Residents may be aware of Oxfordshire County Council’s current project to improve cycling and walking infrastructure in and around Eynsham, ensuring the routes are accessible to all including those with mobility scooters or wheelchairs.
A new Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for Eynsham is currently being developed by the County Council. Residents have been invited to help identify potential areas for improvement via a pin-drop map on a designated website (read more about it here). We hope many of you have been able to submit suggestions – the deadline is 24 June.
As part of the process to develop the LCWIP, members of the team have been visiting Eynsham to walk and cycle around the area to better understand where potential issues may be. Cllrs Tricia Crowley and Sue Osborne joined the LCWIP team this week, which consisted of two County Council Transport Planners and three planners from the engineering consultancy Pell Frischmann (see the group photo below). Cllr Dan Levy was also able to join the group for a time and share his views.
Our councillors noted that they ended up walking 11 miles (“we couldn’t believe it, either!”) with the team and were encouraged to see how thorough and thoughtful they were:
“They made notes and collected audio-video recordings of various routes from Eynsham that walkers and cyclists might use to help them develop the plan. They were also mindful of future developments, like the Salt Cross Garden Village, when thinking about connections and routes. The Plan will be for today but revised periodically to take into consideration local changes.”
Guided by Cllrs Sue and Tricia’s suggestions, the Parish Council will be adding some areas for improvement to the pin-drop map online and we’d encourage other residents to do the same. Notably, we have identified some areas that are unsuitable for mobility scooters or those with wheelchairs; this is something we feel should be urgently remedied to ensure Eynsham is accessible to all.
Read more about the LCWIP process online. Residents can review the pin-drop map to see which areas have been identified and how you might still be able to help on this webpage: Improving walking and cycling in the Eynsham area | Let's Talk Oxfordshire