As a part of Highways England’s Cycle, Safety and
Integration Designated Funds programme, 19 cycling schemes
have been constructed in the region since 2015 while a
further 11 are expected to be completed by the end of March
2020.
To motivate people to swap four wheels for two, Highways
England has worked to provide smoother cycle paths, safer
crossings and better signage to connect the cycle network
that criss-crosses the region, linking villages, towns and
cities.
Highways England Regional Director, Martin Fellows, said:
We want to make sure that our roads in the East create
opportunities for cyclists, not barriers to journeys. Our
vision five years ago was to create better and improved
cycling facilities that are safe and separate from
traffic, which encourages cycling as a sustainable form
of transport and make every day journeys as easy as
possible.
In the future we’ll continue this great initiative of
upgrading the cycle network alongside out road
enhancements, ensuring that people are able to cycle and
walk more – with obvious benefits to their health, safety
and the wider environment.
The work in the East of England is part of Highways
England’s £175 million dedicated fund to provide
improvements and new facilities which make it safer and
easy for cyclists and pedestrians to negotiate its roads.
So far 101 new schemes have been built nationwide, meaning
it’s now far easier than it was for cyclists to navigate
the country. A further 49 schemes are on track to be
delivered by March 2020
People cycling or walking on the National Cycle Network
linking London Stansted Airport with communities across
Essex are benefitting from £800,000 of improvements
provided by this special fund in 2018. Cyclists can enjoy a
safe and scenic route across the busy M11 motorway thanks
to the Highways England project to restore the one-mile
route between Birchanger village and the airport.
Previously, people commuting on bikes to the airport were
having to navigate the tricky junction 8 of the M11, and
were often put off using what was little more than a dirt
track. Resurfacing sections of the path, putting up new
signs, and clearing overhanging vegetation has provided an
attractive, traffic-free way to commute to the airport.
Highways England also invested £2.5 million into bolstering
cycle routes along the A12 near Lowestoft, in Suffolk. The
project made significant improvements to the cycle routes
making it easier for people peddling through the town,
while a signalised crossing, dropped kerbs and improved
signage was also introduced.
In addition to these projects, Highways England has also
upgraded cycle ways on the A47 in Norfolk, the A14 in
Cambridgeshire, the A120 in Harwich and the A5 in
Dunstable.
To keep up to date with the latest cycleway upgrades by
Highways England, visit our webpage.
