Wrexham Council has submitted a list of works totalling £3 million that could be carried out to improve Active Travel across the county borough if funds are made available by the Welsh Government.
Active Travel focuses on walking and cycling as a means of travelling on such as to work or school. It’s been high on our agenda for several years with works including the development of Active Travel Maps and a number of sessions of public consultation and engagement seeing a range of projects currently being developed for implementation.
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The Welsh Government has recently written to Local Authorities requesting Expressions of Interest for sustainable transport measures.
And we’ve responded with a list of projects that we’d love to see go ahead which will cost in the region of £3 million.
The schemes submitted are:
- Introduction of shared cycleway/footpath extension at B5605, Ruabon
- Footpath improvement scheme on B5430 Talwrn Road
- Review urban dual carriageway B5605 Ruabon
- Social distance road markings at School Crossing Patrol sites
- Restoration of older established footways and cycle paths
- Public footpath upgrade to cycle path
- Review of on-street parking and pedestrian zones
- Footpath widening specifically on strategic routes
- Speed limit review on County highways (not A & B category roads).
- Introduction of 20 mph zones in urbanised areas
- Social distancing signage in town centre and at other identified attractions in outlying villages
- Cycle shelter provision at schools
- Secure cycle storage facilities at County Borough rail stations
- Bus layby in-fill and buildouts
- Wrexham Bus Station public health & passenger safety improvements
- Public transport infrastructure improved hygiene measures
At the present time only 10% of journeys to work, made by Wrexham residents, are undertaken by active travel modes (9% on foot and 1% by cycles) which is lower than the national average.
So there’s plenty of room to encourage a greater number of journeys to be made using active travel and the schemes above will go a long way to encouraging this to happen.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Mark Pritchard and Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Environment and Transport, Cllr David A Bithell, agreed: “It’s a long list and we acknowledge that not all the schemes will be given the go ahead by Welsh Government but it is an indication of just what we want to achieve and the more money we are allocated the more we will be able accomplish here in Wrexham. We will continue with our plans to support sustainable means of transport and to reduce carbon emissions and improve the environment for everyone in Wrexham and will follow every funding opportunity that is available to us. The more money we are allocated the more we will be able to achieve.
Current schemes to encourage active travel are underway at:
- Wrexham Industrial Estate
- Mold Road Growth Corridor
- A483 Trunk Road Junction and capacity Improvements (in partnership with the Welsh Government)
- Active Travel Shelters/Storage and Promotions
