Archived decisions

Contact: Tim Cheesebrough, ext 7114/Peter Savidge, ext 6918

1. Summary

1.1 The purpose of this report is to:

(i) review the County Council's progress in the delivery of its cycling policies, strategies and programmes;

(ii) inform Members of the current position with respect to the County Council's Recreational Cycling Strategy, its relationship to the delivery of the Hampshire Local Transport Plan (2001-06) and its associated cycle usage targets; and

(iii) seek the Committee's views on providing a county-wide strategic cycle routes programme within the Local Transport Plan (LTP) to support the delivery of important strategic cycle facilities, often in rural areas and having a high potential leisure and family cycling usage.

2. Introduction

2.1 In May 1998 the former Planning and Transportation Committee considered a comprehensive report concerning the County Council's approach to the delivery of its cycling infrastructure policies and strategies. That report followed the publication of the County Council's Recreational Cycling Strategy, as approved by the former Recreation Committee in 1997.

2.2 The Planning and Transportation Committee report outlined the approach the County Council was proposing to take to the delivery of cycling infrastructure measures across Hampshire, in response to the anticipated Government White Paper on Integrated Transport and the Government's newly set National Cycling Strategy (1996) target for a quadrupling in cycle use on Britain's roads by 2012 from the baseline levels in 1996. The County Council's cycling and walking policies had emerged from a wide-ranging consultation with the Hampshire community over those issues in the mid-1990s and were in line with the Hampshire County Structure Plan (Review) and the `Transport in Hampshire' policy framework document.

2.3 The County Council's programmes for developing cycling infrastructure across Hampshire have been supported by Hampshire District Councils, many of which have made significant additional funding available for the development of local networks of facilities, as well as promoting cycling in their role as planning authorities, major employers and in the promotion of sustainable leisure and tourism opportunities.

2.4 The County Council's Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee recently reviewed and updated the Recreational Cycling Strategy to 2006. The original strategy had been the result of consultations with all Hampshire District Councils, together with the City Councils for Portsmouth and Southampton. The Strategy Review highlights the continued value of the implementation of the strategy in delivering against the County Council and Government's cycling targets and objectives, and at the same time helping to meet the County Council's Corporate Strategy aims, particularly for Developing the Quality of Life in Hampshire and Stewardship of the Environment. The Strategy accords closely with the LTP, in the promotion of the benefits of cycling, which has recently been assisted by the launch of the County Council's new cycling website.

2.5 The Recreational Cycling Strategy review has, however, raised the need for a direct capital allocation from within future Hampshire LTP programmes for the improved support of cycle facilities, often in rural areas and which may have a high recreational and leisure potential. This report responds to that proposal, as well as providing an opportunity to consider any reshaping of the County Council's transportation-led cycling programmes.

3. National Cycling Policies and Funding Support

3.1 The report to the Planning and Transportation Committee in 1998 was produced in anticipation of the Government White Paper on Integrated Transport, which was published the following year. The White Paper, as expected, confirmed the Government's view that cycling had an important role to play in helping to deal with Britain's transport problems in a sustainable fashion, and confirmed support for the increased cycle use target set in the National Cycling Strategy (1996), that of a quadrupling in cycle use by 2012 from a 1996 base. That target has since been supplemented by an additional target set in the Government's ten year transport plan, that of a threefold increase in cycle use by 2010 from a year 2000 base.

3.2 The Government White Paper also introduced the five year LTP funding system for integrated local transport measures to be implemented by local highway authorities. The Department for Transport (DfT) has highlighted that the cycling target is seen to be one of a small number of key transport services performance indicators by which the effectiveness of an authority's LTP is to be measured. Although there are no `ring fenced' allocations through the LTP system for the delivery of dedicated cycling facilities or measures, it is quite clear that the DfT expects to see an adequate proportion of LTP funding being used to support the delivery of cycling infrastructure and to help meet cycling targets set out in authorities' LTPs and accompanying Road Traffic Reduction Act (RTRA) reports. In Hampshire, the LTP and RTRA report have both confirmed the County Council's commitment to strive to meet the National Cycle Strategy's targets in Hampshire.

4. County Council Cycling Policies, Strategies and Programme Delivery

4.1 In 1998 the County Council confirmed its commitment to support the delivery of the National Cycling Strategy outputs and targets in Hampshire, principally through the following mechanisms for the delivery of cycling infrastructure:

(i) the blending of utility and recreational cycling opportunities, to support the delivery of those schemes offering the greatest chance of year-round cycle usage;

(ii) support for the delivery of the County Council's Recreational Cycling Strategy, particularly in transportation terms in those areas of the county such as the New Forest where tourist vehicular traffic is likely to be contributing to wider transport, environmental and congestion problems;

(iii) support for continued liaison with SUSTRANS, the national cycling and environmental charity behind the National Cycle Network (NCN), over the delivery of strategic cycle routes, particularly where those routes were likely to contribute significantly to the delivery of locally important cycling networks identified through area transport strategies; and

(iv) the maintenance of a high continued level of annual capital cycling infrastructure expenditure, then at approximately 12% of the annual capital transportation expenditure level in Hampshire.

4.2 This approach accompanied by measures to promote and support cycling, such as safety training programmes and the recently launched cycling website, also support the County Council's Corporate Strategy aims of Developing the Quality of Life in Hampshire and Stewardship of the Environment. At the same time, these approaches are fully in tune with Hampshire Health Authorities' and Primary Care Trusts' Health Improvement Programmes (HImPs) for the improved health and well-being of the Hampshire community. Elements of these programmes also support the delivery of Safer Routes to School, School Travel Plans and Healthier Schools programmes, where improved child safety and health are key Government target areas.

4.3 Local Transport Plan settlements have enabled capital programme support for cycling infrastructure to be maintained. The investment level in 2001/02 was £1.3 million and this figure is expected to be maintained for the remainder of the Plan period. These allocations have been supplemented by funding from Hampshire District Councils, contributions from developers and from other programmes, such as casualty reduction, Safer Routes to School and maintenance.

4.4 To ensure cycling facilities delivered through the LTP offer the greatest benefits all proposed schemes are prioritised against their potential contribution to assisting journey to work cycling, routes to schools, links to transport interchange facilities, potential safety improvements, assistance for leisure or recreational networks and deliverability. The process has been applied so far to the cycling strategies or plans associated with approximately half the area transport strategies, and it is intended the process should be complete for the whole of Hampshire by the end of this financial year. Additionally, the County Council is developing road user auditing systems which will serve to ensure that all transportation expenditure offers optimum improvements for pedal-cycling, walking and passenger transport usage.

4.5 In these ways the County Council can have increased confidence in the worth of the infrastructure measures it implements, and those schemes' ability to help towards cycle use targets. Of most value has been where local cycle interest groups, particularly Hampshire Cycling, the Hampshire Branch of the Cyclists Touring Club (CTC), have been directly involved with the County Council and District Councils in the prioritisation process.

5. Early Results

5.1 Recent monitoring of cycling activity has shown mixed results. Both the National Travel Survey and a sample of sites in Hampshire showed an overall reduction of 17% in cycle use between 2000 and 2001, although monitoring on the NCN showed a 3% increase in the same period. The conclusion of the NCN report was that a well-designed cycling infrastructure results in an increase in cycling, particularly on traffic-free routes.

5.2 The County Council is still at a relatively early stage in the delivery of its first LTP programme, and it is clear that, if real progress is to be made in reducing reliance on the car, then alternative forms of transport must be encouraged. Cycling has potentially an important role to play in this.

5.3 The County Council has in the last year begun to invest significantly in cycle facilities, with over £1.3 million spent in the year. It is still very early in the process of developing cycling networks in Hampshire and therefore too early to expect rapid changes in travel habits. Modal changes are likely to come only from a combination of programmes, including travel plans for companies and schools, plus demand management policies which will, with increased vehicular congestion, make short distance car trips less attractive. The investment in cycle facilities is an essential pre-requisite in providing a safe and practical network that people can use.

6. The Way Forward

6.1 The recent reports to the Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee and Executive Member promote cross-cutting opportunities and the concept of capital funding support for important links in the cycle route network. Such routes are often in rural areas and with high likely leisure and family cycling usage, but which might not otherwise gain sufficient priority in individual area transport strategy programmes of the LTP. The Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage has requested that a sum of £100,000 per annum be allocated for this purpose.

6.2 These links in some cases will also contribute to important NCN routes across Hampshire. In terms of cycle use performance so far, few areas of the county have local networks of cycle facilities that represent any more than a very small proportion of proposed networks as put forward in local (often District-based) cycle strategies or plans. Current networks are very disjointed, due principally to earlier constrained funding availability. It is not surprising, therefore, that this lack of comprehensive networks, continued fears over safety on heavily trafficked roads and the frequent absence of secure and convenient cycle parking facilities at trip ends, should in combination be deterring any significant switch to cycling as a key travel mode so far.

6.3 The additional funding requested by the Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage would help to support a cross-county strategic network of facilities, supplementing the typical concentration so far on measures within or immediately adjacent to urban areas. In the context of delivering rural networks, sometimes off-road, the Rights of Way network management and maintenance budget stands at some £160,000 for a 2,800 mile network. Such a budget could not realistically support a significant programme of cycle route expenditure. If it were possible to make a sum of £100,000 available annually from the transport capital programme to support strategic schemes, significant early progress could be made with projects including:

(i) the linking of the East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty cycle route with Winchester across the Central Hampshire Area Rural Transport Strategy (CHARTS) area, providing some sections of NCN Route 23 east of Winchester;

(ii) the extension of the National Byway route eastwards from Winchester to complement the route west from the City (also contributing in part to NCN route 23);

(iii) further work on the Castleman Way project in the New Forest, providing important cycle linkages to complementary routes in Dorset;

(iv) development of a number of important cycling opportunities in the New Forest Heritage area (including contributions to NCN Route 2);

(v) further development of the Meon Valley disused railway trail north of Wickham, providing a possible future strategic link from Fareham into the CHARTS area; and

(vi) completion of a new route between Basingstoke and Reading, contributing to NCN Route 23.

6.4 Clearly the Executive Member for Environment will have to judge this request against other transport priorities and also take a view as to the appropriate overall level of investment in cycling.

7. Conclusions

7.1 Cycle use has declined over many years, nationally and in Hampshire. To reverse this trend will require a step change in attitudes before it is seen as a credible means of transport for a large proportion of the community. A review has been undertaken of the County Council's existing cycling infrastructure policies, strategies and programmes, last considered in 1998. Whilst the current approach is still considered valid, it is recognised that a positive change to cycle use will require many initiatives, often in partnership with others. At the same time, there will be a continued need to prioritise the construction of a safer comprehensive network of facilities, a task which has now begun through recent increased investment.

7.2 A recent review of the County Council's Recreational Cycling Strategy, as reported to the Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee and Executive Member, has indicated a need for the implementation of the Strategy to be made a priority, to help meet the County Council's and Government's cycle use targets as well as making an important contribution to Corporate Strategy aims. The latter report is accompanied by a request that the Executive Member for Environment consider allocating a proportion of future LTP capital expenditure for the support of strategic, mostly rural, inter-settlement cycle routes with a high likely leisure usage. SUSTRANS also supports the introduction of high profile routes with a high leisure benefit as a way of stimulating cycling usage and interest.

Recommendation

That the Executive Member for Environment be advised that this Committee:

(i) supports the provision of a county-wide strategic cycle routes programme each year to support the completion of the strategic network of cycle routes, often in rural areas and with a high projected leisure usage; and

(ii) supports continued partnership working with the Director of Recreation and Heritage, Hampshire District Councils, Hampshire Cycling and SUSTRANS in order to deliver a comprehensive network of cycling facilities across Hampshire providing for a variety of users.

7300/TLC/PDS