Month: May 2020

Categories
Media Meeting

Cycle Ipswich on BBC Radio Suffolk on 26th May 2020

Ahead of our Zoom meeting on Tuesday 26th May 2020, we were invited on to BBC Radio Suffolk to talk about the funding that central government is making available, and the work we are currently doing to help propose some road improvements to open them up to more walking and cycling.

Thanks to Ian Seeley and Tom Wilmot from Cycle Ipswich for going on air.

You can listen again on the BBC Radio Suffolk website from 35 mins 45 secs for the next 28 days.

The clip is also available below.

Clip of Cycle Ipswich from the BBC Radio Suffolk evening show on 26th May 2020 at 18:34.

You can join in the discussion on the Cycle Ipswich Google Group, and Cycle Ipswich Cyclescape groups.

Categories
Funding News

Suffolk County Council announce upcoming cycle improvements

20200506-waterfront closed to motor vehicles

On Wednesday 13th May 2020 Andrew Reid, cabinet member for highways announced upcoming walking and cycling improvements by opening up roads to more pleasant walking and cycling, through reducing motor vehicle traffic.

Announcement from Andrew Reid, cabinet member for highways, announcing the new walking and cycling improvements on BBC Radio Suffolk. Original Afternoons on BBC Radio Suffolk on 13th May 2020.

Cycle Ipswich is very happy to see Suffolk County Council already working on this ahead of the funding being made available by central government. However we are concerned that the council are not allocating part of their own highways budget towards walking and cycling improvements. This is a continuation of a previous vote by councillors in July 2018 to not allocate 5% of the transport budget to active travel measures.

If you have any ideas of streets that you would like to see opened to more pleasant walking and cycling please contact your local councillor (find out who they are via writetothem), Andrew Reid, and ourselves.

  • 2020-05-06 Waterfront West closure to motor vehicles
    2020-05-06 Waterfront West entrance
  • 2020-05-06 Waterfront East closure to motor vehicles
    2020-05-06 Waterfront East entrance
  • 2020-05-06 Waterfront middle closure to motor vehicles
    2020-05-06 Waterfront middle entrance
Waterfront opened to walking and cycling. Pictures showing each entrance to the area with minimal motor vehicles.

There are more photos available on Mapillary (a crowdsourced street view).

Categories
News Routes

Ipswich Waterfront opened to walking and cycling

Suffolk County Council have opened the Ipswich Waterfront to allow more people to get their daily exercise whilst maintaining the 2 metre social distancing to minimise the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is a fantastic opportunity to trial having no motor vehicles along here in the longer term, as it can get particularly busy in the warmer weather, when the social distancing isn’t required, making it difficult to pass other people.

Would you like to see this scheme made permanent?

Would you like to see other streets in Ipswich opened to more pleasant walking and cycling by reducing motor vehicle traffic? There is due to be an announcement soon about emergency funding to enable local authorities to pay for “pop-up” cycling and walking infrastructure.

We’re having a virtual meeting to discuss this on Wednesday 6th May 2020.

Please answer the above questions by writing to your local councillors (both county and borough), and the Suffolk County Council Councillor for Transport, Andrew Reid. Please also let us know via the comments below, the Cycle Ipswich Google Group, or via Cyclescape.