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
Background
There have been calls from residents to reduce traffic in Penzance town centre. They told us this at the Neighbourhood Plan consultations and expo events. This is to support the health, well-being and vitality of the town. There is widespread support for pedestrian priority in areas such as:
- Market Jew Street
- Promenade
Consultation completed
- Stakeholder working group established to develop scope and design of schemes. These include Penzance Council, Business Improvement District (BID) and local Councillors
- Public Opinion Survey with 452 responses
- Statutory consultation as part of Experimental Traffic Regulation Order
- Statutory consultation and letter drop to all residents on Alexandra Road and Western Promenade Road
- Site meetings with local stakeholders and residents
- Workshop with disability and Sight impairment representative groups
- Presentations to Penzance Council
- Regular communications through Love PZ platforms
Schemes delivered
- Experimental traffic restriction scheme introduced. This supports the pedestrian priority zone and High Street. Trial introduced in Sept 2020, Trial made permanent in March 2022
- New bus shelter and real time passenger information on the High Street
- 4 new informal pedestrian crossings along Western Promenade Road. Planters also installed to support lower speeds to support pedestrian environment
- Town wide 20mph scheme
- New informal crossings and traffic calming on Alexandra Road
Market Street and Church Street, Falmouth Pedestrian priority zone
Background
The local Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) sets out a vision to reduce traffic through the High Street. The scheme proposal emerged from master planning work. This was commissioned through the Falmouth Place Shaping Board. The board represents local stakeholders. These include the Town Council, BID, Falmouth University, and cycling groups.
Consultation
- Stakeholder working group including councillors, Town Council, BID, cycling groups
- Public Opinion Survey canvassing residents, businesses and those working in the town
- Statutory consultation as part of Experimental Traffic Regulation Order
- Workshop with disability and Sight impairment representative groups
- Engagement through Place Shaping Board including BID, Councillors, Harbour Board, Town Council
- Falmouth Town Council
- Communications through social media, Falmouth.co.uk
The success of the scheme has lead to traffic restriction being made permanent in November 23. New gateway features are due to go to consultation September 2023.
Schemes delivered
- Experimental traffic restriction scheme introduced. This supports the pedestrian priority zone and High Street. Trial introduced in May 2021. The trial is due to be made permanent in June/July 2022 including gateway features
- Covered cycle parking
Kenwyn to Shortlanesend cycle path
There are currently gaps in walking and cycling provision across Truro. By joining them up we can create a city-wide network of routes linking key destinations and transport hubs.
This scheme is in our Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan for Truro as 'Cycle Route 5'. We involved Cornwall Councillors and the public when we put this together. The scheme is now complete and consists of;
- 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 but we envisage public engagment 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 route1 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 which has been supported through Active Travel Fund 3.
