Up to £700,000 of funding could be spent on a major project to encourage more people to ditch the car and to cycle into Hereford city centre.
The St Owen Street contraflow cycleway scheme is part of the planned Hereford City Centre Improvement scheme that has received government funding.
The consultation, which took place in 2019 detailed the possible introduction of an informal on carriageway contraflow cycle lane along the length of St Owen Street in Hereford with a number of uncontrolled crossings with footway build outs, together with a new signal controlled crossing at the Bath Street end of St Owen Street.
At the time of the consultation the specific objectives of the scheme were:
- To provide a safe contraflow cycle route from the east along St Owen St into the city centre
- To improve the ease and safety for pedestrians crossing St Owen Street
- To improve the safety of vehicles using parking bays along St Owen Street
It is not clear if the plans for a Contraflow System on St Owen Street in Hereford remain the same as the plans revealed in 2019.
There has been a stated desire for a contraflow cycle scheme on St Owen Street for many years. A number of previous designs have been developed and taken to public consultation. Feedback from these consultations, together with design reviews and safety audits have contributed to the development of the design over this period.
An informal consultation on the current proposals was undertaken in the summer of 2017. That consultation confirmed overall support for the scheme and enabled the public to input into their preference for the options presented in the consultation.
The St Owen Street Cycle Contraflow plans were announced in a document released by Herefordshire Council last month that detailed a potential spend on the following projects throughout the city.
High Existing Enhancements – £572,407.00
High Town Area Minor Works – £211,642.00
Market and event infrastructure – £30,500.00
CCTV – £60,500.00
Façade improvement grants/Business Grants – £500,000.00
Cathedral & River Wye Quarter Design – £340,000.00
St Owen St Cycle Contraflow – £700,000.00
Widemarsh St kerb Improvements – £715,000.00
Cathedral & River Wye Quarter Planters – £262,500.00
City Link Road Planters – £570,191.00
City Greening – £362,000.00
City Trees – £320,000.00
City Green Cycle Shelters – £30,000.00
Public Art/Installations – £243,000.00
Hostile Vehicle Movement – £500,000.00
HCCI Project Management Costs – £582,260.00
