Wilmslow cycle route plans move forward

Cheshire East Council has confirmed it plans to press ahead with a proposed cycle route in Wilmslow.

The cycle route will link the railway station with the town centre, Wilmslow High School, the Royal London campus and Alderley Park. Construction could begin as early as the autumn.

The scheme is part of Cheshire East Council’s wider ambitions to encourage active travel, cycling and walking, which has increased during the coronavirus pandemic, for residents’ health and to achieve carbon neutrality targets.

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Councillor Laura Crane, Cheshire East Council’s cabinet member for highways and waste, said:

Our ambition is to improve walking and cycling facilities across the borough by investing in high-quality infrastructure to provide safe and attractive routes connecting local amenities and places of work.

“Our 2017 cycling strategy sets a target to double the number of people cycling at least once per week by 2027. If there is one upside from the pandemic, it is that more people have taken up cycling, either to commute to work or for leisure.”

Council deputy leader Councillor Craig Browne said:

As a council we recognise that traffic congestion and parking provision are significant issues in Wilmslow. One of the ways in which we are seeking to address both is by managing demand for car journeys.

“Where possible, we want to encourage residents and businesses to choose alternative modes of travel and this scheme is one of the ways in which we can make it safer for them to do that.”

The consultation on the proposed Wilmslow walking and cycle route scheme is open until 24 July. The council has set a budget of £2.8 million for cycle routes, including another proposed route in Crewe, and has £1.6 million in grant funding confirmed from Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership. Contributions from property developments will also fund the cycleways.

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