Information on Loughborough

Go green by turning to pedal power

Posted on 30/10/2009

Leicestershire Councty Council Highways, Transportation & Waste Management

29 October 2009

Go green by turning to pedal power

Cyclists are being urged to make a bee-line for new web pages offering the latest on biking in Leicestershire.

Cycle paths, trails and improvements and much more feature on the section of County Council website which aims to encourage people to make the most of different forms of transport.

Road vehicles are a major source of many pollutants in urban area and Leicestershire residents are being asked to stop and think about how their travel habits impact on the environment.

To help people find alternatives to car use, the County Council is investing £3.7million between 2006 and 2011 on boosting cycling and walking facilities.

These improvements include cycle lanes, designated cycle parking areas and better paths and pavements.  

Areas such as Loughborough have benefited from a greatly improved cycle network and Watermead Park in Thurmaston is currently undergoing £1.4million worth of improvements, funded jointly with Sustrans as part of the nationwide Connect 2 project.

Professor Mike Preston, County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Action, said: ”Clean air is an essential ingredient of a good quality of life and air pollution can have a serious impact on health.

“We aim to make other forms of transport a genuine alternative to using the car through improving and increasing facilities as well as making them a safer and more accessible option.

“It is important for us all to start thinking about whether we could walk or cycle instead of taking the car. This is a more environmentally friendly way of travelling and has an obvious health benefit.”

To find out more about cycling in Leicestershire, please visit: www.leics.gov.uk/cycling

Notes:

Road vehicles produce 50 per cent of nitrogen oxide and over 75 per cent of carbon monoxide emissions in the UK.

Information on air quality is taken from DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs). Visit: www.defra.gov.uk

Further information from DEFRA about air pollution is available from: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/airquality/publications/airpoll/documents/airpollution_leaflet.pdf