Date: 2007-04-04
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Original Article: http://media-newswire.com/release_1047106.html
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Published by: http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/
East Sussex County Council is working with Hastings Borough and Rother District councils to develop proposals for the Bexhill to Hastings Cycle Link, which would form part of the National Cycle Network Route 2, running along the south coast of England.
(Media-Newswire.com) - East Sussex County Council is working with Hastings Borough and Rother District councils to develop proposals for the Bexhill to Hastings Cycle Link, which would form part of the National Cycle Network Route 2, running along the south coast of England.
It is one of about 130 contenders around the country to become part of the national Connect2 project being proposed by sustainable transport charity Sustrans.
'Connect2' is one of the projects being considered to compete for a single multi-million pound grant from the Big Lottery Fund's Living Landmarks: The People's Millions competition. The winner will be decided by public TV vote in Winter 2007/08. Sustrans is working with partners around the UK to overcome long-standing barriers such as busy roads, railways or rivers that are dividing communities and making it difficult for people to travel by foot or bike as part of their everyday lives.
East Sussex County Council will find out if Sustrans has shortlisted the Bexhill to Hastings Cycle Link, which would also be used by pedestrians, as part of its bid at the end of April.
Councillor Matthew Lock and Bob Wilkins, Lead Member and Director (respectively) for Transport and Environment, met Sustrans Chief Executive John Grimshaw in Hastings to view the proposed route.
After the meeting, Cllr Lock said: "This cycle path would be a magnificent addition to the national network as it would be one of the few sections where you can ride so close to the sea but away from traffic. It would provide cyclists with an alternative to the busy A259, opening up car-free access to all sorts of recreational, shopping and leisure destinations along the way.
"We have worked hard with our partners to develop this scheme and we are keeping everything crossed that Sustrans will agree it is a great proposal and put it through as part of its bid to the Big Lottery."
To find out more about the scheme and register support, contact Sustrans, the charity behind Connect2, by visiting the Sustrans Connect2 website or calling the information line 08450 581 373. All pledges of support must be received by 23 April.
Notes to editors
For more information, please ring Mike Taggart at East Sussex County Council on 01273 482155.
Sustrans is the UK's leading sustainable transport charity. Its vision is a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. It is achieving this through innovative but practical solutions to the UK's transport challenges.
The Big Lottery Fund will decide whether Connect2 goes through to the public vote which is currently scheduled for winter 2007/08. This competition is to decide which Living Landmarks project gets a single grant of between £25 and £50 million. The Connect2 project is currently being considered alongside five other projects: the Eden Project's Dry Topics Biome, Somerset WATERLINKS, the National Museum of Science & Industry Collections Centre, The Black Country as Urban Park and Sherwood Forest: The Living Legend.
The Big Lottery Fund's Living Landmarks Programme will award £140 million across the UK to initiatives that have been designed to inspire communities to transform, revitalize and regenerate the places where they live, through social and community projects and major infrastructure investments.
On 1 December 2006 the Big Lottery Fund was officially established by Parliament and at the same time assumed the residual responsibilities of the dissolved National Lottery Charities Board (Community Fund) the New Opportunities Fund, and the Millennium Commission. The Fund is building on the experience and best practice of the merged bodies to simplify funding in those areas where they overlap and to ensure Lottery funding provides the best possible value for money.