Cycling and walking plan for Chichester city agreed

A public consultation on a draft version received 240 responses with many from people who never cycle, citing ‘busy roads and difficult junctions’.

But Penny Plant, Chichester District Council’s cabinet member for environment and Chichester contract services, described how overall the document had been ‘positively received’.

The plan is limited to the built area of Chichester city with linkages to surrounding parishes, containing suggested improvements to cycling and walking routes.

The final version was signed off by cabinet members on Tuesday.

West Sussex County Council has also commissioned a county-wide LCWIP which includes the three strategic Chichester district routes; Chichester to Emsworth (‘Chemroute’), the Selsey to Chichester route (‘Selsey Greenway) and Bognor to Chichester route.

The LCWIP provides an evidenced-based list of infrastructure improvements for investment over a ten-year period, with the hope the county council will prioritise the schemes included in it if and when funding becomes available for such projects.

Mrs Plant said money from the business rates pool would be used to work the top two priority cycling schemes up to the feasibility stage.

Sarah Sharp (Green, Chichester South) described how transport emissions were still going up and the outlook for the Chichester district was ‘particularly bleak’.

She was disappointed the LCWIP did not include new developments east of Chichester and asked how it would be turned from a document into ‘on the ground’ schemes.

In response, Mrs Plant described how the document had used data and methodology  to ‘ensure that specified cycling and walking routes and links are those that are most appropriate for achieving the desired modal shift and these are prioritised for investment’.

To deliver all the suggested improvements would cost in the region of between £9.8m and £14.3m, with possible funding streams ranging from the Department for Transport to Community Infrastructure Levy or Section 106 developer contributions.

Ultimately any decisions on which schemes are prioritised and eventually go ahead will be made by the county council as the highways authority.