PUBLIC transport, pedestrian walkways and cycling routes will be strengthened to help commuters get to emerging employment hubs thanks to £7 million of funding.

St Helens Council will be handed £4.1 million from the Government via the Merseyside Transport Partnership to deliver improved access to areas of economic growth and to cut carbon emissions.

With work increasingly tough to locate and people increasingly having to look beyond local boundaries for opportunities, the hope is to improve transport links so that people are not ruled out of jobs because they do not have a car.

The details of where the money will be spent is still unclear, but walking and cycling routes will also be stepped up to help more people get to workplaces, while a focus will be on helping disabled people access transport.

The cash is additional to a separate financial boost of £3.12 million handed to St Helens Council, in partnership with Halton and Warrington councils, which the Star reported last month.

The goal of that funding stream will be to improve walking, cycling and bus routes, making it easier for people without cars to get to work.

Perhaps the most intriguing project is the development of a disused former minerals line railway into a walking and cycle route through Bold Forrest Park, connecting Sutton to Widnes.

There will be an upgrade of parts of the Sankey Valley to improve access for walking and cycling links to employment sites.

Pedestrians and cyclists should see better access to railway stations, while bus links to Daresbury Enterprise Zone in Halton will be strengthened.

Deputy council leader Barrie Grunewald said: “In these tough times bringing in millions of additional funding is good news for the council and for St Helens.

“We will continue to strive to maximise our funding as we deliver one of our top priorities to boost our town centre and to regenerate the borough and bring in jobs and new businesses to the benefit of all who live, work and visit St Helens.”