Torbay Council has been invited by the Department for Transport (DfT) to bid for £221,000 of funding from the Government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund and is asking the community to feedback on which projects to put forward.

It follows the recent approval from the same fund of a total of six ‘pop up’ footway and cycle schemes across Torquay, Brixham and Paignton. These schemes have been put in place to improve social distancing in the Bay and aiming to help those who want to walk and cycle more, avoiding overcrowding on public transport.

Feedback from the community on which projects to put forward, as well suggestions on other proposals, are now needed by Monday 3 August as the deadline for the council to submit the bid is the 7 August.

A list of potential future projects is on the Torbay Council website.

Councillor Mike Morey, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Environment and Culture, said: “We are pleased that we have the chance to bid for additional Department for Transport funding, which will give us the opportunity to build upon the provisions for walking and cycling within the bay, for both commuting and leisure purposes.

“This funding will allow us to act in an effort to further embed walking and cycling into residents habits and therefore reap the associated health, air quality and congestion benefits, and contribute towards addressing the climate emergency.

“Longer term, we will promote further ambitious infrastructure, guided by a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, but given the timeframes involved in this funding, the focus must be on schemes that we can deliver in the short term. For that reason, we have suggested some possible schemes which we want to share with the public to help us make a decision on what we put in our bid. We also welcome other suggestions from the community.”

How you can get involved

Because any bid needs to be submitted by Torbay Council no later than 7 August, we are asking for any feedback or new ideas to be submitted before Monday 3 August, either by visiting www.widenmypath.com or emailing futureplanning@torbay.gov.uk

You can view details of the plans and a full list of potential sites, and find out more on the Torbay Council website - www.torbay.gov.uk/roads/travel/active-travel/pop-up-footpaths/#phase2. Information about how you can be kept up to date with the latest developments on active travel in Torbay and get involved with shaping them can also be found on these pages.

Feedback on the ‘pop-up’ trial schemes can be provided through www.sustrans.org.uk/space-to-move/ or by emailing highways@torbay.gov.uk.