WILTSHIRE Council is asking people in Melksham to help shape the future of walking and cycling routes in the town.
People’s views and ideas will be used to help create draft Local Cycling and Walking Plans (LCWIPs) for Melksham, before a final round of consultation once the draft plans have been developed.
LCWIPs identify local cycling and walking networks and set out how these routes will be improved over time. The aim is to create coherent and connected networks for pedestrians and cyclists to make it easier for people to choose to travel on foot or by bike, improving air quality, reducing traffic congestion and cutting carbon emissions.
Once an LCWIP is agreed and finalised, it is used as the basis for future cycling and walking improvements in that area and also helps to secure any future funding from the Department for Transport.
The council has already developed a Wiltshire wide LCWIP (with inter-urban routes), along with town LCWIPs for Salisbury, Chippenham, Devizes and Trowbridge and is looking to produce LCWIPs for other towns in the county in the future.
Cabinet member for transport, cllr Caroline Thomas, said, “LCWIPs serve as vital strategic blueprints for enhancing cycling and walking infrastructure and so it’s important for residents of Melksham to actively engage in this consultation process. Their input will play a pivotal role in shaping future walking and cycling developments in these towns.
“This first stage of the consultation allows people to pinpoint specific improvements and suggestions to the walking and cycling networks they would like to see in each town on a map. We have committed to promoting more walking and cycling in our Business Plan and these LCWIPs will directly align with these aims once put into action.”
Wiltshire Council are also asking residents in Calne to share their views and ideas about how the walking and cycling routes could be improved in the town.
This initial consultation is open until 5.30pm on Monday 5th February. To find out more and have their say, people should go to: https://calne-and-melksham-lcwip.commonplace.is/