An engineering project to complete a busy cycle route along the main route through central Havant breaks ground on the 9th February.
Designed by Havant Borough Council as Agent to Hampshire County Council, and funded by £70,000 of money from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, the work will involve widening the western footway in Park Road North in front of the KFC restaurant to 2.5m (8 feet) wide to allow its shared use by both pedestrians and cyclists.
The pedestrian crossing in Park Way will also be upgraded to become an ‘intersection toucan’ meaning cyclists do not have to dismount to be able to legally use the crossing.
This fills a missing link between the two sections of work completed in 2013 which saw Park Road South (between Solent Road and West Street) and the section of Park Road North which crosses the railway bridge, reconfigured with new surfacing, wider pavements and upgraded crossing facilities.
The scheme about to start will ensure this important route between Havant College and the town centre will now have a completely off-road cycle track along its full length, improving safety for cyclists and allowing more space for pedestrians. When complete the new facility will form part of National Cycle Network route 22, which runs from the outskirts of London to the New Forest, and will mean that that within the borough boundary that particular National route is fully open.
Local firm Rocon Contractors will be carrying out the main construction work, with Siemens providing the toucan crossing. Work is expected to be completed by the end of April. Drivers are warned to expect delays although work will only be taking place in off peak times.
Councillor Tony Briggs, responsible for Environmental Quality, said, “The completion of this small section of path – only 110 metres long – marks an important stage in the implementation of the council’s Cycling Strategy, since it marks the completion of National route 22 within the borough. These sorts of facilities benefit everyone and are an important part of a wider agenda where not only are we encouraged to use the car less in order to cut carbon emissions but also to be more active to improve our health and reduce pressure on the NHS. It’s a win-win situation and we look forward to other projects in the pipeline filling other gaps in the Borough’s own local cycle network over the next few years.â€