Cheshire East Council is planning to create a new walking and cycling scheme connecting Wilmslow rail station and the town centre to Wilmslow High School, The Royal London Campus and further south to Alderley Park.
The programme for planned for construction to take place during Autumn 2020.
A report has been prepared for the Cabinet meeting on July 7th seeking approval for the delivery of the Wilmslow Strategic Walking and Cycling Scheme (along with the A530 scheme in Crewe) through the Highway Service Contract, authorise the Director of Highways and Infrastructure, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Transport and the Portfolio Holder for Highways & Waste, to take all necessary actions to implement the above two schemes.
Additionally the Cabinet is being requested to approve the preparation of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) in respect of land required to deliver the A530 Scheme, where such land cannot be acquired by agreement. Should a
The report states "The schemes will improve travel for everyday journeys as part of the recovery from Covid-19, complementing a wider programme of recovery measures in Crewe and Wilmslow."
The approved budget for the Schemes is £2.8m. The Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership have allocated £1.6m of Local Growth Funding (LGF) to these schemes. The remaining funds comprise of a local contribution from Cheshire East Council and third-party developer sources.
Community consultation for the Wilmslow scheme is planned in July 2020 with the town council, parish councils, local residents and businesses as well as walking and cycling community groups.
The report states "This feedback will shape the scheme design and engagement will continue as the scheme progresses."
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https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/highways_and_roads/roadworks/major-projects/wilmslow-proposed-walking-and-cycling-route.aspx
This is also just the south Wilmslow part of the scheme. A separate proposal that links Wilmslow to Handforth will be published in the next few weeks.
Cllr Mark Goldsmith
Wilmslow West & Chorley, CEC & WTC
One major change, which is advocated by public health experts as a way of reducing accidents and road deaths is a 20 mph speed limit on residential roads. Many areas of the UK have already successfully gone “20’s plenty” and Cheshire East’s Walking and Cycling Commisioner, Suzie Akers-Smith, is taking this proposal to a full council meeting in July.
Transition Wilmslow are organising a virtual meeting on Monday 6th July at 7pm to explain the rationale and proposals. This will give you the opportunity to hear Rod King, founder of 20s plenty, and Suzie Akers-Smith and an opportunity for Q&A.
For joining link please email and learn more at http://www.20splenty.org/
shows no more than the one on this site.
I'd expect to be able to click on the CE site one for a bigger / more detailed image as any commercial site would offer. But no chance of that from CE.
As I mentioned above, this detail is contained in the leaflet on the web page you mention. You just need to click on the section that says
“Wilmslow proposed walking and cycling route leaflet” and it will show you the detail you want.
I’m not sure if this direct link to it will work but here it is:
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/pdf/highways/wilmslow-proposed-walking-and-cycling-route/wilmslow-walking-and-cycling-leaflet.pdf
I am assuming that the shared pedestrian/cycle route on the West side of Alderley Rd would be two-way; that being the case, it will have to be wider than the current verge/pavement and iirc, some lamp-posts will need to be moved.
There have already been at least two flurries of marking-out of underground services with coloured paints along there; is that connected with the cycle path?
As the leaflet says about this section "In places, the carriageway would be reduced in width so the new wider pedestrian and cycle facility can be accommodated".
So yes, the road will be narrowed and the path widened to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.
The contractor for this project has not yet been appointed, so I doubt it is them marking out the pavement. It's probably a utility company instead.
I imagine for the simple reason things tend not to get done unless you make someone responsible for them.
"Why not go for reducing the speed limit to 10 or even 5 mph and have someone walk in front of cars waving a red flag too?"
Because it's a reductive argument and adds absolutely nothing to a constructive conversation about how we can actually to improve this world and build for a better future. No one is suggesting it. But as usual at the slightest suggestion things could change, we get people coming out tilting at windmills.
The main aim of schemes like this are to reallocate road space in favour of active travel; for too long the amount of cars on the road, caused by six decades of pandering to the wants and desires of motor car users, has put people off cycling. It's a case of build it they will come, encouraging good travel habits for people who might otherwise have avoided biking because of the perceived safety issues caused by their being too many motor vehicles on the roads.
This scheme is great because it will link large employment sites (Alderley Park - several thousand workers) to Wilmslow town centre via the existing shared use cycle path.
Can you share any information on the site investigations ongoing on the (currently) agricultural, formerly Green Belt fields, to the West of Alderley Rd? I've been in touch with United Utilities, CEC Highways (Ringway Jacobs, plc) and the Environment Agency regarding the repeated flooding of the Royal London "Campus", Alderley Road and also to the Environment Agency (recently) over the past three (or more?) years. I've been batted from pillar to post.
The decision taken by the previous CEC administration to remove this agricultural land from Green Belt, in their desperate rush to push through their flawed Local Plan, is reprehensible. I understand that formal Police investigations are still ongoing. I hope that those involved in that voting... on our behalf...can sleep easily in their beds.
The meeting we have organised gives you a great opportunity to learn more and to ask these questions direct to Suzie Akers-Smith. It would be great to have you along.
Monday 6th July 7pm.
Email for a joining link
Cyclists probably just give up and use the road. I hope the cycling commissioner will take a look at improving things for this route as well as a joined up approach to cycling and walking routes rather than them being a second thought at the side of road.
Cycle lanes which are not maintained and are full of dangerous pot holes (the road surface tends to deteriorate at the edges and pot holes can be lethal to a cyclist) and puncture-inducing detritus thrown there by the wheels of motor vehicles will similarly be avoided. Have you tried using them yourself?
Constructing cycles lanes with a bit of white paint does not address the needs of cyclists. It is just a cheap box-ticking exercise. Countries like Denmark and Holland show how it should be done.
I agree with Graeme cycle lanes should not compromise lane width.
And cyclists imho should be licensed, insured and pay road tax in common with other road users which could in turn lead to safer, cycling/motoring habit.
Registration and licencing for cyclists has been tried by some countries in the past (notably not cycle-minded nations such as The Netherlands and Denmark) and largely subsequently dropped as being uneconomic and pointless, a bit like dog licencing in UK. And it doesn't stop misbehavior on the road; cars are registered etc. but illegal driving, particularly speeding and phone use, is endemic.
All road users misbehave sometimes. However, a misbehaving motorist might kill someone while a misbehaving cyclist might get killed. It's why we allow children to ride bikes but not to drive cars.
There is some informative stuff on this subject on the cycling thread on the Alderley Edge website.
As 'Full Fact', the UK's independent fact-checking charity says on their website:
"Along with pedestrians and motorcyclists, the government classifies cyclists as “vulnerable road users” because they are significantly more likely to be killed or injured per mile travelled, compared to other road users". No seat belts, crumple zones, or air bags on a bike, Kathryn, unlike the well protected motorist. As a result, which one do you think is going take more care not to get into a collision? The one who'll get a scratched car, or the one who might die?
You state, categorically, that "legislation and Insurance will become necessary like it or lump it"? Really? It isn't on any party's manifesto and has never even been hinted at by any party. So where did you get that idea from? Did you just make it up?
I think you'll find that you're swimming against the tide.
The Government has acknowledged the considerable damage caused to the nations health by obesity and they are actively encouraging people to get on their bikes. Doctors will be prescribing cycling as a tool to tackle obesity, Councils will be encouraged to invest substantially in cycle ways and the public will be encouraged to make their short commute journeys by bike.
This is great news for the general health of society AND the planet.
https://bit.ly/39Bev6S
Perhaps Kathryn Blackburn would like to read about the proposed "Hierarchy of Road Users" although, judging by your comments posted here, I would suggest that you sit down to read it.