| Borough of Havant - Home | Whats New | Site Map | Search | Help | Complaints | Terms and Conditions | Feedback | Web Accessibility | Skip Nav |
Skip Navigation

The Hayling Billy Trail Project - Background

 

THE NATIONAL CYCLE NETWORK

National Cycle Network logo and external link

The National Cycle Network project was the first Millennium Project to be awarded Lottery Funds. It is intended to be a high profile endeavour designed to persuade the British public that cycling is a thoroughly modern way of travelling  and a responsible way of moving into the next Millennium. 

 
Many of our neighbouring countries have five or ten times the level of cycling - our 2% in 1996 compares with 10% in Sweden with its more severe winters; 11% in Germany with its higher wealth; and 15% in Switzerland with its hillier terrain.
 
The very low levels of cycling in Britain are a consequence of the failure to make provision for cycling in transport policies over the last two generations with the result that cycling is seen as being very much more dangerous in Britain than in these other countries - for example accident statistics show that it is ten times more dangerous mile for mile, or trip for trip, here than in Denmark and perhaps not surprisingly the level of use here is only a tenth of theirs.
 
In July 1996 the Government published its National Cycling Strategy which aimed to quadruple cycling over the next decade. This Strategy called for "road space (and time) to be reallocated from private vehicles to cyclists" and points out that "cycling is a high quality way to enjoy the countryside and a good way to introduce people to cycling for everyday transport needs". Havant Borough Council has its own local strategy which is currently being updated and about which you have the poortunity to give us your views on what the priorities should be.
 
The National Cycling Network (NCN) is a key component in this cycling strategy. It aims to provide each local authority with the opportunity to create a flagship project for the encouragement of those who generally don't cycle to start cycling again. To this end National routes should be safe and attractive for novice cyclists, should be useful for everyday journeys to work and school, and should be memorable such that the public is persuaded to cycle more frequently. To meet this ambition the NCN should reach from town centre to town centre wherever possible, providing radial routes through the town for everyday journeys, links into the countryside for casual recreation, and longer distance routes for tourism.
 

THE HAYLING BILLY TRAIL

The Hayling Billy Trail from Fairfield Road to Langstone Ferry is highlighted as a strategic leisure route in the Council's Cycling Strategy. The Hayling Billy Trail is one of the links in the South Coast Cycle Route ( SCCR - route 2 of the NCN) forming the section of route via the Hayling Ferry into Southsea and Portsmouth.
 
At present the high level of traffic on the approaches to Langstone Bridge in effect limits the growth of journeys by bicycle to all but the most experienced riders. Sustrans considers that the completion of this route will demonstrate the popularity and potential for cycling in the area and will become the catalyst for wide ranging changes in transport practice for the benefit of local citizens and visitors alike.
Map of the Hayling Billy Trail
The intention of the Hayling Billy Trail is to create one of the premier routes in England with the provision of:
  • A safe and attractive path for cyclists, pedestrians, wheelchairs and prams, and in part a route for equestrians
  • A safe crossing of Langstone Bridge
  • Links to the NCN designed by Sustrans, including the SCCR ( NCR 2) and the London to Portsmouth ( NCR 22) routes
In order to create this popular Trail, Havant Borough Council has teamed up with Hampshire County Council, Sustrans (the civil engineering charity which specialises in railway path work) and with the Veolia Group who have agreed to fund much of the project through donations under the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme. The development is an iterative process over a number of years.
 
Construction of Phase 1, from Fairfield Road to Langstone Road and detailed elsewhere on this site, started on 29th October 2001, and was mainly completed by the end of December. Final completion of this Phase, including the dressing of the top surface by a textured coating, was carried out during the week commencing 22 April 2002 with the completed Path officially opened on 30th August 2002 by Steven Norris. Further work in  Phase 1A (2003) and Phase 1B (2006) have since extended the route to the forecourt of Havant railway station, and included high quality cycle parking at the station itself. In 2002/3 Phase 3A works saw the widening of footpaths across Hayling Bridge to allow their use as shared footway / cycleway.
 
The intention is to create a quality route, with good landscaping and surfacing, to provide a largely traffic-free way for those in wheelchairs and prams and a good path for pedestrians and cyclists. Development of the detailed design for further phases of the Hayling Billy Trail into Hayling Island will be developed as the project progresses and further planning applications will be made in due course. In this way, Phase 3 extending the route southwards from the end of Section 1 towards the Hayling Bridge (completed in Phase 3A) was opened in 2010.