Nick Herbert welcomes new cycle path
Nick Herbert visited Walberton on Friday (24 April) to see a new cycle path under construction which will provide a safe link between Barnham railway station and Slindon Woods.
The Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Arundel and South Downs went to view the planned route in the week that the Conservatives pledged to double the number of bicycle journeys being made, with investment in safer cycling routes.
The Walberton Link cycle path has been championed by West Sussex County Councillor Derek Whittington, a keen cycling enthusiast. Mr Whittington has worked hard to secure the funding and approvals for the routes that will eventually link the South Coast to the South Downs National Park with safe cycling and pedestrian access.
The mile-long path for the Walberton Link will begin at Barnham railway station and run through to Walberton Green. Cycle route signs will be added between Walberton and Fontwell, through to the A27 Fontwell underpass.
The shared-use path will also benefit pedestrians, mobility scooters and dog walkers by providing a safe, flat route between the villages.
It has been made possible thanks to the co-operation of many local residents in Barnham and Walberton.
Construction work is beginning now and should be ready by the beginning of September when children start the new school year. It is hoped that many local families will use the new route to cycle safely to school and reduce many of the short car journeys currently being made.
The Walberton Link is estimated to cost £335,000, the majority of which has been funded by the Government through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. West Sussex County Council will be contributing up to £185,000 towards the link.
Last week, the Conservatives pledged in their Election Manifesto to double the number of journeys made by bicycle, with proposed additional investment of £200 million to make cycling safer. This investment is on top of the £5 million of local investment already available to create a proposed 35 miles of new cycle paths across West Sussex.
The Road Investment Strategy (RIS), announced in December by the Department of Transport, set out a programme of improvements for major roads across the country over the next five years and will include action on 200 sections of the network for cyclists, including the A27. The announcement of the Arundel bypass and improvements along the A27 explicitly included “sustainable transport measures” at Arundel, Worthing and Lancing.
Nick Herbert also joined in the celebrations at Hassocks Station on Thursday (23 April) to launch the Hassocks Cycle Community Hire building, a project that has been jointly delivered by the Hassocks Amenity Association and Southern Rail and forms part of the overall upgrade of the station’s facilities.
Hassocks Community Cycle Hire is a community enterprise led by volunteers with the joint aims of promoting cycling and environmental tourism in the Hassocks, Sussex, Brighton and South Downs area through mountain bike hire, and serving the local community with bike servicing.
Nick Herbert said: “Cycling is ever more popular and people want safe routes so that they can enjoy the activity with their families without fear of traffic on the roads. It’s great that these new cycle paths are being created locally, and especially that stations are being linked to the South Downs National Park.
“I will do everything I can to support more cycle routes in West Sussex.”
ENDS
Notes
1. Photograph attached – Councillor Derek Whittington with Nick Herbert at part of the new Walberton Link route.
2. To read the Conservative Manifesto pledge to cycling see page 15 - https://www.conservatives.com/manifesto.
3. To read Nick’s West Sussex County Times article about cycling (August 2013) see http://www.nickherbert.com/media_centre.php/636/cycling.
4. For further information about the cycle path scheme contact West Sussex County Council on 01243 642105, or email highways@westsussex.gov.uk.
5. To find more on and off road cycle routes in West Sussex see https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/lesiure-recreation-and-community/walking-horseriding-and-cycling-routes/cycling-routes-and-maps/.