FURTHER to Mr Charsley's letter published [in the Standard] on March 24, we are keen to address some of the issues he raises regarding the possibility of a cycle link along the disused railway track from Cirencester to Kemble Station.
First and foremost, Bathurst Development Limited did review the feasibility, and likely patronage, of a cycle route along the disused railway track as part of a much wider and exhaustive study of possible improvements to the local transport network.
There are a number of issues that need to be factored into the debate.
According to the 2011 Census, 0.8 per cent of Cirencester residents and only 0.3 per cent of employees who work in Cirencester currently travel to work by train.
Many people come from Cheltenham and the surrounding areas to use Kemble Station in order to avoid going via Gloucester.
However, even if this was double due to an improved frequency of trains, the demand for travel between Cirencester and Kemble Station is still very low.
A number of physical constraints have also been identified that would push delivery costs of a new cycle route up in to the millions of pounds.
There also already exists National Cycle Network route 45 which provides a lightly trafficked route from Cirencester to Kemble Station.
The proposals for Land South of Chesterton seek instead to invest millions of pounds into a comprehensive package of higher priority measures that improve the local transport network including, but not limited to: Improvements to nine identified cycle and pedestrian routes linking the site to the town centre and the local school; improvements to seven key off-site vehicular routes and the potential to improve the frequency of the existing 881 bus service linking Cirencester to Kemble.
All of which we believe will benefit a much larger number of people and represent a better investment for the town.
JEREMY HANDEL
On behalf of Bathurst Development Limited
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