Council announces £1.7m project to upgrade walking route in Buckingham

Bucks Council has unveiled plans to upgrade a pathway in Aylesbury Vale town.

The authority has secured £1.7m funding for pathway improvements in Buckingham, £1.43m has come from the Government.

A former railway line in the town is receiving a makeover with the aim of creating a new pathway that will appeal to walkers and cyclists.

It is best known as Railway Walk, and once the work is completed the council hopes it will provide a pleasant respite from the hustle and bustle of the town centre streets, while also linking the north and south sides of the town.

Bucks Council has revealed the project has been a long-term goal and was first outlined publicly in the 2017 Buckingham Transport Strategy.

Among the upgrades planned for the disused rail line are:

-New wayfinding signage

-Introduction of solar studs

-Path surfacing improvements and path widening

-Accessibility enhancements, including improvements to ramps and resting points

-New dedicated crossing points on the Tingewick Road and A421 at the northern and southern extents of the path, to support onward travel

Councillor Steven Broadbent said: “We will develop and deliver this scheme with the local knowledge of partners, including Buckingham Town Council and the University of Buckingham.

“Once completed, the Railway Walk will form a key part of the walking, wheeling and cycling network envisaged for Buckingham as part of the town’s Transport Strategy. It will link to the existing active travel route along the A413, providing access to the new railway station in Winslow.

“The Railway Walk will also form part of the Buckinghamshire Greenway – the vision for a continuous north-south active travel route running the length of the county. Future branches to the north and west will provide routes to Silverstone and Brackley respectively, with the route running southwards towards Steeple Claydon.”

The portion of the funding which didn’t come from the Government’s Active Travel England department was secured via a Section 106 developer contribution.

Bucks Council said it worked with the local town council and the University of Buckingham to draw up the footpath plans.