Last weekend, Stephen Lloyd MP joined members and supporters of cycle campaign group Bespoke on a cycle ride along the route of a proposed new cycleway. The “Old Town Cycleway”, as it’s been codenamed, would provide a safe and enjoyable link from the start of the Cuckoo Trail in Polegate, through Willingdon and Old Town to the town centre. The Old Town Cycleway would also link the many schools in this area and so make it easier and safer for kids and parents to cycle and thereby reduce the number of cars needed for the school-run. Another aim of the Old Town Cycleway is to make it easier and safer to cycle to Little Chelsea and the town centre. The proposed new route has been received well by ESCC as it would help link up some of the existing cycle plans. EBC are also very keen to encourage cycling as Eastbourne has such a great environment for it. Councillors John Ungar and Steve Wallis showed their support for the proposed route by joining Bespoke in Polegate and at the Wish Tower at end of the ride.
Stephen Lloyd said. “It was a great experience riding with Bespoke for a couple of hours, seeing their proposed new cycle route from Polegate to the seafront. A beautiful sunny Saturday, the route took in some of the prettiest parts of Eastbourne. Black Bikes, by the Enterprise Centre, generously loaned me a ‘Dutchbike’ and I used some muscles that haven’t been used for 35 years!”
The key features of the Old Town Cycleway are:
- To provide a safe and coherent link from the Cuckoo trail through Willingdon and Old Town to central Eastbourne.
- To provide safer and easier access to schools for cyclists of all ages.
- To provide a safer and easier access to the station, shops and seafront for cyclists from Old Town.
- To provide safer and easier access to the South Downs National Park for cyclists.