Buses minister Nusrat Ghani explains what the money will be spent on and why it's needed

Norwich is a unique city and one that has been a great success story – driving both the regional economy and making a huge contribution to the UK, as a whole.

So, I was delighted to see the chancellor announce in the Spring statement earlier this month that the government would award £6.1million to Norwich.

The money, which is expected to be the first phase of a larger package, comes from the government's £2.5billion Transforming Cities Fund. It aims to improve local journeys and tackle congestion in some of England's biggest cities.

It will help Norwich continue to thrive with new innovative and sustainable transport schemes that will transform lives and job prospects for local residents.

And it will turn Norwich into an even better place to live, work and visit.

As buses minister, I'm particularly pleased to see that nearly £1million will be spent on upgrading Norwich's bus station. It will provide more seating, self-service digital information and more efficient lighting.

Cyclists will benefit from a new bike sharing scheme, as well as segregated lanes and an extension to the bike route between Norwich and Wymondham

And improvements to Prince of Wales Road will speed up bus journeys and ease congestion, while work at Dereham Road will make it easier for pedestrians to cross.

These are all measures that aim to give residents and commuters the confidence to the leave their cars at home and opt for greener forms of transport – providing cleaner air and creating less congestion for all.

Let no-one doubt our commitment to the city and its surrounding area.

We've already clearly demonstrated this with £96.5million in funding for the Northern Distributor Road – providing faster journeys via a new bypass around the city.

We've been working with rail operators to reduce journey time to London and brand new commuter trains run by Greater Anglia will hit the tracks later this year.

So, let me congratulate Norwich and its citizens for their winning bid to the fund.

I greatly look forward to seeing these projects turned into reality. And I am sure they will create a future for this city that is every bit as extraordinary as its past.