Footpath between Pitstone and Marsworth receives important grant funding

We are delighted to confirm that a footpath along the B489 between Pitstone and Marsworth is now looking viable following our successful grant application for up to £200,000 from Aylesbury Vale District Council’s New Homes Bonus Scheme.

The B489 between Marsworth and Pitstone is a 1.3km, speed derestricted road carrying approximately 1 million vehicles per year of all sizes both ways. There is no pedestrian footway currently and the road travels over a blind summit making it dangerous for pedestrians, wheel and pushchair users, and other slow moving unprotected traffic. As a consequence many potential users are deterred from walking along the route and denied access to facilities at the other end.

The path will provide Pitstone residents with safe walkway to the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the reservoirs and canal around Marsworth, the College Lake wildlife centre (via the bridleway), two public houses, Marsworth primary and pre-schools and Marsworth church.

Marsworth residents will benefit from access to 2 shops, 2 doctors surgeries, the pharmacy, the Beacon Villages Community Library, the post office, the number 61 bus service, the sports and recreation facilities in Pitstone and Ivinghoe, 2 restaurants plus a take-away, both primary and pre-school facilities and employment opportunities at Pitstone Business Park.

Both Pitstone Parish Council and Marsworth Parish Council have been working on proposals for this scheme for a number of years in conjunction with Bucks County Council Local Area Forum.  The first stage Road Safety Audit has been undertaken, and the subsequent Feasibility Study and Biodiversity Assessment.

Now that sufficient funding has been secured, the full Engineering Report will be commissioned and then Transport for Bucks will enter into a tender procurement phase for the works.  We hope that actual construction may commence in September 2017 (post the closed season for hedgerow works to preserve biodiversity) and be completed by December 2017.

Both parish councils, the Bucks County Council Local Area Forum and County Councillor Avril Davies Community Leaders Grant are also contributing financially to the scheme.  Our sincere thanks to all those bodies involved with bringing this project to fruition.

This project received a grant from Aylesbury Vale District Council’s New Homes Bonus Funding Scheme. If you would like more information about the grants available, please call the Grants Officer, Jan Roffe, on 01296 585186 or email jroffe@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

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