Wiltshire Council bids for Government funding for new walking and cycling routes
Wiltshire Council has submitted a bid to Active Travel England (ATE) for funds to support walking and wheeling routes in the county.
Wiltshire Council has submitted a bid to Active Travel England (ATE) for funds to support walking and wheeling routes in the county. ATE looks to fund active travel infrastructure that promotes walking, wheeling and cycling as an alternative to taking the car.
The bid is part of ATE's Active Travel Fund Tranche 4 (ATF4), the focus of which is on walking and wheeling, rather than cycling, which was the main focus in previous tranches.
ATE had indicated a funding allocation of £878,366 for Wiltshire, and the bid's proposed schemes had to meet a minimum assessment threshold to ensure they promote and encourage walking and wheeling. In addition, ATE encouraged bids for the construction of schemes during 2023/24, although the design and development of new facilities will be considered.
Local authorities with high quality schemes that are ready for construction were also encouraged to bid for more than their allocation, with the potential to secure funding for schemes above the indicative funding allocation. Wiltshire Council has done this, recognising that it will be in competition with all other local authorities and these schemes will be subjected to a more stringent assessment.
Cllr Caroline Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: We have committed to increasing walking and cycling in our Business Plan, and that's why we're applying for this funding.
The three priority schemes in our bid have been identified in our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs); they represent high value for money and are deliverable in the forthcoming financial year.
Ideally, we also want to fund other routes, so additional schemes have been included for consideration in the competitive process.
All the proposed schemes meet the strict criteria required to receive funding, so we are hopeful of hearing some positive news on these plans.
When people choose to walk, wheel or cycle rather than take the car, they can save money, improve their health and wellbeing, and also help to reduce carbon emissions, and that's why we're committed to active travel in Wiltshire.
The three priority schemes included to meet the indicative funding allocation are:
- Pedestrian footbridge, Salisbury River Park, £458,000
- Devizes Road, Hilperton to the A361/Elizabeth Way Roundabout, £320,000
- Pedestrian crossing, Churchfields Road, Salisbury, £100,000
The additional schemes, in priority order, are:
| Active travel scheme | Location | Funding request | Scheme Type | Scheme Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Halve/Roundstone Street, Trowbridge | Trowbridge | £250,000 | Detailed design and construction | Pedestrian crossing on the Halve, short section of shared-use path to access a new pedestrian crossing on Roundstone Street, with footway improvements along Roundstone Street. |
| Melksham to Oakfields cycle path | Melksham | £360,000 | Design and construction | Shared-use path to connect the Melksham East development to Melksham Oak School and the provision of a Toucan crossing. |
| Countess Road | Amesbury | £200,000 | Detailed design and construction | Detailed design of a shared-use path on Countess Road, Amesbury and construction of a Toucan crossing. This is part of a larger scheme to connect Amesbury to Larkhill. |
| Royal Wootton Bassett to Swindon cycleway | Royal Wootton Bassett | £200,000 | Land purchase and detailed design | Shared-use path from Royal Wootton Bassett to Swindon. |
| Monkton Park cycle path | Chippenham | £40,000 | Detailed design | Detailed design of shared-use paths in Monkton Park to link to Sadler's Mead. |
| Salisbury River Park future phases - Town Path and Ashley Road to Central Car Park link | Salisbury | £130,000 | Detailed design and land acquisition | Detailed design of proposed improvements to the Town Path (NCN 24), and design work and land acquisition on a walking/cycling scheme to link Ashley Road to Central Car Park (NCN 45). |
| Longhedge to Salisbury | Salisbury | £200,000 | Detailed design/resurfacing | Design of a walking/cycling route from Longhedge to Salisbury including Pearce Way, Roman Road, Green Lane and Portway, with proposed surfacing improvements of Roman Road. |
| Wilton to Salisbury | Wilton / Quidhampton / Salisbury | £120,000 | Detailed design | This route includes walking and cycling links between Fugglestone to Wilton Hill, Lower Road to the A3094/A36 junction and Minster Street. |
| Railway Path Cycle Link | Marlborough | £70,000 | Design | Design of a shared-use path connecting Salisbury Road to the NCN403, disused railway line, that currently runs from Swindon to the east side of Marlborough. |
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