Concerns cycleway could become a ‘£15m white elephant’ if it is not maintained

There are concerns the planned cycle route between Gloucester and Cheltenham could become a “£15 million white elephant” if it is not properly maintained.

Gloucestershire County Council is in the process of creating a 26-mile cycle route which they hope will eventually connect Bishop’s Cleeve with Stroud.

However, Churchdown councillor Ben Evans (LD) is concerned that there are no concrete maintenance plans in place for the section of the route which goes through his division.

He fears hedges will overgrow and impinge on the cycle lane and it will not be gritted in the winter.

This would force cyclists onto a narrow road which would be unsafe, he believes. Cllr Evans has asked for reassurance from council chiefs that the cycle route will be maintained.

He said: “We want to increase cycling and walking, and so at the last council meeting I asked questions about how the cycle path will be maintained when it is finished. In particular, how will it be gritted in bad weather. And what thought has been given to keeping hedges and foliage cut back?

“The answer I got back from the Conservative cabinet cember was ‘we will think about this later’.

“Without these ongoing maintenance tasks being done, the cycle path will be unusable for long periods, forcing bikes onto a road which is now so narrow it is unsafe to overtake a bike.

“It will create a £15m white elephant unless it is properly maintained. It is a feature of this project that it does not seem to have been thought through or planned at all well.

“The Conservative council set off and start a section of works and then afterwards think about the knock on effects for traffic, residents and those who live nearby – and in this case how to maintain the route when it is finally finished.”

Highways cabinet member Dominic Morris (C, Fairford and Lechlade on Thames) said he confirmed to Cllr Evans at the last council meeting that regular inspections will be carried out to check the condition of the cycleway and to plan for maintenance.

“It will be included in the review of our adverse weather plan to make sure our key routes are usable and safe in all weathers.

“The Gloucester to Cheltenham cycleway is part of the wider ambition for a 26-mile Gloucestershire cycle spine, extending across the county from Stroud in the south to Bishop’s Cleeve in the north.

“This route significantly improves our walking and cycling infrastructure while helping to create a greener Gloucestershire by reducing carbon emissions and improving public health.”

By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk