History: The group was originally formed in 2016 as ‘Save Our Guild Wheel Facebook Group’ and was formed by ‘Users of the Guild Wheel Group’ as a medium to petition Preston City Council and collect signatures via change.org. The petition was started to protect the much loved Guild Wheel from the threats posed by existing and proposed new housing developments. The petition signed by 10,500 people was presented to Preston City Council. Although some of the junctions and road crossing were still hazardous, progress was positive working with Preston City Council. In 2017 Friends of the Guild Wheel Group was established by the Users Group. What is The Guild Wheel: The Guild Wheel (National Cycle Route 622) was opened in 2012 as part of the Preston Guild celebrations and is a 21 mile orbital ‘Greenway’ that encircles the city of Preston. The route provides safe, scenic, cycling and walking to encourage positive health and wellbeing. The route links the city to the countryside, the dream of creating a nature and wildlife corridor encircling the city, bringing the benefits of a beautiful outdoor space to the city’s perimeter. Approximately 100,000 people a year use the Guild Wheel, importantly the route has been designed to encourage and protect the most vulnerable road users, the majority of the route is off road and traffic free, enabling all the family to use it safely. Maps of The Guild Wheel can be found here: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/cycling/guild-wheel/
The Friends of the Guild Wheel (FoGW) aim to:
• To work in partnership with Preston City Council (PCC) and Lancashire County Councils (LCC) and private land-owners, to protect the Guild Wheel (GW) as an ‘Orbital Greenway’, ensuring that new housing, roads and cycle paths, that are linked to it provide the users a with safe, segregated (cyclists from vehicles) and where possible priority given to users of the Guild Wheel.
• To work with a range of partner organisations and with permission of PCC, LCC and private land-owners to identify and secure funding, to support the vision of continuing to develop a nature and wildlife corridor that encircles the city, providing a lasting legacy for the City of Preston and promoting good environmental practice.
• To represent the interests of its members and other users of the GW by establishing an acceptable balance between the needs of all users of the GW. This includes vulnerable road users, wishing to access a safe environment that promotes health and wellbeing. Keep posts relevant to the Friends of the Guild Wheel. This group is for discussions relating to the Guild Wheel. Other groups exist for activities and events relating more generally to Preston and Lancashire - please use those where more relevant.
2. Be kind and courteous we are all in this together to create a welcoming environment. Healthy debates are natural, but kindness is required.
