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What has happened to Norwich Connect2?

Official explanation by Tony Jones, City Growth & Development Programme Manager for Norwich City Council, January 2012:

In 2007, £900,000 of Big Lottery Funding was earmarked for Norwich, as part of the Sustrans Connect2 initiative to introduce more dedicated foot and cycle routes to the UK’s towns and cities. The Norwich route was to link the City centre to Whitlingham Country Park via Riverside and included a new bridge across the River Wensum, linking the city's Utilities site and Deal Ground. One of the conditions of funding was that the whole route needed to be completed by end of March 2013. 

A major part of this route is due to be delivered by developers as they bring forward the regeneration of their sites. Due to the recession it is unlikely that this will take place before the Sustrans deadline. The Council has therefore negotiated to draw down £260,000 from Sustrans' original £900,000 allocation (on the basis that major components of the route e.g. Lady Julian bridge have already been constructed). This funding has been banked (with no time limitation) so that it can be used to complement the part of the route to be provided by



developers when this is delivered. Developers at the Utilities and Deal Ground sites have confirmed that new footpaths and cycleways are integral to their plans, which they expect to deliver over the next few years. The original route will therefore be delivered without the need for any further financial support from the public sector.

Officers have negotiated with Sustrans over the past few months and secured a further £311,000 for Norwich to deliver cycle / footpath improvements to expand the original network to include Mousehold Heath, improving Valley Drive and linking the Open Academy with Sewell Park College. This is a very positive agreement and will provide a safe route linking the east of the city with existing routes including the traffic-free routes of Marriott's Way and Lakenham Way. Initial work on this additional route is due to start during January 2012, with construction taking place during Summer and Autumn and completion by March 2013.

The above is verbatim information provided by Norwich City Council, and Norwich Rivers Heritage Group may decide to provide comment and clarification in due course, either independently or by agreement with Norwich Gateway Project Delivery Team, on which it is represented, and which currently oversees all information releases.

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