Connect2 network continues expansion

Sustrans’ Connect2 network continues to advance with the submission of a planning application that will make the Whitstable seafront in Kent more accessible to cyclists.

The application to Canterbury City Council is for two new bridges over Old Bridge Road and Teynham Road, submitted on behalf of the Crab and Winkle Line Trust. The bridges will form part of a newly created route for walkers and cyclists between the existing Crab and Winkle Way at All Saints Close and the Whitstable seafront.

The application follows an extensive consultation process after which the proposals were altered in response to comments by local people.

Simon Pratt, Regional Director for Sustrans, said: “This new route will be of great benefit to residents of Whitstable, allowing people to walk and cycle safely right through to the seafront.

“The new path will also encourage visitors to the area, as they will now be able to enjoy a cycle ride or walk along the Crab and Winkle Way and into town.”

Ecological surveys were carried out as part of the preparation work, including a consideration of the project’s impact on bats, reptiles and trees in the area. Some trees will be removed as part of the bridge construction work, but many hundreds will be planted to replace them. Sustrans sought independent advice which suggested that this planting will dramatically improve and widen the diversity of plant species and the value of the corridor as a wildlife habitat.

The scheme is being part funded by Sustrans via a grant from the Big Lottery Fund, and is also being funded by Kent County Council.