Use the cash for cyclist network’

MONEY handed over by housing developers to meet infrastructure costs should be ring-fenced for cycle links between villages and Huntingdonshire s market towns, a council working group says. A scrutiny working group at Huntingdonshire District Council is r

MONEY handed over by housing developers to meet infrastructure costs should be ring-fenced for cycle links between villages and Huntingdonshire's market towns, a council working group says.

A scrutiny working group at Huntingdonshire District Council is recommending greater overall expenditure on cycling to encourage healthier lifestyles and reduce traffic congestion.

The council has spent over £600,000 on cycling provision over the past five years and has budgeted for an additional £850,000 over the next four years, HDC said this week.

This includes provision of safe cycle routes, bicycle shelters and specific cycleway provision.

However, much of that has been in the market towns, and the working group has concluded that not enough is being done to develop links between towns and villages or to identify extra funding sources.

Cambridgeshire County Council officers are updating the existing cycling strategy, first approved in 2000, with an action plan that should enable funding to be obtained under the Local Transport Plan for new cycleways in Huntingdonshire.

But the district council is also being recommended to negotiate specific funding for cycling from developers, instead of this being part of a larger transportation pot and for this to be retained locally to implement the new cycling action plan.