Second tranche of Active Travel fund brings exciting proposals for Thurrock

Second tranche of Active Travel fund brings exciting proposals for Thurrock

THURROCK Council’s Cabinet is set to hear proposals for a series of exciting walking and cycling travel schemes, with £690,000 of government funding being awarded in the second tranche of the Active Travel fund.

The Active Travel fund’s first tranche in June of last year saw Thurrock Council invest £288,000 of government funding to provide its residents with immediate changes in travel infrastructure to promote safer travel for all during the pandemic.

In the second tranche the council has proposed plans to make more permanent changes to further benefit its residents and to help keep them safe. These changes will be subject to a full consultation with residents.

The proposed schemes, which will be discussed by Cabinet at their meeting on 10 February, include a new cycle route, new signalised crossing, shared pathways and measures to create space for cyclists and reduce the speed of vehicles.

Cllr Ben Maney, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “The first tranche of funding allowed us to bring in a range of temporary initiatives to keep our community safe whilst traveling.

“This next tranche will allow us to put more permanent measures in place that will provide our residents with safer and more secure infrastructure, that will not only help to protect them during the pandemic but will benefit them long term.”

Residents most impacted by these changes, as well as other relevant stakeholders, will be offered the opportunity to make their views on proposals heard as part of the consultation process.

Cllr Maney added: “Our proposals are community focused and we would like to invite our residents to share their thoughts with us. They remain at the heart of all the work we do and their support is paramount to us.”