A new plan setting out how walking and cycling facilities in the Royal Borough could be improved over the next 10 years has been adopted by Cabinet.
The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) has been shaped by feedback from last summer’s borough-wide consultation - the Big Conversation - together with the existing Cycling Action Plan, analysis of where demand for walking and cycling are highest, and a review of the existing provision.
This has been used to identify and prioritise opportunities for targeted investment in walking and cycling infrastructure.
This includes:
• Cycle facilities
• Accessible walking routes and pedestrian spaces
• School Streets – temporary traffic restrictions around schools during school run times
• People-friendly streets – changes that can be made to neighbourhoods that reduce traffic dominance.
The plan identifies locations where the council plans to undertake site-specific feasibility studies and consultations, looking at what walking and cycling improvements could be introduced. Having an adopted plan will also enable the council to bid for future government funding for highway-related investment, for which an LCWIP will be a prerequisite.
Investigations have already started on how a number of improvements could be made using the £1.5m walking and cycling capital programme budget already agreed by the council for this year. These include:
• Junction improvement at the A308/Mill Lane
• Stovell Road/Barry Avenue walking/cycling corridor
• Pedestrian crossing improvements in Datchet
• Walking/cycling improvements in Maidenhead town centre.
Councillor Phil Haseler, Cabinet Member for Planning, Parking, Highways & Transport, said: “We want walking and cycling to be more convenient, safe and enjoyable travel options for people of all ages and abilities. While not every journey can be walked or cycled, many of the shorter trips made in our borough could be made on foot or by bike with the right investment over the coming decade and beyond.
“Our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan identifies locations to target investment and how improvements can be made at specific sites. We want to provide the right infrastructure to support an increase in walking and cycling rates in the borough, and this in turn will help tackle congestion and climate change, as well as improve air quality and health and wellbeing.
“In our borough, 33% of our carbon emissions come from driving – more than from any other source. Timely, focussed action to make walking and cycling more attractive alternative options for more trips is vital if we are to address the Climate Emergency and meet the ambition of our Environment and Climate Strategy of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest.
“Active Travel, and reducing the reliance on motor vehicles for short journeys, is an important part of the strategy, and the LCWIP is a community-led vision of how and where cleaner, greener transport infrastructure in the Royal Borough could be delivered.”
The decision by Cabinet last night is subject to call-in by Scrutiny.