£22,000 for Hednesford bike storage and CCTV ahead of Commonwealth Games

Two new cycle stores are earmarked for Market Street, one outside the town’s library and the other outside William Hill. The area currently has no cycle storage facilities, but the town council wants to encourage visitors and residents to use sustainable transport.

On Thursday Cannock Chase Council cabinet members agreed to spend £22,877 on cycle storage for the town centre, using funding contributed by developers as part of planning agreements for Tesco and Aldi stores. This spending will also include two dedicated CCTV cameras to provide security and reassurance against would-be bike thieves.

A cabinet report said: “Hednesford Town Centre suffers from low levels of footfall and a distinct lack of cycle storage which prevents businesses benefitting from the trade of passing cyclists.

“Without cycle storage Hednesford Town Centre is also unable to promote itself as an accessible and sustainable town and as Hednesford Town Council intends to create a green policy in 2021 initiatives such as cycle storage are imperative.

“With the Commonwealth Games men’s and women’s mountain biking taking place on Cannock Chase in 2022 Hednesford needs to plan and future-proof the town in order to promote and position itself as bike-friendly.”

Councillor Gordon Alcott, cabinet member for town centre regeneration, told Thursday’s meeting: “This is going to be a useful asset to the town. It will benefit the traders and passing cyclists. It will help to promote accessibility and sustainability in the town and help with the green policy, as well as storage of cycles in town.”

Council leader George Adamson said: “Hopefully it will encourage footfall into the town centre and be environmentally friendly at the same time.”

Councillor Alan Pearson, cabinet member for community safety, said: “It’s in my ward and it can only be beneficial to the residents and economy of Hednesford.”