Have your say on walking and cycling plan for Crawley

Crawley Borough Council has published a draft long-term plan for a network of cycle routes in the town and wants to hear what you think.

During the pandemic we are all finding out how important walking and cycling is for personal and public health, mobility and in reducing traffic problems, but the council was working on a cycling and walking plan for the town long before Covid-19 struck.

Crawley’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) is now available at www.crawley.gov.uk/consultation along with a short survey for you to share your thoughts.

The council has long been keen to develop its cycling infrastructure to a high standard for safe, practical cycling, to improve street space for walking and reduce car dependency.

The LCWIP is based on government guidance on how to analyse travel needs and determine the best routes and areas for improvement. Crawley’s plan was developed in partnership with West Sussex County Council.

The Crawley LCWIP cycle network comprises 16 routes with initial ideas for improvements and estimated costs. Each route will be subject to discussion and detailed design work involving residents and business when they are ready to be taken forward.

The LCWIP analyses the town centre for walkability and identifies improvements needed. Further work across the town’s neighbourhoods is to be undertaken, using LCWIP methods.

Councillor Gurinder Jhans, Cabinet member for Environmental Services and Sustainability, said: “The government has recently announced an increase in funding for cycling and funding will only be available for high quality schemes based on well-thought out infrastructure plans. The council is committed to ensuring that the town is ready for these opportunities.

“We want Crawley residents to take a key role in conversations on how we make our neighbourhoods truly walkable and safe for everyone to cycle. The LCWIP will help us in this process.

“We know walking and cycling has a number of benefits for mental and physical health, as well as for our environment. During lockdown, we’ve seen more people take up active travel which saw improvements in our air quality – a trend we’d all like to see continue. I’d like to encourage as many people as possible to take part in this consultation, so together we can make the town’s infrastructure safer, more accessible and more attractive to encourage more people to cycle and walk.”

To have your say visit www.crawley.gov.uk/consultation before the closing date of Monday 14 September.

For more information email cycling@crawley.gov.uk