Leicester will get mile of new cycling and walking lanes a week - LONG

QUOTE:
Leicester's coronavirus recovery plan includes a plan to create a mile of new 'pop-up' cycling and walking lanes each week.

The network of routes will be installed across the city over the next 10 weeks as part of a series of measures to help its transport system to recover as lockdown measures are eased.

Leicester City Council said it is developing a series of transport recovery measures to help people to get around "more safely and healthily".

It adds that the move will support local businesses and employees as restrictions are gradually lifted.

Announcing the target of adding a mile of new routes each week, City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby described the current situation as an "unprecedented opportunity" to tackle congestion and air pollution.

"The recovery from the coronavirus lockdown gives us an unprecedented opportunity to help people to make transport choices for the better, rather than returning to the problems of congested roads, vehicle emissions and the resulting poor air quality," he said.

“The coronavirus crisis has meant we’ve all got to think about how we can travel more sustainably and safely while the usual public transport networks are unable to operate at their previous capacity."

A key part of that programme is to encourage people to cycle and walk safely rather than relying on public transport. A city council spokesman said: "We are working closely with bus operators, who are being encouraged by the Government to increase the number of services to around 80 percent of normal levels in the coming weeks.

"However, buses will operate at a greatly reduced capacity of around 25 percent to ensure passengers can remain a safe distance apart."

According to council figures, about 40 percent of urban journeys are less than two miles.

The spokesman added: "Supporting healthier lifestyles, keeping air pollution levels lower and contributing to the council’s climate emergency commitment are key elements of the plan."

The routes will build upon the ongoing Connecting Leicester work developing a cycling and walking network connecting key areas of the city, including shopping, business and tourist areas, hospitals and universities.

As reported by LeicestershireLive, pop-up cycle routes were introduced in Saffron Lane and Aylestone Road in the last month.

The reduced traffic flow was capitalised upon to help key workers travelling to Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Next phase to commence

The next phase of the work will see pop-up cycle lanes installed on some of the other major routes into the city.

It begins this week along a 1.2-mile stretch of London Road, between Shanklin Drive and Victoria Park Road, which will be marked out using cones and signs.

Shortly afterwards work will take place on a 1.6-mile inbound stretch of Hinckley Road.

In Abbey Park Road, a new pedestrian zone and cycleway will be created linking Belgrave Circle to the park entrance.

Meanwhile, the right-hand turn from Belvoir Street into Pocklington’s Walk will be closed to traffic to create safer conditions for cycling and walking.

Additional cycleway routes are being considered on other main roads, such as those linking Beaumont Leys in the north of the city.

Some of the permanent cycle way schemes already underway as part of the Transforming Cities programme.

For example, in Lancaster Road, near the University of Leicester, and in Belgrave Gate and the inner ring road, schemes will be "accelerated for early completion", according to the council.

Pavements will also be widened to help support local shops when they reopen and to provide safer walking areas.

This will initially be on Queens Road, in Clarendon Park, and in a number of other locations, including Braunstone Gate, in the West End, and Belgrave Road, Belgrave.

The council aims to follow this with other schemes that are currently being looked at in Narborough Road and also Green Lane Road, in Evington.

In each case, highways officials believe the work can be carried out "within a day or two", and with minimum impact on other road users, by marking out the new lanes with traffic signs and cones.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/n...alking-4153936