The campaign continues

Here’s the update for 2016.

A good proportion of our time last was spent writing a detailed report on this long running campaign. Copies of the report have gone to Dr Sarah Wollaston, Senior members of Devon County Council, Sustrans and the national cycling charity, CTC. Once all interested parties have digested the report, it will be made available to the public.

The report highlights some key points: –

  • That there is significant support for this campaign from both the local and wider community. Almost 3,000 have signed the petition, plus over 1,000 have followed the campaign on Facebook.
  • All the heads of all twelve local schools have written to confirm their support for the campaign and the preferred route.
  • Local district & town councils have all written to confirm their support for the campaign and the preferred route.
  • The missing link in the National Cycle Network – NCN2 urgently needs completing, and it would be loss to the community of Totnes should it bypass the town.
  • Devon County Council (DCC) would prefer to sign off a route for NCN2 that goes via Staverton and Huxhams cross. This route is steep and crosses another dangerous main road (A364), plus it completely bypasses Totnes. We think the council are starting to appreciate that, what might be an easy solution for them, would not benefit the community and be little used.
  • The river dart footbridge was built using 50% public funds and has official bridle-way status, which includes bike traffic.
  • Southwest Water no longer have an objection in principle to the cycle path crossing their land, (on the Littlehempston side of the river Dart footbridge) This is providing safe provision can be made for sewerage and water services. Understandably they would also want to ensure the route is safe for cyclists navigating the route, along with the low level of Southwest Water vehicular traffic.
  • The private landowner in Littlehempston village also does not object to the proposal, providing the road safety issue mentioned above can be satisfied.
  • In our negotiations, DCC have also now recognised that the preferred route across the Dart footbridge is the most suitable choice.
  • DCC have also stated that they will support our campaign once all relevant parties are in agreement. Following our discussions, only one party now remains against this campaign, the South Devon Railway.
  • We await the response from DCC, Dr Sarah Wollaston MP and other stakeholders, following the release of the recent report.

 

 

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