Economy, Place, Access and Transport Scrutiny Committee

 

24th September 2024

 

Report of the Director of Environment, Transport and Planning

 

Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan: Networks & Prioritisation

Summary

1.        This report presents the draft cycling network and proposed core walking, wheelchair user and wheeling zones that will form part of the Council’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). A sifting and prioritisation process for both elements is also proposed in the report.

2.        Whilst members are asked to approve the sifting process and the network proposals presented, comments on all elements of the report are welcomed to inform the final LCWIP document.  

        Background

3.        LCWIP is the designated government term for the infrastructure plan to be produced. It is a priority that active travel infrastructure is accessible for all so, for York, the LCWIP will cover Walking, Wheelchair Users, Wheeling and Cycling, including cycles used as mobility aids.

4.        An LCWIP is an evidence-based document that;

a.   Outlines strategic walking, wheelchair user, wheeling and cycling networks and priority zones.

b.   Identifies routes and areas that have the greatest potential to support existing journeys and create new trips by active modes of transport.

c.   Considers prioritised areas for proposed improvements. The detail of what these proposed improvements will look like on-street is for a later, design stage of project development.

d.   Presents the priority areas for investment to those who fund active travel projects.

5.        There are other elements to delivering quality active travel infrastructure that the Council is currently working on that sit outside the guidance provided on delivering LCWIPs. Principally these include the barrier removal project to ensure our active travel routes are compliant with the Equality Act 2010, cycle parking and targeted maintenance of the active travel networks.

6.        The LCWIP is designed to identify prioritised aspirational active travel networks and an associated pipeline of future schemes. It is, therefore, not intended to be a fully funded or designed plan, but is to be used as strategic justification to secure money for design and delivery of priority routes from funding bodies.

7.        The LCWIP will comprise a detailed baseline and evidence report, a 20–30-page core document to be used to summarise the evidence and present network maps and a very short page high level summary showing the core networks, walking zones and prioritised routes. The full suite of documents will be presented to Executive in November.         

Consultation
8.        A steering group, which comprised cross-party political representation and external stakeholders, has helped shape the LCWIP. Officers are grateful to the members of the steering group for their contributions to the project. The baseline report has been drafted with input at varying stages from the steering group.

9.        Officers have worked to expand the proposed networks identified by the steering group and consultant partner to ensure that they are as comprehensive as possible. The cycling network is based upon a range of data sources that identify existing trips and predict potential growth opportunities. Site allocations in the Local Plan have also been factored into the networks. Further consultation with the steering group and other key stakeholders will take place prior to approval of the LCWIP by the Executive. 

 

Options      

10.    Rather than present a wide range of options, officers have four key questions for scrutiny members to consider, these are;

 

a.   Is the proposed sifting methodology for walking, wheelchair use and wheeling zone improvements appropriate or should additional factors be considered?

b.   Is the proposed sifting methodology for the cycling network appropriate or should additional factors be considered?

c.   Does the proposed walking, wheelchair use, and wheeling zone structure meet expectations or should zones be amended, added or removed? 

d.   Does the proposed cycling network meet expectations or should routes be amended, added or removed?

 

Analysis

 

Walking, Wheelchair user and Wheeling Zone Sifting Methodology

 

11.    65 core walking, wheelchair user and wheeling zones have been identified across the Council area by mapping key destinations, such as schools, shopping parades and employment sites then creating a catchment zone. The zones are mapped in Annex A. 

 

12.    A sifting methodology has been developed to rank the various walking, wheelchair user and wheeling zones. The methodology focusses around four broad components; local destinations, safety, accessibility and health and inclusion. The proposed set of sifting criteria are shown below.

 

Category

Sifting Criteria

Weighting

Local destinations

(37.5%)

Education

6.25%

Health

6.25%

Employment

6.25%

Leisure

6.25%

Retail

6.25%

Place of Worship

6.25%

Safety

(18.75%)

Pedestrian Killed/Seriously Injured (KSI) Casualties (2019 onwards)

6.25%

Pedestrian KSI density

6.25%

Safe Streets York Feedback

6.25%

 

Priority at crossings

6.25%

Accessibility

(18.75%)

Maintenance of existing crossings

6.25%

Barriers at crossing sites

6.25%

Number of access barriers in zone

6.25%

Health and Inclusion (18.75%)

Air Quality Management Area

6.25%

Health Deprivation

6.25%

Transport Related Social Exclusion

6.25%

 

13.    An even weighting has been applied to each criterion. Destinations, as a group, therefore, have the highest overall weighting. This is to align with the Local Transport Strategy ambition to double active travel journeys by 2030. Different weightings could be applied and the views of members will help inform the final percentage split. For instance, health and education could be weighted higher than retail and place of worship.

 

14.    The full list of ranked zones sifted to this methodology is shown in Annex B. When progressing this list through to delivery, depending on the funding available, there will be the opportunity to create central, suburban and rural (outside the outer ring road) packages. This approach would provide some spatial balance to any roll out of improvements and would mitigate any bias towards the City Centre.

 

Cycling Network Sifting Methodology

 

15.     A similar process has been followed for the cycling network, though it is route based rather than a zonal approach. The LCWIP guidance document is more prescriptive around cycling than walking and identifies five core outcomes for a good cycling network, these are; coherent, direct, safe, comfortable and attractive. The proposed criteria and weightings to meet these outcomes are;

 

Category

Sifting Criteria

Weighting

Safe

Cycle KSIs/km

12.5%

Safe

Cycle Slight Casualties

12.5%

Coherent, safe, comfortable, attractive

Safe Streets York feedback

 

 

12.5%

Coherent, safe, comfortable, attractive

York Cycle Campaign “Rate your route” rating

 

12.5%

Safe, comfortable

LTS Consultation Map Responses - Busiest part of link

12.5%

Safe, attractive

Health Deprivation / Air Quality

12.5%

Direct, coherent

Transport-Related Social Exclusion

12.5%

Direct, coherent

Potential to replace short car journeys

12.5%

 

 

16.    The prioritised list of routes produced from this process is detailed in Annex C and the overall cycle network plan included in Annex D.

 

 

Council Plan

 

17.    Securing improved active travel infrastructure cuts across all four Council Plan commitments;

 

a.   Equalities and Human Rights. Providing accessible infrastructure enables everyone to walk, use wheelchairs, wheel or cycle from where they live to where they want to get to.

b.   Affordability. Making active travel a genuine option for more trips helps reduce the need for more expensive methods of transport.

c.   Climate. Quality active travel infrastructure helps reduce emissions by enabling more journeys to be undertaken by cleaner methods of transport.

d.   Health. Travelling actively helps reduce obesity and improves cardiovascular health. 

 

        Implications

18.   There are no implications at this stage of the work. Full implications will be provided when the final reports are submitted to Executive.

·           Financial There are no implications.

·           Human Resources (HR) There are no implications.

·           Equalities There are no implications.    

·           Legal There are no implications.

·           Crime and Disorder There are no implications.

·           Information Technology (IT) There are no implications.

·           Property There are no implications.

·           Other n/a

 

Risk Management

 

19.    There are no known risks at this stage.

 

        Recommendations

20.    Members are asked to approve;

1)   The zone structure for walking, wheelchair users and wheeling and the accompanying sifting criteria.

Reason: To enable completion of the York LCWIP.

2)   The proposed cycle network and the accompanying sifting criteria.

Reason: To enable completion of the York LCWIP.

 

Contact Details

 

Author:

 

Chief Officer Responsible for the report:

 

Tom Horner

Head of Active and Sustainable Transport

Highways and Transportation

Tom.horner@york.gov.uk

 

 

James Gilchrist

Director of Environment, Transport and Planning

 

 

Report Approved

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Date

16th September 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Specialist Implications Officer(s)  N/a

 

 

Wards Affected:  List wards or tick box to indicate all

All

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For further information please contact the author of the report

 

 

Background Papers:

 

Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans. Technical Guidance for Local Authorities.

 

Annexes

 

ANNEX A: Core walking, wheelchair user and wheeling zone plan

ANNEX B: Sifted list of core walking, wheelchair user and wheeling zones

ANNEX C: Sifted list of cycle routes

ANNEX D: Cycle network plan

 

Abbreviations

 

LCWIP = Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan

KSI = Killed or Serious Injured