Cycle Gosport are a brand new community group which is being set-up and aims to help make the Gosport area easier and safer to get about by bike.
Did you know that Gosport is in the Top 10 towns nationally for it’s high levels of cycling! Over 10% of journeys to work are made by bike which is three times the Hampshire average. Lots of people of all ages ride to school, for work, shopping for just for fun! Many towns and cities around the UK are working hard and spending lots of money on trying to increase the numbers of people cycling to Gosport levels.
Designing a good walking and cycling network is one of the easiest ways that urban areas can reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality while also encouraging healthier lifestyles and creating thriving places that people want to live, work and visit.
Gosport has some great family friendly places to ride but there are also more dangerous areas and busy roads which need improving. Unfortunately some of our best cycling and walking routes are under threat. People who walk and cycle often get overlooked and suffer the consequences of badly designed housing, retail and road developments. A lot of space is taken up by cars, buses and lorries which makes places less pleasant and safe spaces to live in or travel through.
The old railway between the Rowner Road and Holbrook Leisure Centre is one of the routes under threat. The eclipse busway will be built along the cycleway and the road bridge will be demolished under current plans. The new cycle path will be made shared use instead of segregated with separate lanes for pedestrians and cyclists and there will be no buffer between people and buses.
Although the Eclipse bus extension is important it needs to be designed better so that for pedestrians and cyclists can continue to use the railway path safely and easily. We need your help to show Hampshire County Council how well used the existing segregated cycleway and underpass at Rowner Road is and how proposed changes would impact you as a user of the railway path.
It would be great if you could come along to the meeting on Tuesday 17th July at Brune Park School Hall from 5:30pm to 7pm and tell us what the route means to you and what you use it for e.g. going to school, work or leisure.
Whatever the final result of the campaign to protect the usability of the railway path it is important that Hampshire County Council and Gosport Borough Council realise how important cycling is to Gosport and how much worse traffic would be without the high levels of cycling.
If Gosport pulls together as a community working we can help shape the town into a better place for current and future generations to grow up and grow old. We hope to see you there and please spread the word!
Best Wishes from the Cycle Gosport team – Kathy, Paul, Charlie and Darren