COVID-19 Leicester City Council produces its Transport Recovery Plan

Leicester City Council has produced its Transport Recovery plan meeting the challenges of the Coronavirus Pandemic and meeting future economic reovery for Leicester as well as supporting long term environmental benefits.

The Leicester COVID-19 Transport Recovery Plan have action planned for the coming months to create social distancing and safe travelling throughout the city including pop-up cycle and walk lanes to bringing forward infrastructure projects.

Full details can be found in the link however in brief: https://leicester.gov.uk/media/186689/covid-19-transport-recovery-plan-may-2020.pdf

The recovery is based on three principles:

Safety, susustainability and social equity.

Safety - adhering to government advice in terms of social distancing, safe design of any street changes, creating schemes which tackle transport emissions to protect the health of residents.

Sustainability - supporting climate emergency work and help creating a sustainable local economy

Social equity - providing fair access to all in an inclusive city.

The first phase of schemes under the Transport Recovery Plan has included new pop-up cycle tracks in Aylestone Road, Saffron Lane, London Road and Abbey Park Road, with more due to be installed including on Hinckley Road/Glenfield Road, and routes linking to business areas of Beaumont Leys, as well as more clearly segregating existing cycle lanes.

Pavement-widening is also due to take place to support businesses and shoppers in key local retail areas with Belgrave Road completed, and Queens Road, Narborough Road, Braunstone Gate and Green Lane planned, to enable shoppers to socially-distance safely as businesses gradually reopen with the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Work is also being done to prioritise walking and cycling in Pocklington's Walk, by stopping traffic turning right from Belvoir Street to remove unnecessary through traffic in the city centre.

This week the Government has announced Leicester will receive £363,000 as the first funding allocation from a £250million budget for Active Travel Emergency Funding, which will be used to finance these schemes.

Alongside this work, permanent schemes continue to be developed and installed, including those currently on-site at Belgrave Gate and Lancaster Road, as part of the ongoing Connecting Leicester work, which is also being accelerated.

The Transport Recovery Plan also sets out the approach being taken by the council and bus operators to ensure people who have to use public transport can do so safely.

Park and Ride services from Meynell's Gorse and Enderby will recommence on June 1 to provide more bus capacity.

In addition to the council's pledge to continue its very popular Bike Aid scheme to supply reconditioned and donated bicycles to key workers, the new Leicester Santander Bike Share scheme is also set to be launched this summer, allowing people to hire bikes from hubs across the city centre and other key areas.