MAJOR plans to support cycling and walking in Carlisle have been approved, despite councillors’ concerns that rural communities have been forgotten.

A Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for Carlisle was presented to the area’s local committee on Wednesday, councillors endorsed the proposal but concerns were raised that not enough provision has been made for rural areas.

Nicola Parker senior programme manager for cycling and walking at the county council presented the proposal to councillors.

She said: “I am delighted to present to you the LCWIP for Carlisle for approval, the Government set out in the Gear Change document in 2020, a bold vision for cycling and walking with the aim of getting more people cycling and walking for short journeys in our towns and cities through the delivery of high-quality infrastructure.

“The Cumbria Transport and Infrastructure Plan sets out the strategy for active travel in Cumbria and the development of six LCWIPs is a part of this.”

The now approved document for Carlisle which is designed to answer this call, includes the creation of fully segregated cycleways on the highway; the building of secure cycle parking hubs and the removal of through-traffic in some areas to create low-traffic neighbourhoods.

Plans are in-line with the county council's ambitions to reduce Cumbria's carbon emissions and improve public health.

Cumbria County Council’s Local Committee for Carlisle unanimously approved the document but concerns were raised that it is not far reaching enough.

Liberal Democrat councillor Roger Dobson said: “I’m delighted with the work that has taken place so far and I’ll be supporting the recommendations.

But he said: “I hope you’ll forgive me for mentioning in passing my disappointment as the local member for Corby and Hayton, that Corby and Hayton doesn’t benefit from this.

“However, recognising a degree of collective responsibility, I do understand and recognised the validity of the priorities you put in place.”

Cllr Dobson also asked that 20 miles per hour zones are considered, which he said are a more cost effective solution than creating separate carriageways.

But Ms Parker said: “This doesn’t preclude investment in cycling and walking coming forward sooner and that’s what we hope to achieve over that 15 year period, a steady delivery of the improvements in the plan.”

Leader of the council Stewart Young welcomed the completion of Carlisle’s Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan: “First of all to thank Nicola and the team for this because there has been a huge amount of work gone into it.

“It is an aspirational plan saying ‘this is what we would like to see’ it isn’t funded in the sense that we don’t have a budget which we will now start to deliver this but of course we do use some of our budget, each of the local committees is going to have another £200,000 Environment Fund next year to improve footpaths or contribute to improving cycle paths.

“We have to be opportunistic to try to deliver it.”