Windsor and Maidenhead council to seek views on active travel plans

The Windsor and Maidenhead council will be asking people to put forward ideas for potential cycling and walking improvements in the borough. 

A public consultation will be held later this year on how best to spend a central Government grant of £335,000, which the council secured via the an Active Travel Fund.

Both online and postal submissions will be welcomed, and the outcome of the consultation will allow the council to upgrade its adopted Cycling Action Plan to a 'Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan'.

A consultation earlier this year saw thousands of people respond to a number of proposed walking and cycling schemes put forward by the council to be funded by the Active Travel Fund grant.

Residents were strongly against two low traffic neighbourhoods in West Windsor and a controversial bus gate in Shoppenhangers Road, Maidenhead.

However, one of the school streets schemes in Maidenhead, and a pedestrian crossing, were supported. 

Councillor Gerry Clark (Con, Bisham and Cookham), cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said: “We want to deliver the right schemes in our communities and are committed to opening up a wider conversation with residents and to invite their proposals for active travel schemes that would benefit their local areas.

“When considering schemes, we prioritise what will support residents' lives; what will support new house building; what will help meet our commitments to tackling climate change, and what will help support our local economy recovery post-COVID.

“Residents know their communities the best and, when the consultation gets underway, I would encourage as many people as possible to take part.”

Suggestions could cover areas such as encouraging people to leave their cars at home, walking to school more frequently and segregated cycle lanes.

Cllr Clark added: “Feedback from residents at the last consultation was key in determining whether any of the schemes should be progressed and we listened.

“This new initiative will enable residents and stakeholder groups to submit their ideas, not only on how best to spend our allocation of the Active Travel Fund, but on a far broader range of potential infrastructure improvements to the walking and cycling network in the borough.”