Positive Signs for Cycle Route?

Many local residents are keen to use their bicycles between Haddenham and Thame, but the direct road route can feel rather hazardous.

A safer cycle route would also make it more likely that some Chiltern Railways commuters would cycle to Haddenham & Thame Parkway from Thame and so help reduce the potential roadside parking problems with which we are all very familiar.

So for those keen to see any positive signs that we might one day achieve the illusive cycle route between Haddenham and Thame, the BBC Oxford News website recently reported the following:

Oxfordshire Cycling Network (OCN) has released its vision for 366 miles of cycle routes, costing about £120m.

It says they would be high quality segregated routes like those seen in "the Netherlands or Denmark".

Chair of OCN, Robin Tucker, said it was a "big undertaking" and they would concentrate on the busiest routes first, like Abingdon to Oxford.

"Oxfordshire has got a long way to go, I think the network will take 20 years to build even if we get a reasonable rate of funding."

It is estimated the network would cost £120m, but OCN claims it could be worth £112m every year in health and journey-time benefits.

The organisation — which brings together 29 cycling and supporting organisations — is asking candidates for May's Oxfordshire County Council elections to support the plan.

If you take a look at the BBC News website here, the graphic shows the Thame to Haddenham cycle route as part of the overall plan.