The Hayling Billy Trail Project - Background

THE NATIONAL CYCLE NETWORK

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 has recently been updated and indicates what some of our local 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.

rOUTE PLAN OF hAYLING bILLY tRAIL PROJECT SHOWING PHASES

At present the high level of traffic on the approaches to Langstone Bridge 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.

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 ( NCN 2) and the London to Portsmouth ( NCN 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.

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.

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. Further work in Phase 1A (2003) and Phase 1B (2006) has since extended the route northwards onto the forecourt of Havant railway station, whilst at the southern end of the mainland route, Phase 3A works in 2003 saw the widening of footpaths across Langstone Bridge as part of a parapet strengthening scheme, to allow their use as shared footways / cycleways. Phase 3 in 2010 extended the route southwards along the former railway line between Mill Lane and 'The Ship' Inn, whilst Phase 4 should see the closure of the last gaps either end of the Langstone Bridge to complete the off-road facilities by 2013.