The Biddulph Valley way has now been marked for improvements in Staffordshire County Council's active travel plans, the council has confirmed today.

Biddulph Nub News reported recently how the popular walking and cycling route had previously been excluded from the council's plans, after the authority received £1.8 million from the Government's Active Travel Fund to help deliver its Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.

Improvements were instead planned for other areas including Cannock, Stafford, Burton-upon-Trent and Newcastle-Under-Lyme.

Biddulph town and district Cllr Jill Salt expressed her disappointment at the lack of improvements planned for Biddulph, and called on the county council to do more for the town's walking and cycling routes.

And at a Biddulph Town Council meeting on Tuesday, county Cllr Keith Flunder explained that the funding had been "focused on the six major conurbations in Staffordshire" but agreed that it was "a bit unfair that the Moorlands has been excluded", and resolved to "try and pursue this for the benefit of the people of Biddulph."

However, the county council has now confirmed to Biddulph Nub News that an upcoming revised version of its plans will include funding and improvements for Biddulph.

A council spokesperson said: "There's a scheme for Biddulph in the revised plan and we have secured funding for it."

David Williams, cabinet member for highways and transport at Staffordshire County Council, spoke more about the revised plans.

He said: "Walking and cycling are great activities that we want to make even easier and safer for people to do. Not only is more active travel great for people's health and wellbeing and our local economies but it also helps reduce congestion on our roads and helps limit air pollution.

"We consulted on our draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan in 2020 and intend to publish a final version this April. The final plan will recognise the importance of walking and cycling throughout Staffordshire and will include plans to complete the Biddulph Valley Way (NCN55) between Brown Lees Road and Bull Lane.

He explained that the funding for Biddulph would not be coming from the Government's Active Travel funds, as the proposals for these funds needed to focus on urban areas to "have the greatest chance of success" when it came to securing the money.

He added: "These improvements will be carried out in 2021/22 and are being funded through the Getting Building Fund grant managed by Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

"In order to meet the Government's strict criteria for the recent Active Travel Fund and have the greatest chance of success, we proposed schemes in our urban centres where there is likely to be the greatest potential demand for cycling and walking.

"We know that we need to improve provision for cycling in rural areas and be assured, we take every opportunity to secure additional resources to do this."