Cycle Brentwood – The Story So Far
The Brentwood Cycling Furtherance Group was started in early 2016 by Mark Stanbury, a BBC public health officer with a passion for cycling and a vision for how Brentwood would benefit from improved cycle infrastructure. Bringing together like-minded people from inside and outside the council the goal was to plan an integrated network of low-traffic and off-road cycle routes that would encourage more people to use bikes for transport and recreation.
We started by mapping out what our ideal cycle network would look like, linking key locations using existing, upgraded and new paths. Our priorities when identifying potential routes were off-road paths, then quiet roads, and finally segregated cycle paths. Although segregated paths are considered the gold standard by cycle infrastructure planners, we realised that cost and feasibility issues would be prohibitive if we were looking for ‘quick wins’. Unfortunately, it turned out that even the ‘easy’ routes would prove to be anything but.
Mark left BBC in late 2017, and without a lead the group’s group lapsed for over a year when Geoff Fletcher of Trailnet offered to chair the group and to ensure that all the previous good work didn’t go to waste. With agreement and support from Public Health Officer, Jo Cory, the group was rebranded as Cycle Brentwood and invited representatives from Essex Highways, BBC and local people with an interest in improving cycling provision in the borough. The role of the group was to encourage people to cycle for transport and recreation, to propose new cycle routes, and to campaign and fundraise for these routes.
Over the last six years Cycle Brentwood has worked and liaised on a number of local initiatives and we continue to push the cycling agenda with residents and elected representatives. Our recent and ongoing work includes:
- Supporting the commissioning and development of the Brentwood Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP)
- Producing a Brentwood Cycling Charter where local businesses, organisations and individuals can commit their support to encouraging cycling
- Campaigning, fundraising, and managing the establishment of a new walking and cycling path through Barrack Wood, linking Thorndon Country Park to the residential development on the old Ford Warley HQ site. Read more about what we did here.
- Supporting and advising the BBC Councillor led Footpaths, Cycling Routes and Bridleways (FCRB) forum
- Monitoring and promoting new cycling links across the borough. See below for more details:
A1023 Brentwood Walking & Cycling Scheme
We are supporting BBC, Essex County Council and National Highways on a new 1200m shared-use path along London Road (A1023), from Brook Street to Westwood Avenue. This path will connect at the southern end with a new crossing of Brook Street Roundabout and onwards to an upgraded cycle path to Harold Wood. Read more here.
Warley to Brentwood Station Cycle Route
With the new residential development on the Ford HQ site, we have been pushing for a quiet cycling and walking link to Brentwood Station. Having mapped out what we consider to be the optimal route, we ensured that this was included in the LCWIP and were instrumental in acquiring funds from the developer for a feasibility study and contribution to necessary works. Read more here
Access to Brentwood High Street
Working with the FCRB forum, we have been campaigning for cycle access to Brentwood High Street from William Hunter Way and Crown Street. This opens up access from the north and south whilst avoiding the cycle-unfriendly junctions at Wilson’s Corner and King’s Road. With the new cycle parking being installed by BBC, this should provide both incentive and utility for those wishing to visit the High Street by bike. Read more here
Upgrade of Footpath 42 linking Ingrave to Thorndon Country Park
Upgrade of Footpath 41 linking Herongate to Thorndon Country Park
Shenfield Road to Merrymeade link
Crescent Drive to Glanthams Close link
More to follow.