Parishioner, Michael Heybrook, has set up a ‘Chearsley Cycling Action Group’ (CCAG), to promote the interests of the cyclists of our community.
Its scope will cover a range of cycling-related issues, such as providing support for the development of new off-road cycling routes as well as safety issues for cyclists on existing roads in our locality.
The timing of Michael’s initiative is crucial.
‘Active Travel’, or ‘making journeys by physically active means, like walking or cycling’, has become a much stronger focus of government in recent months, as outlined in a briefing paper published in August last year:
https://commonslibrary.
Buckinghamshire Council have a number of major projects under consideration. The ‘Buckinghamshire Greenway’ covers their involvement in a planned “transformational” cycling/walking route between Milton Keynes and Heathrow Airport.
Of particular interest to Chearsley cyclists, there has been renewed discussion about a cycleway linking Aylesbury, Haddenham and Thame.
A public consultation recently started about an ‘Aylesbury Gardenway’, - a planned 12-mile ‘orbital park encircling Aylesbury and linking it with surrounding villages.
https://www.buckinghamshire.
As some may be aware, a project to create a direct cycling/walking link between our village and Haddenham & Thame Station was investigated some years back but no solution was identified at that time, due to a variety of difficulties including regulatory, permissions, financial and routing issues.
For the future, the CCAG will support all local initiatives to create more off-road opportunities for our cycling community and the Parish Council have asked Michael to represent Chearsley on the Haddenham & Waddesdon Community Board ‘Cycling & Walking’ Sub-Group, which is already heavily engaged in progressing the new cycling links between Aylesbury, Haddenham and Thame
Michael would like to invite all Chearsley cyclists, of all ages or abilities, to join the new CCAG and to make sure our village is able to benefit from any new opportunities for development of ‘active travel’ in our locality in the years ahead.
If you would like to join the CCAG or obtain more information, please contact Michael Heybrook at mheybrook@gmail.com
