Local Councillor Tries to Persuade Cabinet to Continue Cycle Track

11.23.10am GMT Wed 22nd Feb 2006

Cllr Chris Wise, the Liberal Democrat County Councillor for Wootton, today tried to persuade the Conservative County Cabinet not to drop the Wootton-Abingdon Cycle Track from their transport plan. A final decision is expected on 21st February, but in the meantime mention of the track has been removed from the Local Transport Plan.

Chris said, "I find it amazing that this scheme is being quietly dropped, in spite of a big effort of the local community to urge the County Council of the necessity for it. This is very disappointing news. There is no direct bus serving Fitzharries or John Mason schools in Abingdon and many children in Wootton and Dry Sandford cannot get onto the school bus. They need the cycle track to get to school.

"The new Local Transport Plan has very little in it for cyclists or pedestrians. As a result it lacks balance.

"We are told that the cycle track cannot go ahead because of cost - but there appears to be plenty of money for other 'pet projects', such as very expensive Real Time Passenger Information displays or making parking free in Oxford City. It has not been proved that the displays will actually encourage more passengers onto buses, especially when the free parking actually encourages them not to!

"And the cycle track has been worked on and planned for 25 years, at undoubtedly a tremendous cost already to the County Council. Stopping it now does not make financial sense. What a waste of money, effort and time this is!"

"Our campaign to save the Wootton to Abingdon Cycle Track will continue. We will write to the Secretary of State for Transport, Alistair Darling, as he and his Government colleagues need to approve the county's new Local Transport Plan."