Peterhead Cycle Demonstration Town
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Peterhead Cycle Demonstration Town Progress Report and Future Proposals 2011 Peterhead Cycle Demonstration Town Summary The CDT and awareness of the project will Evidence gathered from both the be promoted and marketed by working Sustainable Towns and Cycle closely with local community groups to Demonstration Towns projects undertaken deliver improved route signage, mapping in England during 2008, suggests that a for the area, events including an annual focussed and defined campaign to bike ride and school and business promote cycling can result in real benefits. initiatives. In response to this, Peterhead was designated by Aberdeenshire Council as a pilot Cycle Demonstration Town (CDT) with the intention to focus investment in cycling infrastructure and support the investment with a campaign of softer interventions. It is the overall aim of the CDT concept to take a small base of cycling, foster growth by identifying and removing key constraints and barriers, allowing cycling to flourish. In doing so, the project will support a number of wider health, sustainability, environmental and accessibility objectives. The CDT objective is to increase the number of cycle trips in the area for both recreational and utility purposes helping to stimulate an interest in Peterhead as a Cycle friendly area. It is intended that an outcome of these efforts would improve the health of the local population by increasing levels of physical activity and create an area where cycling is normalised. With this model in place, it is hoped that similar approaches could be adopted across Aberdeenshire; the overall result will be an increase in cycling as a mode of transport across the region. This plan aims to ensure the completion of dedicated cycle links between the wider residential areas, the town centre and other key destinations. The upgrade and improvement of existing links will form a part of the planned proposals which will result in greater use of existing routes and lead to the development of a series of ‘loop’ routes in and around the town. While the infrastructure improvements represent a major part of the proposals, the success of the CDT will require a large input in terms of promotion and marketing. Peterhead Cycle Demonstration Town Evaluation Problems and Opportunities During 2011, a review of the existing infrastructure was undertaken for Peterhead which included a desktop mapping exercise and site assessments. From this review, it was apparent that there is a significant amount of infrastructure available which would benefit cyclists. However the assessment highlights that linkage between origins and key destinations remains weak. The main problem areas and areas where opportunities exist have been identified and are summarised below and referenced in Figure 1 of Appendix A. 1. The ‘outer ring’ which follows the A90 is approaching full completion with a short section required for full completion by external parties associated with a developer condition. However, once complete this ring will provide an off road north-south route across Peterhead, avoiding the town centre and linking into the employment areas to the south of the town, currently popular with the Jog Scotland group. 2. There are a number of initiatives to support cycling across residential areas in the form of 20mph zones and, in the case of new developments; this is often supplemented with a series of linked off road cycle paths. While interconnection across some of the existing developments is difficult to achieve due to the ‘closed’ nature of developmental layouts of the time, there are a number of east- west connections which could link into Meethill Road, which would serve as a convenient north south distributor route, or ‘inner ring’. 3. The Formatine & Buchan Way is key amongst the east-west routes almost bisecting the town centrally to provide a strategic traffic free link. While the route is accessible to approximately 1200 households located with 500m of the F&B Way, the route fails to terminate at a convenient location within the town, stopping adjacent to Peterhead Academy some 800m short of the town centre. The route is poorly accessed and signposted with little to suggest the real value and importance that this asset has to offer. 4. Having developed a number of 20mph areas, there is little to support direct and convenient interconnectivity between these areas. While there are a number of east west options, with the exception of the ‘outer ring’ there are no other routes that would provide direct access across the town with a level of interconnection between residential areas. 5. The off road shared use cycle path linking Peterhead to the retail and industrial areas to the south is a key component in providing access from the towns residential areas to employment opportunities located adjacent to the A982. As a recreational facility, the route deviates from the main road and instead follows the coast along Peterhead Bay. The route terminates some 600m distant from the town centre at a point where cyclists are required to utilise the existing road network. Although the route benefits from being remote from the carriageway, there are issues with regard to the level of lighting on the route which may prevent use during reduced daylight hours which may be an issue if promoting this as a link to employment centres. Peterhead Cycle Demonstration Town 6. Looking beyond the town centre to the north, there is a coastal path which follows the shore line from the north of the main commercial harbour area and continues westwards via the Gadle Braes area and on to Peterhead Golf Course. In its existing form, the path provides an excellent walking facility, however if developed to improve general path widths and access points, and with the development of links into the town centre, this facility would provide an excellent north-east link into the town. Strategically, by providing this link to the town centre and following this up with a town centre link to the southern coastal path, a continuous Peterhead loop would be provided. Evidence suggests that ‘loops’ hold greater appeal to recreational cyclists and completing this coastal loop would have significant recreational benefits. 7. Common to a number of the problems and issues identified above is the lack of access to the town centre. Providing this access would facilitate recreational and utility trips between the residential areas and the main commercial centre of the town. With a lack of access, the functionality of the existing infrastructure is limited; users need to be confident that a safe convenient and direct route into the town centre is available. In addition, providing strategic access from the north, south and east into the town centre allows greater interconnectivity between each of these three areas of Peterhead creating a greater opportunity to link origins with destinations and opens up a number of ‘looped’ recreational routes. The areas identified above are high level issues and do not consider more localised aspects of problems associated with cycling such as dropped kerbs at specific locations. It is intended that by addressing these key issues above, this will act as a catalyst to developing greater cycle trips in and around Peterhead. Peterhead Cycle Demonstration Town Progress to Date Library, the Hot Spot and the community centre. The BBC Scotland ‘Out of Doors’ Recent investment has focussed on the programme has covered the project in a provision of additional infrastructure and recent programme which interviewed a the improvement of existing facilities, local resident. building upon previous works since 2008. Significant progress has been made in engaging a number of local community groups and the CDT project is helping to support a local bike recycling scheme. Discussions are underway to develop a Family Bike Ride to Aden Park (the Aden Bike Challenge) which is planned for March 2012. F&B Way - Before Aden Bike Challenge – Planning Meeting A summary of the schemes delivered is F&B Way - After provided below. F&B Way - After This has included an extension of the F&B Installed LED lighting at Gadle Braes Way which creates a defined start point of Upgraded sections of the F&B Way the long distance route and provides improved access to the community centre Extension to F&B Way. and the large supermarket on Queen Installed LED lighting at Buchanhaven Street. A large section of the F&B Way has New ‘Path at Waterside also been widened and improved with new Formartine & Buchan Way -After drainage and LED street lighting. In Re launch of F&B Way route maps addition, sections of the coast path network F&B Way information panels have been lit using energy efficient LED Covered cycle shelter at Community lights.Formartine & Buchan Way -Before Centre In support of the physical measures, a Installation of automatic counters number of ‘soft’ interventions have been implemented, primarily during 2010/11. Implementation of 20mph areas These have been designed to raise the New Peterhead & Central Buchan profile of the CDT and have included an cycle map information stall at the Peterhead Running Festival, a Bike Event and a Film Night and Launch of ‘No Excuse Zone’ screening of the Graeme Obree story. Inaugural ‘Bike Event’ which attracted Information about the CDT project has over 250 residents been displayed at the Formartine & Buchan Way -After Peterhead Cycle Demonstration Town Residents survey of walking and A survey of attitudes towards cycling was cycling activities undertaken in 2011 which generated almost 200 responses. From the survey Public information displays at the information provided, it is apparent that ‘Running Festival’ and the community there are a large number of residents living within 2miles of their place of work who centre could substitute a car journey for one by A Cycle Film Night bike or foot.