£7.7 million will be invested in walking and cycling schemes across Devon in 2025/26

A total of £7.7 million will be invested in walking and cycling schemes across Devon in 2025/26.

This funding, which is a combination of Devon County Council’s Transport Capital Programme, and the additional £3.9 million Active Travel England funding announced last month by Government, will support a series of projects.

A route from each of Devon’s adopted Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP) will benefit through either construction or the development of designs for future delivery.

Earmarked schemes are due to be submitted to Active Travel England by the end of this month, including:

·                Tarka Trail - ongoing delivery of missing sections between Knowle and Willingcott, connecting Barnstaple to Ilfracombe;

·                Longbridge junction in Barnstaple;

·                E9 cycle route between Magdalen Road and the city centre in Exeter;

·                Ogwell to Newton Abbot – extension of the recent scheme completed at Baker’s Park;

·                A programme of pedestrian crossing improvements including Ivybridge, Great Torrington and Sidmouth, and investigating schools streets opportunities across the county to support safer routes to school

·                Design of schemes including Manteo Way in Bideford, phase 2 of Rifford Road in Exeter, and the Newton Road route in Kingsteignton

These schemes and initiatives are in addition to active travel funding committed by Cabinet in October, which included progressing delivery of schemes such as the Teign Estuary Trail and Mallison Bridge, Exeter.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for cycling, said:

“Investment in schemes that increase walking, cycling and wheeling is important for improving physical activity tackling congestion and meeting our carbon reduction targets, and I’m pleased to see that we’re investing in a number of areas across the county. We’re rightly proud that Devon’s share of Active Travel Funding announced in February was the largest settlement for any authority in the South West as it reflects the track record of delivery we have in the county”.

Schemes designated for construction need to be ready to start by March 2026 and delivered by March 2027.