Your opinion matters on active travel in Essex

Residents in Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford and Colchester are invited to give their views on proposed safer, greener, healthier cycling and walking networks.

A survey has been launched to gauge the views of Essex residents towards developing walking and cycling networks called Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs).

These routes will guide and inform the future direction of Essex County Council’s active travel strategy.

Views of residents in Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford and Colchester are particularly welcome. Residents are being asked whether the routes provide the right local links, whether there are any routes that are important but not shown or if the routes should be extended to reach specific destinations. The consultation will run for eight weeks until 29 September.

LCWIPs are designed to create coherent cycling and walking networks and are an important step for Essex to achieve the vision of a safer, greener, and healthier county. They ensure that a long-term (10-year) approach is taken to targeting investment in the right places. LCWIPs form a vital part of the Government's strategy to increase the number of trips made on foot or by bike.

Councillor Lee Scott, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways Maintenance and Sustainable Transport, said: “One of the aims of our Safer Greener Healthier campaign is to encourage local residents to rethink the way they travel where possible, especially for shorter journeys.

"LCWIPs are a significant step towards achieving this. By developing these cycling and walking networks, we can prioritise how to invest in our streets so that they become healthier places, are more accessible and have better air quality. They will also become safer for those who choose to walk or cycle leading to everyone having more travel independence.

“Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford and Colchester are all experiencing significant growth pressures and therefore prioritising the development of good and safe walking and cycling networks is paramount.”

Only views on the overarching network of routes are being sought at this stage, not on specific infrastructure enhancements. Consultations for other districts will follow in the autumn and new year.

Take part on our consultation site.