Have your say on local cycling and walking plans for the New Forest area
11 September 2024
As part of an 8 week consultation by Hampshire County Council (which runs until Sunday 3 November 2024), feedback is being sought on the first phase of a new, draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for the New Forest area (excluding the area covered by the Waterside LCWIP which was adopted in 2022).
Councillor Nick Adams-King, Leader of Hampshire County Council, said: "We are committed to Hampshire being carbon neutral by the year 2050. With 37% or more of all carbon generated by the way we travel, it's important that we all work towards enabling greener ways to get around so that we can go beyond the national ambition for 50% or more of all short journeys, to be walked or cycled. This draft plan sets out how this might be achieved across the New Forest area and is a first and necessary step that will support securing the funding from Government to deliver this ambition locally.
"Whether you are a New Forest resident, business, visitor or other interested party, telling us what you think of the plan, through this survey is your chance to inform proposals to help make it easier and safer for people to walk and cycle in the area."
This LCWIP sets out the ambition for investment in walking and cycling for the next ten years and proposes an extensive network of cycle routes across the area together with walking zones for the main residential settlements.
Having your say
Feedback on the routes and areas proposed in the consultation can be provided via the online survey on Hampshire County Council's website.
Working in partnership
This LCWIP has been prepared in partnership with, and part funded by, New Forest District Council, the New Forest National Park Authority and Forestry England.
Commenting, Councillor Jill Cleary, Leader of New Forest District Council said: "A key priority of this Council is to empower our residents to live healthy, connected and fulfilling lives, and enable people to enjoy our unique New Forest environment. We are also keen to promote more sustainable transport options for people in how they travel across the New Forest. Improving walking and cycling infrastructure across the New Forest will help to enable this and this draft Plan sets out a series of proposals and opportunities to guide future investment which we are keen to hear views on."
Professor Gavin Parker, New Forest National Park Authority Board member and chair of the Recreation Management Strategy steering group said: "The LCWIP sets out a plan for New Forest walking and cycling that will both help us protect the special qualities of the New Forest while enhancing active travel in the National Park.
"It meets many objectives of the New Forest Partnership Plan including responsible recreation management, encouraging more sustainable transport to reduce carbon emissions, and providing better and more inclusive ways to travel around and access the Forest to benefit health and well-being."
Craig Harrison, Forest Management Director, Forestry England, South Forest District commented: "We are fortunate to have some amazing places to get outdoors across the county. Spending time in nature not only improves health and wellbeing, but getting there by bike or on foot also has huge environmental benefits. It's key that people can find routes near them whether they are using these for a daily commute, leisure or exercise. Providing access is key whilst still protecting these special landscapes.
"This consultation is an opportunity to have a say on how walking and cycling could be made easier, more environmentally friendly, and accessible. We encourage people to share their thoughts and ideas and help inform plans to routes in the coming years."
LCWIPs will be key to the delivery of the County Council's recently adopted Local Transport Plan — which aims to influence and shape the way people travel over the next ten or more years, and boost economic prosperity, reduce carbon pollution, help promote healthy lifestyles and build stronger communities.
Have your say on the New Forest Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan
More information
Local Transport Plan
Central to the Local Transport Plan are the following two principles, which are intended to guide what Hampshire County Council does to improve travel and transport infrastructure for the future:
- to widen the choice of travel options that people can use
- to provide a transport system that puts people first and creates high quality and prosperous places
The Plan finds a balance between the movement of vehicles with the needs of people. It sets out frameworks to guide future transport planning and the policies that would be applied to create thriving and attractive places where residents can travel around easily.
Proposed schemes for further development are also included in the plan such as the roll out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, higher quality bus services in urban areas, better quality cycle facilities, changes to our roads to reduce congestion and improvements to high streets and town centres so they are more accessible and safer for shared use by pedestrians, cyclists as well as those pushing prams and those in wheelchairs.
Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans
Building on the foundation of Hampshire County Council's Walking Strategy (2016) and Cycling Strategy (2015), the County Council has been working in partnership with local borough and district councils in Hampshire to develop LCWIPs that will help identify walking and cycling infrastructure needs at a local, targeted level.
LCWIPs enable a long-term approach (typically ten-year periods) towards developing local cycling and walking networks and form a crucial part of the Government's ambition to increase the number of trips made by walking and cycling as part of its Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. Having an LCWIP in place for the New Forest area will put Hampshire in a good position to bid for active travel funding from central Government to develop cycling routes and walking zones.
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