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New facilities in Amesbury will provide safer cycling routes in the town

Wiltshire Council is starting work on a new cycling scheme in Amesbury, thanks to funding from National Highways.

Published 22 February 2022
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Wiltshire Council is starting work on a new cycling scheme in Amesbury, thanks to funding from National Highways.

The scheme, which will make it easier and safer for cyclists and pedestrians to access the town, runs along the A345, The Centre, in Amesbury, and will see the existing traffic-signalled pedestrian pelican crossing being upgraded to a toucan crossing for both cyclists and pedestrians.

The pedestrian footways between School Lane and the A345, The Centre, will also be widened to create a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, while the scheme will also create a short length of shared cycle path from the crossing to covered cycle parking, which will be installed in the north-east of Central car park. The footway on The Centre will be widened to create a shared use path into Salisbury Street.

The new facility and crossing upgrade scheme will cost around £210,000 and is being delivered thanks to National Highways' designated Users and communities funding.

National Highways manages four designated funds, allocated by the Government, to deliver benefits above and beyond building, maintaining and operating England's strategic roads. 

From protecting the environment and enhancing the landscape around roads, to improving safety, reducing congestion, and supporting communities, the aim is to make a positive difference to people's lives.

Cllr Dr Mark McClelland, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: This new cycling facility will form part of the wider Amesbury Town Cycle Network and will provide a safer route for both cyclists and pedestrians, linking the town centre to Solstice Park and Stonehenge School.

We've listened to residents' feedback on the early plans for this scheme and have adapted the design based on their views.

We're grateful to National Highways for giving us the funding for this scheme, as it will also help us to unlock the next stage of the local cycling network - a north-south route that will eventually connect Woodhenge, Amesbury, Porton and Salisbury.

Our contractors will start work on the scheme on 28 February and we would expect it to be open in the spring.

David Bullock, National Highways' A303 Stonehenge Project Manager, said: Our work goes beyond operating, maintaining and improving roads, we're investing in the environment and communities surrounding our network, and this is a glowing example of how this funding can make a positive difference to people's lives.

We're delighted to be supporting Wiltshire Council with funding to bring about this significant project for Amesbury. Over the next five years £169 million has been set aside for various community-focussed projects in National Highways' Users and communities fund.

This scheme was first proposed in the Amesbury Town Cycle Network, which was first consulted on and published in 2011, before being updated in 2013. It forms part of an east-west route that runs parallel to the A303 from Solstice Park to Stonehenge Road, and it will also form part of a north-south route that will eventually connect Woodhenge, Amesbury, Porton and Salisbury.

The council is also developing preliminary designs for a cycle route along the A345 Countess Road from the junction with the High Street to Woodhenge.

To find out more on the scheme, people  can go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/highways-new-active-travel-schemes.

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