Cycling strategy

Vision and objectives

Cycling is great for health and accessibility, and when replacing journeys by car it can also reduce congestion and emissions.

More active travel can bring many benefits to residents and businesses:

  • A healthier, more active workforce means reduced absenteeism and increased productivity, and reduced congestion means better journey time reliability.

  • Cycling and walking are simple, low-cost and effective ways for some of the most inactive people in society to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives.

  • Journeys made on foot or by bike rather than car will reduce emissions and can make for a more pleasant local environment.

Our vision is to make our district a leader in cycling provision, making it safer and encouraging more people from a range of backgrounds to cycle more frequently.

Our objectives are to:

  1. Double the number of cycling trips in the Braintree District by 2031, at our monitored counter sites and other key routes.

  2. Encourage a mind-set that sees cycling as an enjoyable and everyday activity for the majority of short journeys.

  3. Develop safe and easy to navigate cycle networks for cyclists to give greater assurance.

  4. Encourage the uptake of cycling amongst a broad cross section of the community.

  5. Support cycling to ensure access to jobs and services.

  6. Work with relevant partners, looking for opportunities to support improved cycle access in rural areas.

  7. Work with partners to help reduce emissions, congestion and the environmental impact of transport and to ensure the new cycle routes help in reducing emissions.


Download the full strategy