CYCLING has never looked in better shape in Petersfield and the surrounding area after a £5.1m Government handout to the South Downs National Park Authority.

The official handover was made at the gateway to the national park at Petersfield railway station on Monday by MP Simon Burns, the Minister of Transport.

And national park authority chairman Margaret Paren said: "I am really excited by this grant and the message it sends out that Petersfield is becoming a hub for sustainable transport.

"It just makes Petersfield a place where people can get off the train and access the park without using their cars.

"This is a great success for the South Downs National Park and for all those who love to walk or cycle through it."

For full story, see this week's Herald.