Dorset's routes for walkers and cyclists to get a £438,000 upgrade

Dorset's routes for walkers and cyclists are getting a £438,000 upgrade.

In a consultation, Dorset Council asked residents how money from the government's Active Travel Fund should be spent.

Out of 1,306 people who responded, 434 comments said the council should improve provision for cycling, and 320 said it should improve provision for walking.

396 comments mentioned reducing the spead of traffic.

As a result of the consultation which ran earlier this year, Dorset Council is getting £438,000.

On top of walking and cycling improvements, the funding will also go towards moving the county towards a greener and cleaner future.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said:

“Over the summer months, we heard ideas about where improvements could be made to support more walking and cycling. Thank you to the 1,000+ residents from across the county that responded!

"We reviewed all the ideas. We then spoke with local members and stakeholders such as town councils on the ideas that could be progressed relatively quickly following a consultation period.

"We then analysed those ideas in more detail and initial feasibility design work was completed.”

Dorset Council says it's shortlisting a number of high priority projects as a result, which can be put in place quickly. Further views on these initiatives will be sought.

£128k to support the re-opening of town centres

Earlier in the year, Dorset Council was awarded £128,000 as part of the Emergency Active Travel Fund, together with further support from the Re-opening the High Streets Fund. The aim of these funds were to support more people to walk and cycle to help town centres to re-open. Some examples of where this money was used were:

Part time closure of Shaftesbury High Street to enable safer access to the town centre and safe operation of the market

Minor closure of road and reorganisation of one-way working and bus provision at West Bay to enable greater pedestrian space

Widened footways from parking spaces in Wimborne Minster town centre

Road closed in Lyme Regis to permit safer access for pedestrians

Widened footways from carriageway space in Blandford Forum

Widened footways from parking spaces in Swanage

Roads closed, taxi ranks and loading bays suspended and carriageway re-allocated to provide additional footway space and market space in Bridport

School Streets interventions to restrict access during pick up and drop off times (Upton and Dorchester)