Cycling upgrades revealed for Fakenham, Hunstanton and Swaffham as part of Norfolk County Council's bid to encourage active travel
A major push to get people out of their cars and onto bikes has been unveiled, with schemes planned across 20 of the county’s towns and largest villages.
Almost £1m of government funding has been allocated to Norfolk County Council (NCC) to encourage active travel.
A grant of £319,871 will be used to develop a county-wide Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).
The plan will set out how improvements can be made to walking and cycling infrastructure in 20 places across Norfolk, as well as creating new links between rural communities.
Work has already been carried out in the county’s three largest settlements: Norwich, Lynn and Great Yarmouth.
Now the council is hoping to build on that work by proposing network improvements in Fakenham, Hunstanton, Heacham and Swaffham, as well as more than a dozen other places in the county.
A further £657,388 of funding from Active Travel England will meanwhile pay for a raft of other schemes, such as community cycle clubs – which aim to enable and motivate people to change the way they travel – and grants for e-bikes and e-cargo bikes.
Some of the latter fund will also be put towards the LCWIP.
Lana Hempsall, NCC’s member champion for sustainable transport, said the funding was “very welcome” and will help the council achieve its net-zero targets.
The Conservative councillor added that the authority would work with communities to help develop “the right solutions in the right locations”.
Jesse Norman, the minister of state for decarbonisation and technology, said: “Norfolk will benefit from a boost to active travel which is an easy way to get fit, save money and reduce your carbon footprint.
“Skills training and local community engagement will help deliver improvements that have widespread local support and make active travel an attractive choice for getting around.”
NCC will be consulting, via an online survey, on the 20 network improvement schemes over a six-week period from March.
There will also be public engagement events held in Hunstanton and other parts of the county.
What’s happening in Norwich, Lynn and Yarmouth?
Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) have been developed in the county’s three largest conurbations.
Over the last decade, Norwich has received more than £14m in government funds to improve its cycle network.
The first wave of funding saw improvements to the eight-mile pink pedalway and the connections leading to it, creating a higher quality cycle link from the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital and UEA, through the city centre, to Heartsease.
Further improvement works followed on the yellow pedalway between Norwich Airport and Lakenham, and the blue pedalway from Sprowston to Wymondham.
In Lynn, ‘active travel hubs’ are proposed to be built at Baker Lane and at the Nar Ouse Enterprise Zone.
The hubs are set to include electric vehicle charging and cycling storage, electric cycle charging, lockers and other facilities
Funding has also been awarded for projects in the Great Yarmouth area, such as the creation of new cycle lanes in Jellicoe Road, costing £150,000.
In neighbouring Gorleston, a £180,000 fund was provided to create new zebra crossings and cycle lanes on Middleton Road.
Analysis
Getting more people walking and cycling is good for everyone.
It means better air quality, improved fitness for those travelling, and they are among the cheapest forms of transport.
The health benefits are particularly important when it comes to easing the pressure on our strained NHS, as regular exercise significantly reduces a person’s risk of hip fractures, heart disease, dementia, depression, diabetes and certain cancers.
Making fewer car journeys is also a vital part of the UK’s target of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Another government ambition is for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be made by walking or cycling by 2030.
But the potential to improve walking and cycling links in large, rural counties like Norfolk should not be overlooked.
That is why the news that almost a million pounds of government cash has been allocated to encourage active travel across the county will be welcomed by many.
As well as schemes to improve the infrastructure in 20 of Norfolk’s largest towns and villages, it will be important for Norfolk’s more rural residents to see the creation of new links between smaller villages – as well as connections to education and employment centres.
Cycling and pedestrianisation schemes are rarely without controversy however.
Businesses may have legitimate fears about what any restricted access to cars may mean for goods deliveries, and the ability of customers to travel from further afield.
Not everyone is able to cycle, and cycling is not always the most appealing mode of transport in cold and wet weather.
The consultation on how best to use this money will therefore be crucial for ensuring that the schemes delivered work for everyone, and strike the right balance between the needs of all of Norfolk’s people.
