TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Background and Context................................................................................................................. 2 1.1. Background ............................................................................................................................... 2 1.2. Policy Context ........................................................................................................................... 2 1.3. Strategy Structure..................................................................................................................... 4 2. Walking and Cycling within North Lanarkshire ............................................................................. 6 2.1. Introduction................................................................................................................................6 2.2. Walking and Cycling Statistics................................................................................................ 6 2.3. Problems and Opportunities ................................................................................................... 6 2.5. Summary.................................................................................................................................... 8 3. Objectives and Targets .................................................................................................................. 10 3.1. Vision......................................................................................................................................... 10 3.2. Objectives ................................................................................................................................10 3.3. Targets ..................................................................................................................................... 10 3.4. Summary.................................................................................................................................. 11 4. Delivering the Walking and Cycling Strategy............................................................................... 13 4.1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 13 4.2. Accessibility ............................................................................................................................. 13 4.3. Land Use Planning and Planning Policy ............................................................................. 13 4.4. Physical Measures ................................................................................................................. 13 4.5. Missing Links........................................................................................................................... 14 4.6. Interchange.............................................................................................................................. 15 4.7. Safety and Personal Security ............................................................................................... 15 4.8. Safer Routes to School.......................................................................................................... 16 4.9. Maintenance............................................................................................................................ 16 4.10. Promotion ............................................................................................................................. 17 4.11. Other Issues......................................................................................................................... 17 5. Monitoring and Review .................................................................................................................. 20 5.1. Why Monitor? .......................................................................................................................... 20 5.2. What to Monitor....................................................................................................................... 20 6. Missing Links.................................................................................................................................. 22 6.1. Missing Links ............................................................................................................................. 22 7. Information Sources....................................................................................................................... 24 7.1. Local Information Sources..................................................................................................... 24 7.2. Scotland and UK Information Sources ................................................................................ 24 1 BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT 2 1. Background and Context 1.1. Background practices. Respiratory problems have also increased in recent years and many associate Over the past 20 years travel behaviour in these problems with the increased level of Scotland has changed considerably. vehicular traffic on the roads. Reductions in the cost of owning and running a car has resulted in a significant increase in Within North Lanarkshire, and Scotland in car ownership rates and a corresponding general, there is a firm commitment to decrease in the numbers of people walking developing a safe, sustainable and integrated and cycling. Presently walking and cycling transport system. Walking and cycling can makes up a relatively small proportion of the play a major role in supporting an integrated overall number of journeys made each day transport network and can also deliver within North Lanarkshire despite the fact that associated environmental, health, social walking and cycling are the most sustainable inclusion and public access benefits. forms of transport, are cheap and available to all. The UK National Cycling Strategy highlights how cycling fits well into plans for a Walking and cycling are modes of transport, sustainable transport framework whilst the which do not adversely affect the environment. draft Scottish Walking Strategy outlines how walking has a part to play across a whole They do not emit Carbon Dioxide (CO2) or range of Council policies, including land use particulates (PM10), two major causes of air pollution, nor do they create traffic related planning, environment, recreation and noise pollution or sever communities. Indeed community planning. The Local Transport they can often reverse the recent trend of Strategy for North Lanarkshire also identifies community segregation. the importance of walking and cycling in meeting the objectives of a healthy, inclusive The Scottish Executive has highlighted the and prosperous society. concern of growing obesity; for example the First Minister launched an Active School At the UK level, three quarters of journeys by Strategy in January 2004. This strategy not all modes of transport are less than five miles, only encourages children to eat more healthily with half of all trips less than two miles. It is and take part in physical activity, it also on such short trips that travellers will derive encourages children to walk and cycle to little or no benefit from driving relative to school. By educating children at a young age walking or cycling. it is anticipated that they will grow to be healthy adults who are less reliant on the The above facts, combined with the unique private car. urban and rural setting of North Lanarkshire, means the area is well suited to a range of walking and cycling purposes, including travel to school, college or place of work, for exercise, recreation or access to the countryside. 1.2. Policy Context The emerging “Walking Strategy for Scotland” was recently subject to consultation by the Scottish Executive. The strategy outlines ways in which walking can be made easier, safer and more pleasant and in so doing how to make walking the first choice for short journeys and to encourage more trips over longer distances by a combination of walking and public transport. The Scottish Walking Forum considers there to be benefit in setting national aspirational targets for walking, which in turn will provide With obesity and inactivity come other health guidance and direction to local authorities as problems such as coronary disease. Scotland they implement their walking strategies. The has one of the highest rates of coronary heart short-term target is to halt the decline in the disease and cancer due to its unhealthy number of journeys per person made on foot, 3 whilst the longer-term target is to achieve an • Promoting walking and cycling both as increase of 10% in the number of journeys per recreational and travel facilities; person made on foot by 2012. • Working to increase walking, cycling and public transport links between Social The Walking Strategy for Scotland encourages Inclusion Partnership Areas and local authorities to produce a walking strategy, development sites along the A8 corridor; which will allow authorities to: • Developing walking and cycling networks linking urban and rural areas; • fulfil their Local Agenda 21/Sustainable • Completing the Glasgow to Edinburgh cycle Development strategy. route to the highest standard practical; • meet their obligations under the National Air • Maintaining footway, lighting and Quality Strategy. carriageways to the best standards • meet any targets they set under the Road consistent with the available resources; Traffic Reduction Act. • Continuing with a programme