Walking and cycling plan divides residents

Some Herefordshire residents felt plans to boost walking and cycling should be more ambitious, while others did not support prioritising pedestrians and bikes over cars

A plan to boost walking and cycling in Herefordshire has "polarised" residents, a council has heard.

More than 760 responded to a consultation on the county's draft Local Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Infrastructure Plan over the summer.

Many wanted the proposal to go further, transport planning services manager Ffion Horton said, while "a lot of comments" did not support "anything that was prioritising walking and cycling over cars," she told councillors.

Speaking to the Connected Communities Scrutiny Committee, Ms Horton said: "It's a continuous challenge."

"Walking and cycling is polarising," she said, adding that "people want us to focus more on car travel".

The most popular suggestion, supported by seven in ten respondents, was for "quiet lanes", or designated minor rural roads where drivers would be warned to look out for walkers, cyclists, riders and those with impaired mobility.

Options included Lumber Lane near Lugwardine, Ruckhall Lane, west of Belmont, and Ginhall Lane on the northwest of Leominster, according to a report for the meeting.

But segregated cycle lanes were not an option in much of Herefordshire as "we don't have that many wide roads", Ms Horton said.

She added developers were pushed to be compliant with current government guidance that prescribed cycle lanes.

Cabinet member for transport Philip Price stressed a plan was needed to move forward with any infrastructure, whether for roads, cycling or walking.

"The government have said in no uncertain terms that without these plans, you're not likely to succeed in any bids for grant funding," he said.

Rhiannon Evans, West Midlands manager at Active Travel England, said Herefordshire rated just 1 on its 0-4 scale of councils' capacity to deliver active travel schemes, and that this was "linked to the amount of funding that you get".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.