A new protected cycle route between Cheltenham and Bishop’s Cleeve opened on Friday 22 May 2026, offering a traffic-separated path for safer journeys. The 2.5-mile route along the A435 corridor stretches from the Honeybourne Line to the GE roundabout at the southern edge of Bishop’s Cleeve. The official launch took place at Cheltenham Tigers Rugby Club in Southam Lane, with Olympic champion Chris Boardman CBE leading a community ride to mark the occasion.
Chris Boardman, the National Active Travel Commissioner, said the cycleway was more than just infrastructure. “When you give people a safe, direct and attractive place to ride or walk, they use it – it’s that simple,” he explained. The opening event, which ran from 1pm to 6pm, also featured demonstrations of e-bikes, adaptive bikes, e-scooters, and cargo bikes, along with bicycle maintenance advice.
The scheme forms part of the wider Gloucestershire Cycle Spine, a 26-mile network linking Bishop’s Cleeve through Cheltenham to Gloucester, with future plans to extend to Stroud. Funded primarily by the UK Government’s Active Travel grant and administered by the Department for Transport, with additional contributions from the Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 developer agreements, the project was delivered by contractor Montel Civil Engineering.
Gloucestershire County Council said the route gives residents a practical alternative for daily commutes and leisure cycling, separating riders from busy motor traffic. Cllr Roger Whyborn, cabinet member for sustainable transport, added that it represents an important improvement for people travelling between the two locations.
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