Sustrans - it stands for sustainable transport – it is a charity working on practical projects to encourage people to walk and cycle more, so as to help reduce motor traffic and its adverse effects.

Roger Byrd provides an insight to the aims of this group and their influence on our environs around Godmanchester.

John Grimshaw MBE Director and Chief Engineer of Sustrans states:

"What does Sustrans do? Sustrans' flagship project, the National Cycle Network, will open in June with 5000 miles of continuous traffic-free routes and traffic-calmed and minor roads, running right through urban centres and reaching all parts of the UK. This will be the first stage of a larger network. It will be a safe, attractive, high-quality network for cyclists and a major new amenity for walkers and people with disabilities.

The National Cycle Network is a Millennium Commission project supported by £43.5m of National Lottery funds. It involves over 400 local authorities, as well as businesses, landowners, environmental bodies and others. The Network will open in Midsummer week June 2000 with a nationwide event called Ride the Net in which a million people are expected to get on their bikes to celebrate!

The Sustrans Safe Routes to Schools project enables and encourages children to cycle and walk to school by improving street design, calming traffic, creating traffic-free spaces and linking with the National Cycle Network."

Why is this work important? The problem of global warming has been accepted as a fact by all major governments and big reductions in fossil fuel emissions are required quickly if the world is to avert irreversible damage to environment and climate. Each of us, however, can play a role in helping to improve our environment. By cycling or walking to work or school, to the shops, the pub or your local leisure centre, we can take direct action and make a contribution towards a sustainable future and an environment which will last for us all. Initiatives like the National Cycle Network and Safe Routes to Schools are very practical projects to make cycling and walking easier, safer and more enjoyable. I hope our website will inspire you to cycle or walk more, to support our work and to help us create a sustainable transport for the future.

It will open in June 2000 with 5000 miles of continuous routes, including traffic-free and traffic-calmed sections, and minor roads. The routes will run right through urban centres and reach all parts of the UK, providing safe links to work, to schools, to friends and family, to shops and stations. This will be the first stage of a larger network which will eventually pass within 2 miles of half the population.

The National Cycle Network will carry an estimated 100 million cycle trips and 40 million walking trips every year. Over a third of the Network will be entirely traffic-free, built along old railway lines, canal towpaths, forestry tracks, riversides and urban spaces, and in many cases these sections will be ideal for pushchairs as well as for cyclists and pedestrians. The rest will follow existing roads; town roads may be traffic-calmed or incorporate cycle lanes, quiet minor roads will be used for country sections and there will be special crossings over busy roads where needed. With quiet lanes and traffic-free paths, the National Cycle Network is ideal for day trips, longer leisure rides or commuting.

Each Summer Sustrans holds a series of trail-blazing works where volunteers are invited to actually help build the Network on the ground. Volunteers are involved in all aspects of path building, including vegetation clearance, drainage, fencing, creating amenity and picnic sites and of course laying the path itself!

Become a Sustrans volunteer: Sustrans welcomes help from volunteers - their assistance is crucial in promoting and maintaining the National Cycle Network. There are plenty of volunteer opportunities including raising the profile of SUSTRANS locally, assisting inlocal and national events, the Volunteer Ranger Programme taking photographs, surveying bridges and doing traffic counts. Contact Aunna Elm National Volunteer Programme Co-ordinator aunnae@sustrans.org.uk or call 0117 929 0888.

Godmanchester to the Hemmingfords Cycle/Foot Path

The Huntingdon District Council has received the planning application to upgrade and improve the route following much of the Ouse Valley Way from GMC to the Hemmingfords.

This Route is one of 41 currently under review as part of the HDC Long Term Plan 5 year Programme. Finance for these projects is being arranged and is within an annual budget equally apportioned between HDC funding and National Grants.

Three routes within the local area have already been approved and are within this year's budget:

Brampton to Huntingdon
Huntingdon to Hartford
Hartford to Houghton and Wyton

Routes are assessed by the HDC and given priority in accordance with HDC guidelines, it seems likely that approval for the Path to the Hemmingfords will take another 12 to 18 months. For more information on the Regional and National Cycle Network contact Mr Stuart Bell of HDC on 01480 388387.

MEANWHILE….Roger Byrd suggests, if you are keen to get out why not try part of the Ouse Valley Way walk?

It is nearly 4 miles long and will take around 1.5 hours. You can begin this section of the Way in Godmanchester at St. Mary's Church, through the churchyard and follow the path alongside the cricket pitch. Go to the bridge passing under the A14 and follow the track around the lake taking care not to trespass on to the fishing rights area.

The track leads to a small footbridge (difficult access for bikes and buggies) into Westside Common, which is controlled by the Stewards of Godmanchester. Walk along the boundary fence to the route of the old railway line, turn right and continue a short distance until you come to a small bridge on the left (this could be under water in the winter) into an area of old and new gravel workings.

Follow the way marks around the pits for about a mile and over a footbridge until you reach the main river. Follow the riverbank opposite what is Hartford Marina until you reach The Rhymers. Walk along the bank of this backwater and over another footbridge into Eastside Common, another meadow farmed along traditional lines. Cross over an agricultural bridge and return back along the river over yet another footbridge into Four Gate Pit, from here you will have a picturesque view of Houghton Mill.

The 17th Century Mill is owned by the National Trust and is open in the summer months, car parking nearby in the village of Houghton. More information on this and other walks in the region can be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre, Huntingdon Library, 01480 425831

© 2000 Godmanchester Community Association