GOVERNMENT money amounting to nearly £25 million will enable Wiltshire County Council to move ahead on a raft of new transport projects.

The Local Transport Plan settlement sets out to reduce dependence on the private car and promote alternatives, such as walking, cycling and public transport.

A total of £1,156,000 has been set aside for the Western Wiltshire Sustainable Transport strategy an area including Corsham and Chippenham.

Local Transport Plan working groups have been set up in each town to discuss plans for 2004-05.

Possible plans for Chippenham include a shared use footpath and cycleway between Bristol Road and Bumpers Farm, forecourt improvements at Chippenham Station, extra cycle routes in the town and bus priority measures.

Development and design work for the railway station and a traffic management scheme for Priory Street have been proposed for Corsham.

A further £200,000 has been allocated for Local Safety Schemes.

Sites to be investigated in Chippenham include the A4 Bath Road at Lowden, the junction of Bristol Road and Hungerdown Lane and the Town Bridge.

Nearly £10 million will be spent on maintaining the county's road network and bridges and another £7 million will be available for the Semington to Melksham bypass.

Members of Wiltshire County Council's Regulatory Committee were due to consider details of the proposals at a meeting yesterday.