Residents, businesses, commuters and visitors are invited to share their views on walking and cycling proposals for Hart, through the new draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).
The plan proposes an extensive network of cycle routes across the district together with walking zones for the main residential centres. These will form the priorities for investment over the next ten years.
Hampshire County Council and Hart District Council have opened a 10-week survey, from Monday 12 June, so that people can comment on the draft Plan online.
Councillor Rob Humby, Leader of Hampshire County Council, said: “During the pandemic, we saw more people walking and cycling as their preferred means of travel for local journeys. This draft Plan sets out the aspirations for walking and cycling infrastructure improvements and provision across Hart moving forward.
“We are keen to gather local residents’ and other stakeholders’ views on the proposals for walking and cycling facilities and networks, with a view to encouraging this continuing trend both for the health and wellbeing advantages and for the clear environmental benefits in reducing the number of cars on the road.
“The feedback we receive will help to inform the final development of the Plan so that we can be ready for future national funding opportunities to make it easier and safer to walk and cycle across Hart.”
Councillor Graham Cockarill, Hart District Council portfolio holder for Planning Policy, said “Encouraging more cycling and walking across Hart is a priority for Hart District Council, identified in our latest Corporate Plan 2023-2027.
“A key part of developing this local cycling and walking network is the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan alongside our Green Grid project. We’d encourage as many people as possible to share their views to make sure the routes identified meet the needs of our residents and remove barriers to walking and cycling in Hart.”
Building on the foundation of the Hampshire County Council’s Walking Strategy (2016) and Cycling Strategy (2015), the County Council has been working in partnership with active travel charity ‘Sustrans’ and local authorities within Hampshire to develop LCWIPs that will help identify walking and cycling infrastructure needs at a local, targeted level.
The LCWIP for Hart will enable Hart District Council to demonstrate its commitment to walking and cycling by identifying and prioritising infrastructure improvements, which will help to create Hart’s Green Grid and provide high quality infrastructure to meet the demand of a growing population. It will also make the case for future funding for active travel infrastructure and developer contributions.
LCWIPs gather local views at an early stage so that the proposals put forward in the draft are reflective of local needs and desires. Census data and other tools are also used to further inform the proposals.
LCWIPs enable a long-term approach (typically ten-year periods) towards developing local cycling and walking networks and form a crucial part of the Government’s ambition to increase the number of trips made by walking and cycling as part of its Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. Having an LCWIP in place will put Hampshire in a good position to bid for active travel funding from central Government to develop cycling routes and walking zones.
Background
The County Council has a programme to develop LCWIPs across all 11 districts within Hampshire.
In addition to the Hart District LCWIP, Hampshire County Council has consulted on other LCWIPs covering Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport Havant and parts of the Test Valley.
This is in addition to consultation on several walking and cycling improvement schemes across the county as part of its successful bid to the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund programme for the areas surrounding Southampton and Portsmouth. More information can be found on the County Council’s web pages:
Southampton City region Transforming Cities Fund
Transforming Cities Fund Portsmouth
The TCF proposals are in addition to plans for improved walking and cycling infrastructure across areas of the county as part of the Government funded Active Travel Fund programme: Hampshire Active Travel.