AROUND 250 new bicycle parking stands have been installed across the Dudley borough to encourage people to ditch cars for greener ways of travelling.

The stands have been sited in town centres, parks and open spaces to provide safe places for cyclists to lock up their bikes while out and about.

Cash for the initiative has come from the government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund which was put in place to support local authorities with schemes which encourage walking or cycling.

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley Council's cabinet member for public realm, said: "We welcome this funding from the government, which is being put to very good use.

"During lockdown we have seen a lot more people out across the borough cycling, and we are keen to continue to encourage this as we begin to start moving back to some kind of normality.

"This brings obvious health benefits to individuals, but also helps reduce congestion on our roads and improves air quality.

"Having extra parking facilities for bicycles will help encourage people to travel in more environmentally-friendly ways.

"It will give them somewhere to lock up their bikes when they get there, whether it is for shopping in our town centres or enjoying our parks and green open spaces."