Kent County Council will only progress future ‘green’ travel schemes after public consultations.

Recently, five active travel schemes were scrapped after public feedback on safety and lack of consultations.

It was expected that at least 24 active travel schemes were set up across the county’s 13 districts from July to August as part of a national drive to promote cycling and walking, with the council receiving a total of £1.6million to invest in these initiatives.

Kent Messenger online reports that Cllr Michael Payne said that a ‘tougher’ stance with regards to future schemes during a County Hall scrutiny committee meeting this week.

He said no scheme should be ‘allowed to proceed’ without engagement with affected Kent residents, even if meant losing access to around £6.4 million of cash from the Department for Transport for longer-term green travel projects.

Speaking at the meeting he said: “Even if Kent were to be awarded further funding there would have to be time allocated for normal public consultation to be taken.”