£1million seafront path plans given thumbs-up (From Echo)
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£1million seafront path plans given thumbs-up
11:39am Tuesday 3rd July 2012 in Southend
MORE than £1million has been earmarked to kick-start plans to transform a popular seafront trail and open it up to cyclists.
Chiefs at Southend Council will spend the cash drawing up plans for the widening and strengthening of the Cinder Path, in Leigh, to allow bikes to use it for the first time.
The route, which runs between Old Leigh and Chalkwell railway station, is frequently used by tourists and dog-walkers enjoying a stroll along the seafront.
Cyclists have always been banned from the path because of the narrowness of some its sections, although many riders flout the rules.
Andrew Lewis, the council’s corporate director for enterprise, tourism and the environment, said: “The sum of £1million has been set aside in the capital programme to support the further development of the Cinder Path, which runs from Chalkwell to Leigh.
“We want to enhance the route to make it equally accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.”
The Cinder Path project is one of a series of schemes being developed by the council to improve cycle routes around the town.
While some parts of the path are relatively wide, in other places it narrows to little more than a metre in width. Apart from a small section near the Kursaal, it is the only area of the seafront in which cyclists must dismount and push their bikes.
Campaign groups such as Sustrans, and the now defunct regeneration company Renaissance Southend, have previously drawn up plans to try to improve the path.
Among the ideas are expensive concrete or boardwalk extensions into the estuary, as well as viewing platforms where walkers or cyclists could stop to admire the views.
However, Mr Lewis said the funding needed to finish the scheme would be much greater than £1million.
The council hopes to finish the blueprint by the end of the financial year in March, and then bid for funding to make it a reality.
Mr Lewis said: “The funding allocated in the capital programme is just a fraction of what would be required.
“However, the money will enable us to devise a plan to take these planned enhancements forward when the economic situation changes and further external funding becomes available.”
Comments are closed on this article.
Comments (31)
11:44am Tue 3 Jul 12
perini says...
12:04pm Tue 3 Jul 12
Max Impact says...
If I had the money I would build a boardwalk over the slope, fit some seats and have this fenced off for pedestrians ONLY whilst the bike riders would be permitted to cycle on the current concrete path alongside the railway lines.
12:14pm Tue 3 Jul 12
Lefty Cyclist Type says...
I am an experienced cyclist, been cycling on UK roads for over forty years, but I find using The Ridgeway and Cliff Gardens to get to Old Leigh quite daunting. Motor traffic does not give enough space when passing and I frequently get large trucks passing at speed just inches from my elbow.
12:28pm Tue 3 Jul 12
The Cater Wood Creeper says...
not this onethough, I'm often cycling in that area and have always respected the 'no cycling' notices.
If it goes ahead it would be a nice addition to cyclepaths in the area
12:32pm Tue 3 Jul 12
Lefty Cyclist Type says...
2:04pm Tue 3 Jul 12
AndyBSG says...
Just lay a bit of tarmac down and paint some white lines, job done.
Sure there'll be some lovely young lads of Irish stock over at Dale farm who'll do it for a reasonable price!
2:38pm Tue 3 Jul 12
andy:) says...
4:01pm Tue 3 Jul 12
anon anon says...
i think the cycle path would be a good idea, Bob can watch the seagulls...
4:15pm Tue 3 Jul 12
reptile says...
4:59pm Tue 3 Jul 12
jolllyboy says...
5:10pm Tue 3 Jul 12
The Cater Wood Creeper says...
Except that they have no bike and no courtesy.
5:17pm Tue 3 Jul 12
Lefty Cyclist Type says...
6:24pm Tue 3 Jul 12
v.randy says...
Petrol prices are plummeting,electric cars are widely available .
SBC has already installed 'electric cars only' parking bays in Southend with charging pods adjacent..this is the future.
MOVE ON FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!!!!!!!
6:43pm Tue 3 Jul 12
Lefty Cyclist Type says...
Cuckoo Corner £ 5 - 10 million
Victoria Gateway - £7 million
Progress Road - £5 million
… and you think it's CYCLISTS who are being pandered to?
6:47pm Tue 3 Jul 12
jolllyboy says...
7:18pm Tue 3 Jul 12
southendshrimper says...
Are you reading lefty or did you miss that bit. You will still defend the cyclist I bet, So truthfully I bet you have cycled on this part.
7:21pm Tue 3 Jul 12
Eric the Red says...
7:24pm Tue 3 Jul 12
Southend Andy says...
7:37pm Tue 3 Jul 12
Lefty Cyclist Type says...
7:49pm Tue 3 Jul 12
Lefty Cyclist Type says...
http://bit.ly/LvhPhN
When in actual fact this is a cyclist:
http://bit.ly/LNCj88
and this is a cyclist:
http://bit.ly/N8IiUY
and this is a cyclist:
http://bit.ly/MTUY18
and all these are cyclists:
http://bit.ly/OjKBW6
8:10pm Tue 3 Jul 12
jayman says...
8:54am Wed 4 Jul 12
v.randy says...
10:18am Wed 4 Jul 12
go get em says...
12:12pm Wed 4 Jul 12
reptile says...
11:20pm Wed 4 Jul 12
Max Impact says...
11:31pm Wed 4 Jul 12
Lefty Cyclist Type says...
8:31am Thu 5 Jul 12
Eastwood Biker says...
I always find it very strange that shared space between pedestrians and cyclists appear to work very well in all European countries I have been to i.e Italy , France , Belgium and Spain etc but here they are the cause of constant aggro!!
1:27pm Thu 5 Jul 12
UK Fan says...
All over Europe cyclepath are far more abundant and it is high time that we did something to encourage more people to 'get on their bike' and I mean that in more then one way.
2:12pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Eastwood Biker says...
4:32pm Thu 5 Jul 12
UK Fan says...
Unfortunately, this is easier said then done. I am German, well was, i now have British citizenship, but Germany had one great advantage which may sound strange, but losing the war and being bombed to shreds in WW2 was actually rather beneficial for the country. When towns and cities were rebuilt people just didn't have any money, besides in '45, who owned a car privately anyway, so almost every street there comes with its own cyclepath, both directions.
In Britain, this was never a problem at the time. People tried to get on with each other and largely continued to try and do so until the early 80s when prosperity hit at least most parts of the nation. That's when things went sour. Car owners against cyclists, cyclists against pedestrians, god knows where the pedestrians took their frustration.
As I keep saying. Germany lost the war but won the peace. Something that the current German government is busy destroying at the moment, raising more then just a little resentment by their outrageous behaviour. Comments like 'German is spoken in Europe' don't go down too well with a lot of people, including me and my wife. But that's a completely different kettle of fish and doesn't really belong here.
9:13am Fri 6 Jul 12
Lefty Cyclist Type says...
A programme of education into how roads are funded would be a start. Add to that six months compulsory bicycle usage incorporated into driver education to instil a better understanding of what it is like to be a vulnerable road user.
Make killing while driving a criminal offence with an automatic custodial sentence.
Make the drink drive limit zero so there is no longer any doubt about how many drinks a person can consume before being over the limit, with a ten year ban and a month in prison as the mandatory sentence for drink and drug driving.
Harsher penalties for speeding, automatic six points and minimum fine of £1000.
Better policing of the roads. Police actually dishing out fines to transgressors, including adult pavement cyclists and red light jumpers.
Make the roads safer, and everything else follows.