Susy Shearer explained that the Windsor & Maidenhead Cycling Action Group was formed to take forward the legacy of the RBWM Cycle Forum.

There was a need to integrate more detailed cycling policy, around which relevant road safety could be addressed and proficiency training organised, was integrated into the process of drafting a new Borough Local Plan including wider policies covering the design and delivery of transport infrastructure as well as traffic and parking.

In 2015, preliminary steps to draw up a Cycling Action Plan were taken and work begun on the strategy document. This continued until September 2017 when it was deemed to be ready for review and further refining by a small Task and Finish group comprised of elected members, the Principal Transport Planner and Cycle Forum volunteer members. This would ensure that the draft accorded with best practice and appropriately reflected the aspirations and needs across the borough’s ten primary communities. As part of this exercise, a small Wayfinding Working Group was also set up to develop a new system of cycle signage helping to establish an important cohesive element in the route network underpinned by the Cycling Action Plan 2018-2028, which was adopted by Cabinet in January 2019.

Following the RBWM Boundary Review and the 2019 local elections in May, the Cycle Forum was disbanded and its function brought under the remit of a newly formed Infrastructure Overview & Scrutiny Panel. However, concerns had already been expressed prior to the elections regarding the amount of RBWM time and resources which would be available to devote to cycling and this led several former CF members to set up the independent Windsor & Maidenhead Cycling Action Group in March 2020. Its fundamental purposes were to progress the ongoing monitoring, review and delivery of costed and prioritised CAP schemes and work with local communities, RBWM and other local and national groups, individuals and organisations to achieve this.

RBWM’s 2019 Climate Emergency Declaration followed by the Covid-19 pandemic had brought unforeseen urgency to the need for “active travel” and its contribution to sustainable transport and opportunities to mitigate environmental impacts from these global crises.

Among its uses, the CAP was one of several criteria, including the Propensity to Cycle Tool (PCT), which had been used to design schemes in the bid submissions for Government Tranches 1 and 2 funding. The CAP would be strengthened and complemented by the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) when this policy was completed and adopted, both documents provided essential policy guiding sustainable transport infrastructure for the future.

Susy Shearer explained what the main objectives of the Cycling Action Plan were. The group was waiting to hear back from RBWM on whether additional funding had been received from the government and which schemes they wanted to prioritise.

Councillor Brar commented on the tranche 1 funding being for Maidenhead Town Centre and asked if there was any funding for the more rural parts of RBWM. She asked if a cycle path from Maidenhead to Cookham was part of the plan.

Susy Shearer said that the majority of the funding went to the three biggest towns in the borough; Maidenhead, Windsor and Ascot. Tranche 2 funding had just been announced and this would affect how many schemes would be able to go forward.

Jacqui Wheeler said that it was great to have Susy Shearer on the LAF and it allowed all user groups to be represented on the Forum. The British Horse Society had expressed an interest in being involved with any cycling or walking plans to ensure that they were not inadvertently detrimental to horse riders. Jacqui Wheeler had also received an email from Cycling UK and this year had really shown how important public rights of way were to the public. Cycling UK wanted people to mark missing links on a map in their area and contact their local authority to open up more routes. Jacqui Wheeler said that if any LAF member saw a consultation advertised to let her know so that it could be considered and discussed by the Forum if appropriate.

Susy Shearer said that it was possible to submit a group response to consultations as well as individual responses. It was also important to note how shared use had changed with the pandemic and that space was more of an issue with the need to allow for social distancing. A shared cycling and walking action plan was important and supported by the Windsor and Maidenhead Cycling Action Group.

Jacqui Wheeler said that there was support from the LAF for a cycling and walking infrastructure plan, which RBWM could look to put together.