The launch of the Government’s Gear Change document has set a bold new vision to dramatically increase active travel. This has seen £250m of Active Travel Funding released to deliver improvements.
Active Travel Funding Round 1 (2020)
As part of its Covid-19 response, Government announced a Round 1. This was to deliver quick interventions to:
- encourage cycling and walking
- support a safe return to the High Street after the first lockdown
The aim was to:
- Help avoid overcrowding on public transport and in town centres in the short term
- Encourage walking and cycling to become popular choices in the long term
We received £152,000 of government funding and spent this on temporary walking and cycling measures in our towns.
Active Travel Funding Round 2 (2021)
Under round 2 Government allocated us a further £607,000. This has been used to deliver the schemes below.
Healthy Streets Penzance:
- New bus shelter and real time passenger information on the High Street
- Traffic restriction scheme introduced
- 4 new pedestrian crossings along Western Promenade Road
- The installation of Planters to support lower speeds
- Town wide 20mph scheme
- New informal crossings and traffic calming on Alexandra Roa
Falmouth Pedestrian Zones:
- Traffic restriction scheme introduced
- Covered cycle parking
Kenwyn to Shortlanesend Cycle Path:
- Extension of existing pedestrian and cycle shared path, off-carriageway
- Introduction of a new pedestrian island
- A new vehicle activated 30mph sign
- A new bus shelter
Active Travel Funding Round 3 (2022)
Government released round 3 of the Active Travel Fund in 2020 and invited scheme bids in August 2020. Following bid submission and a design review by Department for Transport, Cornwall Council has now been allocated a further £1,237,394. This will be used to deliver the following scheme: Active Streets Falmouth to Penryn
This scheme comprises 3,300m of new/improved cycle route and pedestrian infrastructure. This will link Commercial Road, Penryn along the A39, Draceana Avenue and Killigrew Street to Falmouth Town centre and Western Terrace linking to Falmouth University campus. The scheme is currently under design and will meet latest Government standards. These are set out in LTN1/20 as required by the Department for Transport.
UK Government Guidance on Cycle infrastructure design
The Active Streets corridor is also a priority bus corridor. This follows the award of Bus Service Improvement Plan funding (BSIP). The intention is to make this a sustainable corridor scheme with both improvements for active travel and bus.
Subject to detailed design the scheme will comprise:
- A mix of segregated off, and on carriageway cycle track
- Introduction of buffer zone and private accesses treated to provide pedestrian and cycle priority
- Blended crossings at Side roads
- Speed reduction from 40mph to 30 mph throughout
- Improved crossings and cycleway provision at junctions
- Wayfinding
Consultation and Engagement
Previous engagement through a stakeholder working group helped to develop the initial scheme proposals. Falmouth University also ran a local consultation exercise. This captured public opinion on active travel and gaps and issues with the existing cycle network. Engagement with bus operators is also underway.
We will now undertake further consultation and engagement ahead of scheme delivery.
Note the timings below may shift once full scheme programme has been worked up. A full consultation and engagement is under development. We envisage public engagement taking place Winter 23/24 and delivery commencing Autumn 2024.
Active Travel Funding Round 4 (2023)
Round 4 of the Active Travel Fund has allowed Cornwall Council to develop the design of active travel schemes that may attract capital funding for detailed design and build in future Active Travel Fund rounds, or through other funding mechanisms. The four schemes selected for design development are;
- Feasibility design of cycle route 1 in the Truro LCWIP. Aligning with BSIP (bus service improvement plan) schemes on this corridor.
- Feasibility design of route C02 on Camborne, Pool, Illogan & Redruth LCWIP which aligns with the BSIP corridor.
- Progression of the design of route 4 of the Liskeard LCWIP. Building on previously produced general arrangement drawings/designs.
- Progression of the design of route C07 of the Newquay LCWIP. Building on previously produced general arrangement drawings/designs.
Additionally, the bid included an allowance for baseline data collection for the Falmouth Active Streets scheme. This has been supported through Active Travel Fund 3.