New cycling and walking plan for Shropshire
A root and branch study of walking and cycling has been commissioned across Shropshire to develop a new plan for sustainable travel.
City Science Incorporation has been commissioned by Shropshire Council to develop a county-wide Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).
The council says such plans are considered vital by the Government, including in bids for funding, and as a way to improve opportunities for walking and cycling.
The Shropshire LCWIP will focus on Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Oswestry and Whitchurch and those settlements within 10km of each of these towns.
Ten kilometres is considered to be the maximum distance that most people are prepared to cycle to access work, education, shopping or leisure facilities.
Councillor Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, natural assets and the green economy said: “An LCWIP for Shropshire will form part of the overall driving mission of the council to combat climate change and deliver a safer, more economical and cleaner local environment.
"It will do this through helping us to identify and deliver a fully functioning active travel network, that encourages walking and cycling over private vehicle travel for local journeys.
“We are looking forward to working with the community in a collaborative and positive way to support the delivery of more sustainable places in both urban and rural settings.”
City Science specialise in the development of sustainable transport strategies and LCWIPs as well as decarbonisation strategies. To date they have been commissioned by a number of local authorities including Birmingham, Milton Keynes, North East Lincolnshire, Yeovil, Taunton and Truro to develop LCWIPS and other cycling cycle network improvement strategies.
City Science will be examining existing cycling and pedestrian networks, looking at the quality and coverage of existing infrastructure and where things such as major junctions and roundabouts create barriers for cyclists and pedestrians.
They will also be analysing existing and emerging local, regional and national strategies and plans, including the emerging Shropshire Local Plan and the emerging Local Transport Plan 4 to ensure alignment between the plans.
They will also undertake an analysis of current and projected demand for cycling as well as look at accident hot-spot locations throughout the county.
A series of workshops will be held across the county at key stages in the development of the Plan as well as one-to-one sessions with stakeholders including National Highways to understand how the needs of pedestrians and cyclists can be integrated into emerging and proposed schemes.
It should all be completed by early Summer 2022.
