DETAILS of a new European-funded initiative to boost green tourism have been announced – with West Devon standing by to welcome thousands of overseas cyclists each year.

'Cycle West' is harnessing €8,682,000 (£7.6m) of European 'INTERREG'* funding to develop and promote cycle tourism for the ever-growing international army of 'visitors on wheels'.

Some 1,840km (1,100 miles) of new cycling routes will take in some of the most beautiful countryside and outstanding attractions in South West England, Normandy and Brittany.

At a press launch in London, the project leaders reported on the progress to date and set out their vision for a future where thousands of additional tourists each year will be pedalling their way round the three regions of South West England, Brittany and Normandy.

And The English Channel will present no obstacle: where a route reaches a port in one country, ferry transport will enable cyclists to continue on the other side.

The project, initially announced in March 2010, has been making rapid progress, and the latest development is a new website http://www.cycle-west.com">www.cycle-west.com which will be used to promote tourist attractions along the routes as well as accommodation, places to dine and bike shops. 

The end result, believe the 17 French and English partners behind the project, including Devon County Council, will be a huge boost in tourism – not only from overseas visitors but also from within their own countries.

Devon County Council is currently using the European funding to improve existing trails, including the biggest single new piece of infrastructure within the Cycle West project: the construction of Gem Bridge at Grenofen.

The 200-metre long, high bridge will connect Dartmoor National Park with Plymouth and will complete one of the final missing links on Drake's Trail.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: 'We are committed to making Devon a premier destination for cycling tourism and this project has enormous potential to help us achieve that.

'These cross-channel routes will add to our popular existing trails, such as the Tarka Trail and Granite Way, to promote Devon as a holiday destination where you can be naturally active, with the choice of hundreds of miles of spectacular but safe trails and quiet roads.

'This is just the sort of fillip that the local economy needs: we know from research in Europe — where cycling tourism is very popular in many countries — that cyclists spend more per head than those arriving by car.

'The challenge will be for local businesses to respond to that opportunity – for instance, B&Bs, pubs and cafés providing places where cyclists can lock up their bikes.'

West Devon features prominently in one of the three new routes. The 'Vélodyssée' is a 440km (265 miles) 'there and back again' route, linking Ilfracombe to Redon in Southern Brittany, via Okehampton, Tavistock, Morlaix and Josselin. It uses the Plymouth/Roscoff ferry route and is fairly flat, taking riders mainly along old railway lines and beside canals – with the opportunity for a delightful detour into the heart of Cornwall on the hugely popular Camel Trail.

This route will eventually include travelling over Gem Bridge.

Cllr Hughes added: 'I'm very excited about this latest venture which will really put Devon on the map as a destination not just for serious cyclists, but also for families and groups who want to spend part of their time with us here off the beaten track, exploring the fantastic countryside – safely and in a really relaxing way.'

Michael Dodds, director of the Brittany Tourist Board, said: 'Having local councils and tourist boards partnering up will have a real impact on how much benefit everyone will gain from "Cycle West". It makes this a unique exercise in collaboration that will bring England and France much closer together.'