Just two weeks after the launch of a county council survey asking people for their views on how cycling and walking provision could be improved in Leicestershire, more than 700 people have now responded.
The council is developing a new strategy which has the ambition of increasing the number of journeys by bike or on foot as well as bringing benefits in creating healthier communities and reducing carbon emissions.
We’ve had a really outstanding response so far to our survey and we’re absolutely delighted to see that so many individuals, groups and communities have shared their views.
Among the key elements of the survey is asking people what prevents them walking or cycling and what measures we can put in place so, in the future, they can make more of the shorter journeys by bike or on foot.
The views we receive will be used to shape the future strategy and our action plan. Rest assured, what people say now will play a part in forming our cycling and walking infrastructure for future generations.
Person:Trevor Pendleton, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for Highways and Transport The council hopes the replies to the survey will reflect the wide diversity of Leicestershire’s communities and is particularly keen to encourage individuals and groups of BAME heritage to take part.
The survey will remain open until Sunday 14 March.
The short survey was launched on Wednesday 27 January to collect the response – and has so far received more than 700 responses. The level of interest in the survey has been so that the closing date has now been extended to March.
The views submitted through the survey will be used to shape and create the new cycling and walking strategy, which is due to be published in summer 2021. Once published, the strategy will help to inform future plans to improve pavements and cycleways, as well as supporting funding bids to Government to enable the delivery of improvements.
In May 2019, the council declared a climate emergency and set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2030. In December 2020, the authority went one step further, pledging to reach net zero carbon emissions for the whole county by 2045 – five years ahead of the government target of 2050.