Chance to help shape cycling and walking plans for Norfolk

We wanted to understand how we can help or enable more people to cycle and walk more in the county, as well as identify the places which people want to connect with when travelling on foot or by cycle.

The feedback gathered from this survey will help the development of a cycling and walking network plan for Norfolk which will be safer, more accessible and better connected.

This was Phase 1 of the Countywide Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), building on our already completed LCWIPs for King’s Lynn, Great Yarmouth and Greater Norwich.

We received over 1600 responses to this survey. In the survey respondents were asked to draw the routes they would like to walk or cycle in Norfolk onto an interactive map, they were also given the opportunity to write this information if preferred. The interactive mapping data has been reviewed by the Cycling and Walking Team at Norfolk County Council. The suggested routes were plotted on various heat maps at county and location level. The written details of walking and cycling routes were also reviewed alongside the route heat map analysis.

When asked what would encourage people to walk and cycle more in the region, safety was the overarching theme in the responses, for both cycling and walking, although respondents’ perceptions of safe practices varied. Safe space away from motor vehicles was a recurring theme for walkers and cyclists. A proportion of walkers raised the need for segregation from cyclists, while respondents who enjoy horse riding called for their needs to be considered with shared routes with both. Safe walking and cycling routes to schools were mentioned by respondents, as were routes to link villages with each other and with larger towns.

After analysing the responses, twenty areas in Norfolk have been identified and they will be the focus of Phase 2 of the Countywide Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. This next set of engagement will launch in May 2023 and be focused on the following locations:

Acle 

Attleborough

Aylsham    

Cromer      

Dereham   

Diss 

Downham Market

Fakenham

Harleston

Holt 

Hunstanton & Heachham

Long Stratton

North Norfolk

North Walsham

Reepham   

Sheringham

South Norfolk and Broadland

Swaffham

Thetford    

Watton      

Wroxham

Wymoundham & Hethersett

We will ask residents of these places about plans for potentially developing their LCWIPs, with a view to getting funding for these locations at a later date.