Hereford could become “a 20-mile-an-hour city” under radical transport plans

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Wednesday, 19 January 2022 17:11

By Gavin McEwan - Local Democracy Reporter

Hereford could become “a 20-mile-an-hour city” under radical transport plans currently being drawn up.

“We are looking at redesigning the city for active and bus travel, so it’s much easier to get into town by bus, walking and cycling,” Herefordshire Council’s interim director for economy and environment Neil Taylor told an online meeting.

“We are looking at becoming a 20-mile-an-hour city, so even where we have vehicles, we have a shared space with people walking and cycling.

“We are also looking at where strategic parking needs to be and what that means in terms of sustainable transport.”

The proposals form part of a masterplan being drafted for the city, which will also aim to promote new opportunities for growth in the city centre.

“We are keen to have much more footfall, creating much more custom for businesses, and more space for events,” Mr Taylor said.

A consultation on the plan is due in late summer, he added, with a draft to be published by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the council aims to bid for up to £90 million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, likely to be open for bids from April, Mr Taylor explained.

There is likely to be “a big transport element” to the council’s bid, for measures to improve road infrastructure to reduce journey times along with the county’s carbon footprint, he said.

The bid is also likely to seek funding for Hereford’s transport hub in front of the railway station, and for cycle routes between the county’s five market towns and Hereford, and between each other.

This would create “some great routes for tourists to visit our gorgeous towns in a sustainable way”, Mr Taylor said.