A new series of dropped kerbs have been installed in Saffron Walden as part of R4U’s ongoing programme to improve access to and inside the town, which has also included the new path across The Common.
Cllr Paul Gadd, R4U leader at Saffron Walden Town Council said “One of our major programmes for Saffron Walden has been to enhance access to and inside the town. In 2015 we surveyed the town and identified a list of over 70 cost-effective improvements, which were then prioritised using a survey of residents. High on their priority was easier access for pushchairs and mobility scooters to the town centre from main residential areas and car parks.”
Residents helped prioritise more than 70 current access issues.
Cllr Paul Gadd continued “The new dropped kerbs are across London Rd at Debden Rd, on the High St when coming from the Swan Meadow car park, and by Domino’s on Hill St. We secured the funding from ECC in 2016 when we had an R4U county councillor for Saffron Walden, but since then the county councillor has changed and it has taken ECC 2 years to install them. That is disappointingly slow. And ECC hasn’t finished the job as we are still pressing them to put further sets on Church St where the pavement suddenly ends, and on Market Hill.”
New dropped kerbs on London Rd at Debden Rd….
…and across the High St on the way to Swan Meadow.
R4U’s Paul Gadd said “We want to ensure that Saffron Walden remains a great place to live, visit, and work – but it doesn’t happen by accident; that’s why R4U’s improvement and refurbishment programmes are important. Large numbers of residents have already welcomed our fantastic new multi-function pathway along the bottom of The Common, funded and delivered very quickly by the Town Council. Finally parents have non-muddy pushchair access to the play area, those living in retirement complexes on the east no longer need to jostle with traffic on East Street, and cycle access has been improved. Meanwhile we’ll continue to push for the other improvements that residents have helped identify.”
The new path across The Common has gained enthusiastic support from residents.