Lancaster District Cycling Strategy November 2002 Lancaster District Local Plan Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 13 Lancaster District Cycling Strategy Lancaster City Council www.lancaster.gov.uk John Donnellon BA MA Corporate Director (Regeneration) Andrew Dobson Dip EP MRTPI PDDMS Head of Planning and Building Control Services Lancaster City Council Planning and Building Control Service Palatine Hall Dalton Square Lancaster LA1 1PW November 2002 Lancaster District Cycling Strategy Adopted 2002 Notes 1) A large print version of the text in this document can be supplied on request 2) All maps contained in this document are reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Lancaster City Council Licence No. LA 078379. 2002. ii Lancaster District Cycling Strategy Adopted 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction..............................................1 Cycle parking 16 Green Travel Plans 16 A Vision for Cycling in Lancaster District 1 Integration 17 Background and Context 1 Pedal Power Project 17 The 1997 Lancaster District Cycling Strategy 2 School Travel Plans 17 Status of the Strategy 2 The Council as a cycle-friendly employer 18 Aims of the Strategy 3 Publicity and Campaigns 18 The Council’s role in promoting Cycling 3 Monitoring 19 Other Bodies with an Interest in Cycling in Lancaster District 4 Cycle Tourism 19 Consultation and Partnership Working. 5 4. Improvements to the Cycle The Cycle Strategy and Sustainability 5 Network. ..............................................20 2. Cycle Provision in Lancaster Marsh Route (Millennium Bridge – Edenbreck District .................................................6 Allotments – Lancaster Royal Infirmary) 20 Lancaster City Centre routes 21 Types of Cycle Route 6 Lancaster Canal Towpath 21 Off Street cycle routes 6 Morecambe Promenade 22 On Street Cycle Routes 6 A6-Ashton Road Link 22 Unmarked On Street Routes 6 Heysham Mossgate 22 Public Bridleways and RUPPs 6 Lune Valley Extension to Hornby and Wray 23 The National Cycle Network 7 Local Improvements 23 The North Lancashire Cycleway 7 The District Cycle Network 7 5. Implementation...................................25 The Lancaster-Morecambe route 7 APPENDIX 1 - REFERENCES..................33 The Lancaster-Glasson route 7 The Lune Millennium route 8 APPENDIX 2 – BARRIERS TO The Lancaster University route 8 CYCLING AND SOLUTIONS...............34 The Lancaster Canal 9 APPENDIX 3; NATIONAL POLICY Morecambe and Heysham Promenade 10 CONTEXT ............................................36 Other Cycle Routes. 10 The National Cycling Strategy (Ncs) 36 Gaps in the existing Network 11 The Transport White Paper 36 Cycle Use in Lancaster District 11 Planning Policy Guidance Note 13; Transport 37 3. Corporate Policies to Promote The National Cycle Network 37 Cycling in Lancaster District. ............13 APPENDIX 4; LOCAL AND REGIONAL Overall Objectives and Targets 13 POLICY CONTEXT..............................38 Engineering 14 The Regional Context 38 Cycle Audit and Cycle review 14 The County Context 38 Cycle Networks 14 The Local Plan Context 38 Maintenance 15 Local Agenda 21 38 Planning Control 16 iii Lancaster District Cycling Strategy Adopted 2002 Introduction A Vision for Cycling in Lancaster District 1.1 Cycling is well established in Lancaster District both as a means of transport and as a recreational pursuit. The City has a well used network of cycle routes and an active network of local cyclists groups. 1.2 The government’s Integrated Transport White Paper has set targets for cycling to double by 2006 and double again by 2011, and the City and County Councils have adopted similar targets. define and safeguard a Strategic Cycle Network and provide for 1.3 To build on the progress already enhancements to the network through achieved towards promoting cycling new development. The Local Plan as a mainstream mode of transport also contains policies which resist Lancaster City Council has reviewed development which would have an and comprehensively revised its Cycle adverse effect on a cycle route (T1A) Strategy. The revised strategy will policies which require the preparation deliver the following vision: of business travel plans for major developments (T16A) and policies dealing with Cycle parking (T16). The “A District within which cycling is a popular Local Plan sets a target of increasing mainstream mode of travel the proportion of journeys to work by for local journeys with safe bicycle to 10% by 2006. and accessible routes through its urban centres. 1.6 Policies promoting cycling are also contained in the existing and emerging Lancashire Structure Plans Background and Context and in emerging Regional Planning Guidance. A full list of national, regional, county and local plan 1.4 The Council’s Corporate Plan policies is attached as Appendix identifies a healthy environment as being a theme of vital importance and 1.7 The Lancashire Local Transport Plan seeks to ensure that the principles of for 2001-06 envisages annual sustainability underpins all Council expenditure of £1.25 million on cycling activities. To that end, it identifies facilities throughout the county. It Encouraging Cycling and Walking as proposes policies relating to cycling a challenge for the District and and also a comprehensive list of identifies maintaining and improving proposed measures, targets and the Cycle Network and progressing outcomes for the plan period. The the Cycle Strategy as elements in Local Transport Plan sets targets to achieving this. double cycle usage by 2006 and double it again by 2016. The baseline 1.5 This key corporate objective is re- will be the figure from the 2001 inforced by Policies T23-T25 of the national Census,forecast to be 2% Lancaster District Local Plan which Relevant extracts from the Local 1 Lancaster District Cycling Strategy Adopted 2002 Transport Plan and other related engagement and stronger corporate Council Strategies are set out in working. Finally a need has been Appendix . identified for the Strategy to be action- oriented with clear definitions of roles, clear targets and timetables and a The 1997 Lancaster District framework for monitoring and review. Cycling Strategy Other contextual changes include 1.8 The Council produced its first Cycle • The publication of the national Strategy in 1997. This Strategy Cycling strategy; defined a District Cycle Network and • set out a number of measures to Local surveys of the views of promote and enhance cycling in the cyclists and cycle usage and, District. Achievements of the previous • The publication of the strategy include; Government’s white paper on the future of transport. • The construction and opening of the Millennium bridge in February 1.10 There is also a need for the status of 2001; the strategy and its linkages with other • The upgrading of the Lancaster- planning policy documents to be Morecambe cycle path including made clear. completion of linking sections to the Millennium Bridge, 1.11 It is important that cycling Morecambe Road, and Westgate; implementation has been achieved and will be achieved in the future • The upgrading of the Lancaster- through effective partnership working Caton cycle path; with public sector agencies, charities, • The provision of new cycle lanes local cycle groups and local and advantage measures for communities. cyclists within Lancaster City Centre; 1.12 Lancaster City Council therefore produced a draft replacement Cycling • The provision of secure cycle Strategy in April 2002, with the aim of parking lockers at bus and rail more effectively promoting cycle use interchanges; in the district as a viable mode of • Increased provision of cycle racks transport. A public consultation within Lancaster City centre; exercise was carried out on the draft strategy involving a wide range of • Provision for cyclists as part of interested parties and individuals and new developments; this Document amends the draft • The introduction of incentives for Strategy to take account of cycle use by council staff; representations received. • Successful cycling promotional events; Status of the Strategy 1.9 The 1997 strategy was ambitious and, 1.13 This Strategy document has now much has been achieved. However. It been formally adopted and the is now more than five years old. Many previous Cycling Strategy is formally of its key proposals have been withdrawn. The Strategy is a implemented. There is a need for an Corporate Policy Document which will updated Strategy to reflect changing influence the priorities of all circumstances, build on existing departments with responsibilities for successes and address problems cycling. It also forms Supplementary encountered. A need was also Planning Guidance to Policies T16, identified for greater community T16A and T23-4 of the District Local 2 Lancaster District Cycling Strategy Adopted 2002 Plan The Council’s role in promoting Cycling 1.14 The Cycling Strategy will be periodically reviewed, in particular 1.17 The Council has a number of roles with regard to route identification and which relate to improving cycle improvement. provision. Part of the purpose of the Strategy is to ensure that the Aims of the Strategy operation of all of these services is combined to further common 1.15 This Strategy seeks to realise the objectives. vision set out in Paragraph 1.1 (above) to that end it intends to: 1.18 Key Council