Schemes

RESERVE SCHEME

There are 20 reserve schemes and it is intended that individual schemes will be called forward should any of the 79 schemes comprising the final Connect2 Project find they are unable to complete their programme.

The Connect2 project has had numerous applications for the reconstruction of canal towpaths. In the case of The Peak Forest Canal, the condition of the towpath is so bad and the links into the surrounding communities so poor that it is an excellent example of how a reconstruction together with new links, focussed on the centres of the nearby populations, will bring about a whole new idea of how to travel in the area.

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This route will create a promenade from the leisure centre on the south side of town to the town centre, making use of the Riverside Park green corridor along the way. The focus of the route will be a new bridge over the railway. The real challenge is to draw the station towards the town and make the approach to the shops and the schools an attractive experience. 

To see your photos of this scheme visit Sustrans' Show us Connect2

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This is an example of an expanding town that is on the opposite side of the local canal to its towpath and thus is isolated from it. The proposed bridge over the canal will not only link existing residents and new developments to the towpath which stretches out into the countryside but will also create a largely traffic free route to the station and to the town centre making connections which have been impossible up to now. 

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The Bath Two Tunnels scheme will transform a four-mile stretch of disused railway line into a new walking and cycling path linking together Bath and Midford. The project will renovate the dis-used Tucking Mill viaduct and open up the two long tunnels, one of which (Combe Down) is over a mile long.  The currently dis-used tunnels are both a unique and outstanding feature of this scheme.  Once completed, walkers and cyclists will experience two illuminated tunnels and a magnificent viaduct along the route that will provide an inspiring yet practical link between town and country, with its unique blend of industrial heritage, wildlife and geology. 

The virtually flat route along the old Somerset and Dorset Railway Line will bring together the communities of Bath, Midford and nearby communities of Oldfield Park, Twerton, The Oval, Beechen Cliff, Bloomfield, Widcombe, Perrymead and Foxhill, will all be able to make everyday journeys to local schools, shops, work and for leisure, by foot or by bike.  Initial estimates suggest that this greenway will attract one million journeys every year by both local people and visitors to Bath. 

The route will also link to the successful Colliers Way in the South and the Bath-Bristol cycle path in the West and create a great round-trip cycle opportunity between Bath and Midford, including the path along the Kennet & Avon Canal. The route will also form part of the National Cycle Network linking to Route 3 and Route 24.  Opening is expected by the end of 2011.

LATEST NEWS:
05.12.2008
Bath's Piggy Bank raises £200,000 for Connect2 Two Tunnels

On 17th July 2010 Sustrans and the Bath Two Tunnels Group are inviting people to come and experience a great local treasure with an organised walk through the mile-long Combe Down Tunnel.  Guided tours will start from Tucking Mill Viaduct every half hour between 10am and 4pm. There will also be a full route walk taking in the entire Bath Two Tunnels Scheme, starting at the junction of Bellotts Road and the Lower Bristol Road near the Royal Oak pub in Bath at 10am and finishing at the Hope and Anchor pub at Midford.

http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/news/news_detail.php?item=Local+people+given+rare+chance+to+walk+through+the+Combe+Down+Tunnel

To see your photos of this scheme visit Sustrans' Show us Connect2

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This Connect2 scheme is based upon a new traffic-free link between Cramlington in the south and Bedlington two miles north via a new bridge over the River Blyth at Humford Mill. This will then connect directly to the newly regenerated Marketplace and shopping parade and an East-West network centred on Gallagher Park that includes safe routes to every school and better walking and cycling routes for everyone wanting to travel in healthy, green ways. The scheme has the potential to unlock several school and commuter journeys each year as well as offering invaluable access for leisure and recreational purposes.

The new network of greenways will link Ridge Farm in the West as far as Bedlington Station in the East and connect to the existing Coast and Castles Route (National Cycle Network Route 1) in addition to key local routes. High quality materials, signage and artwork led by a community steering group will help give the scheme a strong identity and help reduce people’s reliance on the car for short journeys. The centrepiece of the scheme will be an impressive bridge over the Blyth that will resolve the existing heavy traffic and also the need to drop down and up the steep valley to get between Cramlington and Bedlington.

Work started on site in March 2010 and currently community artists have been commissioned to help mould the identity and public awareness of the scheme. The artist’s vital work with schools and community groups will ensure patronage and enjoyment of the routes is maximised from the outset.

http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/news/news_detail.php?item=Local+heroes+from+Bedlington+needed+for+new+UK-wide+public+art+project+%96+the+Portrait+Bench

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