Good news for cyclists and walkers on Dartmoor

Devon County Council has agreed the proposed schedule of schemes to increase walking and cycling on Dartmoor.

The “Granite and Gears” project, led by the County Council and Dartmoor National Park, was awarded £4.4 million fundingfrom The Department for Transport's (DfT) Cycling Ambition fund in August.

The project is also supported with an additional £3 million from Local Transport Plan funding, section 106 money and contributions from Devon County Council, Dartmoor National Park, Teignbridge District Council and West Devon Borough Council.

It will develop a network of multi-use trails to open up access to the moor, as well as creating “cycling hub”sites at Princetown and Moretonhampstead to provide dedicated facilities for visitors. The County Council’s Cabinet last week approved the programme over the next two financial years.

This includes a numberof individual schemes, which together will improve access to and on Dartmoor for cyclists and pedestrians, encouraging people to visit for longer and support the local economy.

The major elements of the scheme include the development of a bridge over the A38 and path linking Newton Abbot to Bovey Tracey as part of the Wray Valley Trail, as well as completing the missing link of the Wray Valley Trail from Willford Bridge and Steward Wood to Lustleigh.

An off-road trail will also be developed to link Princetown to Drake's Trail, routes in Okehampton will be extended to connect the Granite Way to planned new homes in the east of the town and the Opportunity Okehampton site.

The Pegasus Way will be constructed to provide a multi-use route between the Granite Way and Cookworthy Forest.

Work on the Clearbrook Ramp is also scheduled to start next Summer to close the final gap of the Drake's Trail between Plymouth andYelverton.

These improvements will ensure that the route is more accessible for cyclists and disabled people.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “The County Council successfully secured DfT funding towards cycling to and within Dartmoor as part of funding for cycling in National Parks, and indeed our bid scored the highest amongst all the National Park bids.

There is a very strongpartnership with Dartmoor National Park and the District Councils on this, and it is important that schemes are progressed as quickly as possible as the Government has imposed a tight deadline of March 2015 for the spending of its funds."

“The schemes will play an important part in our cycling strategy and supporting local economies – new and existing local businesses will benefit from the additional tourism opportunities offered and recreational cycling is an important stage in encouraging people to cycle regularly.

There are of course health benefits too in the long run, again supporting the economy through a healthier workforce and reduced healthcare costs.”

Bill Hitchins, Chairman of Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: “Cycling is an increasingly popular activity within and around the National Park, both for visitors and local communities.

"Dartmoor provides a wide range of opportunities for cycling, from gentle rides along quiet lanes, or for more challenging rides along moorland bridleways and trails.

"We will continue to work in partnership with Devon County Council and the District Councils to deliver cycling schemes and improvements that will enable more people to access and travel around Dartmoor National Park by bicycle, which will also help support the local economy and tourism throughincreased visitor spend.”

Councillor Jeremy Christophers, Leader of Teignbridge District Council, said: “The promise was made and now the details are being fleshed out. The amount of benefits these schemes will bring are untold and we’re really excited about them coming forward.

"A new bridge over the A38 has been talked about for many years and for us to finally be able to say ‘we’re getting it’ is just such fantastic news.

"Pedestrians and cyclists of all ages will be able to safely negotiate a dual carriageway rather than take their life in their hands trying to dodge vehicles travelling at up to 100mph. Instead, we can look forward to opening up Teignbridge and Devon even further to those who want to travel on two wheels.”

Councillor Robert Oxborough, Chairman of West Devon Borough Council’s Community Services Committee, said: “This investment is welcome news and will build on the growing number of recreational routes in the area.

"The momentum of cycling in West Devon has continued to gather pace, with the addition of new off-road routes. This project will be of benefit to the people of West Devon, and will also appeal to our visitors too.”

The National Park currently receives around 2.4 million visitors a year, with 600,000 cycle trips being made annually.

Granite and Gears is expected to encourage more people to cycle to the moor, with up to a 43% increase in cycling on the moor between 2015 and 2018, bringing an extra £6 million to the local economy and creating the potential for around100 new jobs.

Devon County Council received the 2012 Devon Federation of Small Businesses Best All Round Tourism Award for its investment in cycling, following a £13 million investment between 2009 and 2012. It is funding a further £13.9 million of improvements to the county’s cycle network up to 2015.