Plea to fund new bike and walking routes ‘not a justification’ for more development

New walking and cycle routes in Buckinghamshire are not a ‘justification’ for development, says the council’s lead member for transport, despite a plea for developers to help fund them.

Buckinghamshire’s local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP), described as a ‘guiding light’ for new bike and walking routes across the county, was approved at a meeting on Tuesday.

Future trails earmarked in the LCWIP include: linking Farnham Common, Stoke Poges, Burnham and Slough; a route between Iver and Langley; and a route between Marlow and Bourne End.

But a need to find funding to kick start work is not a prelude for new development in the areas the routes are planned, according to the cabinet member for transport Councillor Steve Broadbent.

Cllr Broadbent (Con, Ridgeway East), who made the ‘guiding light’ comparison at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, said the LCWIP was ‘really good news’.

He said there were, however, ‘a couple of cautious notes’.

External funding ‘either from government or developers’, Cllr Broadbent said, would be required ‘to bring a route forwards into its final design and then delivery phases’.

He added, a map of the LCWIP showing straight lines linking towns and villages was only ‘indicative’ and not the ‘specific route’.

Tuesday’s meeting also heard how the council would be working with neighbouring local authorities to ensure routes do not end at the county borders.

And Cllr Thomas Broom (Con, Gerrards Cross) said the new routes would not come ‘at the expense of motorists on busy and congested roads’.

Following a public consultation on the LCWIP, five new routes had been added because of ‘anticipated demand’.

These included between Farnham Royal and Burnham; and between Marlow and Henley-on-Thames.

Six routes had already been proposed through Wexham, The Ivers and the Farnhams.

The cabinet meeting also heard how the council would be working with neighbouring local authorities to ensure routes do not end at the county borders.

Cllr Broadbent said the consultation responses showed an ‘overwhelming 80 per cent support for our council ambitions for us to be able to create the Buckinghamshire green spine’.

The ‘green spine’ is a plan to link the north and south of Buckinghamshire with one continuous route.

Cllr Broadbent continued, ‘Of course, we can only put that together like a jigsaw puzzle one step at a time’.

More than 80 per cent of consultation responses showed support for the LCWIP – but there remains uncertainty over if and when funding might be available.

Cllr Broadbent said the council would seek funding from developers or the government but said contributions to the LCWIP were not a ‘justification for other developments’.

In a statement after Tuesday’s meeting, he said he was ‘delighted’ the council had backed a ‘clear, long-term strategy’ for future cycling and walking routes.

He added: “It’s important we seek funding, potentially from national sources or through developers.

“However it should be noted that the LCWIP is not a prescriptive list of schemes that, if funded, can be used as justification for other development.”

To find out more information about the LCWIP visit the council’s website.