Excellent response to ‘Big Conversation’ supporting Active Travel in Royal Borou

Hundreds of residents took the opportunity to have their say on how walking and cycling facilities in the borough should be shaped and improved over the next ten years.

The ‘Big Conversation’, held this summer, was a chance to put forward suggestions on Active Travel measures in the borough. Over 800 residents shared their ideas and opinions around four key themes:

Cycle routes and infrastructure
Accessible routes and pedestrian spaces
School Streets – temporary road closures around schools during school run times (term time only)
People-friendly streets – changes that can be made to neighbourhoods that reduce traffic dominance.
Councillor Gerry Clark, cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said: “I would like to thank everyone who participated in the consultation. The excellent level and quality of feedback demonstrates a real desire for making improvements to air quality, health and safety in the borough making infrastructure changes to assist Active Travel.

“Active Travel, and reducing reliance on motor vehicles for short journeys, is an important part of our Environment and Climate Strategy, which includes improving air quality. It also has personal benefits and keeping active helps your physical and mental wellbeing.”

The next steps will be to analyse the responses and draw together ideas to help shape a new Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, which, along with the previously adopted Cycling Action Plan, will form a roadmap of ideas. These will be investigated in more detail and brought forward as potential schemes for further, localised consultation.

Councillor Clark added: “Our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan will identify how to make improvements that support cycling and walking, and where investment is most needed and can be used to best effect.

“There has been an increase in cycling and other forms of Active Travel in recent years, which we want to encourage and support, so that together, we create a community-led vision for a cleaner, greener transport system across the Royal Borough.”