Just an update you on The Winnaway Cycle Improvement Project.
As you may recall, in 2015, the County Council rebuilt the Winnaway as a section of a Didcot to Harwell Campus premium cycle route in line with the Science Vale Cycling Strategy.
An action within the Winnaway Cycle Improvement Project was to re-classify the path from a footpath to a bridleway. Unfortunately the Council could not get agreement from all the landowners within the project time frame.
Today ,13th November 2019, HarBUG has sent an application for a definitive map modification order (DDMO) to Oxfordshire Countryside Records for the Winnaway.
The application is for a change of status from footpath to bridleway so that cyclists can legitimately use the Winnaway to access the Harwell Campus.
We have sent 29 user evidence statements from both cyclists and horse riders in the village as well as cycle commuters and other recreational cyclists. We have included Strava data which shows 9,575 cycle trips by 739 people.
We have also received and submitted letters of support for our application from Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Harwell Campus Joint Venture Partners (UKAEA, UKRI-STFC and Harwell Campus).
In addition, letters have been sent to all landowners, by HarBUG, informing them of our application. This is a requirement of the application process.
As the Winnaway Cycle Improvement Project was a County Council strategic aim we have asked that the application is prioritised. The DMMO process can take some time, up to 10 years if our application is not given a high priority.