Making Leighton Buzzard and Linslade a Cycle-Friendly Town
A Cycling Strategy for Leighton Buzzard and Linslade
Recommended to the Local Authorities by Leighton Buzzcycles - the Leighton Linslade Cycling Forum Edition 1 February 2007 Revised and updated February 2010
A Cycling Strategy for Leighton Buzzard and Linslade
Recommended to the Local Authorities by the Leighton Linslade Cycling Forum Edition 1 February 2007 Revised and updated February 2010
Introduction
This Cycling Strategy is made up of two sections:
Section A outlines a framework of general policies and objectives regarding cycling
Section B gives specific, and in some cases detailed, recommended action points to achieve the aim and objectives of the strategy. There is a map to accompany this section.
A Summary of the Leighton Linslade Cycling Strategy
Leighton Buzzard and Linslade are a good size for encouraging cycling but there are some fundamental issues that would need to be addressed to really make a difference; many of the roads were never designed for the amount of traffic we now have.
As the town‟s population continues to grow the negative economic and environmental impacts of traffic congestion will continue to grow unless we are prepared to be radical and implement measures that will significantly increase cycling and make it a genuinely realistic alternative to the car for most people.
There are many measures that can be put in place to encourage more cycling and it must not be assumed that these have to be major infrastructure projects; the minor improvements and „soft‟ measures can be just as important.
In many situations reducing traffic volume and speed could make a huge difference to encouraging cycling as could building the confidence of potential cyclists through training and travel planning.
A cycle network needs to include both comprehensive traffic-free cycle paths routes as well as roads designed with the cyclist in mind.
Invisible infrastructure will play a key role in making roads and facilities more cycle-friendly especially where they also reduce traffic speeds and volumes.
If we are to have a long term vision to increase cycling in the town we need to have long term guarantees of support from decision makers and funders within local government.
1 A Cycling Strategy for Leighton Buzzard and Linslade
Contents
Preface: Progress So Far – April 2010 – The first 3 years p3
Section A. A Policy Framework for Cycling
1. Why have a Cycling Strategy p4
2. The Aims and Objectives of the Strategy p6
3. Leighton Linslade and Cycling – the current situation and future potential p7
4. Existing Cycling Policy & Best Practice p10
5. How to encourage more cycling p15
6. Consultation and Surveys p18
7. Implementation of the Strategy p18
Section B. Recommended Actions to Achieve the Objectives p22
2 Preface - Progress So Far - April 2010 - The first 3 years
In the first three years of the Leighton Buzzard and Linslade Cycling Strategy huge progress has been made in making the town more cycle-friendly. Not least of our successes has been achieving Cycling Town status which has spurred on much of the work, in particular the „soft measures‟ (promotion and training etc.) which may not otherwise have happened without the extra funding from Cycling England. This funding and the Cycling Town project has also helped to fast-track some of the infrastructure improvements and other „hard measures‟ as well.
Summary of Acheivements
Nearly 50% of the original 108 Recommendations are either completed, in progress or have been agreed.
Highlights include:
Improvements to the Black Bridge route including a link down to the tow path 20mph speed limits, improved road and junction layouts and traffic calming measures on West Street/Leighton Road, Wing Road and South Street Shared use paths established: o Between Lake Street and South Street behind Morrisons o On the Planets estate, between Marley Fields and Meadow Way, o Between Parsons Close and Grovebury Road o Across Linslade Recreation ground to the railway station o Across the Ouzel Meadows o On Riverside Walk o In Linslade Wood between Knaves Hill and Stoke Road o Along Wing Road (rural) out to the bypass Short cuts or cycle links created: o Across the Leighton Buzzard Railway between Jerrard Close and Weston Avenue o Between Richmond Road and Stanbridge Road o Between North Street and Hockliffe Road/Lake Street o Contra-flow on Hockliffe Road Signage of cycle routes and paths A cycling map (now a Sustainable Transport map) Cycle training (Bikeability) opportunities created for all ages including in all schools as well as off-road and other cycle sports coaching Improved and new cycle parking at all schools, at the railway station and at community facilities and shops across town BMX and MTB dirt jumps and pump tracks created for youngsters at various locations
3 Section A. A Policy Framework for Cycling
1 Why have a Cycling Strategy?
To demonstrate a long term commitment to cycling
To outline an agreed approach to cycling
To provide a policy framework for decision making affecting cycling
To provide a framework for influencing future development in the town
1.1 Leighton Linslade Town Council is currently reviewing and updating its Town Plan (the Big Plan) which will influence the development of the town over the next 25 years. The first edition of the Cycling Strategy fed into the first edition of the Big Plan and so it is appropriate that the Cycling Strategy is also now revised and updated. The government‟s growth agenda for the south east is going to have a major impact on the town with an expected doubling of the population over the next 15 years. The majority of the new housing will be located to the south and east of the town. In order for the town to sustain this increase in population some radical decisions will need to be taken regarding transport.
1.2 The newly formed Central Bedfordshire Council is also due to write its own Cycling Strategy in the near future as well as its Local Transport Plan 3, so again a Leighton Linslade Cycling Strategy can be expected to feed in to these documents.
1.3 Initiatives that encourage walking, cycling and bus use will be key to ensuring the sustainability of the new developments and limiting the impact of an increased population on the traffic levels in the town. However this will only happen if we start to plan and develop a comprehensive and high quality cycling infrastructure now and start to seriously promote cycling in all sectors of the community through „soft‟ measures such as travel planning and cycle training.
1.4 Cycling has many benefits not only to the individual but to the whole community and should therefore be encouraged. The following is an extract from the Bedfordshire County Council Cycling Strategy, Cycle Stand:
Benefits of Cycling
In November 2004 the Department for Health published the White Paper ‘Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier’. The document focuses on ‘health as a way of life’ and the promotion of sustainable forms of transport such as cycling is a part of the overall aim of the White Paper.
4 Cycling is:
Environmentally friendly - cycling causes very little pollution and helps to reduce traffic congestion.
Low cost - there are low maintenance costs, no running costs or fares to pay. The need for car parking is also reduced.
Healthy - the British Medical Association (BMA) recommends cycling as one of the most effective methods to improve general health and fitness.
Sociable - it allows people to share an interest in health and recreation.
Saving time – taking exercise whilst getting to a destination quicker.
Parking – you can park your bicycle at almost any location.
1.5 It is hoped that this Cycling Strategy will continue to form part of the Big Plan and also that it be adopted by Central Bedfordshire Council. It should continue also to form the basis of a programme of work by Bedfordshire Highways and also act as a guide to town planners and developers.
5 2 The Aims and Objectives of the Strategy
2.1 The Aim of this Cycling Strategy is:
To make Leighton Buzzard and Linslade a Cycle-Friendly Town
2.2 The objectives for achieving this aim are:
Hard Measures:
Cycle-Friendly Roads: A road network that encourages cycling as a mode of transport
Cycle Path Network: A comprehensive and well maintained cycle path network
Cycle Parking: A suitable place to park your bike at both ends of every journey
Soft Measures:
Training: Bikeability and Basic Bike Maintenance training available and promoted to all
Information: Cycling information, advice and support available and promoted to all
Complementary Measures:
A public transport service which integrates with cycling
Regular and on-going consultation of cyclists and monitoring of cycling
Sustainable Travel Planning for schools, businesses and local residents
A variety of quality local and accessible sport & leisure cycling facilities and opportunities
Town planning that reduces the distances people have to travel for local amenities
2.3 Achieving this ambition will mean a significantly higher proportion of journeys being made by bike rather than by car resulting in:
Reduced traffic and congestion
A healthier and happier population
A cleaner environment
Improved access links throughout the town
6 3 Leighton Linslade and Cycling – the current situation and future potential
3.1 Leighton Linslade – A Cycling Town.
In 2008, Leighton Buzzard and Linslade with Heath and Reach was nominated a Cycling Town by Cycling England and awarded 3 years of funding to support projects to increase cycling in the town. Since then huge amounts of work has been done to promote cycling (under the GoCycle Leighton Linslade project), particularly among schools, local employers and communters to the station. Infrastructure improvements have also been implemented, some of which have been very forward thinking and „experimental‟ in order to fast track the development of the cycle network.
3.2 Good and bad aspects of Leighton Buzzard and Linslade for cyclists
Leighton Linslade is an ideal size for getting around by bike. Residents from most areas could reach the town centre within 15 minutes on a bike. However, there are three intrinsic problems that Leighton‟s cyclists have to face:
1. The most direct routes to key destinations („the spokes‟), such as the town centre and the station, are busy main roads
2. The town is divided by 3 north-south running features; the River Ouzel, the Grand Union Canal and the West Coast Mainline railway with a limited number of crossing points
3. The town is now more or less surrounded by major trunk roads (the A5, A505 and A4146) so „escape‟ to surrounding villages and countryside is challenging
Another key fact to bear in mind is that the majority of the existing population and planned population growth is on the east and south of the town whilst the station, a key destination, is in Linslade, on the west, with the River and Canal between.
3.3 The current cycle path network
In the last 3 years since the first edition of this Cycling Strategy there has been large amounts of investment in the cycle network and cycling infrastructure in the town. In particular, some major strategic links have been created and improved for cyclists – most notably the Black Bridge path and link to the town path, the Danesfield path and the Lake St to South St (Morrisons) Link. These, along with other more minor improvements have created an almost entirely traffic-free or low-traffic route for cyclists from the east of the town to the town centre and the station.
The Riverside Walk and Ouzel Meadows paths have dramatically improved links from the north of the town. There is also the excellent Sustrans National Cycle Route 6 which comes
7 directly into the town along the canal tow path from Bletchley. The key now that we have the main chunks of the cycle path network in place is to close up any gaps, such as between the Grove Road path and the Black Bridge, and make those minor improvements that make the cyclists‟ journey that much more enjoyable.
3.4 Cycling on Leighton’s roads
Improvements have also been made to the roads in Leighton in the last 3 years, which have, intentionally or otherwise, assisted cyclists. In particular the 20mph zone along Leighton Road and West Street has made that main thoroughfare much more welcoming to cyclists simply by reducing traffic speeds. It is hoped that the success of this project will result in similar schemes across the town, such as along Lake Street, and that the policy of 20mph can be adopted throughout the town as well.
3.5 Who are Leighton’s cyclists?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the people in Leighton and Linslade that currently cycle regularly are:
Commuters to the station
School children
Commuters to the town centre and industrial estates
Shoppers
Postal workers
People cycling for sport and/or leisure
There appears to be a significant group of sport and leisure cyclists who ride regularly with clubs in other nearby towns, such as Milton Keynes and Aylesbury, and that there could be demand for a similar cycling club in Leighton.
3.6 The challenge of an increasing population
The new housing developments planned for the east and south of the town should be seen as an opportunity to build-in from the outset a cycling infrastructure. Encouraging cycle use from these areas will be key to reducing traffic congestion as well as ensuring the residents of the new estates use the town centre for their shopping needs rather than being tempted to go elsewhere.
8 3.7 To make the most of this situation in Leighton any plans for cycling need to focus on:
1 Reducing traffic volumes and speeds on the main „spokes‟ into the town and making these roads more cycle-friendly
2 Developing a comprehensive cycle path network (inner and outer „wheels‟) with additional cycle/pedestrian crossing points over river, canal and railway to allow cyclists and pedestrians to bypass the town centre and make short cuts
3 Create cycle links from the town out to the wider countryside and neighbouring villages and towns to enable and encourage more leisure cycling and link the villages to the town
These three aims should form the basis of a cycling network for Leighton Linslade
3.8 Other key points
As well as infrastructure improvements there is a need to encourage people onto their bikes through promotion (health, environment, financial benefits) information (signage, maps) and building skills and confidence (training and travel plans). Major strides have already been taken in this area under the GoCycle project with cycle training and promotional rides and events, production of the cycling map and work through the Station Travel Plan
Local decision makers must also show real support for making Leighton-Linslade a cycle- friendly town by considering the needs of cyclists when planning decisions are made and in giving real financial support to cycling schemes, equivalent of that given to road schemes
9 4 Existing Cycling Policy & Best Practice
4.1 National Policy
The Government‟s National Cycling Strategy, 1996, which aimed to double cycle use by 2002 and again by 2012 and also targeted a need for local cycling strategies, was endorsed in the 1998 Transport White Paper, „A New Deal for Transport‟ but was abandoned in 2004.
In June 2004 the DfT published the booklet „Walking and Cycling: an action plan‟ which advises cycling promotion organisations on national and local actions to promote cycling on and identifies best practice with regards infrastructure, safety and travel behaviour.
Councils were also required to set a target to maintain or increase cycling as one of the mandatory indicators of the second Local Transport Plan 2006/7 – 2010/11. Additionally Cycling England was set up to advise the Government and administer a small budget to promote cycling. This budget has so far been used to fund several cycle demonstration towns, promote national cycle training and create cycle links to schools.
4.1.1 Good Cycling Infrastructure
A Public Consultation Draft produced by the Department for Transport in April 2004 entitled, „Policy, Planning and Design for Walking and Cycling, Local Transport Note 1/04‟ states that the cyclist should have priority within the demands of other users in carriageway space. The document outlines the following five core principles of planning for increased cycling:
Five Principles of Planning for Increased Cycling
1. Convenience
2. Accessibility
3. Safety
4. Comfort
5. Attractiveness
It is recommended that these principles be adopted when reviewing existing cycling infrastructure and planning new ones in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade.
4.1.2 Solving infrastructure problems in favour of the cyclist
The Department for Transport, the Cyclist‟s Touring Club, the Institute of Highways and Transportation and Bicycle Association produced a guidance document called Cycle Friendly Infrastructure in 1996 which advises use of the following „hierarchy of solutions‟ when selecting design improvements for cycling. This starts with measures that will benefit all road users, such as traffic restraint and speed reduction, then follows traffic
10 management that advantages cyclists along with other priority road users, such as buses, and finally cycle-specific facilities, such as cycle tracks.
The Hierarchy of Solutions
1. Traffic reduction
2. Traffic calming and restraint
3. Junction treatment and traffic management
4. Redistribution of space on the carriageway
5. Cycle lanes and cycle tracks
This is Hierarchy is also mentioned in the Manual for Streets (DfT 2007) which also states that “Cyclists should generally be accommodated on the carriageway. In areas with low traffic volumes and speeds, there should not be any need for dedicated cycle lanes on the street.”
4.1.3 Invisible Infrastructure
Cycling England has produced a short paper as part of their Design Portfolio, entitled Invisible Infrastructure (A.01) whose key principle is that:
“Cycle-specific infrastructure should not be introduced without first establishing whether cyclists‟ needs would be better met through demand management or traffic management measures that reduce both the volume and speed of motor traffic.”
This makes it clear that cycle-specific measures are not always necessary or successful. Network changes and policies which do not appear to be cycling related can be termed „invisible infrastructure‟ and may preclude the need for cycling-related infrastructure.
Examples of this may include road pricing, car parking fees, vehicle exclusions, home zones, shared space, 20mph zones, improved public transport, travel plans and town planning which locates facilities near to where people live, all of which are designed to reduce traffic volumes and traffic speeds.
In some cases these measures may have a greater impact of levels of cycling because they tackle all the issues which deter or discourage cycling, and it may be possible for local authorities to achieve almost all its cycling objectives through invisible infrastructure with only small amounts of money spent on cycling-specific measures. Such methods will also help to achieve other objectives relating to sustainable transport.
11 4.1.4 20mph zones
The Manual for Streets (ref.) recommends that the modern approach to street design is:
“designing to keep vehicle speeds at or below 20 mph on residential streets unless there are overriding reasons for accepting higher speeds”
The DfT document “A Safer Way: Consultation on Making Britain‟s Roads the Safest in the World (April 2009) states that: “In order to improve safety on the streets where people live, we are proposing to amend our guidance on speed limits, recommending that highway authorities, over time, introduce 20 mph zones or limits into streets which are primarily residential in nature, or other areas where pedestrian and cyclist movements are high (for example around schools or markets) and which are not part of any major through route.”
And a recent DfT circular entitled: ‘Proposed draft new section on 20 mph limits and zones’ December 2009, states that:
“There is clear evidence of the impact of reducing traffic speeds on reducing collisions and casualties, as accident frequency is lower at lower speeds, and where collisions do occur, there is a lower risk of fatal injury at lower speeds…
“Further benefits of 20 mph schemes include quality of life and community benefits, encouragement of healthier and more sustainable transport modes such as walking and cycling. There may also be environmental benefits, as generally, driving more slowly at a steady pace will save fuel and carbon dioxide emissions, unless an unnecessarily low gear is used.
“Based on this positive effect on road safety, and a generally favourable reception from local residents, we want to encourage highway authorities, over time, to introduce 20 mph zones or limits into
streets which are primarily residential in nature; and into town or city streets where pedestrian and cyclist movements are high, such as around schools, shops, markets, playgrounds and other areas; where these are not part of any major through route.”
12 4.2 County Council Policy
4.2.1 Cycle Stand
Bedfordshire County Council produced their cycling strategy, „Cycle Stand‟ in 2005 with a target to increase cycling by 20% by 2012. In the absence of a new Central Bedfordshire strategy this is cited here. The strategy is included in the Local Transport Plan 2 (LTP3 is due to be produced shortly) and has three objectives:
1 A higher proportion of journeys to be made by bicycle, particularly journeys to work and school
2 Create safe, direct and attractive conditions for cyclists
3 Promote the positive role of cycling as a healthy activity as well as a practicable alternative to the private car
Through Cycle Stand Bedfordshire County Council adopts the following 12 Policies:
1 Cycle Network Development: priority will be given to urban areas, links between urban areas, links within and between rural settlements, employers, educational establishments, public transport interchanges, retail centres and other main attractors, and leisure routes.
2 Advanced Stop Lines: all new schemes to include ASLs at signalised junctions, where practicable and accepted by safety audit.
3 Cycle Audit: all major transport and highway schemes and significant land use development schemes will be subject to a cycle audit.
4 Maintenance: review annually the cycling schemes on the maintenance list to ensure sufficient and appropriate levels of maintenance and add new cycling schemes to the list.
5 Cycle Parking: adequate parking to be provided by the County Council in town centres, public transport interchanges, schools, village centres, leisure facilities and other major attractors. Employers will be encouraged to provide cycle parking at workplaces and provision of cycle parking will be required as part of planning consent for new developments.
6 Cyclist’s Safety: traffic reduction and management, traffic calming, speed reductions, junction treatments, carriageway redistribution and signing will be incorporated into cycling provision
7 Cycle Training – Child and Adult Training: the County Council will provide Cycle Training to all Middle School children where possible and Adult Cycle Training where requested. 13 8 Cycling and Employers: establish and promote Cycle Friendly Employer Initiatives
9 Planning Obligations: The County Council will secure cycling improvements, wherever possible, through planning obligations with the assistance of District Councils.
10 Integration with Public Transport: facilitate integrated journeys for cyclists through partnerships with public transport operators.
11 Consultation: provide cycling forums and local residents with current plans regarding cycling improvements and promotions
12 Promotion of Cycling: develop and promote a programme of initiatives aimed at publicising the health, environmental and economic benefits of cycling and the current cycle network and work closely with local cycling campaign groups to promote cycling.
4.2.2 Local Transport Plan 2
Bedfordshire‟s LTP2 covers the period 2006/7 to 2010/11. The following table contains extracts that relate to cycling:
Indicator Target for end of LTP
Objective 1 – Preparing for Growth
LTP2 Limit change in area wide traffic mileage to +10%
LTP6 Change in peak period traffic flows to urban centres to be kept stable
Objective 3 – Asset Management
Local 4 Completion of the cycle network, 95% of strategic network completed
Objective 4 – Managing congestion
Mode share of journeys to school, a 3% increase in use of sustainable modes LTP4 (from 66% to 69% of children, including doubling the number of children cycling from 2% to 4%)
LTP3 Off-highway cycling trips, a 22% increase by 2010/11(from 2003/04 baseline)
Local 5 On-highway cycling trips, a 15% increase
14 5 How to encourage more cycling
5.1 To encourage more cycling we need to reduce the obstacles, physical and mental, that deter people from cycling and build on the reasons people choose to cycle. For some people it may be something very small and seemingly insignificant that will encourage them to cycle more, such as repairs to a pothole, a cycle stand at their destination or the removal of nettles from a cycle path.
Others may need something bigger, such as new cycle lanes or a re-designed roundabout. Some just need their confidence boosted by a training session or a leaflet showing them where the cycle paths are.
While a shiny new cycle path might look good and give a sense of something achieved it may all be a waste of money if there is a 6 inch drop onto the road at the end of it! It is often the minor improvements that make the biggest difference.
5.2 Why people don’t cycle
There are as many reasons why people don‟t cycle as there are non-cyclists but here are some of the common ones:
Safety fears
o lack of confidence & skills
o heavy & fast traffic
o insufficient or unsuitable cycle paths
o roads & junctions badly designed for cyclists
Badly maintained roads & cycle paths
Lack of information
Journey distances & times
o inability to integrate with other modes of transport
o false perceptions of relative timings of car and cycle journeys in urban areas
o delays caused by traffic congestion e.g. at junctions
Lack of bike security and facilities, such as shower and change facilities, at destination
Weather
15 5.3 Why people choose to cycle
Similarly there are as many reasons why people choose to cycle as there are cyclists but here are some of the main ones:
Ability to use short-cuts & avoid traffic congestion
Good cycling network
Good facilities (parking, showers etc.) at destination
Independent travel for people without a car (e.g. children)
Financial incentives
Environmental incentives
Health and fitness
5.4 Ways to encourage more cycling
There are a variety of measures that can be taken to encourage more cycling. Experience has shown that there are 3 key elements in successfully promoting cycling. Firstly, there is a need to create a viable network by „hard‟ measures, such as infrastructure improvements, Next there is a need to promote cycling by „soft‟ measures, such as training and publicity. Finally, there is also a need for complementary measures, such as speed reduction, traffic management and integrated transport schemes.
Network – Hard Measures
High quality, accessible, well publicised and comprehensive cycle network that meets the needs of cyclists and helps avoid traffic and congestion
Design new developments with cyclists in mind and provide sufficient local amenities to reduce the need to travel longer distances
Regular and appropriate checking and maintenance of cycling infrastructure & roads
Address potentially dangerous highway features
Promotion – Soft Measures
Cycle training & promotion of benefits & relative safety
Sufficient, secure and well publicised cycle storage facilities
16 Travel Plans for companies, schools and individuals & cycle-friendly employer initiatives
Complementary measures
Reduction of traffic volumes & speeds
Integrated transport schemes such as‟ Bikes on Buses/Trains‟ and „Park and Cycle‟
Improve driver awareness of cyclists & promote safe driving
5.5 A Critical Mass
One of the most effective and sustainable ways to encourage more cycling is to increase the number of cyclists. This may sound like a circular argument and in a way it is just that. In places where cycling has reached the critical mass (thought to be approximately 26% based on examples of Oxford and Cambridge and towns in Germany ) the statistics show that the risks of cycling significantly reduce and more people are willing to take up cycling. It becomes the norm and with more people on bicycles there are fewer people in cars so traffic volumes are reduced and the cycling experience in improved still more. A „cycling community‟ is created. The process can be visualised thus:
More cyclists = reduced traffic = better cycling environment = more cyclists
All that is needed is the catalyst to get to the critical mass. This can occur at any or all of the points in the diagram. For example, traffic volumes might be reduced by better public transport, or the cycling environment might be improved by better road design or cycle paths, or the number of cyclists increased by better cycle parking or access to cycle training. And each one of these will lead ultimately to more cyclists and a critical mass.
17 6 Consultation and Surveys
6.1 This strategy has been written and revised following a number of discussions with members of Leighton Buzzcycles (formerly the Leighton Linslade Cycling Forum), which includes a wide range of cyclists, as well as consultation with the public at town events such as the May Fayre and Carnival over the last 3 years. A survey of cyclists has also been carried out at the railway station. Results of these indicate that the area in town that most cyclists want to see improved is the main link between Linslade and Leighton Buzzard in the vicinity of the Canal Bridge (the Leighton Road, Wing Road / Stoke Road / Old Road junction).
6.2 The strategy should incorporate further and ongoing cyclist surveys and counts as well as consultation with potential cyclists, such as school children and local company employees, to ensure that cycle planning is keeping in line with what existing and potential new cyclists need and want.
7 Implementation of the Strategy
7.1 Putting Cycling at the Centre of Decision Making
For too long cycling matters have been sidelined and cyclists have been seen as a minority interest group. The tide is now beginning to turn and it is more widely recognised that increased cycling can help to solve many other issues, including health and fitness, social degradation and exclusion, trafffic congestion, air pollution and climate change.
Because cycling can be a solution to so many issues facing communities today, promoting it needs to become more mainstream. Local authorties and other organisations need to take cycling to the heart of their decision making and planning and make encouraging cycling a standard part of the process so that it is always on the agenda.
Encouraging and increasing cycling is a long term process. Evidence suggests that effort and investment need to be sustained foe 20 to 30 years to enable a town to reach the „critical mass‟ at which cycling becomes sustainable.
We need to see commitment at all levels from many organisations for this Strategy to succeed.
18 Key Partners and Stakeholders and their roles:
It is hoped that all the partners will adopt this Cycling Strategy and work towards its implementation. Each has its own particular role to play in this and should work to its strengths.
Partner Who they are in relation to Their likely role cycling
Leighton Formerly the Leighton Consulting with local people and advise the other Buzzcycles Linslade Cycling Forum. partners on what local people would like. Putting An independent group of pressure on other partners to implement the local cyclists working and strategy. Monitoring progress and ensuring other campaigning to improve partners work together. Lobbying for funding. the situation for cyclists Promoting cycling through events and rides. and promote cycling
GoCycle The Cycling Town project Delivering the Cycling Town programme. Leighton delivery group, funded by Promoting cycling especially to commuters and Linslade Cycling England through local businesses and schools. Running Bikeability Central Bedfordshire and training and working with British Cycling and CTC hosted by Leighton to run Go Ride and Bike Club. Running events Linslade Town Council and rides.
Leighton The local authority closest Consulting with local people and influencing Linslade to the people. decisions made by other partners in favour of Town local people. Working with cycling groups, district Produced the Town Plan. Council planners and Central Beds Council (through GoCycle) to ensure adequate funding of the cycle network and complementary measures to promote cycling. Identifying funding streams such as GAF funding, LTP funding and developer funding to build and promote network.
Central Local planning authority Responsible for policy. Major source of funding Bedfordshire and responsible for the for infrastructure and other projects such as Council strategic development of training & travel plans. Major recipient of central the District as a whole. government growth area funding. Also provide expertise in the form of a cycling policy officer. Local Highways Authority. Would need to give permission for most cycling (Local Education Authority infrastructure schemes and able to influence the & Health.) designs and planning conditions of new developments. Collect Section 106 monies.
Bedfordshire Term Consultants Undertake design and give technical advice. Highways responsible for delivery Primary delivery body for infrastructure schemes.
19 Partner Who they are in relation to Their likely role cycling
Sustrans National cycling and Establishing network of cycle routes across the sustainable transport country including National Cycle Route 6 through charity. Leighton Buzzard and Linslade. Creating local cycle networks including Safe Routes to Schools. Providing technical advice & guidance. Source of funding especially from central government. Station Set up to deliver the Deliver improvements for cyclists in relation to Travel Plan Station Travel Plan for access to and around the station e.g. cycle Committee Leighton Buzzard Station parking and cycle routes to the station. The Ouzel Cross-sectional group Establishing links with land owners to open up Valley Park developing access and new areas and routes for access. Funding of Project open space in the heart of projects. Involving local community groups. Leighton Linslade. Primary Have remit to encourage Provide funding for cycling projects, communicate Care Trust – more people to be more health benefits of cycling to patients and the Health active to reduce health general public and refer patients on to cycling authority etc problems projects as part of treatment and prevention.
7.2 Other groups that should be involved
Local public transport providers, such as Arriva and Silverlink, will need to be involved in the implementation of this Cycling Strategy as will developers who may be looking to invest and build in the town. Other local campaign groups, such as Friends of the Earth, may also wish to be involved. Bearing in mind the health benefits of increasing cycling the local Primary Care Trust are another potential partner and given that they make up a large proportion of cyclists in the town the Post Office may like to be involved in some way.
20 Reference List
p4. The Big Plan Leighton Linslade Town Council 2007
pp4 and 13. Cycle Stand. The Cycling Strategy for Beds County Council 2005
p10. The National Cycling Cycling Strategy. DfT 1996
p10. Walking and Cycling: an action plan. DfT 2004
p10. Policy, Planning and Design for Walking and Cycling, Local Transport Note 1/04. DfT 2004
p10. Cycle Friendly Infrastructure: Guidelines for Planning and Design.The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation 1996
p11. The Manual for Streets. DfT 2007
p12. Proposed draft new section on 20 mph limits and zones. DfT circular December 2009
p14. Local Transport Plan 2. Beds County Council 2006.
21