TAUNTON cyclists have called for more money to be invested in infrastructure to help those on two wheels in the town.

Members of the Taunton Area Cycling Campaign (TACC) recently presented a petition, signed by around 1,800 people, to Councillor John Woodman, the cabinet member for highways at Somerset County Council.

The petition calls for the county council and Somerset West and Taunton Council to prioritise and develop a major bid for Government funds for cycling infrastructure.

Pip Sheard, chair of TACC, said: "Our work shows that many people would like to cycle but need safe infrastructure is needed to enable them to.

"More cycling will create large environmental, health and social benefits.

"In their climate emergency framework documents, both local councils identify more cycling as a way to reduce local Co2 emissions from transport, calculated at 50% of all Somerset West and Taunton’s emissions.

"Swapping the car for a bike on a local journey reduces your carbon emissions to zero."

She said members of the group had spent a considerable amount of time working with Somerset County Council officers and cycling the town looking at current cycling routes and how they could be improved.

"Some of this work has been sent to the Government in a document called the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan but now the proposed improvements need funding," Pip added.

TACC's petition asked the council to:

1. Lobby the Government working with our MP to ask them to set up a national dedicated cycling fund as part of the government’s developing Infrastructure Plan

2. Ask the Government that this national cycling fund be sufficient so towns like Taunton, Bridgwater and Yeovil all have a serious chance of getting funds.

3. To support the bid for a Somerset County Council budget for cycling at the February budget meeting

4. To write to officers to ask them to adopt the new proposed Department for Transport Cycle Design Advice and Chapter Six of Traffic Signs Manual, which reflects some of the guidance.