"Great news for Peterborough residents" as active travel scheme is set to start

A scheme designed to make it easier for people to walk and cycle in an area of Peterborough will begin in March.

Peterborough City Council (PCC) has started preparations to deliver a sustainable travel scheme on Thorpe Wood.

The main building works are due to start on site on Monday (3 March) with the scheme expected to complete in the summer. Residents will see barriers going up in the area in the coming days in preparation for the works.

A PCC spokesperson said: “Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has provided a grant of £2 million to Peterborough City Council via Active Travel England’s Active Travel Funds.

“The new route will have widened footways and a cycle way allowing people on bikes to travel safely along Thorpe Wood in both directions. To help people on foot or wheels to cross the road there will be two crossings installed, and a new bus shelter is being provided. These improvements will enable people to have more choice on how they travel around Peterborough and help people to feel safer when traveling by foot or on wheels.”

Cllr Angus Ellis, cabinet member for the environment and transport at Peterborough City Council, commented: "This is great news for Peterborough residents, Thorpe Wood is a key link to areas of employment and leisure and the project will be a significant improvement to those that use the route. The new infrastructure will also link in to the new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Nene Parkway and provide a seamless transition between Longthorpe and Thorpe Wood. It is wonderful that we have been able to secure external funding to deliver the works and demonstrates our ongoing determination to ensure people can navigate the city sustainably."

Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, added: “The Combined Authority is helping to make journeys in Peterborough better, and that includes putting in infrastructure that will encourage more people to walk, cycle or wheel. I’m pleased work has started on improvements in what is already popular area for active travel. This month we announced we had secured a further £6.5m in funding from Active Travel England to support even more accessible, safe and pleasant routes for Peterborough and the whole region.”

The works will be delivered by Milestone Infrastructure Limited, Peterborough City Councils highways partner.