Cycling Routes Masterplan for Mid and East Antrim A Summary www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk Encouraging Active Travel Active travel refers to making Active Travel has many benefits journeys by physically active – it’s good for your health and means, like walking or cycling. is a clever way to get you active These are usually short as part of your daily routine. It’s also good for the environment, journeys, like walking reducing congestion, air pollution to school, the shops, cycling and noise. It is much cheaper than to the train or bus station, using fuel, and many journeys or cycling to work. can be quicker. Cycling Routes Masterplan A Summary What does this mean for our borough? The demands of everyday life place a heavy dependency on the need to travel, usually by car. Working with the charity Sustrans, who have over 40 years experience in developing cycling and walking strategies, we have created a series of cycling masterplans. With vast experience in • Safe routes to public transport implementing a successful centres initiative enabling people Safe Routes to School Programe, to walk or cycle safely to bus the National Cycle Network and and rail stations. Greenway design, our masterplan • Safe routes to community and uses all this experience to create leisure facilities allowing active new possibilities along some existing travel to these destinations. routes, whilst others show potential cycling networks both within Mid • Planning for the future programme and East Antrim and linking to ensuring active travel provision further afield. is included as part of all major planning applications. Our goal is to create a cycle-friendly borough that encourages and As part of our 10-year vision for the supports active travel including: borough, these plans provide us with a programme for route development • A safe routes to school within our own sites. We can also programme looking at how help inform the statutory planning parents and children access local process and influence cycling schools, identifying improvements provision on our roads. to make the journey safe and achievable on a bike, walking or scooting. • Better links to public transport hubs, encouraging more longer distance commuting by public transport. www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk How does this masterplan relate to other current strategies to deliver the benefits of cycling? Cycling Routes Masterplan A Summary Our overall aim is to encourage people to ditch the car, get on their bike and make a healthier choice for their commute. Cycling has many benefits, including physical and mental health benefits from getting active. It also improves the local environment with fewer cars on the road and therefore less pollution, noise and congestion. Cycling can also help to boost the local economy, with trips to shops made on bike more likely to benefit the local trader rather than the out of town retailer. Our Cycling Routes Masterplan ‘Changing Gear’ A Bicycle Strategy has synergy with a number of for Northern Ireland other strategies, including: The Department for Infrastructure’s ‘Putting People First’ The Mid vision is to develop a bicycle network and East Antrim Community Plan throughout Northern Ireland so that people travel by bike as an everyday The vision activity. It aims to: “Mid and East Antrim will be a strong, • Make urban areas more vibrant, safe and inclusive community, accessible for those on bicycles where people work together to improve the quality of life for all.” • Increase opportunities for social interaction This 15-year plan focuses on five themes: • Improve public health • Our Environment • Enhance the safety for all cyclists • Good Health and Wellbeing ‘Exercise Explore and Enjoy’ • Community Safety and Cohesion A Strategy Plan for Greenways • Progress in Education The Department for Infrastructure • Sustainable Jobs and Tourism has produced a high level plan for Our proposed cycling networks the development of greenways will play a major part in promoting across Northern Ireland. This plan and facilitating walking and cycling also links in to several of its other within the borough. Active travel strategies encouraging active health, fosters good health and wellbeing outdoor recreation and other and also reduces car dependency sport and physical recreation. so the environment can generate better air quality. Encouraging our residents to get out and enjoy the local environment will help build community cohesion and give a sense of belonging. www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk So where are these proposed Strategic Cycling Networks? Cycling Routes Masterplan A Summary Ballymena Even though Ballymena is home to Slemish mountain, it is still relatively flat. With good potential to develop cycling routes, proposals exist to create a town-wide cycle network by upgrading and linking several existing traffic free paths. Located on the National Cycle Network Route 97 known as the Ecos Trail, cyclists can enjoy a scenic ride from Ballymena through to Glenarm. The priorities for Ballymena area centre around: • Creating a North Ballymena • Providing safe routes Cycle Loop. to schools. • Developing the Braid • Establishing safe routes Riverside Path from Galgorm to bus and train stations to Broughshane. with the benefit of secure cycle parking provision. • Realising a South Ballymena Greenway from Green Pastures in Ballee to the town centre and Ecos Nature Park. www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk Ballymena Area Map All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Ballymena Area Map Map Key All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Ballymena Town Centre All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Ballymena Town Centre Map Key All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Carrickfergus The historic town of Carrickfergus is fairly level on its coastal side, with potential to develop a largely traffic-free network linking through to the greenways of Newtownabbey and Belfast. As one of the oldest towns in Ireland, the centre consists of many narrow streets so cycle growth depends on creating better infrastructure for use by local people and for visitors. The priorities for the Carrickfergus area focus on: • Creating a coastal greenway • Establishing a network of traffic linking Carrickfergus to free-routes for those new to Jordanstown and joining the cycling or wanting to cycle more. existing popular cycle and • Developing safe routes to walkway (NCN93) to Belfast and train stations with the benefit further afield. This is also one of secure cycle parking provision. of several critical linkages which could see the delivery of the • Delivering safe routes to schools. Castle to Castle Greenway from Carrickfergus to Bangor. Cycling Routes Masterplan A Summary www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk Carrickfergus Area Map (including route to Greenisland) All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Carrickfergus Area Map (including route to Greenisland) Map Key All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Carrickfergus Town Centre All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Carrickfergus Town Centre Map Key All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Cycling Routes Masterplan A Summary Larne Larne benefits from a rural and rugged climb on one side to a more level terrain as it edges along the spectacular Antrim Coast Road. Positioned as the gateway to Northern Ireland, and with cycling holidays more popular than ever, Larne boasts real tourism potential, particularly with the Eurovelo Route starting in Larne. Leisure and touring cyclists are already familiar with the beautiful coastal road network and improved local infrastructure will encourage more new cyclists. The priorities for the Larne area involve: • Completing a cycle route through • Creating a cycle route from to the town from the A8 corridor Seacliff to Larne Leisure Centre dual carriageway to the Antrim passing through Town Parks and Coast Road, connecting to the linking to the promenade. Port of Larne. • Realising safe routes to both • Development of the Larne to train and bus stations including Doagh Greenway along the A8 Millbrook ‘Park and Ride’ with • Establishing a circular leisure route the benefit of secure cycle around Larne lagoon with access parking provision. to Redlands retail and leisure outlets. • Establishing safe routes to schools. • Developing a greenway along Linn Glen to join the A8 dual carriageway at Antiville. www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk Larne Area Map All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Larne Area Map Map Key All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Larne Town Centre All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. Larne Town Centre Map Key All routes shown in this masterplan are indicative and are subject to consultations and technical assessment. What other cycle plans relate to our area? National Cycle Network (NCN) Part of a UK wide project, This national network continues Mid and East Antrim currently to develop new routes including benefits from three national cycle a route along the A8 dual networks, featuring mostly quiet carriageway connecting Larne roads for cyclists to take in their to the Newtownabbey Way at surroundings: Corr’s Corner. Other strategic greenways in our borough being 1. NCN 93 which covers the scenic considered include: Coast Road north of Larne as well as a short rural route from • Glens of Antrim Greenway, Larne to Gleno. linking Ballymena to the coast at Cushendall. 2. NCN 96 which encompasses the Lower Bann Cycle Way through • The Greenisland Greenway, the village of Portglenone. developing an urban greenway linking Greenisland to Monkstown 3.