NEW cycle routes could be introduced around Royal Wootton Bassett to reduce air pollution and to tackle climate change.

EcoRWB Cycle Working Group, which launched in January 2020, has come up with several and hopes the first one, between the high street and Ballard's Ash sports ground, could be in place by the end of the year.

Presenting the idea to the town council at its full meeting, group member Dave Knight said: “We are working to increase cycling in our town to reduce climate change impacts, localised air pollution, traffic congestion and to benefit the health, wellbeing and economy of our community.

“We’ve provided a number of route proposals for further consideration and work. Our priority is to put in route one first, we’re hoping to get this one in place before the end of 2021. Our vision is to create a cycle network for the town, that is safe.

“The key concept is we link where people want to get to with where they live, so we’re providing something that’s going to be very useful for people to use.

“We appreciate it’s going to be very difficult to put everything into place straight away, it will be quite costly.

"We’ve got a strategy to put things in place relatively quickly with a view of improvements to be made in future and proper segregation as per the government guidelines.

The first route from the town centre goes past Royal Wootton Bassett Academy and Lime Kiln Sports Centre and uses a combination of existing wider footpaths, cycle paths, and roads to build segregated routes.

Route two is from High Street to Swindon, going through south Woodshaw, Windmill Road, Noredown Way, and past Noremarsh Junior School, while the third connects Whitehill Lane, Wootton Bassett Infant School, Vale View, Glebe Road, High Street, and Longleaze Primary School, through an existing cycle route.

A fourth links to the first by Saffron Close, crossing the A3102 onto Marlowe Way, crossing to Stoneover Lane, and linking to north Woodshaw through a new section of cycle path next to the playing fields onto Ravens Walk and the last goes from the end of the route on A3102 to the Aldi supermarket.

A town council spokesman said it was very supportive of improving cycling within the town and encouraged anyone who had suitable qualifications and could help with the design of the project to get in touch.

Coun Steve Bucknell said progress had previously been made with Persimmon Homes and Oxford University over acquiring the land behind Borough Fields.

He asked that the town clerk contact both organisations to push forward the discussions because this could provide the land for the route from the north to the south of the town, that the group was looking for.

Mr Knight was asked to contact the town clerk, Stephen Nash, so they could discuss funding that might be available before any progress can be made on the cycle routes.