Work continues on Meon Valley Trail
February 3, 2015
New work started on the Meon Valley Trail on in February 2015 as part of ongoing plans to improve it for walkers, cyclists and equestrians. The trail, which runs along bridleways from Wickham to West Meon, takes in the secret place where Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower and Charles de Gaulle met on a train to finalise plans for the D-Day landings.
The ten mile trail is almost entirely off-road and, because it follows a disused railway line, is the perfect place for families. Improvements are being carried out by Hampshire County Council in partnership with the South Downs National Park Authority. The trail was in desperate need of an upgrade with overgrown trees on steep embankments prone to collapse in high winds and a deep muddy surface that rarely dried out. The changes mean that the route will now also be accessible to wheelchair and pushchair uses.
David Deane, joint Cycling Project Officer for Hampshire County Council and South Downs National Park Authority, said:
“Most of the tree clearance is already completed but now we need to sort out the surface, drainage and access which involves removing the muddy surface, changing the profile of the path so that water rain runs away and making it easier for people to join and leave the trail. Sections of the route will need to be closed whilst this is done but will be well signed.
“By early summer we’ll also have signage to help people navigate the trail, find out more about places of interest and visit local shops and businesses.”
Stay up to date with information on closures at www.hants.gov.uk/meonvalleytrail or follow the project on Twitter @TheMVT.
The work is part of a £5 million investment in a network of core cycling routes into and around the South Downs National Park thanks to the successful joint bid for £3.81 million funding from the Department for Transport’s Linking Communities fund – led by SDNPA in partnership with regional highway authorities, including Hampshire County Council.