Leaders invest in 'improvements' along Telford's 14 mile 'green corridor'
New signs, benches and bike parking stations are being installed along a 14 mile 'green corridor' in Telford.
Telford & Wrekin Council is also carrying out repairs to the surfaces and giving Silkin Way a general tidy up and facelift to "make the route even more appealing to residents and visitors."
The works are taking four months to carry out and the council says it could be only the start, with the possibility of improved road crossing points and new solar-powered street lighting.
Councillor Richard Overton, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, enforcement and transport, said: “Not only is the Silkin Way a remarkable route packed with heritage and ecological interest, it’s also an important link between our major employment, leisure, tourism, commercial and residential sites in the borough, and as such is a key focus for investment.
“We’re keen to promote this route and to champion ‘active travel’ – ditching the car to walk or cycle whenever possible. It’s all part of our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. We’ve listened to users’ feedback and hope that these improvements encourage more people to use this fantastic route.
“Commuting or simply getting around our borough on foot or by bike offers significant health and wellbeing benefits for individuals. It also reduces the borough’s carbon emissions and keeps our air cleaner, not to mention the savings to be made by not visiting the petrol station.
“I’m delighted that residents will feel safer using the Silkin Way thanks to the safety measures we’re putting in place, and that cyclists and walkers will be able to get even more enjoyment out of this incredible route.”
The investment will see new signs provided along the whole route and new way markers added to improve information for those looking to explore.
The project will also see 50 new benches installed along the 14-mile route plus bike parking ‘hoops’ alongside a general maintenance programme that will repair poor surfacing, giving the route a general tidy up and facelift.
Longer term, the council will be looking at creating improved road crossing points to help make pedestrians and cyclists more of a priority, and will also be installing new solar-powered street lighting in some areas with the aim of connecting these to CCTV, making users of the route feel safer.
The improvements have been drawn up following a public survey into the community’s thoughts about the Silkin Way, with more than 500 residents’ comments influencing the council’s plans.
The Silkin Way runs for 14 miles, forming a green corridor between Bratton and Coalport, with much of the route following either the former Great Western Railway’s Wellington to Market Drayton line or the former Shropshire Canal, later replaced by the Wellington to Coalport railway.
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