Norwich Cycling Campaign slams A140 Holt Road proposals

Norwich Cycling Campaign says Norfolk County Council's proposals for the A140 Holt Road are "not fit for purpose".

The A140 Holt Road (Image: Google Street View)

Peter Silburn, chairman of Norwich Cycling Campaign, said: "We were shocked when we saw this scheme go out to consultation.

"Poor quality schemes like this fail to get more people onto their bikes.

"To get more people cycling we need proper infrastructure built to the national design standards that provide safe, direct and convenient routes. This isn't one of them."

The county council said its proposals would make the A140 Holt Road, between Amsterdam Way and the Northern Distributor Road roundabout, better for pedestrians, cyclists and people using buses.

It includes a speed limit extension, a new crossing, extra bus stops and an expansion of the yellow pedalway - a cycle route which runs between Norwich Airport and Lakenham.

Peter Silburn, chairman of Norwich Cycling Campaign (Image: Norwich Cycling Campaign)

But Mr Silburn said: "This is an unacceptable scheme that is unsafe and substandard and we cannot support this as designed."

The campaign group said the scheme failed to provide a continuous, safe and direct pedalway expansion to Horsford or The Nest community sports facilities.

The group said the scheme did not comply with national design standards, that there was no buffer between the cycle track and the road and that it involved shared use paths, which it said should be a "last resort".

A Norfolk County Council spokeswoman said: "These proposals were developed in discussion with Active Travel England. We have now written to properties in the project area and contacted a range of stakeholders and interest groups inviting them to share their views.

"We have taken on board the feedback received from Norwich Cycling Campaign and will consider this as a whole, alongside all the other responses collected by the consultation deadline."

Consultation over the plans - at www.norfolk.gov.uk/holtroad - runs until Monday, August 26. If approved, work would start early next year.