Drop-in events will take place next week for people to view Thanet council proposals for a dedicated cycling and walking route to help improve travel connections between Margate and Ramsgate.
The route, known as an Active Travel Corridor, is part of the Thanet Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (Thanet CWIP). It aims to create safe and easy routes for everyone to cycle and walk, connecting different areas across the district.
The plan has been developed in partnership between the council and Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans). Work started in 2021 and there have been a number of public engagement opportunities over that period.
There are two proposed routes to improve the connections between Margate and Ramsgate. Three drop-in events are planned, where the public can view initial ideas for the routes:
Margate:
Friday 14 August, 4.30pm-6.30pm
Thanet District Council Offices, Cecil Street, Margate CT9 1XZ
Westwood Cross:
Saturday 15 August, 11am-1pm
Westwood Cross Community Hub (located between Next and Lovisa)
Ramsgate:
Saturday 15 August, 4.30pm-6.30pm
Ramsgate Leisure Centre, 161 High Street, Ramsgate CT11 9TT
Cllr Rick Everitt, Leader of Thanet District Council and Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “By improving walking and cycling routes, we can make a big difference to people living in and visiting the district. The aim of the proposed Active Transport Corridor is to create a more vibrant, safe and inviting space that supports community life.
“As a cyclist myself, I am well aware that the options to ride directly between Ramsgate and Margate aren’t great. So I really welcome this work.
“The wider Thanet CWIP will help increase road safety, improve air quality and the health of local people. Towns across the district will be more accessible to people who choose to walk or cycle, or who use a wheelchair, boosting the local economy and helping Thanet reach its net zero goals.”
Anyone who is unable to attend an in-person event will be able to view the proposed corridor routes and share their feedback on Your Voice Thanet.
Could be worthwhile, as long as any route(s) are cleaned/cleared regularly. The Viking Coastal Trail beside the Thanet Way is almost impassable in places thanks to overgrown bushes and bramble, and local rights of way are in notoriously poor condition or blocked completely. Oh, and pleeeaaase, no “shared” pavements. These are bad news for cyclists AND walkers.
Just out of curiosity, which TDC/KCC cllrs actually use dedicated cycle paths and PRWs? Many certainly don’t look like they do.
Cycling routes. These clowns still use and block up the roads when they have cycle paths . Every day from Ramsgate to sandwich & back again theres at least always 1 or more .then at the week ends theres loads.
Im sure they do it on purpose. I think they should get fined for useing a road when next to them is a cycle path .im certain a vehicle driver would get fined and points for driving on the cycle path .🙅♀️
You mean the section so overgrown that it nearly killed a cyclist recently?
https://theisleofthanetnews.com/2026/08/01/county-council-to-take-action-after-ramsgate-pensioner-flung-from-bike-due-to-dangerous-overgrowth-on-viking-trail-cycle-path-section/
I only use GOOD cycle paths too. Otherwise, I use roads beside them… as the law permits.
The roads are for everyone and if you think the potholes on “your” roads are bad, then i suggest you look at the state of the so called cycle paths.
Plus how long do we hold you up?? 5/10 seconds? Less than a minute at least, yet thats to long for entitled things like you that pay the mythical road tax 🤣🤣.
Id also fine drivers that think its ok to park on said cycle paths or those that drive without due care and attention because they feel entitled.. worse being the middle aged and upwards.
Ps.. you’ll put all cyclists bad and good under the same banner, whereas I’ll put you under the old entitled idiot banner. Oh and cyclists drive too!
Some of the dedicated cycle paths are in such a state there is no way I would cycle on them with a road bike as you will guarantee to pop your tyres. Just one example is the hill from Churchill’s in Ramsgate to the Harbour. I don’t blame cyclists for using the road. (And I’m not a cyclist)
Whenever there’s accidents on the Thanet Way, glass is swept onto the cycle path. A few years back, I got two punctures along there in one week! Nowadays I have thick (and expensive) puncture resistant tyres.
As a cyclist I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised when an interesting little item on a new cycle route immediately attracts some anti bike road rage to the online page. I hate cycling in traffic, and the main road between Ramsgate and Margate can be pretty terrifying. I am also aware, as a walker, how terrifying cyclists can be, especially lycra clad chaps belting along, or larger folk on huge e-bikes. I will be most interested to see the proposed routes, and how pedestrians can be safely separated from the cyclists.
Hi Kathy this is familiar remember when the travel forum discussed this when I was chair I was always neutral with my politics as well as the bus strategy when Stuart Smith was TDC s transport officer the unfortunately at the time we got the best bus services in Thanet and Kent history repeats itself the traffic commissioners wouldn\’t allow buses to go up every road in Thanet as they are not wide enough for buses I mentioned this to rob Yates before he went to the green party as he lives in palm bay stagecoach wouldn\’t run the buses on the estate as the residents complained the double deckers were interfering with their satalite dishes so stagecoach withdrew the services nothing wrong with my memory I still have minutes of our meetings until we stopped meetings best wishes Brian 😎 good night
What has this got to do with cycling and walking routes?
It is called integrated transport.As long as politicians consider that “the car is the star” in their planning policies, you will see badly maintained cycle ways and foot paths, pavement parking and shopping centres built with no connections between retail areas, just like Westwood cross. Add in decades of car dominated, bleak, housing estates and you have the seed bed for nimbyism.I don’t think I met Brian, but he appears to be saying that we have been here before. The new Unitary should be integrating transport but not on the miserable funding that KCC apportions to East Kent.
There are pelican crossings between the retail areas at Westwood Cross.
Yes,by try using them. A bridge across each road, should have been erected, but whole thing was a trespa clad cheapo production, that wasted land and gave architecture a bad name.
TDC even tried to suggest that it happened in an unplanned way. Really? Was the entire planning department on holiday when it was given permission?
Well, I do use them when I very occasionally go to Westwood Cross. But yes, all-weather enclosed bridges would be better.
As long as the cyclists are willing to pay for these improvements., bring it on!