Kent Downs Line Cycle Rails Celebration, Tuesday 18th February

A crowd of people on a station platform at the bottom of a footbridge. Some of the people are coming down the steps with bicycles. There is a cycle rail (also known as a wheeling ramp), a channel placed at the side of the steps to make it easier to move a bicycle up and down. A blue ribbon is being held across the entrance to the footbridge, it is being cut by Chris Fribbins, Chair of Kent Community Rail Partnership

On Tuesday 18th February, members and guests met at Hollingbourne station to celebrate the installation of cycle rails at stations along our Kent Downs Line.

Kent Community Rail Partnership has worked with Southeastern to lay cycle rails on the footbridge steps of stations along the Kent Downs Railway Line (Otford – Ashford). They were installed in November 2024 at Kemsing, Barming, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham and Charing stations.

 

Chris Fribbins, Chair of Kent CRP explained how cycle rails allow people to push their cycles along channels up and down stairs, removing the need for the cycles to be carried. They have been fitted to promote active travel, end to end journeys via ‘cycle, rail, cycle’ journeys.

Increasing numbers of people are embracing e-bikes as a sustainable way to get around, and the nearby North Downs Way Riders Route and Pilgrims Cycle Trail make the Kent Downs Line a popular way to explore the Kent Downs National Landscape by cycle.

After cutting the ceremonial ribbon we were welcomed by the award winning Signal Box Cafe for coffee, cake and discussions about ways the Partnership can continue to promote sustainable and healthy tourism and travel.

We would like to express our gratitude to the project funders, Kent County Council, the Community Rail Network’s Integrated Sustainable Transport Fund, and Ashford Borough Council and thank Southeastern for their support with surveying, design and installation.

We would love to hear how the new cycle rails have made it easier for you to take your cycle by train. Please share your stories and experiences with Therese; therese.hammond@sustrans.org.uk.

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