Last update: July 2023
Derby City Council have exciting plans for rewilding Allestree Park – the largest urban rewilding project in the country. As part of these plans the Council wishes to ensure that travel to the Park (and travel within the Park) can be safely done by cycle and we’ve been in discussions about how best to link the Park to the existing Derby (and surrounding) cycle network.
As the Park is right on the edge of the Derby City Council area, some of the obvious connections (e.g. towards Duffield) are in the Derbyshire County Council area. We are working to bring the two Councils together to explore the opportunities in partnership.
We’ve created a discussion document that identifies a number of the issues that need to be addressed and also proposed possible solutions that the design of the Park could accommodate to address the issues.
We’ve had discussions on these issues, the fact that it is essential that they are addressed, and the possible ways of addressing them with various influential bodies and individuals including the local Councils (Derby City, Derbyshire County and Quarndon).
Currently the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is in an engagement phase with various bodies and the general public. There was a plan to create a draft masterplan for the Park by the end of June 2023 but this has now been postponed. We’ll be working to ensure that adequate cycle proposals (within the Park and to reach the Park) are included in the draft plan. You can assist by providing your feedback either in person at a series of feedback events (July and August) or by using the online feedback process at the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust website.
Particular points that we are trying to get included in the plans include:
- How it is important to be able to safely cycle to the Park from all directions including from Derby, from Allestree, from Duffield, and from Quarndon and beyond.
- How walking on the roads surrounding the Park is currently dangerous (e.g. Woodlands Lane and Burley Lane have no pavements and 60mph speed limits in parts) and how provision within the Park can help address these issues
- How bus travel to the Park requires people to cross the busy A6 which currently has no signaled crossings and would be impossible for those with mobility limitations
- How, once visitors have been able to reach the Park by cycle, they also need to be able to reach key parts of the Park by cycle
An independent group of mountain biking enthusiasts have also engaged with the consultation process to suggest earmarking a section of the park for the construction of cross country mountain biking trails. If you’re interested in becoming involved with this initiative then join their Facebook group
