What is Connecting Cheltenham?

cycle lane

Connecting Cheltenham is an ambitious vision for transport to help tackle the climate emergency.

Cheltenham is a town with an aspiration to tackle the climate emergency, while benefitting the local economy and helping people live healthier lives. Improved, inclusive transport options and healthy living are key parts of the council’s vision to make better connections across the borough.

Through the Connecting Cheltenham strategy, we aim to:

  • Develop the local transport network to put people first
  • Prioritise walking and cycling for short trips as well as effective public transport for localised journeys
  • Encourage a shift toward low carbon geographic connectivity (trains and vehicles) for longer journeys
  • Deliver a step change in sustainable travel

Delivering this vision means working with other key stakeholders. A key partner is Gloucestershire County Council, who hold responsibility for highways and delivery of highways interventions across Gloucestershire. We are keen to work in partnership with the county council to make this vision a reality. Other key stakeholders include GWR, Stagecoach, Cheltenham Cycle campaign, Vision 21 and Sustrans, on key projects involving cycling and walking routes, railways and roads.

A large proportion of the carbon emissions in Cheltenham are from transport. The projects we want to deliver will be a key driver towards achieving our climate emergency commitment to become a net zero carbon council and borough by 2030. The initiatives we want to drive forward will contribute to a greener Cheltenham, contributing to a more sustainable Gloucestershire.

The Connecting Cheltenham strategy has been developed by working with residents, education, business, transport, health, and developer organisations, as well as local councillors.

Connecting Cheltenham strategy report

For full details of this vision, read the Connecting Cheltenham strategy report.

You can also download the report as a PDF along with the supporting baseline report which is a summary of evidence and stakeholder engagement.