Cycle work on track for completion
Work on a 1.5km extension to Hereford’s Great Western Way is on track for completion and cyclists and pedestrians will soon be able to take advantage of the expanded route in the city’s Newton Farm area.
Herefordshire Council in partnership with Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, has funded work to lay down a properly surfaced 2.5-metre wide footway and cycleway.
The route builds on the success of the former disused Great Western Railway line which last year saw the completion of a link to the Riverside Academy under Sustrans’ Safer Routes to School scheme.
The decision was made to build on this success and extend it further to link up with the Belmont nature reserve and playing fields. The route will also include a signed on-road link between here and the Belmont Road near the Community Centre and Library.
Councillor Brian Wilcox, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said the extension fitted in with the council’s aims of encouraging more people to either walk or cycle when making journeys within the city rather than using their cars.
He said: “A lot of people would cycle and walk more if there were more facilities and this particular route is perfect for families to enjoy fresh air in the nature reserve and keep healthy at the same time. It is amazing how many people don’t know what hidden gems there are in the area and this will give families the chance to explore them.”
The cycle route extension will include cycle racks by the changing rooms on the playing fields. Special A-frame barriers have also been erected to deter illegal use by motorcycles.
Future plans include extending the Great Western Way route northwards to Holmer and facilities along Aylestone Hill and Yazor Road. Also in the pipeline are plans for a contraflow cycle lane in St Owen’s Street and a possible link between Bartonsham and Rotherwas.
The Great Western Way has been incorporated into plans for the National Cycle Network Routes 44 and 46. NCN Route 44 will run from Shrewsbury to Cinderford via Leominster, Hereford and Ross while Route 46 will run from Abergavenny to Worcester via Hereford, Ledbury and Malvern. These routes will exploit some of the county’s quieter country lanes and finally link the county to the 10,000 mile National Cycle Network.
