Petition to create a safe cycling and walking network in Portsmouth reaches more than 3,000 signatures

Demands of the Pompey Street Space campaign will have to be considered at a public council meeting after exceeding the required signatories of 1,000.

The group, which is made up of individuals and organisations including the Pompey Cycle Forum and Portsmouth Friends of the Earth, is asking the city council to grab the opportunity afforded by lockdown to improve pavements and cycle lanes, creating a safe travel network.

It is hoped the petition will be discussed during the council's first full meeting since lockdown on July 21.

A spokesman for Pompey Street Space said: 'It's essential there is a cross-party consensus so any changes are not reversed come the elections next May. This is why we are submitting the petition in order to get a proper debate at full council on July 21.

‘What we hope to see is an agreement to put in place proper continuous cycle and walking routes that allow Portsmouth residents to commute and travel by bike across the whole city. For too long our children have had to breathe toxic air on their walk to school: let’s build back better.’

It comes after Portsmouth City Council was awarded £214,000 in the first tranche of the government's active travel fund to pay for pop-up cycle lanes, one way systems and new pedestrian crossings.

The council will have the opportunity to bid for a second tranche of more than £700,000.

The Pompey Street Space spokesman added: ‘Central government has asked local authorities to be more ambitious in their proposals for the second round of funding and have made it clear that such bold proposals will receive more than the indicative amounts first suggested.

‘This is a golden opportunity for Portsmouth City Council to show vision and leadership and tackle the congested, polluted and dangerous streets we have in our city.’

The first tranche of funding caused controversy when initial plans by the council to spend some of the money on a new bike lane along Eastern Road were scrapped just days before work was due to start.

A council spokeswoman said: ‘If the petition is over 1,000 signatures it would be heard at public meeting.’

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