Saffron Walden residents request improvements to Wenden Rd pedestrian and cycle route from Essex County Council

12th October 2015, Uttlesford: Residents for Uttlesford (R4U), the local advocacy group for towns and villages, has submitted detailed proposals to Essex County Council (ECC) to improve the Wenden Road Pedestrian and Cycle Way. R4U indicate that the proposals reflect the issues raised by local residents using the road, and concerns raised by drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike.

R4U’s Cllr John Lodge said “Thank you to everyone who has sent me suggestions on how the Wenden Rd scheme could be improved. As promised I have consolidated these and sent them to ECC in a proposal that includes marked up pictures of the route. I have asked ECC to come back with an urgent remedial action plan.”

Cllr Lodge continued “In September I publicly expressed my significant concerns about the way the scheme has been implemented. Since then members of the public have suggested a number of very sensible safety fixes. Together with our own suggestions the include: improvements to signage and markings; moving the bollards to the same side of the road and away from blind corners; making the speed limit consistent with those on the adjacent roads; a properly marked out safe walking and cycling zone; and resurfacing the road to fix crumbling tarmac. Part of my job is to hold our councils to account over these matters, but it is disappointing that a proper and safe job wasn’t done in the first place.”

ECC and Uttlesford District Council (UDC) signed-off the Wenden Rd Pedestrian and Cycle Way after a 3 year campaign by locals. The new 1-mile route was completed in the summer of 2015. It was created by making the existing road partially one-way and turning the other lane into a pedestrian and cycle way. Part of the route is still 2-way to cater for local business traffic. However locals have expressed concerns about the safety of the route and asked for improvements.

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