Emerald Way walking and cycling route improvements

Feedback updated 4 May 2022

We asked

The Emerald Way route forms part of the wider ‘Buckinghamshire Greenway’ walking and cycling route from Brackley to the Colne Valley.

This improvement project aims to increase walking and cycling between Waddesdon and Aylesbury contributing towards improved public health, reductions in traffic congestion, and providing air quality benefits associated with modal shift towards active travel.

We consulted on the project proposals from 16 February to 9 March 2022.

You said

We received 17 responses to the consultation.

76.47% of respondents supported or strongly supported the Emerald Way Improvements scheme proposals
5.88% neither supported nor opposed the proposals
17.64% opposed or strongly opposed the proposals

The responses to the consultation are available in Emerald Way Appendix C: Consultation report (PDF 0.12MB).

We did

Following the Leader decision of 27 April 2022, the project team is now working closely with Transport for Buckinghamshire to complete the scheme design and commence works in May 2022.

The current programme is to deliver the scheme in three stages:

Phase 1: enabling works were completed in March 2022
Phase 2: complete improvements including shared cycleways signing and lining by 31 May 2022
Phase 3: New cycle and pedestrian crossings – completion by 31 March 2023

The project team has responded to questions and comments received during the consultation, please see Appendix D: Consultation response document (PDF 0.38MB).

To tie in with and commemorate the upcoming Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the cycleway will be rebranded the Platinum Way. Accordingly, the project name has been changed to Platinum Way improvements.

To keep up to date on the progress of the project, please visit the Platinum Way improvements project website.

Overview

We are proposing some changes to the Emerald Way cycle route along Rabans Lane, through Fairford Leys and into the Town Centre.

We want to encourage walking and cycling for sustainable travel between Waddesdon and Aylesbury by upgrading the existing Emerald Way cycle route along Rabans Lane, through Fairford Leys and into Aylesbury Town Centre.

Location of the proposal on Google Maps: Emerald Way area

To achieve these aims, we are proposing some changes and have been working on early designs. We would like to hear your views on our plans.

Background

The aims of this project are to:

increase walking and cycling on the Emerald Way between Waddesdon and Aylesbury (connecting with Berryfields and Aylesbury Vale Parkway Railway Station)
improve public health, reduce congestion, and provide air quality benefits associated with modal shift towards active travel.

The proposed changes to the Emerald Way cycle route are in-line with the vision of a Buckinghamshire Greenway running north to south right across the county from the Brackley borders to the Colne Valley.

The Buckinghamshire Greenway More Information

The ‘Buckinghamshire Greenway’ is the flagship walking and cycling route stretching from Brackley to the Colne Valley, forming the north-south spine of Buckinghamshire’s walking and cycling network that will connect with local active travel networks and links.

We have already extended the Waddesdon Greenway by building a walking and cycling route which connects the Roman Park in Berryfields with Gogh Road in Haydon Hill.

The aspiration was always to extend the cycle route to Aylesbury Town Centre, and we are proposing to do this by making some changes to the existing Emerald Way cycle route to enhance its profile and greatly increase its popular use. This is also more in keeping with Aylesbury Garden Town aspirations.

We have been awarded £1.748 million from the Department for Transport’s Active Travel Fund towards the proposed Emerald Way changes.

The proposals

We are proposing the following changes to Emerald Way to encourage walking and cycling in the area:

Routing to include quieter roads
Planting of additional trees and shrubs to create a welcoming and greener route
Some footway widening
Improved wayfinding signage as well as additional lining
In some areas, works such as dropped kerbs will be required as well as improved and additional crossings
A more attractive, traffic-free option to Fowler Road by routing through Somerville Park.

To view the proposed route, please see the key plan (PDF 0.59MB).

Description of proposals

New shared use footway and cycleway along Rabans Lane – connecting to existing shared use footway and cycleway along Rabans Lane More Information

Existing footway to be resurfaced and widened to provide 3-metre-wide shared use footway and cycleway
Proposed raised Tiger / Parallel crossing across Rabans Lane
To view the proposed changes, please see the technical drawings for this section of the route (PDF 1.85MB)

On-carriageway cycle route (pedestrians on footways) from Rabans Lane to Somerville Way More Information

Proposed on-carriageway cycle route on Rabans Lane, Chelsea Road, Hampstead Close, Spruce Road, Swallow Lane, Hampden Square, Wedgewood Street, Queensgate, Knightsbridge Place, Long Leys, Mill Meadow, Sandhill Way
Proposed crossing across bridge, between Spruce Road and Swallow Lane, converted to shared use footway and cycleway.
Traffic free section of cycle route between Swallow Lane and Hampden Square
Existing footway, between Sandhill Way and Fowler Road, converted to shared use footway and cycleway
To view the proposed changes, please see the technical drawings for this section of the route (PDF 2.35MB)

New shared use footway and cycleway along Somerville Way More Information

Existing footway to be resurfaced and widened to provide shared use footway and cycleway
Proposed raised Tiger / Parallel crossing across Fowler Road
Proposed raised Tiger / Parallel crossing across Fowler Road, at Bracken Way junction
To view the proposed changes, please see the technical drawings for this section of the route (PDF 0.72MB)

On-carriageway cycle route (pedestrians on footways) on Bracken Way – connecting to existing shared use footway and cycleway route to Aylesbury town centre More Information

To view the proposed changes, please see the technical drawing for this section of the route (PDF 0.3MB)

Installation of Tiger Crossings and road humps

The proposal includes the installation of three Tiger crossings and road humps. A Tiger crossing, otherwise known as a Parallel crossing, is a combined pedestrian and cycle crossing.

View a standard drawing for a Tiger / Paralell crossing (PDF 0.09MB)

The location of each Tiger crossing and road hump are as follows:

Rabans Lane More Information

The raised crossing will be located at a distance of 35 metres south-west of the Brunel Road junction with Rabans Lane.
To view the Tiger crossing on Rabans Lane, please see the technical drawing for this section of the route (PDF 1.44MB)

Fowler Road More Information

The raised crossing will be located at a distance of 72 metres south of the St Anne’s Road junction with Fowler Road.
To view the Tiger crossing on Fowler Road, please see the technical drawing for this section of the route (PDF 0.3MB)

Fowler Road, Bracken Way junction More Information

The raised crossings will be located at a distance of 5 metres south of the Bracken Way junction with Fowler Road.
To view the Tiger crossing at Fowler Road, Bracken Way Junction, please see the technical drawing for this section of the route (PDF 0.36MB)

Installing a Tiger crossing and road hump requires statutory consultation. Therefore, this aspect of the proposal is separate to this consultation.

Any objections and representations to the proposal for Tiger crossings and road humps, together with the grounds on which they are made, must be sent in writing to:

Jenny Caprio
Head of Legal Services
Buckinghamshire Council
Walton Street Offices
Walton Street
Aylesbury
HP20 1UA

Objections and representations must be sent by 9 March 2022 with reference CF-005266 or sent by email to hitmailbox@buckinghamshire.gov.uk.

How to have your say

Please submit your feedback in one of the following ways:

complete the online feedback form at the end of the page
complete and return the printed feedback form (PDF 0.2MB)
email us at hitmailbox@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
write to us at Highways Infrastructure Projects Team, Emerald Way Improvements, Buckinghamshire Council, Floor 7, Walton Street Offices, Walton Street, Aylesbury, HP20 1UY

If you have any questions about this consultation, please phone us on 0300 131 6000 or email us at hitmailbox@buckinghamshire.gov.uk.

Please give us your views by midnight on Wednesday 9 March 2022.

Receive project updates

If you would like to receive future updates about the Emerald Way Improvements project, please sign up to our email bulletins.

This is the main way we will keep in touch with you as the project progresses.

What happens next

We will consider all the feedback we receive and review our proposals. Where possible, we may amend our designs as a result of your feedback. The Head of Highways Infrastructure Projects and the Cabinet Member for Transportation will then decide on the final scheme proposal.

We will update consultees directly about the decision if they have provided their contact details. We will also publish an update on this webpage.

Estimated timescales of the project More Information

Depending on the outcome of the consultation, we anticipate construction works will begin during March 2022.

March 2022 – A Leader decision (in consultation with the Cabinet Member) and commence Phase 1 enabling works and tree and shrub planting
April 2022 – Completion of detailed design
May – June 2022 – Completion of Phase 2 improvements including shared cycleways signing and lining
Beyond June 2022 – Implement Phase 3 improvements including new cycle and pedestrian crossings

Privacy

We will use the information you provide here only for the purpose of this consultation. We will store the information securely in line with data protection laws and will not share or publish any personal details. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information.

If you have questions about data and privacy, please email us on dataprotection@buckinghamshire.gov.uk. Or write to our Data Protection Officer at Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.

Areas

Aylesbury

Interests

Transport
Sport & Leisure
Roads & parking

Contact