Have your say to improve walking and cycling routes in the Peak District National Park

People who live, work in and visit the Peak District National Park are being asked for their views on walking, cycling, riding, and wheeling (wheelchairs/trampers) routes in an online consultation.

It’s a great opportunity to let the National Park Authority know: ‘Which places are most important to you?’ and ‘Where would you like to see improvements to the network?’

An interactive map is also being used to help people pinpoint routes and where improvements could be made. This is the first time the National Park Authority has used new technology in this way in a public consultation. Using the map will help show where people walk, cycle and wheel, and understanding what people use and like will help the Authority plan for the future.

The six-week consultation, which is live now and runs until 16 March, is being carried out by the National Park’s rights of way and sustainable transport teams, with funding from Active Travel England. They are keen to find out where walkers, cyclists, wheelchair users, and horse riders want to enhance access across the Peak District.

Access and rights of way officer Sue Smith said: “We want to improve how people get around the National Park and to achieve this we need to find out how people are using local routes. We’re interested in active travel for everyone, which includes everyday trips such as people walking to the shops, cycling to work or school, as well as the longer routes people take for leisure, which could be a walk, run, wheel, or ride on a trail.

“There’s a short, online questionnaire to fill in which asks people to identify places that are most important to them, how often they use routes, where they would like to see improvements, what the improvements would be, and there’s opportunity to make comments about routes too. You can complete the questionnaire as many times as you would like for different routes.”

Transport policy planner Tim Nicholson said: “The consultation results will feed into our strategic-thinking for the network across the National Park. We’re keen to see how we can connect to and extend existing routes, as well as link to attractions and places. Our aim is to improve access and active travel opportunities throughout the wider Peak District, including via multi-user Trails along former railways, Sustrans routes, and local authority key networks.”

Chief executive Phil Mulligan said: “This work, supported by Active Travel England, is about improving the infrastructure for walking and cycling and all the benefits being active brings for health and wellbeing. We are also committed to being carbon neutral by the year 2050. With more than a third of all carbon generated by the way we travel, it’s important that we all work towards enabling greener ways to get around so that we can go beyond the national ambition for 50% or more of all short journeys to be walked, cycled, ridden or wheeled. So, whether you are a Peak District resident, business, visitor or other interested party, telling us what you think about routes through this consultation is your chance to inform our plans to help make it easier and safer for people to access the area.”

Following the consultation, the information from the public will be used to help shape a new Peak District Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Infrastructure Plan, together with partner organisations, that will cover utility and leisure routes and focus on key connections between communities, adjoining towns and cities, visitor attractions, and long-distance routes.

The online consultation is open now and runs until 16 March.

People can take part by completing the questionnaire at www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/activetravelconsultation