THE Yorkshire Dales have received an early Christmas present of £1 million worth of funding for various projects.

The cash, from a variety of Government pots, means that the national park authority can press on with schemes.

These are as diverse as rural traffic management in Wharfedale, a facelift for the Grassington National Park Centre, stabilisation and environmental interpretation work at Langcliffe Quarry and the historic Hoffmann Kiln, and a programme of works for the important lead mining remains near Grassington.

Chairman of the park authority, Coun Robert Heseltine, was delighted with the cash injection into the area.

He told the Herald: "Father Christmas has come early to the Yorkshire Dales. This additional resource from the Government is yet further confirmation and vindication of the progressive policies we have been confidently promoting through the 1990s.

"We are particularly pleased to be able to drive forward with our new initiatives for local and visitor sustainable transport programmes and opportunities, which, we hope, will be provided by public and private partnerships."

The main element of the funding is for rural transport along the "Wharfedale corridor" - something which the park has been working towards for six years, said Mr Heseltine.

The authority has received £300,000 for the package of schemes and will liaise closely with the Duke of Devonshire's Bolton Abbey estate, the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway Company and other transport providers.

Projects could include some park and ride system from Grassington, and improved bus services from Skipton and Ilkley to Upper Wharfedale and Malham, plus traffic management measures around Bolton Abbey. The money will pay for improved facilities such as shelters and information at bus stops, the management of verge and street parking and traffic calming measures such as "gateways" designed to reduce traffic speeds.

The authority has worked in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council in developing the proposals.

The park will also be co-operating with Kettlewell Parish Council and residents to come up with a traffic programme to ease the pressures on the village.

It is hoped that if the Wharfedale corridor schemes are successful, the park may be able to secure funding to extend the initiatives throughout the Dales.

Mr Heseltine added: "This initial £300,000 for transport initiatives could well turn out to be an additional revenue stream that could continue to benefit all areas of the Dales.

"There has never been a better time to address the needs of the 10 million visitors to the Yorkshire Dales and yet at the same time assimilate local transport necessities into our forward proposals."

Andy Ryland, the national park's transport and visitor management officer, said that all schemes would be worked out in consultation with local residents.

He added: "We will be able to make improvements for pedestrians, families, cyclists, public transport users, national park residents and visitors. The measures will make it easier for everyone to enjoy the national park, including people with a disability or who are without their own transport."

* Meanwhile, the Rural Development Commission has launched a multi-million pound initiative aimed at partnership projects throughout the country's rural areas.

The Rural Transport Partnership will bring together private, public and voluntary sector organisations to ensure that rural people have access to transport for work, training, education, shopping and leisure facilities.

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