A £1.6 BILLION investment in local transport will see the region's local authorities handed millions by the Government.

York will receive a total of £6,230,000 from Transport Secretary Alistair Darling in 2005/2006, as the Government continues to invest in local transport project schemes.

Elsewhere, East Riding will receive more than £10.5 million and North Yorkshire will get close to £30 million to invest in transport schemes.

The Government wants the money to be used on making roads safer and to make public transport a more reliable alternative to the car.

York also received £128,178 in a rural subsidy grant for bus schemes, while North Yorkshire's projects will benefit from a £2.2 million windfall.

Mr Darling said the funding would benefit all forms of local transport, from improvements in the condition of roads through to better buses and safer streets.

"With over £8 billion invested in improving local transport over the last five years, the Government's determination to deliver better local transport is clear," he said.

Coun Ann Reid, City of York Council's planning and transport chief, said she was delighted the authority had been rated "well above average" for its local schemes and had also been invited to become a centre of excellence for the next LTP plan - one of only 17 authorities to be asked.

She said: "Our allocation has shown a slight increase, but in the region as a whole it has dropped 12 per cent so we have held our own. We are delighted to be rated as well above average and we are very pleased. Now we have to build on the work we have done so far for the next local transport plan."

Updated: 10:33 Friday, December 03, 2004