A cycleway could soon unite towns

A new cycleway could be built to connect Sandy and Potton.

Andy Knight, Sustrans Project Manager for the East of England, and Hannah Bartram, chair of Potton Town Plan Environment Group, spoke at a meeting of Potton Town Council on Tuesday (October 6).

Potton Consolidated Charities has already given Potton Town Council a grant towards the cycle route and other funding sources are being considered.

Andy’s feasibility report, which was discussed at the meeting, says: “The requirement for a Potton to Sandy section has strong justification since a significant number of Potton and Sandy residents travel daily to either the RSPB or Sandy Railway Station, and furthermore, safe walking and cycling access is required for leisure and business visitors to the RSPB.

“The road between these two settlements is heavily used by high speed traffic and as such is unsuitable for an on-road section of the National Cycle Network.”

The route would take one of several proposed routes from Potton town centre to Potton Road (B1042). The RSPB has agreed for the route to continue on the charity’s land just inside the field hedge adjacent to Potton Road. There are then several alternative routes that it could take to get into the centre of Sandy.

The aim is for the route to be traffic free at least between the urban fringes. The cycleway will be suitable for unaccompanied 12-year-olds who have passed their Bikeability Level 2 cycle training and for novice adults.

It will probably have an asphalt surface.

The plans will have to be ready, with planning permission, so that work can start when full funding is available. A further Sustrans report is due in December.