SHROPSHIRE Council’s Cabinet will be asked to rubber-stamp the authority’s new cycle and walking plan for Oswestry.

Cabinet will meet on Wednesday, March 13 to agree on the 10-year infrastructure plan for Oswestry to improve accessibility to walking and cycling in the town.

It is one of seven Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) plans across Shropshire that Cabinet members will be asked to approve to councillors to vote on, all borne out of a public consultation undertaken in summer 2023.

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Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for active travel, said: “The LCWIP aims to provide for a high-quality active travel network of routes which will enable more people to choose walking, cycling and wheeling for short trips.

“We received more than 1000 responses to last year’s consultation which is a great response.

“The primary objective of the consultation was to understand the views of people who live, travel, work or study in each of the seven towns and across Shropshire.

“I want to thank everyone who took time to review our proposals and share their thoughts.

“The responses have all been carefully considered and the plan updated as a result of comments made and I hope Cabinet and full council will now agree to adopt the cycling and walking plan.”

One of the main recommendation is improving cycle links between Oswestry and Gobowen by ‘investigating the provision of a shared-use facility between Gobowen and Oswestry alongside the railway line’.

A document for Cabinet added: “This would be designed in consultation with the rail operators to determine what space would be usable for a cycle route. Assess options for the Whittington Road railway bridge (which currently presents a pinch point on the route).”

Other highlights for Oswestry are creating east-west connections through the residential area connecting into the town centre along Cabin Lane and Middleton Road by upgrading current provision on the route.

The document for Cabinet added: “Investigate localised treatments at pinch-points (e.g. west of the Middleton Road/Plas Ffynnon Way roundabout) or reduction of traffic speeds to allow for a shared space with vehicular traffic.

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“Include provision of side road crossing treatments and upgrade of crossings, including the Plas Ffynnon roundabout, to definitive design standards.”

Other options also consider a potential segregated cycleway along Burma Road – which is currently flooded – towards the Orthopaedic Hospital.

In Gobowen, there is a recommendation to reduce speed in Chirk Road to allow for better use by cyclists and there is also a recommendation to investigate a ‘shared-use facility’ alongside the A483 between Oswestry and Pant, among many other plans.