Warwick campaign group say Government investment raises hopes for cycling and walking facilities

Members of campaign group in Warwick are celebrating after a recent announcement by the government which raises hope change could happen to making cycling and walking more appealing.

Clean Air Warwick has welcomed the news of the Department of Transport's policy document 'Gear Change - a bold vision for cycling and walking'.

In the document the government has laid out how it will spend an additional £2billion to make 'England a great walking and cycling nation'.

The document goes on to explain how towns and cities will be 'transformed through investment in dedicated cycle lanes, separated from both pedestrians and cars, delivering a travel revolution in our streets, towns and communities and making cycling a mass form of transit.'

The document goes on to lay out guidelines for how government and local authorities are going to achieve this transformation.

Jon Grey, on behalf of the Clean Air Warwick group, said: “We could not be more excited, the government has answered all our prayers with the design principles contained in these new guidelines.

"I have been lobbying Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to improve cycling provision, particularly on the routes to schools as we are concerned that there will be unprecedented gridlock on our roads next month as parents turn to cars for the school run to avoid letting their children travel on public transport.

“I received a response from Councillor Jeff Clark, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning at WCC to say that, although they will not be in a position to make changes in time for the reopening of schools, they are accelerating work on a scheme for Myton Road in anticipation of being able to benefit from the newly announced funding.

“Whilst it is disappointing that there will be little change this September, lets hope that WCC stay true to their word and we see a Gear Change in the provision of infrastructure to support active travel and improve our air quality."

Resident Hazel Underwood added: “ I would love my children to be able to make all their local journeys on their bike.

"At the moment many routes are not safe enough due to the need to continually move from path to road and back again.

"If the council can now sort this out so that we have dedicated, off-road cycleways along all our major routes that will be a tremendous breakthrough."

Cllr Jeff Clarke, portfolio holder for transport and planning at Warwickshire County Council said: “Officers are carrying out preliminary design work on a scheme with the aim of extending and improving the provision for cycling on the Myton Road corridor.

"It is hoped that a scheme on Myton Road could form part of potential future funding bid to Government.”

For more information about Clean Air Warwick go to: https://www.facebook.com/cleanairwarwick/