Curry Rivel Active Travel News

Active Travel – Facebook

Active Travel – Just Giving

CURRY RIVEL ACTIVE TRAVEL NEWS

an update from the Curry Rivel Active Travel Group

Work Begins

With help from local and Drayton volunteers, work started on 24th January on clearing a section of overgrown land as the first stage of preparation for the long awaited Curry Rivel Cycle Footpath. The section in question sits inside a field adjoing the A378 and the speed and volume of traffic once again reminded all of us who were working there why this project is so important

Progress has been surprisingly good as a result of team work and hard labour and increased significantly thanks to a local arborist who has given up his time to assist. More volunteers have stepped forward which is what this project is all about. Coffee and cake an essential ingredient in building a willing and motivated team who want to see this project succeed

Can you assist? We need to hear from anyone with access to and experience in using heavy plant equipment, excavators, diggers. Anyone interested in volunteering please call me on 07563900646 or e mail me activetravel@curryrivel.org.uk

268 Members and Growing

The Curry Rivel Active Travel project has recently welcomed the 250th member to the Curry Rivel Active Travel Facebook Group. Spread the word – the more support we have for easier and safer walking and cycling, the better the case for getting financial support.

To keep up to date, why not just join them using this link or scan the barcode Active Travel – Facebook.

The Curry Rivel Active Travel Working Group

"Active Travel" means making journeys in physically active ways, like walking, using a wheelchair or mobility aid, cycling, or scootering. It is better for our health, and there are all sorts of reasons for getting cars off the road where we can. When people in Curry Rivel are asked about problems in the parish, traffic always comes at the top of the list. People would love their children to be able to get to school in a safer, more fun (and cheaper!) way.

A working group has been set up to promote Active Travel, including parish councillors and other local people. The biggest current project is a new path between Curry Rivel and Langport than can safely be used by walkers, cyclists, people with pushchairs, etc. We are also working on improving the paths in the parish itself, and other improvements, such as pedestrian crossings.

Landowner Negotiations

Discussions with key landowners on the Curry Rivel – Langport path are ongoing, and we hope to announce some positive news soon.

Links with other communities

Project members recently met with representatives from 7 other communities to explore how to work together to improve and develop Active Travel routes. There is a real interest and a growing momentum to create routes that link communities together. One already underway is a link between Aller and Langport.

Drayton Parish are looking at improving an existing footpath to accommodate all users and to link to the proposed Curry Rivel to Langport route.

Curry Rivel News Donation to the Active Travel Project

The Committee of the Curry Rivel News have made a generous donation of £200 to the project, which will be put towards the cost of clearing and construction of the first section of land in early 2024.

The Council is actively pursuing other grants and sources of funding and welcomes any further suggestions.

The Just Giving Fund currently stands at £240. We are currently a long way off the £50k target. The more we raise through our own efforts the better our chances of securing funding from other sources. Every little donation will help to build this much needed path.

If you wish to donate to this project, please follow this link or scan the barcode Active Travel – Just Giving.

(This Crowdfunding appeal is in support of the Active Travel project but is not directly linked to the Parish Council funds.)

Park Lane and Frog Lane Status

The Rights of Way inquiry concluded last November that the whole of Park Lane/Frog Lane and Huish Drove should be designated a Restricted Byway. An objection was subsequently lodged and is currently in a long queue of appeals to be heard. In the meantime, the status is still unclear although people continue to use it. We are currently waiting for a definitive answer to the status. In the meantime, we continue to negotiate with the landowner for a path that will follow the inside of the fields either side of Park Lane/Frog Lane.

Working with the School

Our Working group volunteers are in regular contact with the school and looking at ways to encourage more active travel for children. The school has included active travel as part of the development plan for this school year.

Road Safety Improvements

The Parish Council Active Travel Working Group is working with Somerset Transport and Highways on two schemes

• Improvements to the uncontrolled crossing into Westfield after Heale Lane in order to make crossing the road at that point safer. A suggestion put forward is to have a Priority/Give Way scheme and pavement build out with bollards. We have been advised that the location is unsuitable for a zebra crossing but a scheme such as the one proposed would be the next best thing as it would also have the effect of slowing traffic down in both directions.
• Changes to School Street – the safety of pedestrians and in particular, young children, is of paramount importance and School Street has become increasingly busy around drop off and pick up times. We are currently exploring with the school and Somerset Transport options to improve safety and discourage people from parking outside the school.

Developments are regularly reported on the Curry Rivel Community Website
https://www.curryrivel.org.uk/parish-council-news/active-travel/about-active-travel.html
https://www.curryrivel.org.uk/parish-council-news/active-travel/updates.html
and on the Active Travel Facebook page where you can start discussions and put forward your thoughts
https://www.facebook.com/groups/curryrivelactivetravel