The New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) has received £200,000 from Active Travel England to improve walking, cycling and wheeling for local residents and visitors.
The project is part of the Government’s £100m Active Travel fund, which aims to deliver training and initiatives that give people across England the confidence and freedom to walk, wheel and cycle.
The fund includes £2 million to support England’s 10 National Park Authorities to continue developing designs and capacity for accessible active travel networks.
Priority will be given to making walking, wheeling – including the use of wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walking frames, prams or buggies – and cycling safer and more accessible on key routes in the New Forest, with the Lymington to Brockenhurst corridor highlighted by residents as a priority.
The funding will be used to develop high-quality designs and work with local stakeholders on a set of proposed schemes, including two new crossings on the A337 between Brockenhurst and Lymington, as well as future improvements to the cycling network.
The busy A337 is a main spine within the New Forest and is currently difficult to cross, limiting access to education, work, local businesses and the wider public transport network.
The proposed crossings – outside Brockenhurst College and at the junction of Setley Road with the A337 – aim to provide a safer, more comfortable way for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users and horse riders to cross this busy road, while also improving safety for motorists.
Regular walking, wheeling and cycling have also been shown to cut sick days, reduce pressure on the NHS, lower carbon emissions, and save people money on travel costs.
The NPA is working on the project with Hampshire County Council (HCC), New Forest District Council and Forestry England, with support from specialist local transport consultants.
Residents, businesses, community groups and local authorities will be asked for their views on draft proposals in the coming months.
This funding is the next step in implementing the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for the New Forest, which was agreed by Hampshire County Council in late 2025. Once the designs for both crossing schemes have been agreed, the NPA will work with HCC and other authorities to secure funding to deliver the project.
A previous round of Active Travel England funding saw £100,000 invested to develop feasibility studies into active travel from Brockenhurst to Lymington and safer crossings on the main A35 road south of Lyndhurst. The previous A337 study will help inform the new designs.
New Forest National Park Authority chair Victoria Mander said: ‘This funding will help more people to walk, wheel and cycle in and between our communities in the National Park.
“Encouraging active travel is a key part of protecting our beautiful landscape and improving the health and wellbeing of everyone who lives in the New Forest, as we aim to make car-free travel a more viable option for more people.”
