Play your part in new plans to increase walking and cycling in Lancashire
People are once again being invited to have their say on what they think could be improved in their area to help encourage more people to walk and cycle.
Lancashire County Council and Blackpool Council have ambitious targets to increase walking and cycling across the county and a key part of their strategy is to publish Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs). These are proposals to join up the gaps in our existing network of footpaths and cycle routes to provide safer, more direct and more convenient routes.
The survey follows an initial public engagement last year when the councils requested feedback from residents on their experience of cycling and walking and where improvements are needed. A draft network map based on the plans and feedback collected from the first engagement has been published and there is now a further opportunity to comment.
Scott Smith, Lead Member for Active Travel at Lancashire County Council said:
"Lancashire is a great place to cycle and walk for all ages, whether for leisure or commuting. But it's our ambition to make Lancashire a place where many more people can make cycling and walking part of their everyday lives.
"To achieve this, active travel needs to be a practical choice as well as a healthy and sustainable one.
“The aim of the LCWIPs is to identify the right infrastructure to help people by creating opportunities for people to be able to choose greener, safer, and healthier travel.
"Earlier this year, we were successful in securing £1.1m from Active Travel England which will greatly assist in delivering the LCWIPs as well as activities to encourage cycling and walking.
"We understand that detailed local knowledge is vitally important, and so we are offering another opportunity for people to comment. Please help us by taking a look at our proposed future network map and providing feedback via the short survey on anything you think could be improved."
Cllr Jo Farrell, Blackpool Council Cabinet Member for Levelling Up - People, said, “This survey is a vital opportunity for residents to give feedback on the proposed network map and tell us how they would like to see active travel supported in the community.
“There is a lot of potential to expand active travel in Blackpool. The Promenade, the seafront and our green spaces, including the award-winning Stanley Park, provide great opportunities for safe and enjoyable walking and cycling routes.
"We want people of all ages to make the best of the outdoor spaces Blackpool has to offer, whether you’re walking or cycling for transport and commuting, or for exercise.
“Walking and cycling both come with many benefits such as lower air pollution from emissions, and better health and wellbeing.
"Please help make Blackpool, and the whole of Lancashire, a better place for active travel by completing the short survey”.
You can find out more about the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, and take part in the survey before Tuesday 24 October at https://lancashire.citizenspace.com/lcwip-engagement-stage-2/
A new video is also available which provides an overview https://youtu.be/pVjVoWB3PkE
Notes to editors
Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) are a vital piece of evidence that will demonstrate how individual schemes fit into a countywide cycling and walking network and help inform and support local developments. LCWIPs have been used as an evidence base in communities across the country to introduce long term, fit for purpose cycling and walking schemes in areas with latent demand. LCWIPs are being produced for each of the following seven geographical areas: Burnley and Pendle, Central Lancashire, Fylde Coast, Hyndburn and Rossendale, Lancaster, Ribble Valley and West Lancashire. The Central Lancashire plan will include Chorley, Preston and South Ribble, while the Fylde Coast plan will include Blackpool alongside Fylde and Wyre.
We are undertaking a full public and wider stakeholder engagement to ensure vital local knowledge is incorporated into the final network plans. During this second stage of engagement, a draft network map based on the plans is being published and public feedback sought via an online survey. The final plans will be taken to the county council's Cabinet for approval, with the Fylde Coast plan also being taken to Blackpool Council’s Cabinet.
The council's 'Actively Moving Forward: A ten-year strategy for cycling and walking', is available at www.lancashire.gov.uk/activetravel and has a vision for Lancashire to be:
" a place where many more people make cycling and walking part of their everyday lives. A place where cycling and walking is easily accessible, safe to use, attractive, well maintained, and where we actively promote cycling and walking to all our residents and visitors to the county."