Work begins to develop new cycling and walking plan for Shropshire

Shropshire Council is developing a plan that will focus on providing an inter-connected cycling and walking network in the key urban areas of Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Oswestry and Whitchurch.

The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) will also look at potential cycling routes between these towns and smaller settlements within a 10km boundary area of each town. 10km is the commonly accepted distance that people on average are prepared to cycle if commuting by bike to work.

Cecilia Motley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for transport, said:

“The development of a LCWIP for Shropshire on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic is the perfect opportunity to engage with local communities on how they want to make their towns and villages more cycle and walking friendly.

“The recent COVID restrictions have profoundly impacted the way people live, work and travel and evidence from Sport England shows that there has been a rise in popularity of cycling and walking.

“The LCWIP will seek to embed these changes in people’s travel behaviour through the development of a best practice, high-quality network of cycle and pedestrian routes both within and between our towns and villages.”

In time, the LCWIP will support in assisting the reduction of car journeys, improving air quality and wellbeing  and supporting in physical and mental health and potential investment decisions for this infrastructure.

The development of the LCWIP is expected to begin in late August 2021.

A first round of community workshops are expected to be held later in the year to consult and engage with local communities and stakeholders and see feedback on the key cycle and pedestrian routes produced by the analysis undertaken,.

The second round of workshops, expected to be held in early 2022, will seek views on the proposed measures to be put in place to enable more walking and cycling along these routes.

The LCWIP will take eight to ten months to complete and is expected to be out for public consultation as part of the draft Local Transport Plan, which will also be out for consultation early next year.