Sustrans agrees funding for new cycle routes

Sustrans today agreed funding for two big cycling infrastructure projects. Rhyll and Kinmel Bay in Wales will be connected by a new cycling and walking network including a new crossing over the River Clywd; and Crewe and Nantwich will be connected by a new 'green corridor' set back from the busy A530.

Both projects are joint partnerships between the local councils and the Sustrans' Connect2 initiative. The latter received £50million from the Big Lottery Fund to spend on 79 community projects when it won a national phone vote in 2007.

According to Sustrans a lot has been happening on the schemes while funding has being been put in place. In Rhyll five contractors are currently bidding for the design and build contract for the iconic bridge spanning the harbour and the first designs will be revealed in spring and developed throughout the year to enable building to get underway in 2010.

Glyn Evans, Sustrans area manager says: "We want to make walking and cycling the obvious choice for local journeys to work, to school and the shops, and signing this agreement is the first step towards making
it happen."

The anticipated cost of the Rhyl to Kinmel Bay scheme is in excess of £4million, with £450,000 coming from the Big Lottery Fund as part of Sustrans Connect2, and the remaining money coming from other sources including the Welsh Assembly Government and Denbighshire County Council.

Sustrans is pledging £400,000 of Big Lottery Fund money to complete the link between Crewe and Nantwich. The plan is to create a quiet 4-mile greenway will provide an attractive alternative to the narrow path running along the busy main road and accident black-spot currently linking the towns.
 
Work will begin in Crewe before the end of the year before linking residential areas, through and around open spaces - such as the popular Queen's Park - and onto schools.
 
In Nantwich, the scheme will create a bike and pedestrian friendly crossing
of the bypass before taking walkers and cyclists via Barony Public Park to the riverside path.

Over the next five years, nearly £30 million a year will be invested in creating these local walking and cycling networks.