Two new walking and cycling routes for Harlow & Gilston Garden Town feature in Essex County Council’s £5m Active Travel Fund award from Government.
Part of HGGT’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), the funding will finance the construction of a dedicated route for cyclists, pedestrians, and other non-car users from Elizabeth Way to Fifth Avenue.
The money will also be used to design a walking and cycling path connecting Post Office Road to Sheering Road.
With Essex County Council one of the Garden Town’s five council partners, HGGT Director, Naisha Polaine, said: “It’s more great news for the local area and people can see how passionate we are that the Garden Town brings benefits for Harlow that improve travel options locally.
“We showcased some proposed routes online in 2021 and people were really engaged, they want good infrastructure, and they want to use it regularly.
“Our aim has always been to update Sir Frederick Gibberd’s New Town legacy and these routes will not only go towards improving Harlow’s existing cycling and walking network but ensure they can be used by this generation and those that follow in the decades to come.”
The news follows the recent announcements of Harlow’s Bus Station being redeveloped as a Travel Hub and Interchange and a new public travel route between Burnt Mill Roundabout and the town centre, that will eventually be extended to the seven Garden Town villages in Gilston.
Councillor Michael Hardware, Harlow Council’s portfolio holder for Regeneration and Strategic Growth, commented: “The last 12 months have been huge for Harlow with Government recognising the good things that are planned for the local area with millions in investment.
“From the Arts and Cultural Quarter to new travel routes that promote healthy living, we are building foundations for a great quality of life in Harlow.”
Cllr Lee Scott, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways Maintenance and Sustainable Transport, said: “I want every resident to be able to be able to choose how they travel each day and not have to take their car because it’s the only option they have.
“It is essential we embrace alternative transport methods as we know that high volumes of traffic have a negative impact on the roads in our towns and cities.
“It is fantastic news that our Sustainable Transport team have won this funding, allowing us to create the safe spaces for travel that I know residents want, and I encourage those that can, to commit to go for a walk or bike ride.
Other Essex locations benefitting from the £5.27m award are Basildon, Brentwood, Chelmsford and Colchester.
And as part of Essex County Council’s Safer, Greener, Healthier campaign, residents can attend free adult cycling training courses, teaching people the basics of riding a bike and travelling safely.
www.essexhighways.org/safer-greener-healthier/safer-greener-healthier-cycling
