ITEM CMDT5
CABINET MEMBER FOR TRANSPORT – 23 APRIL 2009
CYCLING AND WALKING POLICY STATEMENTS
Report by Head of Transport
Introduction
1. Oxfordshire County Council has long supported the promotion of cycling and walking. The cycling and walking policy statements set out how the County Council will continue to develop these modes of transport within Oxfordshire as part of its approach to delivering the objectives of the second Local Transport Plan (LTP2).
2. The policy statements will be
valid for the remaining 2 years of LTP2 (2009/10 and 2010/11). Longer term
strategies will be developed as part of the work on LTP3. The draft guidance
for LTP3 published in December 2008 sets tackling climate change and
contributing to better health as two of the goals for new plans.
Need for Cycling and Walking Policies
3. Central government’s shared priorities for transport are presented within the objectives of the Local Transport Plans produced by local authorities. The objectives directing the Oxfordshire LTP2 can only be addressed through an integrated, multi-faceted transport strategy. Cycling and walking are important components of this strategy.
4. Within LTP1 separate strategies for both walking and cycling were developed. LTP2 proposed that an Active Travel Strategy (ATS) would be developed to cover the council’s policies on both of these activities. However, resource constraints and the need to consider walking and cycling as distinct modes of transport meant that the ATS was never published. However, cycle and walking schemes have continued to be implemented particularly through the Better Ways to School programme and the Sustainable School Travel Strategy, while the Transform Oxford initiative demonstrates the Council’s commitment to improving the pedestrian environment. In May 2008 the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Report on Cycling to Work recommended the development of a cycling policy statement. This recommendation was supported by Cabinet. Given the ATS commitment, it was considered appropriate to also produce an equivalent walking policy statement.
5. The policy statements set out the benefits that both cycling and walking provide. They summarise the current cycling and walking patterns within Oxfordshire and present the county council’s targets for the remaining LTP2 period. The statements set out the potential barriers to increased levels of cycling and walking and the consequent priorities for action. Finally they present the principal policies that will guide future cycling and walking initiatives.
Cycling Policy Statement: goals, priorities and policies
6. The main goal for cycling as set out within the policy statement is to cap the trend of declining cycling levels and maintain present levels until 2010/2011. The priorities listed within the cycling policy statement address the main obstacles to maintaining cycling levels.
7. Three priorities have been identified with which to address safety barriers to cycling:
· To reduce the volume and speed of traffic on certain roads. · To implement infrastructure enhancement in locations with especially high number of cyclist casualties using accident reports and feedback from cycling groups to identify locations. · To promote mutual awareness and respect between cyclists and other road users including pedestrians.
8. Excess journey time is another obstacle to increased cycling levels and a number of priorities have been identified to address this barrier:
· Create new links within the cycle network (particularly where this improves lightly trafficked ‘quiet routes’). · Use developer finance to fund additional cycle routes and facilities which will cater for any development from the outset.
Walking Policy Statement: goals, priorities and policies
9. The main goal for walking as set out within the policy statement is to ensure that investment in walking schemes is focused on the LTP objectives. The priorities listed within the walking policy statement address the main obstacles to increased levels of walking.
10. A number of priorities have been identified relating to safety barriers to walking:
· Reduce the volume and speed of traffic on certain roads. · Improve footways, paths and crossing facilities. · Improve street lighting, create well designed paths and remove fences to increase the amount of natural surveillance. · Minimise conflict between pedestrians and cyclists. · Pavement installations such as lamp columns and sign posts should be placed as close to the edge of paths and pavements as possible and should be highlighted with retro-reflective material. · Uneven surfaces should be avoided with efficient maintenance.
11. Journey time is another barrier to increased pedestrian levels. Although walking will very often be the slowest mode of transport, a number of priorities have been identified to help encourage more people to make certain journeys on foot.
· Pedestrian routes should take the most direct line possible between origin and destination. · Adequate signing should be aimed at strangers and comprise street name plates, signing and town maps at key locations. · Pedestrian routes should be designed to minimise the number of interruptions at crossings and side roads without compromising safety. · Opportunities should be explored to create alternative (possibly even slightly longer) pedestrian routes that avoid steep gradients.
12. Any pedestrian network development strategies should give consideration to secondary barriers (e.g. street design, quality of surface, traffic noise and fumes and quality of drainage) and where possible address them alongside the main policy implementation.
Conclusion
13. The Walking and Cycling Policy Statements are in line with all of the LTP2 objectives:
· Congestion can be reduced by encouraging walking and cycling as alternatives to travelling by car for certain journeys. · Both walking and cycling provide good alternatives to the car, contributing to the LTP objective of improving accessibility. · Addressing hazards to cyclists and pedestrians will contribute to improved road safety and reduced casualty figures. · Cycling and walking are the only pollution-free modes of travel and therefore contribute most towards better air quality. · Improving cycling and pedestrian routes and facilities can help enhance the street environment.
14. The Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee considered the statements on 19 March 2009. The Committee’s comments are attached at Annex 3 (download as .doc file).
Financial and Staff Implications
15. The LTP2 capital programme has been agreed by Cabinet. These two policy statements apply to the remaining two years of LTP2. The programme policy statements do not require changes to the programme for the remainder of the current LTP period until 2010/11.
RECOMMENDATION
16. Subject to considering the comments of the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee at Annex 3 to this report the Cabinet Member for Transport is RECOMMENDED to approve the Cycling Policy Statement and Walking Policy Statement and the policies contained therein.
STEVE HOWELL Head of Transport Environment and Economy
Background papers: Cycling Policy Statement Walking Policy Statement
Contact Officer: Owen South, Tel 01865 815735
February 2009 |