WANTAGE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN. Cycling Working Group

Transcription

1 WANTAGE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN Cycling Working Group Output Document December 2014 Page 1 of 18

2 SUMMARY What Do We Have?...see Page 3 Wantage's transport infrastructure is under pressure. Main routes are congested, parking can be difficult to find, and busy traffic makes the centre a noisy and polluted place. This will only get worse as the town grows, and neighbouring areas grow. The compact size of Wantage means that most journeys are under a mile, ideally suited for cycling. But the lack of safe-feeling, convenient cycling routes discourages people from cycling and keeps them dependent on their cars. What Does Wantage Need?...see Page 8 Our Vision for a People-Friendly Town A major shift towards cycling and walking, away from motorised modes of transport. o This would reduce congestion and pollution for all road users. o It would make the centre of town a quieter, cleaner and more pleasant place for people to enjoy. o It would make people healthier and happier. o It will also reduce road accidents, save people money and improve social inclusion. This shift needs a safe, convenient and enjoyable network of cycling routes. These need to be high quality continental standard routes, not poorly designed afterthoughts. It also needs a programme to encourage people to start or to re-start cycling where they don t currently have the habit. How Do We Get There?...see Page 15 This isn t a quick fix, but experience in Europe and elsewhere in Britain (e.g. Bristol, Cambridge) shows that it is quite possible to achieve given a stable vision and commitment to achieve it. This isn t a cheap fix, but by having a clear vision, improvements can be made step-by-step as roads are maintained, or as funding becomes available. National Government and Oxfordshire County Council recognise the need and the benefits too. They are developing a Cycling Delivery Plan and a Cycling Strategy respectively that will encourage, support and enable funding for investments to achieve the mode shift to cleaner, quieter and less damaging forms of transport. This Cycling Plan for Wantage, as part of the Neighbourhood Plan, describes what is needed and attempts to set out how it can be achieved. Page 2 of 18

3 WHAT DO WE HAVE? Attributes of Town Good base for cycling - both for everyday cycling and for leisure. For everyday cycling - many shops, schools and workplaces in a radius of a few miles ideal for cycling. For leisure, good network of small roads spreading in most directions. For both of these, it is often the first and last mile through Wantage that is the least pleasant, and most dangerous. Wonderful countryside for cycling on doorstep, with well-connected network of minor roads between villages in Vale, generally safe for cycling at all levels. Access to good tracks for offroad cycling on Downs including Ridgeway. State of Repair of Roads & Cycleways Seriously poor state-of-repair (potholes, etc). Dangerous for cyclists, if forced to swerve or even thrown-off. Usually left un-repaired for periods up to several years. Worst example possibly Ickleton Rd / Ham Rd junction. Also poor Charlton Rd, Portway, Market Square. Many other examples. Signposted cycle route to Harwell Campus (Route 544) also seriously sub-standard. Journeys Around Wantage Size of Wantage means that most journeys are of half to one mile - ideal for cycling. Inadequate, compromised, disconnected cycle-provision means vast majority of journeys made by car. Lack of provision for safe cycling on (or alternatives to) main radial routes in Wantage (Grove Road excepted). Example: Denchworth Rd cycle path compromised by incessant side-road crossings with lack of priority for cyclists and route petering out at southern end. Example: The otherwise reasonable Grove Rd cycle-path compromised at southern-end where cyclists forced to join busy roads at Harcourt Rd traffic lights. In & Around Town Centre Almost complete absence of safe, convenient cycle-routes in and around town centre. Very narrow roads and pinch-points entering Market Square especially hazardous to inexperienced cyclists (& pedestrians). Mill St & Wallingford St hazardous. Poor enforcement of parking restrictions hazardous for cyclists. Insufficient cycle parking in town centre. To/From Schools etc Acute absence of safe, motor-free routes for children cycling to schools. There is also a lack of safe routes to leisure centre, health centre, etc Page 3 of 18

4 Lack of maintenance of cycle routes to/from schools sends message to children that cycling is a low priority. Surrounding Area Routes from Wantage to main commuter destinations (Harwell Campus, Milton Park, Didcot, etc) are inadequate (to east) or non-existent (to north & west). Existing Sustrans Route 544 (to Harwell Campus) is seriously sub-standard for commuting. Virtually un-rideable in winter, and after heavy rain. Present condition of these routes off-putting to potential new commuters. Often leaves main roads (eg A417, A338) as only option for experienced cyclists. Lack of safe, direct and fit-for-purpose cycle routes from local villages into Wantage, eg Hendreds, Ardington, and East Challow. Participation Reasonable and growing base level of participation in everyday cycling (to schools, shops, work, doctor, etc), and in leisure cycling despite poor infrastructure. No Wantage figures are available, but the Oxfordshire Cycling Network estimates that people in the Vale of White Horse make 2.2% of trips by cycle - compared with 3.1% for Oxfordshire, and 1.56% nationally. (Within Oxfordshire, only Cherwell is lower (1.9%). South Oxfordshire achieves 2.7% and West Oxfordshire 2.8%.) Shop Wantage currently has one local bicycle shop. Organisations Local campaigning cycling organisations: CTC, HarBUG, MiltonParkBUG and Oxon Cycle Network (OCN). Map of Existing Cycle Routes Map below indicates extent of existing cycle routes. Large-scale version available. Page 4 of 18

5 Challow Dec 2014 Grove Main roads generally hazardous for cycling Higher-hazard roads (junctions, etc) most hazardous for inexperienced cyclists. Most other roads (not highlighted) generally more suitable for all cyclists Existing specific cycling infrastructure generally FIT for purpose Existing cycling infrastructure generally NOT fit for purpose Crab Hill Belmont Charlton TOWN CENTRE to Harwell Campus Milton Park Wantage Existing Cycling Routes Page 5 of 18

6 Cycling along Newbury Street... Page 6 of 18

7 Cycling to School along Grove Rd... Potholes at Camel junction... Page 7 of 18

8 WHAT DOES WANTAGE NEED? Why? It s a win-win... Increased cycle use would be a key counterbalance to increasing traffic congestion in the town. Each journey made by bicycle means one less car on the road (or parked in town centre). Yet currently many people do not feel cycling is a safe, convenient journey option. Moderating car-use has well-understood benefits for the environment. Increased cycle-use has well-understood benefits for general health and well-being. (And saves money.) Properly-designed, segregated cycle routes increase safety for pedestrians too. Motor vehicles are a far greater danger for pedestrians than cyclists are. What? Increasing cycle-use and moderating car-use ( modal-shift ) will only happen if good-quality, joined-up cycle routes are developed, and conflict with vehicular traffic, and pedestrians, is reduced. People must feel cycling is a safe, convenient, and above-all normal option. There are excellent guidelines available this link (from CycleNation) is particularly recommended: Maintenance Timely repair of road and path defects. Provision of Cycle Infrastructure Implementation of well-designed, joined-up cycle routes for all, along main demand corridors. Routes must join-up key destinations: o town centre o schools o main employment centres o close-by villages o leisure facilities o health centre In & Around Town Centre Re-claiming the Market Place for pedestrians, cyclists, and the disabled, would be the best outcome for the town. It would create a congenial open, community space. This would act as the hub for a more people-friendly town. Page 8 of 18

9 A second-best approach is that the Market Square layout and approaches prioritise pedestrians & cyclists. Vehicular traffic does not have to be excluded completely, but ways must be found to remove through-traffic. Enforcement of double-yellow lines would aid traffic flow and significantly reduce potential cycling hazards. Provide adequate, secure, and well-sited cycle-parking. There is well-researched evidence that pedestrianised town-centres generate increased business see link: rts/ls-summary-report-web-v2-single.pdf To/From Schools Develop safe, high-quality off-road cycle-routes to/from schools. Effective school cycling infrastructure will help foster culture of cycling (and walking) as normal ways of getting around. Not only good for congestion and the environment, but builds positive habits, health and self-reliance in our children. Provision of Related Road and Parking Infrastructure Need to provide realistic levels of off-road car parking that avoids congesting the road space. Provision of Eastern & Western Link Roads around north of Wantage essential for reducing motor traffic through town centre. (Eastern Link Road needs a well-designed, segregated (not pedestrian-shared) cycle route.) New Developments Ensure permeability of new developments to cyclists as well as pedestrians. This means designing to allow direct cycle routes both within, and to/from development. For example no-through cul-de-sacs for motor traffic can provide good through-routes for cycling. Routes alongside roads must be segregated, not shared-use paths that give-way to every side-road. House design to include storage facilities for bikes. Maps of Proposed Cycle Routes Maps below indicate: o Cycling Demand Corridors o Proposed cycle routes for Wantage o Proposed cycle routes in town centre Large-scale versions available. Also appended below are meeting notes from which maps were generated Page 9 of 18

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12 Camel Area in BLUE indicates approximate extent of Town Centre Commercial Area Measures must be taken to reduce through-traffic from this area. There should be a presumption that pedestrians and cyclists have priority in this area. Letcombe Brook Locks La Ickleton Rd Mill St Priory Rd C Belmont C KA School Mill St Leisure Centre C P P Church St P Beacon Portway Smiths Wharf Sainsburys Market Place P J C Grove St P Newbury St Manor Rd C Grove Rd C P C Wallingford St Chain Hill Garston La C J P Cycle-friendly road crossing (eg Toucan) Road junction requiring specific measures for cycling (eg advanced stop lines at traffic lights) Secure cycle parking Seesen Way Charlton aspirational route Ormond Rd Ormond Rd C Main roads J Proposed main cycle routes Possible / alternative route options Rd Ickleton La Road along which through-traffic must be reduced Proposed routes along main roads - require specific properly-designed cycle-lanes (shared-use footways are NOT appropriate) Possible / alternative routes along main roads Dec 2014 Wantage Town Centre Proposed Cycle Routes Page 12 of 18

13 Meeting notes from which maps were generated Pinch-points entry to Market Place. Awkward for cycling. Cycle-parking Waitrose, Sainsburys (often full), Beacon. Need at west-end of Market Place. Changes to Market Place. Effect on cycling parking including factoring-in cycle access. Garston lane good quiet route. Crossing into Grove St. Grove cyclists route. Grove cyclists access. Upgrade Crab Hill bridleway (tarmac) to give perfect cycle route from Grove to E Wantage / Charlton. Crab Hill cyclist access. West East Bypass Route northern Ring Road. Safety en route lights markings. Places to connect: o Charlton School o New Primary School (KA East) o Wantage C of E o Leisure Centre o KA Centre Site o Market Place o Sainsburys o Health Centre o West Site KA Wantage residents to Health Centre. Bike parking and security in centre. Key destinations Sainsburys, Market Place, Schools Bypass to North to complete Ring Road Change towpath status to Bridleway, from E Challow, to plane-on-stick- roundabout. Create priority cycle-path for KA schoolchildren through to Naldertown and into Betjeman Park. Bike parking in the vicinity of the Market Place. Aspiration semi-pedestrianised Market Place with no through-traffic. Crab Hill cut-through to east. Cycle paths shouldn t give way to side roads. Crab Hill radial routes into town. Decent shared-use cycle-path along Charlton Road. Proper cycle-lane on Charlton Road. Cycle route down Grove Road give priority to cyclists. Key question what is best way to cycle from Grove to Wantage? (i) Grove Rd? (ii) Denchworth Rd? (iii) Paths via brook / canal? Reinstate towpath along canal from Challow to Crab Hill. Letcombe Brook route, away from road, all the way from Grove through Wantage. Western Link Road. Denchworth Road change rights of way to side roads on bike track. Denchworth Road improve transition back onto road from bike track (lights?) Belmont Path possibilities? Through route along Letcombe Brook. Join up route from Health Centre to Limborough Rd. From Grove direction, need to improve transition (right turn) to Grove St. Page 13 of 18

14 Link Denchworth Road to Smiths Wharf (via Belmont?). Mill St unpleasant for cycling. Ickleton / Ham Rd junction awful. Find a route from town centre to KA west use Lock s Lane? Shared use path from The Mill to the church? Make Priory Road two-way for cyclists. Smiths Wharf path stops! Access to park form Chain Hill. Sort out existing route from Grove Road to KA East. Route to KA school along Icknield Lane. Cycle route on Grove Road between Harcourt Lane and Town Centre (via Grove St?) Improve transition to Road at Grove Rd Harcourt Rd junction. Links to existing routes. Develop high-quality cycle routes to main commuter destinations (Harwell Campus, Milton Park, Didcot, Abingdon, etc). These need to be linked into cycle routes within town, and through to Grove (via Crab Hill). Improve connections to villages and routes. Motor-free or segregated routes to link with Cycle paths at Lark Hill, East Challow, Grove (connecting with paths and quiet roads there) and the small roads near Letcombe Regis. Letcombe Brook nice off-road route between Grove & Wantage. Exploit/develop route over Stockham Park to Grove Airfield Industrial Estate. Better signage for all cycle routes. Route to Grove Station if required / from East Hanney. Road surfaces to be made good/safe. Need cycle-friendly route from Stanford to Wantage. Leisure routes up to AONB Downs eg Lark Hill to Ridgeway. Cycleways on Northern bypass. Route all way to Didcot. Decent cycle route to Abingdon. Canal route? Path from Grove to Wantage via Crab Hill to be retained. Link Westcot to Kingston Lisle. Develop routes to Challow / Childrey improve track. Western route to Grove. Make good path along canal from Grove to Challow or old Airfield roads. Shared-use path from Leisure Centre to Letcombe Regis. Sort out Portway. Cycleway along A417. Cycle route along Charlton Road. Ensure decent provision to / around Crab Hill. The back route from Portway to Letcombe Regis. Make cycleable path on N side of railway Steventon to Milton. Widen path from W to E Hendred. Make bridleway. Proper routes to Harwell Campus and Milton Park. Route to Milton Park alongside railway? A417 route vs village route? Both? Route 544 the bad bit near Harwell Campus. Too hilly implement the Icknield Way route. New NE Link Road will cut through existing Grove Wantage cycle-path needs proper crossing. Integrate southern-end Grove-Wantage path with Harcourt Rd traffic lights. Page 14 of 18

15 HOW DO WE GET THERE? The Vision A cleaner, quieter, healthier future is possible, but it is a long-term, large-scale shift. Such shifts require a clear vision not necessarily covering all the details, but providing a guiding light so that small and large changes are made in the right direction and add to a major change over time. A robust commitment to, and sound justification of, such development is essential to counter the can t-do mindset. At best, Wantage could become a leading example of what can be achieved, and of which its population can be proud. This link gives an idea of what can be achieved, even when not starting from scratch: The Vision Can Be Realised Through:- Planning Robust Neighbourhood & Local Plans, together with County and Vale Cycling Strategies (all in preparation) should provide development framework. Including cycling within every level of Transport planning and strategy. It cannot be dealt with as a separate bolt-on extra. All future developments in and around Wantage required to properly integrate cycling as a normal transport mode. Ensuring the planning authority is competent, and resourced, to assess cycling aspects. Planners effectively engaging with cyclists and, in particular, cycling groups, in developing and executing the neighbourhood plan. Cycling Design Step-change required in design quality. Poorly designed infrastructure can actually have an adverse effect on cycling. In Oxfordshire, there are several examples of poor infrastructure design, and not many examples of good design. Plan to explicitly require those undertaking cycle infrastructure design to be competent. All cycle infrastructure design to conform to Government guidelines and European bestpractice. Science Vale Local Enterprise Partnership already calls for continental-standard cycle infrastructure. The County Council s Cycling Vision and national Government s Cycling Delivery Plan will provide support and funding for such improvements. Page 15 of 18

16 Link to Department of Transport Guidelines for Cycle Infrastructure Design. In particular, Local Transport Note 2/08: data/file/3808/ltn-2-08.pdf Note particularly the DfT s Hierarchy of Provision which requires designers to prioritise points-of-conflict (eg junctions) over popular, tick-box provision eg shared-use paths. New Developments Housing design to include cycling aspects, eg parking, and follow guidelines such as DfT design guide. Require layout of new development to be connected to the town s cycling network and to incentivise cycling (eg journey times) both within development and to/from town centre, workplaces, schools, etc. All new developments required to consider impact/provision of cycling to town centre, schools, etc. Desirable policy that when land is available for sale or development, the planning authority can exercise a priority right to secure previously identified strips of land for new cycle routes. Maintenance Rapid and workmanlike response to repairing potholes, etc. Use a cyclists eye to identify and fix potholes, drain covers, etc. Systematic planned programme and rapid response to repairing potholes bearing in mind the needs of cyclists as well as motorists. Implementation of planned preventative maintenance. A programme of surfacing works is more cost-effective than reactive emergency repairs. Promotion Wantage to make more of its location on edge of North Wessex Downs AONB as a centre for outdoor leisure activities including cycling, walking and horse riding. With a bit of entrepreneur-ship (noting the Betjeman Festival), Wantage could promote these activities through cycling and walking festivals taking for example the Abingdon Spring Cycling Festival, which in only a few years has become a major event in their town attracting 100s of cyclists. Advertise cycling routes, for example by publishing a cycle-map similar to ones available elsewhere, and designating signposted routes. Wantage should be able to capitalise on being a model town demonstrating sustainable growth and transport infrastructure to benefit car and cycle users and pedestrians. Funding Councils to allocate budgets for maintaining existing routes as part of revenue expenditure. Page 16 of 18

17 S106/CIL provision mandatory in all new development for funding cycling (and walking) infrastructure. S106/CIL must include provision to fund infrastructure beyond the boundary of new development, so it is properly connected to key destinations such as town centre, schools, leisure facilities and employment. All other available sources of funding to be actively exploited, eg funding via Local Enterprise Partnership, Science Vale projects/schemes, etc Page 17 of 18

18 EXTERNAL LINKS Cyclenation: Making Space for Cycling - A Guide for New Developments and Street Renewals, 2 nd edition, 2014: Living Streets: The Pedestrian Pound - The Business Case for Better Streets and Places, Summary Report, 2013: rts/ls-summary-report-web-v2-single.pdf Assen Verandert an example of what can be achieved, even when not starting from scratch: HM Government, Department for Transport: Local Transport Notes. In particular LTN 2/08: Cycle Infrastructure Design, 2008: data/file/3808/ltn-2-08.pdf Page 18 of 18