Letchworth Garden Letchworth Heritage Foundation City Cycling Strategy Final draft strategy Our ref: 23045802 October 2018 Letchworth Garden City Letchworth Heritage Foundation Cycling Strategy Final draft strategy Our ref: 23045802 October 2018 Prepared by: Prepared for: Steer Davies Gleave Letchworth Heritage Foundation 28-32 Upper Ground Foundation House London SE1 9PD Icknield Way Letchworth Garden City SG6 1GD +44 20 7910 5000 www.steerdaviesgleave.com Steer Davies Gleave has prepared this material for Letchworth Heritage Foundation. This material may only be used within the context and scope for which Steer Davies Gleave has prepared it and may not be relied upon in part or whole by any third party or be used for any other purpose. Any person choosing to use any part of this material without the express and written permission of Steer Davies Gleave shall be deemed to confirm their agreement to indemnify Steer Davies Gleave for all loss or damage resulting therefrom. Steer Davies Gleave has prepared this material using professional practices and procedures using information available to it at the time and as such any new information could alter the validity of the results and conclusions made. Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... i Introduction ................................................................................................................................... i The vision and objectives ............................................................................................................... i Policy context................................................................................................................................. i Cycling in Letchworth Garden City ................................................................................................ i Key issues and opportunities .........................................................................................................ii Existing plans for cycling in Letchworth.........................................................................................ii Recommended new schemes ....................................................................................................... iii Funding, partnership opportunities and next steps ...................................................................... v Next steps ...................................................................................................................................... v 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................ 1 Context for this strategy ............................................................................................................... 1 The vision and objectives .............................................................................................................. 2 Guiding principles ......................................................................................................................... 3 Structure of this report ................................................................................................................. 3 2 Cycling in Letchworth Garden City ....................................................................................... 4 Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Current cycling patterns within Letchworth Garden City ............................................................. 5 Existing conditions for cycling in Letchworth Garden City ......................................................... 14 3 Key issues and opportunities ............................................................................................ 24 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Objective 1: Enhance and extend cycle routes to create a comprehensive network, making cycling an easy, pleasant choice ................................................................................................. 24 Objective 2: Make it easier and safer for all to cycle in and through residential areas ............. 25 Objective 3: Improve access by bicycle to key destinations in Letchworth Garden City including the town centre, the station and the leisure centre .................................................................. 25 Objective 4: Give people the confidence and skills to cycle and encourage positive and safe interactions between cyclists and other road users ................................................................... 26 4 Existing plans for cycling in Letchworth Garden City .......................................................... 27 October 2018 North Central Hertfordshire Growth and Transport Plan, Hertfordshire County Council, due 2018 ............................................................................................................................................ 27 Letchworth Garden City Cycle Network Plan (Edition 1), Letchworth Cyclists and Cycling Groups, with support from North Hertfordshire District Council, Letchworth Heritage Foundation, Transition Town Letchworth and Letchworth 40 Plus Cycling Group, June 2017.. 29 5 Recommended new schemes ............................................................................................ 31 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 31 Objective 1: Enhance and extend cycle routes to create a comprehensive network, making cycling an easy, pleasant choice ................................................................................................. 34 Scheme 1.1: Improve NCN12 route through and north of Norton Common ............................. 34 Scheme 1.2: Development of secondary north-south cycle corridor ......................................... 37 Scheme 1.3: East-west cycle corridor improvements ................................................................ 38 Scheme 1.4: Re-route Greenway away from Wilbury Road mini-roundabouts ......................... 40 Scheme 1.5: Surfacing and access improvements to Greenway ................................................ 42 Scheme 1.6: Green link from Standalone Farm to Norton Common ......................................... 44 Scheme 1.7: Improve NCN12 link to Stevenage ......................................................................... 45 Scheme 1.8: Create cycling link from Letchworth Gate to town centre .................................... 46 Scheme 1.9: Improvements to the cycling network in and north of the Grange Estate ............ 47 2. Make it easier and safer for all to cycle in and through residential areas. ............................ 48 Scheme 2.1: Improved wayfinding for cyclists ........................................................................... 48 Scheme 2.2: Cycle track priority over junction mouths ............................................................. 50 Scheme 2.3: Tightening junction turning radii ........................................................................... 52 Scheme 2.4: Designating more footways as shared use ............................................................ 53 3. Improve access by bicycle to key destinations in Letchworth Garden City including the town centre, the station and the leisure centre. ................................................................................. 54 Scheme 3.1: Creation of a leisure cycle hub ............................................................................... 54 Scheme 3.2: Town centre access improvements for cyclists ..................................................... 55 Scheme 3.3: Broadway improvements for cyclists ..................................................................... 56 Scheme 3.4: Town centre cycle parking improvements ............................................................. 58 Scheme 3.5: Improving cyclist access to North Herts Leisure Centre ........................................ 59 Scheme 3.6: Development of a cycle to school strategy ............................................................ 60 4. Give people the confidence and skills to cycle and encourage positive and safe interactions between cyclists and other road users. ...................................................................................... 61 Scheme 4.1: Mitigating path user conflict on the Greenway ..................................................... 61 October 2018 Scheme 4.2: Driver behaviour cycle awareness campaign ......................................................... 63 Scheme 4.3: Extend the programme of cycle training ............................................................... 65 Scheme 4.4: Develop a programme of community cycling events ............................................ 66 6 Action Plan ....................................................................................................................... 68 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 68 7 Funding, partnership opportunities