A £3M cycling scheme linking East Oxford with the city centre remains on track despite Government cuts.

Earlier this week the Government announced £23m cuts to the pot which handed money to Oxfordshire County Council for the plans.

Oxford was one of eight selected cities that bid for a share of a £114m Cycle City Ambition grant to go towards infrastructure and improvement.

The city’s successful bid will see a new bridge built over the River Thames and upgrades to the river towpath to create a joined-up link from Iffley Road to the city centre.

The Department for Transport confirmed that Oxford’s funding was safe and secure.

Spokesman for the department Jack Griffith said the savings announced were because the bids did not require the full pot.

He said: “The Cycle City Ambition programme will fund the creation of new cycle routes and road improvements, transforming cycling for people in Oxford.”

Chairman of cycling campaign group Cyclox, Simon Hunt said: “If we improved cycling funding per head we could set out an order of priorities and plan more joined-up thinking for different parts of the city.

He added: “I don’t know why we are spending £3m on a path along the river.”