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#Beeston2020Vision

 

Sustainability (3), Transport and travel opportunities

Public transport and active travel must be the natural first choice for our daily activities in a sustainable world. As of now we have a convenient, cost-effective and coherent public transport network across Greater Nottingham, but less car use suggests that we need:

        a high-quality hub to make Beeston a real centre for travel, ideally fitted out with proper waiting areas, retail catering, advice services, walking and cycling advice and maps, cycle parking and e-bike charging stations; and

 

        an improved cycling infrastructure. It is likely that an ambitious integrated expansion of the cycle network, (such as that proposed by Greater Manchester), can only be considered on a Greater Nottingham basis, but off-road alternatives for busy roads through Beeston and improved signage can be delivered by Broxtowe Borough Council; also

o   the planned new cycle way linking Derby, Nottingham and East Midlands Airport might have a major artery into Beeston;

o   there should be integrated cycling provision in and around the HS2 Hub; and

o   more cycle routes should be integrated with the various new housing schemes being developed in the Borough, especially the Chetwynd Barracks redevelopment.

 

 

The latest Government proposals driven by the pandemic provide a once in a life time opportunity to turn Beeston and its surroundings into a good environment for cycling and walking with a Beeston Walking and Cycling Zone (BWCZ) in the area bounded by the River Trent/Nottingham Canal, the boundary with Erewash, the A50 and Woodside Road.

This area has the potential to be a walking and cycling exemplar at a national level. The BWCZ could be created by:

          Reducing road speeds in the BWCZ in most residential streets to 20mph;

          Providing legal priority for cyclists on side roads where there are cycle paths on pavements, such as parts of Queens Road/Nottingham Road;

          Ensuring cycle paths are better maintained especially from overgrowth;

          Stopping car parking on pavements;

          Making lightly segregated cycle lanes mandatory (all in the Borough are presently not mandatory and do not have to be recognised by motorists);

          setting up consolidation centres for ‘last-mile’ deliveries by bike and e-vans;

          setting up a Beeston green travel plan to provide a car club and cycle rental scheme to discourage single occupancy car journeys, encourage cycling and walking for short journeys, and encouraging home working;

          Providing BikeAbility cycle training for all children in local schools;

          Using licensing and grants to create a green powered local taxi fleet;

          Making Wollaton Road, Station Road, the High Road and Broadgate an HGV and Vans Emissions Zone, so mirroring Nottingham and Derby’s Future Transport Zones; and 

          Extending the City’s successful Workplace Parking Levy into Beeston to fund further transport investments.

 

 

Gary Smerdon-White

27 July 2020 

 

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