A public meeting is being called by furious residents who say they have not been consulted on the County Council’s proposed East West Cycle Route.

Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield, has been contacted by several angry residents who did not receive consultation leaflets supposedly sent out by the County Council.

Toby said, “A consultation that fails to hear the views of the people most affected should not be considered legitimate. Residents living on the roads off of Chatsworth Road, where the proposed route will be, and many of the people in the Brimington Common area who are being affected by the ongoing closure of Crow Lane, are reporting to me that they have had no contact from the council and feel these proposals are being forced through whilst excluding residents affected.

I am calling on Derbyshire County Council to pause their plans and to reengage with the residents in the affected areas so that there can be clarity about whether these proposals have public support and whether they are the best way to deliver the improvements to our cycling infrastructure that is needed.

Toby will be speaking at a public meeting on Thursday 11th November at 7.30pm at Brookfield Community School Hall, which has been organised by the Chesterfield & District Civic Society.

Toby added, “There was a longstanding proposal that would provide safer cycling routes between Holymoorside and Chesterfield and hopefully convince many children at Walton Holymoorside Primary School, Brookfield School and St Mary’s School to cycle to and from school. This was a much safer route across farmland which the Council claim was blocked by landowners, but which I believe should have been pursued and assurances about upkeep and liability provided.

There were also alternative options to closing Crow Lane, that would have provided safe cycle routes whilst minimising the impact on residents.

I hugely support improved cycling but a skewed consultation undermines rather than builds confidence in proposals like this. It is not good enough to say that because the council have managed to attract funding for this, then the council’s obligation to listen to residents has passed.

It is important that we hear from residents who live close to Chatsworth Road and in Brimington Common, and hear what the majority view is.

Toby has also secured a Westminster Hall Debate in Parliament on 9th November at 11am to discuss the East-West Cycle Route and the council’s consultation. The debate can be viewed live at https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Commons

Toby Perkins MP
Toby Perkins MP
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