Herefordshire residents are “polarised” on the issue of whether to boost cycling and walking in the county, bosses have been told.
Over 760 people responded to a consultation in summer on the draft Local Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Infrastructure Plan for Herefordshire – a strikingly high figure for such an exercise.
But according to the council’s transport planning services manager Ffion Horton, “a lot of people were unsupportive [in that] they didn’t support the small intervention that we propose; they wanted a much greater intervention”.
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On the other hand, “a lot of comments… were just unsupportive of anything that was prioritising walking and cycling over cars”, she told the Connected Communities Scrutiny Committee of councillors.
“It’s a continuous challenge – people want us to focus more on car travel. Walking and cycling is polarising.”
The measure which drew most support, from seven in ten respondents, was “quiet lanes” – designated minor rural roads where drivers are urged to look out for walkers, cyclists, riders and the mobility-impaired.
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Candidates for this include Lumber Lane north of Lugwardine, Ruckhall Lane west of Belmont and Ginhall Lane on the northwest side of Leominster, according to a report for the meeting.
Segregated cycle lanes, which are prescribed in current Government guidance, would not be an option in much of Herefordshire as “we don’t have that many wide roads”, Ms Horton said.
“But we do push developers to be compliant with the guidance, so we can ensure that new infrastructure is built that way.”
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The county’s Cabinet member for transport Philip Price stressed the need for a county plan, as “if we need and want to move forward with any infrastructure, whether it’s for roads, cycling or walking… the government have said in no uncertain terms that without these plans, you’re not likely to succeed in any bids for grant funding”.
Rhiannon Evans, West Midlands manager at Government agency Active Travel England, said Herefordshire rated just 1 on its 0-4 scale of councils’ capacity to deliver active travel schemes, and that this “is linked to the amount of funding that you get”.
No English councils are currently rated 0 or 4.