Luton Rights of Way Improvement Plan: Luton's
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LUTON RIGHTS OF WAY IMPROVEMENT PLAN: LUTON’S GREAT OUTDOORS JULY 2008 In conjunction with Luton is a thriving multi-ethnic town. It is surrounded on three sides Contents by the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, accessed from the fringe of the town by a number of public footpaths and Introduction 1 bridleways. There are a number of excellent parks and green spaces within the town, connected by a network of other paths and How have we produced this plan 2 cycleways. However, the town has a number of deprived areas, and a recent Policy background 4 study has indicated that it has the lowest rates of life expectancy in the East of England. What are the Council’s legal duties? 6 The public rights of way network, together with other paths and Use of Luton’s rights of way 8 cycleways in the town, therefore forms an important resource for leisure and informal sports, as well as travel to meet our everyday How to encourage more use of Luton’s rights of way 11 needs. Information on the use of the network, on which this Plan is based, was obtained from extensive research of adults and young Action plan and priorities 12 people carried out in Spring 2007. This has highlighted five key themes of Luton’s Rights of Way Theme 1: A better signed, maintained and accessible network for 13 Improvement Plan. The most important themes to encourage the whole community greater use of the network are the need for a better signed, Theme 2: Improved promotion of rights of way 16 maintained and accessible network, and improved safety and security. Theme 3: Improving health and well-being 18 This Plan includes a number of actions, building upon recent improvements to the network of paths and cycleways in and Theme 4: Improving safety and security 19 around the town, together with various initiatives to encourage greater use of them. This should lead to healthier, more cohesive Theme 5: Updating the Definitive Map, and enhanced manage- 22 local communities in the town. ment of green space and rights of way Get out and enjoy, Luton’s great outdoors! Appendices Appendix A: References 25 Hazel Simmons Appendix B: Glossary 27 Leader of the Council Rights of Way Improvement Plan: 1 Luton’s Great Outdoors Introduction some of the finest scenery in southeast In areas defined as ‘open access’ land, England and is served by many footpaths people have a right to undertake recreational Walking and other pursuits in the countryside and bridleways. Some of these are linked activities on foot. The town is well served by are good for our health as they give the together to provide longer distance trails such areas of varying levels of accessibility, chance for physical exercise as gentle or such as the Icknield Way and Chilterns both on the edge of and in the built up area. strenuous as each of us wishes to make it. Way. To the southeast the Upper Lea Using local rights of way give the opportunity Valley has attractive riverside walks, that The local network of pavements and for socialising with family or friends and extend into the town. The National Cycle cycleways, together with other paths in the helps people to appreciate the scenery, Network (NCN) route 6 largely follows the town, also encourages people to use wildlife, plant life and history of an area. Also course of the river Lea through Luton. healthier and more sustainable modes of access to green space and nature has a getting to work, to school, and to shops and Public Rights of Way are paths with public positive effect on mental health and is other community facilities. These are access that include: important for general well-being (Bird, 2007). important local routes which complement the formal public rights of way network. • Footpaths for pedestrians only (and Introduction The Government requires local highway mobility buggies); authorities to prepare a Rights of Way This Plan, therefore, goes beyond the • Bridleways for pedestrians, cyclists Improvement Plan (RoWIP), which should requirements of a RoWIP, in that it also and horse riders; cover: covers access improvements to Luton’s • Byways open to all traffic (BOATs);and parks and open spaces as well as rights of • the extent to which rights of way in • Roads used as public paths (RUPPs). way, an approach now recognised by the Luton meet the present and likely future Government as good practice. needs of the public; They can be paths on their own, or may • the opportunities rights of way provide pass through an area of public open for exercise and other forms of open air space, but they do not generally refer to recreation and for enjoying Luton and pavements along the edge of roads or to its surrounding area; and cycleways. • how accessible rights of way in Luton are to blind or partially sighted people There are a number of parks, playing fields and others with mobility problems. and other green spaces that are an important resource for the enjoyment of Rights of way are vital for gaining access to people who live in the town. Some of these the countryside around Luton, which is one attract visitors from further afield, such as of the town’s prime assets. To the north, east the Museum at Wardown Park, and the and south of the town, the Chilterns Area of Discovery Centre/Mossman Collection at Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) has Stockwood Park. NCN Route 6 in the Upper Lea Valley Rights of Way Improvement Plan: 2 Luton’s Great Outdoors How have we produced this Plan This Plan draws on extensive information Information from the above questionnaires collected to assess the adequacy of the was supplemented by other research, in par- The Government’s requirements for produc- existing rights of way network in Luton. It ticular responses to : ing a RoWIP (Defra, 2002) include a number includes information from surveys about the of stages as set out in the diagram opposite. condition of the paths, as well as the needs • the Council’s Best Value Survey (Luton In developing this RoWIP we have taken of people who currently use the network Borough Council, 2006c), which asked account of ‘best practice, as set out in the and others who may be future or potential questions about frequency of use and Institute of Public Rights of Way (IPROW) users. satisfaction with parks and open website. This Plan has been produced by the spaces; and Council and consultants Catherine Bickmore To investigate the current use of rights of • a survey of non users of the country- Associates, assisted by the following groups way in Luton, a questionnaire was distrib- side around Luton & Dunstable, under- with an interest in its key themes: uted to the 952 residents on the Citizens’ taken at various community centres in Panel and 40% replied. The findings are the area (North Chilterns Trust, 2006) presented in chapters 5 and 6 as represen- Active Luton tative of adults in Luton, because respon- Other secondary research was drawn from dents were mainly over 25 years of age. sources such as the Bedfordshire Outdoor Bedfordshire County Council Most socio-economic characteristics of this Access Improvement Plan (Bedfordshire sample were reasonably representative of County Council, 2006) and related studies, Bedfordshire Rural Communities Council the overall adult population; however peo- the Luton-Dunstable Local Transport Plan ple from black and minority ethnic (BME) (Luton Borough Council et al, 2006) and re- Chiltern Harness Driving Club groups were under-represented. lated strategies, together with the Luton Community Observatory website. Hertfordshire County Council To reach young people, a further question- Luton & South Beds Groundwork Trust naire was distributed to the 1300 people on The key themes of the Plan that emerged Luton’s Young People’s panel. Of those from the information collected during the as- Luton Action Against Poverty distributed, 203 (16%) were returned, sessment, and the specific action points to How have we produced this plan mainly from respondents under 20 years of deal with any issues raised, were used to Luton Disability Advisory and Access Forum age, and 48% were from BME groups. The develop the draft action plan. results from this survey are used in chap- Luton Primary Care Trust ters 5 and 6 when referring to young peo- Public consultation on the draft action plan ple. was carried out between October 2007 and Luton Senior Peoples Forum January 2008. The comments received dur- Sustrans and local cycle groups Questionnaires were also sent to members ing the consultation have been reviewed, of the interest groups listed opposite. and used to inform the development of this Voluntary Action Luton final Plan. Rights of Way Improvement Plan: 3 Luton’s Great Outdoors Process for production of Luton’s Rights of Way Improvement Plan October 2006 – April 2007 Development of the Assessment through a) An analysis of the extent and condition of the network and the current state of the Definitive Map. b) An assessment of the links to relevant strategies such as planning, health, transport and the Council’s Corporate and Community Plans. c) Regular reference to the Bedfordshire and Luton Joint Local Access Forum (JLAF). d) Widespread consultation to gain a better understanding of the use of the network and the main issues of concern. How haveweproducedthisplan e) Issues identified through analysis and consultations were used to identify the key themes of the Plan and develop a statement of action for each theme. Ð April 2007—May 2007 Consultation period for the Assessment Extensive consultation was undertaken including workshops with a large number of stakeholders.