
A proposal to ask people in Ipswich to give their views on a new Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan is to be considered by Ipswich Borough Council’s Executive at its meeting this evening, Tuesday 14 January.
They will be presented with a report seeking approval for public consultation on the draft Plan and the measures it sets out to encourage walking, wheeling (which refers to people who use wheelchairs, mobility scooters, pushchairs, non-motorised scooters, rollerblades, and similar forms of wheeled mobility, who may not identify with walking) and cycling across the Borough.
The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan recommends Ipswich-specific proposals to Suffolk County Council, as the Local Highway Authority, for consideration as part of their wider transport plans. It includes a prioritised list of schemes for enabling people to cycle on routes throughout the town whilst making sure there is provision for walking and wheeling too.
This supports both national and local objectives to improve air quality by reducing road congestion and carbon emissions in the town centre. The Plan looks at options to enable and encourage more sustainable travel in and around Ipswich and encourage alternatives to the private car, particularly for shorter journeys. Measures include improving the availability, accessibility and safety of the town’s walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure to make it more inclusive and increase its attractiveness.
Greater uptake of more active modes of travel also brings the benefits of increasing people’s physical activity. The potential to reduce reliance on car use links with health and wellbeing programmes that the Borough Council promotes and delivers including Feel Good Suffolk, Move More to Feel Better, Wellbeing Walks and Park Walks.
Residents, businesses and visitors will be invited, through the proposed consultation, to give their views on how the Plan aims to achieve these key aims as well as the overall vision, the top five priorities in the list, and the ranking of routes and improvements identified by the Council. These schemes include improving cycling and pedestrian access to retail and leisure destinations in Ipswich town centre and the Waterfront, as well as for connecting routes such as Nacton Road, Norwich Road, London Road, Hadleigh Road, Felixstowe Road, Woodbridge Road and Wherstead Road.
Feedback from the consultation would go towards drawing up a final Plan to be brought to Executive for approval in Summer 2025.
Councillor Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning and Museums, says:
“This draft Plan is our contribution to the County Council’s Suffolk-wide plan to help make walking, cycling and wheeling easier for our residents and visitors. Ipswich Borough Council and other district councils in Suffolk have all produced plans like this in response to the County Council’s request.
“We’re keen to get feedback on this Ipswich-wide vision to encourage active travel, as well as views on the existing walking and cycling infrastructure, and help to identify any gaps in the schedule of routes and improvements.”
The proposed public consultation on the draft Ipswich Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, if agreed by the Executive, would run for a minimum of six weeks.
Full papers for the Ipswich Borough Council Executive meeting on Tuesday 14 January 2025 at 6pm can be found online at Agenda for Executive on Tuesday 14th January 2025, 6.00 pm | Democracy Online | Ipswich Borough Council
Pictured L to R: Councillor Carole Jones, Councillor Neil MacDonald, Councillor Stefan Long, Councillor Lucy Trenchard and Councillor Bryony Rudkin