CSV CWIP – Network Background Document Walking & Cycling Network Report Background document for the Central Severn Vale Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan Gloucestershire County Council’s Transport Planning Team May 2018 CSV CWIP – Network Background Document Central Severn Vale Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan Walking and Cycling Network Report This report provides an overview of the existing walking and cycling network within Cheltenham and Gloucester. It also summarises the barriers to cycling identified in the 2013 study. This document forms Part 2 of 2 Background Documents to the Central Severn Vale Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. Part 1 provides the policy context for the Central Severn Vale Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. Both background documents will provide a sound basis to continue the Network Planning stage of the plan development. Contents Amendment Record This report has been issued and amended as follows: Issue Revision Description Date Signed 0.1 1 Final Draft circulated for 03/05/18 BW discussion 0.2 1 Consultation document December SW 2018 CSV CWIP – Network Background Document Contents 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 2.0 Central Severn Vale ..................................................................................................................... 2 3.0 Identifying Origins and Destinations ........................................................................................... 7 4.0 Existing cycle use ....................................................................................................................... 12 5.0 Existing Networks ...................................................................................................................... 15 6.0 Planned schemes ...................................................................................................................... 20 7.0 Known Barriers of cycling .......................................................................................................... 22 CSV CWIP – Network Background Document 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Gloucestershire is serious about increasing the number of trips made by walking and cycling and it is Gloucestershire County Council view that this as an essential component of creating better places and improving the quality of people’s lives. 1.2 This document outlines the existing walking and cycling networks within the Central Severn Vale (CSV). It aims to provide the context for further more detailed work associated with identifying a prioritised list of cycling and walking improvements. It also provides a summary of Gloucestershire County Council’s existing understanding of the ‘barriers’ of participation. It should be noted that this is primarily related to cycling. 1.3 It is Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC) long-term aim to produce a number of Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan’s (LCWIP) based on our Local Transport Plan (LTP) Connecting Places Strategy areas. The initial LCWIP will focus on Cheltenham and Gloucester in the CSV area. 1.4 Through this process we aim to engage with a variety of people to fully understand the range of barriers people have to cope with and what changes can be made to improve the quality of environment to enable more people to walk and cycle. For cycling this will be focussed on sections of the countywide cycleway within Cheltenham and Gloucester. For walking this will be focussed on accessing the Cheltenham Spa station and Gloucester bus and rail stations. 1.5 It is important to move away from a culture where the car is the dominant mode of transport towards one where the car is one transport choice within a range of realistic travel options. Gloucestershire’s CSV Walking Infrastructure Plan (CWIP) will enable this. 1.6 The 2011 Census records a greater percentage of cycle to work trips in Gloucestershire when compared to the national average in England as illustrated in Figure 1. The share of cycle trips is particularly high in the Central Severn Vale and Tewkesbury CPS areas where more cycle infrastructure is available. Figure A - Cycle to Work Levels across Gloucestershire (2011 Census) National average 1 | P a g e CSV CWIP – Network Background Document 2.0 Central Severn Vale 2.1 The CSV area includes the communities of Cheltenham, Gloucester, Churchdown and Bishops Cleeve (Figure 2). Figure 2 – Central Severn Vale Connecting Places Strategy area 2.2 As Gloucestershire grows over the next 15 years much of this will focus on the CSV area and it is hoped the CSV CWIP will provide a systematic framework through which to engage with local communities, shape discussions with developers, identify strategic walk and cycle networks, and direct delivery. 2.3 Using the Propensity to Cycle Tool, Figure 3 illustrates 2011 Census cycle to work data for the county. Figure 4 illustrates the potential for cycling should GCC adopt a Dutch approach to managing cycling. 2.4 The red oval illustrates the approximate boundary for our Central Severn Vale LCWIP corridor which includes the communities of Cheltenham, Gloucester, Churchdown and Bishops Cleeve. The total population covered by the LCWIP is 270,000. 2.5 Using 2011 Census data the largest existing cycle link flows in Cheltenham and Gloucester are typically between 100 and 250 weekday flows with greater links flows recorded around major employment sites. Figure 5 highlights the potential increase in cycle flows increasing to typically between 500 and 999 within the area and typically over 1000 on strategic routes between the main urban areas. This output indicates the potential for between 1,000 and 1,999 daily cycle trips between these centres. 2 | P a g e CSV CWIP – Network Background Document Figure 3 – Census 2011 Cycling for Gloucestershire Figure 4 - Go Dutch cycling scenario for Gloucestershire & prioritised area for LCWIP Figure 5 – Potential increase in cycling flows in Central Severn Vale CWIP 3 | P a g e CSV CWIP – Network Background Document 2.6 The CSV area has been prioritised due to the following factors: The county’s two main urban settlements are Cheltenham and Gloucester, forming the main business, commercial, educational, service and cultural centres; Location of the majority of existing cycling and walking assets; Centre of future growth, 30,000 new dwellings and significant new employment by 2031; Greater level of existing cycle use (2011 census); Higher propensity to encourage higher levels of cycling1; Will be benefitting from £3.8m of potential investment by Highways England to improve cycle connectivity on the Strategic Road Network between Cheltenham and Gloucester. 2.7 We intend to prioritise the assessment of sections of the countywide cycleway in terms of the route itself and key access points onto the route. Figure 6 illustrates the full route. The sections considered as part of the CSV CWIP are those sections within the urban areas of Cheltenham and Gloucester. It should be recognised that the countywide cycleway will be a combination of quiet ways and dedicated cycle facilities and not like London’s cycle super highways but something on a human scale which is accessible to cyclists of all abilities. 2.8 The logic for focussing on the urban centres is illustrated in Figure 7. The countywide cycle route can be separated into five sections as it traverses through the CSV area: 1. Bishops Cleeve to Cheltenham 2. Cheltenham urban area 3. Cheltenham to Gloucester 4. Gloucester urban area 5. Gloucester to Sharpness Canal 2.9 The Bishops Cleeve to Cheltenham cycle scheme has been a long-term aspiration for the County Council and includes a new shared use footway on the A435. Design work and landowner negotiations area underway and this will be progressed separately to the CSV CWIP. 2.10 The Cheltenham to Gloucester cycle scheme is a Highways England scheme of £3.8m cycle improvements on the B4063 Cheltenham Road East between Gloucester and Cheltenham. Highways England is leading on the design and consultation for this scheme throughout 2018/19. Construction is likely to take place in 2019/20 and has to be complete by March 2020. 1 4 | P a g e CSV CWIP – Network Background Document Figure 6 – Countywide Cycleway 5 | P a g e CSV CWIP – Network Background Document 2.11 Proposed upgrade to the canal towpath between Gloucestershire College and The Pilot Inn, Hardwicke. The total cost of £1.8 million, which includes up to £600k of S106 contributions, £600k ESIF bid and £200k GET bid. Work has commenced on this project and will continue throughout 2019, with works being undertaken by the Canal & River Trust. Figure 7 CSV CWIP focus 2.12 We intend to prioritise walking movements to the main Public Transport Hubs – Gloucester Bus and Rail Stations, and Cheltenham Spa Station. These hubs were looked at because of the number of walking trips they generate and their potential to attract more walking trips as part of a longer journey and to try and link existing investment to local communities and key trip attractors. The transport schemes of greatest relevance to this study include: Pedestrian, cycling and public realm improvements at the central Gloucester Transport Hub and railway station. The 45 hectare Cyber Business Park next to GCHQ in Cheltenham including improved walking and cycling access. 2.13 Data collected for the Office of Rail Regulation (orr.gov.uk) shows that an average of 6,400 passengers were estimated to use Cheltenham