Council seeks views on plan for better bike and walking routes in Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire Council is asking residents to pitch in with their views on plans for better walking and cycle routes across the county.

Draft proposals for the Buckinghamshire Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) have been released for consultation - with the council hoping to sign off on its approval next year.

Improvements to routes in south Buckinghamshire – from Slough, Farnham Royal and Langley; to Marlow and Bourne End – are highlighted as key aspects of the plan.

Steven Broadbent, deputy leader and cabinet member for transport, said: “We are committed to creating a more sustainable and connected Buckinghamshire.

“Working with partners, we have delivered several new walking, cycling and wheeling projects in recent years.

“The Buckinghamshire LCWIP will help us to continue to do this, setting out a network-based plan for providing high-quality infrastructure that encourages more people to choose walking, cycling and wheeling for their everyday journeys.”

New interconnected links could see Slough, Stoke Poges and Beaconsfield joined with High Wycombe and Marlow.

But to get the wheels turning, the plan will need millions of pounds in funding which the council says would have to be sourced externally.

A map showing proposed LCWIP routes (Credit: Buckinghamshire Council). 

Upgrading routes between Slough and Farnham Royal could cost between £1 million to £2 million.

Similarly, improved pathways between Marlow and Bourne End are estimated to cost up to £2 million.

Although the council advises improvements here ‘would need significant further investigation to proceed’ it does note there is opportunity for funding sourced from nearby development projects.

It does not specify what these could be.

A link between Langley and Richings Park in Iver – estimated to cost up to £1million - has seen more progression.

The plans advise ‘some design and study [has been] completed’ but acknowledge ‘further investigation would be required to prepare for funding and delivery’.

Cllr Broadbent said: “Your feedback will help us identify priority areas, understand local needs and deliver improvements that make a real difference to our communities.

"The delivery of improvements will require us to secure external funding.

“The Buckinghamshire LCWIP will support applications for funding, guide future investment and help to develop schemes that will all be subject to further development and public consultation as they are taken forward and as funding becomes available."

Buckinghamshire Council already has a county-spanning walking and cycle network called the Buckinghamshire Greenway.

It stretches from Buckingham to Chalfont St Peter and beyond.

The LCWIP is proposed to add further links between towns and villages and encourage more residents to opt for walking or cycling over driving.

Once feedback on the LCWIP has been received, the council could make further changes before potential approval.

If it is approved, the council advises ‘the Buckinghamshire LCWIP will be integrated into other policies and strategies and used to prioritise future investment’.

The council has also advised it has plans to develop even more cycle and walking routes across the county, through the Active Travel Aspirations scheme.

For more information visit buckinghamshire.gov.uk/LCWIP and for further details email  transportstrategy@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

The consultation runs till October 13.

A map showing potential LCWIP and Active Travel Aspiration routes (Credit: Buckinghamshire Council).