Archived decisions

Contact: Paul Basham, ext 6054

1. Summary

1.1 On 6 November 2002 the Panel considered a proposal from a working group led by New Forest District Council officers concerning the development of a network of strategic cycle routes for the District. The Panel agreed that proposals drawn up by the group should be circulated individually to Members before the next meeting, with a view to the proposals then being issued for public consultation.

1.2 The proposals are aimed at the establishment of a comprehensive cycle network linking towns and villages to each other and to the New Forest, as envisaged in current plans and transport strategies for the area. The working group includes officers from the County Council, New Forest District Council and the Forestry Commission, as well as cyclists' representative bodies.

1.3 The draft text for the leaflet is attached as an appendix. It is intended that the map and leaflet be published for consultation and sent for comment to parish and town councils, neighbouring local authorities, organisations concerned with the District's countryside, wildlife and economy, transport operators and cycle-based businesses (eg cycle shops and hire premises). Subject to the comments received, it is suggested that the proposals should then go forward to be incorporated in planning policy through the next review of the New Forest District Local Plan, and be considered by the County Council for funding through the Local Transport Plan process.

Recommendation

That the Executive Member for Environment be advised that the strategic cycle network leaflet and map be agreed for consultation purposes.

7791/PB

APPENDIX

DRAFT LEAFLET

STRATEGIC CYCLE ROUTES IN THE NEW FOREST DISTRICT

Suggestions from a working group

Background

The Hampshire Local Transport Plan sets out an integrated strategy for transport in the county. It sets challenging targets for reducing traffic growth and increasing the use of cycles and other alternatives to the car over the next decade. One of the main requirements of any strategy for achieving these targets is therefore the development of the cycle route network.

The New Forest Transport Strategy (NFTS) also takes a broad approach covering all modes. Among other things it proposes to define a "comprehensive and integrated cycle network linking communities, allowing visitors cycle access to Forest attractions and creating links to routes in neighbouring transport strategy areas".

Policy T16 of the Hampshire County Structure Plan proposes a "Southampton area cycle network". This is one of a number of transportation schemes proposed for the Southampton (now South West Hampshire) Strategy Area. It is already being taken forward in the Totton and Waterside Transport Strategy (TAWTS), which defines a strategic network of existing and proposed routes linking Totton, Marchwood, Hythe, Fawley, Calshot and the New Forest.

Similarly, the New Forest District Local Plan identifies a need for links to town and village centres, schools and other facilities, and proposes a considerable number of such routes, both for pedestrians and cyclists. And finally, the District Council's Tourism and Visitor Management Strategy (1998) also proposes a "comprehensive District-wide on- and off-road cycling network" (to be established by March 1999).

The Proposals

New Forest District Council has taken a lead in developing a comprehensive network for the District (ie NFTS area plus TAWTS area). As a first step, the attached map shows a strategic network of existing and proposed cycle routes, together with other important, but more local, links.

The network has been devised by a working group consisting of representatives from:

_ Hampshire County Council

_ New Forest District Council

_ Forestry Commission

_ Cyclists' Touring Club

_ Sustrans

with help also from representatives of English Nature, the Verderers of the New Forest and Southampton City Council.

The proposed network is described in Table 1. It incorporates:

_ existing cycle routes which form - or could in the future form - part of a strategic link

_ proposals, including

- new routes which already feature in one or more public policy documents (New Forest District Local Plan, TAWTS, proposed National Cycle Network (NCN))

- suggestions, by the working group, for additional rates to improve linkages within the proposed network.

Existing routes include a number of bridleways. Bridleways known in practice to be unsuitable for cycling have not been included.

The "proposals" include a limited number of totally new routes; most consisting of improvements to an existing highway (or right of way) to upgrade it to a suitable condition for the expected level of cycle traffic usage.

The routes link all the main settlements to each other and to the Forest. They use on-road and off-road opportunities as they occur. "On-road" routes include both segregated road-side cycle paths and routes which use the existing road network, and some rely on the improvement of cycling conditions through traffic management. The vast majority of the off-road routes in the Forest are unsealed gravel tracks, which are permissive routes made available by the Forestry Commission and Verderers, and are given wide publicity through the visitor information network.

The proposals have been made by the working group with the endorsement of the New Forest Transportation Strategy Members' Panel. They have not been formally endorsed at this stage as a package by any of the organisations represented.

To demonstrate the value of each route, the map shows not only the District's main settlements but also the main trip attractors (shopping centres, schools, etc) in and around those settlements; railway stations and ferry terminals; and key visitor attractions.

An almost limitless number of routes could of course be devised either as recreational "loops" or to serve local travel needs, using both the links shown on the map and the public road network. The working group has, for the time being, deliberately avoided addressing what are essentially very local issues, concentrating instead on the priority task of establishing a strategic network which can be enhanced by the addition of further local or "supporting" links in the future.

The working group now wants to hear other people's views on the proposals. After considering those views and making any necessary changes, the group will invite the District Council to incorporate the proposals into its local plan or planning policy framework. The District Council will also continue to work with the County Council and other partners to secure delivery on the ground of those proposals for which there is already clear support in current policy. Both councils will continue - so far as resources allow - to promote the use of the existing network and to seek the provision of complementary facilities by other agencies such as rail, ferry and bus operators.

Issues Requiring Further Investigation

The right-hand column of Table 1 identifies a number of places where practical issues still remain to be addressed. In particular, several routes involve sections of road or road crossings which will need to undergo formal safety audit before they can be positively recommended for use. However, the working group considers that the routes shown on the map offer in each case the best opportunity to provide that particular strategic link. Before taking the proposals any further, the group is anxious to know if others agree.

COMMENTS on the proposals should be sent to:

Patrick Hughes

Policy, Plans and Information

New Forest District Council

Appletree Court

Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7PA on or before ...................

TABLE 1 SCHEDULE OF ROUTES