Cycling schemes

The Council receives many requests for improvements to its cycling infrastructure. Because the number and scope of these requests greatly exceeds the funds available to satisfy all of them, it is necessary to apply a process that prioritises the schemes. This process needs to ensure that all requests are considered equally so available funding can then be allocated to schemes that feature at the top of the list. The process should be seen to be fair and reduce criticism on selection of schemes, as well as minimising disagreement and contention about those schemes that do not succeed.

A Cycle Scheme Assessment and Ranking Scheme has been developed that evaluates Local Transport Plan targets and objectives, the council's strategic network and stakeholder proposals. The assessment also ensures best practice and partnership working are taken into consideration. The whole process is documented and the ranking reviewed annually.
Links to documents explaining the process in more detail are listed in the panel to the right.

Our existing network is shown on our walking and cycling maps:
Hereford City
Hereford city centre detail
Ledbury

A link to a map showing our rural network ambitions is in the box below followed by further information on the National Cycle Network in Herefordshire.

We are working with national sustainable transport charity Sustrans to develop two National Cycle Network (NCN) routes crossing the county.
· NCN46 Abergavenny - Hereford - Worcester and
· NCN44 Shrewsbury - Hereford - Forest of Dean.

These are shown on our rural cycle network ambitions map in the box above and you can also see them on Sustrans' web site

The NCN46 section between Hereford and Abergavenny is now signed and can be followed on Sustrans' mapping
As well as on Bikely.com where the Show tab also gives elevation information and a route cue sheet.

We hope to sign a section of NCN44 route between Hereford and Leominster during 2008/9. In the mean time the first part of NCN44 between Ludlow and Leominster is already signed as part of the National Byway route between Chester and Cirencester. This route passes through the county from Ludlow in Shropshire and Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. The Herefordshire section takes in Leominster and Ledbury and you can get more details of the route on the National Byway website

Neighbouring Shropshire County Council have a leaflet for their section of NCN44 covering the route as far as Leominster.

A key link in developing NCN44 south of Hereford is the walking and cycling crossing over the river between Bartonsham and Rotherwas which is part of Sustrans' successful Connect2 bid for BIG Lottery funding.

The full length of the Connect2 scheme runs from Hereford to Holme Lacy and is due for completion May 2013.

A key part of the city's walking and cycle network will be provided by the canal's development. The Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal have an agreement with Sustrans that all their towpaths will be cycle friendly. For further details of their plans and the progress they are making in the North East of the city visit the H&G Canal Trust web site.

This development also has significant potential to promote encourage walking and cycling. A key gateway from the north will be provided by the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal (see above). ESG's master plan describes the strategy is to connect the ESG to the wider network and remove some of the existing gaps. Two strategic high quality routes have been identified as being necessary. Firstly, east-west connecting the Great Western Way cycle route with the rail station and hospital and secondly, north-south, connecting the city centre via ESG to the rail station and northern suburbs. Both of these routes are provided for as key elements in the masterplan. These plans are available at ESG Ltd's web site.