YOUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING
ONE of the exciting projects happening in the coming months and years is the Rossendale Valley of Stone cycle route.
For a long time, due to the linear nature of the Valley, elements of our community have been disconnected and struggled with limited and often expensive public transport links.
The cycle route under development will be 16.5km long and connect Rawtenstall in the west to Waterfoot, Bacup and Whitworth to the Lancashire border with Rochdale at Healey Dell, as well as providing access to many employment sites along the Rossendale Valley.
It will be largely an off-road route following a former railway line and when completed will provide a real sustainable travel alternative to using the busy roads which run along the main valley floor.
The idea for the Valley of Stone has been put forward by the local community and although some sections are already open, the full potential of the route will only be realised once it is fully completed.
Active travel is an important part of developing an active and healthy community and is one of the key recommendations made by Sport England in their active design initiative. With the development of the Valley of stone cycle route scheme, complementing the existing mountain bike trails in Lee Quarry, pump tracks in several parks in Rossendale – the Valley and more broadly East Lancashire will be at the leading edge of cycling opportunities for local community.
There are also a number of projects locally that recycle bikes and distribute them to local people most in need in order to promote active travel.
Two such projects are Stubbylee Community Greenhouses and a project led by Newground, also based in Stubbylee park.
My family and I walked one of the freshly renovated areas recently and this new route/ provision will be a fantastic opportunity for our community to come together, for us to connect, and to open up opportunities for every single member of our community to access facilities right across the valley.