Kent County Council (KCC), working alongside contractor Ringway, is resurfacing the historic Colonel Stephens Greenway which is Tenterden's only designated cycle route and provides an important traffic-free link between St Michael's and the town centre.
It also connects with National Cycle Network Route 18 and is widely used by walkers, wheelers, cyclists and families as part of the active travel network.
The £150,000 scheme, funded through the Department for Transport's Active Travel Fund, will see 650 metres of the route resurfaced, making it easier for people to access the route in all weathers.
Work will begin in October, subject to weather conditions, and take around four weeks to complete.
The new surface will make the path accessible all year round.
The improvements will include:
- A three-metre-wide shared-use path for walking, wheeling and cycling
- New surfacing to improve year-round accessibility
- Fencing at locations where safety risks have been identified
KCC has worked closely with Tenterden Town Council, Ashford Borough Council and community groups to develop and deliver the scheme.
“The new surface will improve accessibility throughout the year and make it easier for more people to choose walking, wheeling and cycling for everyday journeys.”
Spencer Dixon, KCC's Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: "We're pleased to finally be able to deliver these improvements to the Colonel Stephens Greenway. This is an important route for residents and visitors, providing a traffic-free connection between St Michael's and Tenterden town centre. The new surface will improve accessibility throughout the year and make it easier for more people to choose walking, wheeling and cycling for everyday journeys."
Town Clerk, at Tenterden Town Council, said: "We are delighted that this long-awaited work to complete the resurfacing of the Colonel Stephens Greenway “the old railway track” is finally going ahead. The Town Council has been pressing for improvements to this important path for a number of years, so this really is wonderful news for Tenterden's residents and visitors alike.”
The scheme supports local ambitions to improve active travel opportunities and was identified as a priority in both a 2018 Sustrans audit, and Tenterden Town Council's 2024 Highway Improvement Plan.
To ensure the route's ecological features are protected, works have been scheduled in line with specialist environmental recommendations.
For everyone's safety, the route will be closed while work is carried out, and pedestrians and cyclists will be diverted via the estate roads.
