Agenda item

The Area Board is asked to consider updates on a range of local initiatives to facilitate active travel and sustainable transport.

The Board received presentations on local initiatives to facilitate active travel and sustainable transport.

Winterslow Cycle Network - Luke Rumsey

A presentation on the draft proposals for Phase 1 of the Winterslow Cycle Network with details of future phases and a request for support and guidance in moving forward with the project. 

•        Phase 1 - Connect Saxon Lees to the primary school and the shop

•        Phase 2 - Create a circular village route that includes Barry’s field (sports)

•        Phase 3 - Connect the village to routes that extend beyond the parish

Next steps – seeking guidance on how to progress:

• Timing for wider village engagement
• Which option is best
• Discussions with landowners
• What will the costs be
• Fund raising strategy

Landford Community Cycling Group - Robin Nelson

A presentation detailing stages the group had explored and aims for future progression.

·       A segregated cycle path was a nonstarter as scheme would be too expensive.

·       Looking at the main crossing points and improved safety.

·       Explored footpath upgrades.

·       Engaged with National Highways – to discuss the A36 on a long-term basis.

·       Part of the New Forest cycle working group.

·       Looking at a reduced speed limit through the village.

·       Third year the assisted cycling scheme which take residents of cedars care home out on adapted cycles.

·       Linked-up cycle routes with neighboring communities and in the New Forest

·       Looking at funding with New Forest National Park Authority

·       Receiving good advice from National Grid and Scottish and southern, as they have money to be used for grants. Match funding would be needed.

Amesbury to Salisbury Cycle Route Project – Cllr Rich Rogers

Wiltshire Council and local communities had an aspiration to create a predominantly traffic-free cycle route to link Salisbury and Stonehenge to:

• Provide leisure routes for cyclists, walkers and disabled people.
• Improve access to Salisbury and Amesbury for the residents of the Winterbournes.
• Improve access from Durrington and Larkhill to Amesbury.
• Provide commuter routes for employees at Porton Down, reducing traffic through the Winterbournes.
• Encourage more tourists to stay in the Salisbury area and to travel to Stonehenge by cycling rather than driving.
• Encourage tourists to explore the wider Stonehenge World Heritage Site, e.g. Woodhenge.
• UPDATE: The next step is for a decision to be made on which of the route alignments the council wished to take. Once a full route alignment had been agreed a topographical study would be commissioned, subject to funding. The survey would help inform any future design work.

Rowbarrow Farm – Cllr Rich Rogers

• Lease to RSPB completed with start date of 1 January 2025.  Habitat restoration activities commenced including nutrient stripping to enable chalk grassland establishment and the planting of wildflower seed plugs.
• The new permissive bridlewayhas been fenced off but the works required to do this created some muddy areas which need to be seeded before a planned official opening towards the end of May 2025.   This route would provide the only public access to the site.  Any other access will be controlled by the RSPB in accordance with the nature conservation requirements of the site.
• Wiltshire Council and the RSPB would shortly be issuing some joint communications and we would be working with the RSPB in relation to setting up a steering group relating to the future management of the site

COGGs and Laverstock Water Meadows partnership - David Burton

On edge of the city in Laverstock, most of the land was very wet. Since taking over the land in 2018 our aim is to encourage active travel.

·       Working with COGGS, cycling group to encourage active travel to the site so that we could learn about some of the routes.

·       There was a safe green lane where children could learn to cycle.

·       A safe area to leave bikes, with cycle racks donated by Wiltshire Council, and installed with help from COGGS.

·       Community orchard with tree planting.

·       A sensory park, part funded by the Area Board.

·       The area was really important for people that could not travel far to have a beneficial experience out on the water meadows.

Laverstock School Run Working Group Update – Cllr Ian McLennan

Cllr McLennan had worked on this project for 30 years, with joint efforts of the police, residents, schools, parish council, area board and facilitating a number of public consultations.

Church Road in Laverstock had been cleared of school traffic parking since the introduction of new waiting restrictions instigated by the working group. Previously, people were parking outside the school for a long distance along the busy route through Laverstock, which had resulted in vehicles driving on the pavements, causing danger for pedestrians.

There were now cycling lanes throughout Laverstock, leading up to Old Sarum, which the schools had agreed to promote.

Working to resolve an issue with two spaces for blue badge holders to understand where best these should be located. Officers had been asked to consider alternative options as the proposed spaces would likely re-introduce a blockage.

Cllr R Clewer gave some clarity on the position of funding and government support. Historically schemes had to be in place before the Council were able to bid for funding. The Council had recently been awarded £1.045m with no strings, with guidance that we would then be able to decide how to use it.  

The Board had heard about schemes which, combined would total that amount of funding, so the Council would need to plan how to use the funding across the whole of the county strategically. With the change in government funding and as and when Wiltshire ended up with the mayoral authority more funding could then be accessed.

Questions and Comments:

Alderbury Cllr and resident - I am involved with paths and am a keen cyclist, the A36 was a scary road. I would like to pursue the former railway line along the sidings in Downton. There were cuttings there that wouldn’t take a lot of clearing out and when complete would be on par with the Bristol to Bath line and would be attractive for people interested in recreational cycling.  There was a swell of opinion that we need to do something to join up all the villages to enable active travel safely.

Chair thanked all speakers and noted that the key principles were to connect people up and to share knowledge with each other. He urged people to get in touch with the Board if they wished to connect any of the lead members of the schemes discussed at the meeting.