Even more temporary cycle lanes slated after £6.4 million funding secured
The cycle lane on Hunters Bridge in Welwyn Garden City and the cycle improvements on Queensway in Hatfield. Picture: David Harrison/ Adam Edwards. - Credit: Archant
More temporary cycle lanes are slated for Hertfordshire after the county council recieved a further £6.4m by the Department for Transport.
These safer routes, which have already been built in Welwyn Garden City, Digswell and Hatfield, have caused some backlash in the community with many complaining about traffic and safety considerations.
However the temporary active travel projects, which include temporary cycle lanes, closures of road sections to through traffic, new cycle parking, and upgrading of temporary measures to allow for social distancing in town and city centres across the county, have also been praised by environmental and cycle campaigners.
This new money could mean St Albans, Hemel Hampsted, Buntingford, Watford and Stevenage could be the new sites for cycle lanes.
As part of its bid for the emergency travel fund money provided by the DoT, HCC is looking at Marlborough Road and Upper Marlborough Road cycle lanes and complementary junction improvements providing for east to west connectivity through St Albans city centre, a London Road, Buntingford new cycle facility to provide a link between the town centre and schools and residential areas to the south of the town and a new cycle facility on North Road, Stevenage.
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Phil Bibby, cabinet member for highways and environment at Hertfordshire County Council said: “I am delighted that Hertfordshire has been awarded £6.4m in funding from the Government’s Active Travel Fund to further develop our green travel network. These improvements will encourage and empower many more people to travel in an active and environmentally friendly way, which in turn will deliver significant long-term benefits to the health and wellbeing of our residents and reduce our impact on the environment.
“We want everyone in Hertfordshire to be able to walk and cycle safely, and this important investment will allow the development of further access for all, helping to make the county more sustainable and ready for the future.”
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In order to obtain the views of residents, businesses and stakeholders the proposed schemes will be subject to a consultation later this year prior to their implementation.
HCC has come under fire from residents for not doing the same for the Hunters Bridge, Welwyn Garden City and Link Drive/Queensway, Hatfield schemes.
For more information on the existing initiatives please visit: hertfordshire.gov.uk/about-the-council/news/news-archive/coronavirus-temporary-cycle-lanes.
