“The town council took that on board and has been working very hard with our partners over the past 12 months to look at ideas to do that and to apply for appropriate funding. This grant is the fruit of that effort.”

Chairman of Stroud District Council environment committee Simon Pickering (Green: Stroud Slade) said: “This is excellent news, a great opportunity for more commuters to use the cycle and train option.

“With many new e-cycle options on the market it means even more people will be able to make this choice and contribute to Stroud District Council’s target of the whole district becoming carbon neutral by 2030. This will complement the council’s own investment in cycleways as well.”

GWR head of sustainability, Amie Coppin, said: “GWR is committed to improving access to the range of services that we offer. This is good news for Stroud, and for those looking to make sustainable transport choices.”