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CYCLE TRACKS in the Golden Valley
Press Release, 4th November 2008
Members of the Golden Valley Environment Group (GVEG) are developing an idea to create a cycle track in the Golden Valley from Hay to Pontrilas. The actual route has not yet been decided and will evolve to meet the needs of different groups with an interest in the project. The hope is that the track will create a safe alternative route for cyclists and walkers and provide access to schools, workplaces, village services and the beautiful countryside fringing the Black Mountains. Parts of the route may also offer opportunities for enhancing environmental diversity and conservation, creating wildflower ‘rivers of pollen’. In addition, it would, we believe, bring a wide range of opportunities to local businesses and other bodies. We would like to look at the potential for using sections of the disused Golden Valley railway line. Parts of the route have the advantage of flat gradients and retain the ballast from the original ‘permanent way’, which could be relatively easily upgraded as a cycle path. However, we recognise that some parts may have to be by-passed because of subsequent development or other constraints. In these cases alternative solutions which safeguard pavements or road space for cyclists such as ‘kerbside lanes’ or ‘quiet lane’ schemes may be appropriate. The final route will be defined to reflect local interests and opportunities and will not necessarily follow the route of the former railway. We have now had several meetings to discuss the feasibility of the scheme and have identified some of the potential partners such as local landowners, parish councils, schools and community groups. We will also need to work with Sustrans, a charity that provides assistance and advice for councils in the development of cycle tracks and sources of grant funding. An early priority will be to identify people who own land along the potential route and seek early discussions to explain the benefits of the cycle track and to test the level of support for the scheme. We were very pleased with the response of several parish councils who came to a meeting on the 9th October 2008 at the Peterchurch Community Centre and a number of parishes expressed support for the emerging proposals. The project provides a good opportunity for parishes to work together to develop an integrated scheme linking community transport and cycle tracks within a set of common projects. A particular priority may be for the designation of safe cycle routes for children to go to school and these could form a major building block to be linked into the network. We are therefore keen to encourage councils to include policies in support of cycling and to explore the idea of a cycle track scheme as part of their parish plan revisions. The GVEG could then seek funding to provide for a feasibility study and professional assistance to enable parishes to establish their individual priorities and cycle routes for their parish plans – their individual ‘pearls in the necklace’ - within an integrated network for the Golden Valley as a whole. Anyone interested in participating in the project should contact:
Freer
Spreckley:
f.spreckley@locallivelihoods.com or tel. 01497 831 770Charlie Westhead: charliewesthead@intermail.com or tel. 01981 500 182 Peter Gunn-Wilkinson: petergw@btinternet.com or tel. 01981 550 700 Press Release prepared by: Judy Seymour & Peter Gunn-Wilkinson Click here to return to top of this page.
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