Portsmouth City Council has received responses from over 700 people in support of proposed walking and cycling improvement plans, which it said shows the importance of making these travel options better for people in the city.
Currently in Portsmouth, 24% of all journeys to work are for trips less than 1.2 miles. The council said there is a lot of potential to get more people walking and cycling in the city.
It added this feedback will help inform the detailed design of the schemes, which will soon be shared in a formal consultation. If approved, construction will begin later this year.
The improvements cover cycling and walking routes in the ‘east to west corridor’, spanning from Milton and Southsea, through the city centre and towards The Hard Interchange. It is hoped that this will lead to more people choosing to walk, cycle or scoot on these safer, improved routes.
Initially, the project will focus on areas around Goldsmith Avenue, Fratton Bridge, Sydenham Terrace and Winston Churchill Avenue, and features various ways to improve walking and cycling options. These include adding in separate cycle lanes where there is space, improving crossings, and making road junctions safer.
Online briefing sessions for residents and commuters were held at the start of the year, and letters were sent to local residents and businesses to ask them to complete an online survey.
On Goldsmith Avenue, 77% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the route needs to be safer for cyclists, and the majority of respondents were in support of all the proposed changes. For the route from Fratton Bridge to the city centre, 79% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the route needs to be safer for people walking and cycling. While a further 69% agreed that the footpaths need to be improved.
When look at on Winston Churchill Avenue plans, the majority of residents supported all of the proposals, with 78% agreeing with plans to create a new off-road cycle lane.
Cllr Lynne Stagg, cabinet member for traffic and transportation at Portsmouth City Council, said: “It’s great to see a high level of support for these plans to make cycling and walking a better option for people.
“These routes are important for making journeys to and from the city centre and the east of the city, so I welcome any plans to make them safer and more attractive for people to travel by foot or by bicycle. I look forward to seeing the detailed designs for these routes when they are developed over the next few months.”
