Cheshire East Council has given the green light to a trial 'active travel' scheme in Congleton which aims to help combat Covid-19 and make our towns safer for cycling and walking.

This scheme is part of seven other towns across the borough as a first phase to improve walking and cycling and improve access to our town centres, areas for employment and schools.

In Congleton it will involve a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) being put in place to allow cycling on Bridge Street from its junction with High Street through to Mill Street and along Little Street to its junction with Wagg Street.

The council says it will provide an east-west link which is currently severed for cyclists and will help to improve access and connectivity to the town centre.

These measures are being taken forward on an "experimental basis" with the council urging residents to give feedback.

Cllr Laura Crane, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for highways and waste, said: "These initial projects are experimental and will be subject to ongoing feedback and discussions with our communities and stakeholders. That is why we sought the views of local residents and councillors and have responded to what they said.

"This engagement will enable us to monitor and refine these measures before anything is considered to be made permanent – so we get schemes that are right for each community.

"These are exciting projects and part of steps taken by this council to encourage more people to get active and cycle and walk more. But they have to be right for each specific location.

"We will continue to work with town and parish councils to develop additional schemes. Our aim is to deliver active travel projects that are right for each town and developed in partnership with each local area and local members."

The council hopes the measures will also help to reserve capacity on public transport for those who really need it and should help to reduce congestion on some routes to schools.

Further schemes will be developed in later phases, following pledged government funding of up to £619,000 across the borough.

Cllr Crane added: "We know people's travel behaviour has changed during the lockdown and we are determined to lock in the benefits of more people walking and cycling to make our town centres safer, healthier and more welcoming to shoppers and visitors.

"We know ditching the car and taking up daily walking or cycling is good for your health, and good for the environment. Creating a safer environment in our towns will hopefully encourage more people out of their cars and to be more active, for those residents who are able to do so.

"Being successful, with more people walking and cycling as a result of these measures, may attract additional funding from government and we welcome feedback, both positive and negative, on the measures being trialled."

To view details of the active travel measures in place and give feedback, visit [L]https://cheshireeastactivetravel.commonplace.is/[L+]