Cycle Chippenham announces opening of Wiltshire’s newest cycle path

New route will help more children cycle to school

Cycle Chippenham volunteers were joined for the cycle path opening by the Mayor of Chippenham, as well as Wiltshire Council's Cabinet member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding, other councillors, and representatives of the various organisations that have funded and supported the new cycle path.

Cycle Chippenham, a voluntary community group working to create a safer cycling network for everyone – including children cycling to school – today announced the opening of Wiltshire's newest cycle path, between Fairfoot Close and Gascelyn Close in Chippenham.

The two-way cycle path forms a key link in a longer north-south route being developed through this part of Chippenham. It will help enable the whole community to cycle more of their short journeys in this part of the town and beyond.

The path was opened by the Mayor of Chippenham, Cllr Kathryn Macdermid, with supportive words from Cllr Martin Smith, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet member of Highways, Streetscene and Flooding, who was also in attendance.

Fully segregated cycle path

Serving Frogwell and Queen’s Crescent schools, as well as other community amenities in the area, the path is designed in line with the latest Government standards, providing a fully segregated route for people cycling and wheeling, separate from people walking. 

The path forms part of Cycle Chippenham’s wider plan to create a safe network of cycle routes throughout the town, consisting of car-free paths and quiet streets. It has been delivered through the Chippenham and Villages Local Highways and Footpaths Improvement Group (LHFIG), with funding from a variety of sources, secured by Cycle Chippenham.

Supporting Chippenham’s young people

Laurence Cable, Vice-Chair of Cycle Chippenham, said: “Evidence from elsewhere in the UK shows that when you provide safe cycle routes to schools, there can be a huge increase in the numbers of children cycling. 

“As well as improving our young people’s mental and physical health, active travel to school has been shown to improve their educational attainment, while reducing the number of cars on the school run. This path represents the next stage of our wider plan to help many more of Chippenham’s young people and the wider community to cycle around the town."

A collaborative project

Attending the opening, Cllr Martin Smith, Wiltshire Council's Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene, and Flooding, said: "Our Local Highway and Footway Improvement Groups (LHFIGs) are well placed to provide vital funding to local infrastructure projects that really make a difference in Wiltshire's communities, and this new path is a good example of this."Thanks to the dedication of Cycle Chippenham's volunteers, who successfully secured funding from multiple sources, this new route is now a valuable asset for the entire community."Paths such as this, which connect quiet residential streets, offer a cost-effective way to create safer cycling routes to schools, shops, and other key destinations. They not only improve safety but also encourage more people to choose cycling as a practical, everyday option."

Dr Nick Murry, Chair of Cycle Chippenham, said: “We’d like to thank Wiltshire Council’s ‘Chippenham and Villages Area Board’ LHFIG, Chippenham Town Council, Bath & West Community Energy, and Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy, for coming together to help fund the scheme, enabling the delivery of an important new cycle link for our town.”

The new path provides space for people cycling and wheeling, separate from the adjacent footway. This is in line with modern UK Government standards for cycle infrastructure design.

Cycle Chippenham is currently working with Wiltshire Council on a connecting link between Queens Crescent and Avebury Road, to complete the north-south route through this part of town.