Tag Archive: active travel england

  1. UK government launches Active Travel strategy in Bristol

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    Source: Bristol City Council, ATE Image source: Amy W, Unsplash

    Active Travel England (ATE), the UK’s government agency focused on creating people-friendly streets and high-quality transport infrastructure, launched its new cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3) in Bristol. The strategy aims to deliver 5,000 new walking, wheeling and cycling routes and 10,000 safer crossings across England by 2030.

    ATE emphasises that the £4.5 billion strategy aims to make active travel choices an everyday reality, stating, “We will work across government to integrate active travel into health, planning, physical activity and cost of living policies.”

    The importance of integrating active travel with other transport modes is recognised, with the strategy moving towards a target for trip stages: “Many walking, wheeling and cycling trips are complete journeys, but many more are to or from a bus or tram stop, or a metro or train station. It’s important that we capture these trip stages to truly understand the extent of active travel in our communities.”

    The building of safe, coherent networks around schools is a priority, as is the creation of “a proper national active travel network – with every safe route mapped and accessible on route planning apps and consistent signage and road markings across the country.”

    During the launch, Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander MP, Mayor for the West of England, Helen Godwin, national Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, and Bristol Deputy Leader Councillor, Heather Mack, took to the city’s shared bikes to see recent improvements to the Bristol-to-Bath Railway Path, which became the country’s first cycle path in 1985. Bristol City Council highlighted that it is investing in safer walking and cycling routes, including a School Streets Programme designed to reduce traffic outside schools during drop-off and pick-up times, the roll-out of more 20 mph (32 km/h) areas, and the upgrade of pedestrian crossings.

    In a video shared on ATE’s LinkedIn, Helen Godwin highlighted that sustainable-travel-conscious Bristol demonstrates the ambitions described in CWIS3, and business owners in one of the city’s pedestrianised streets spoke of the positive impacts, with the owner of a barber shop mentioning increased income, as well as the difference of a pedestrianised street to one with cars as “chalk and cheese…it’s a healthier street, the air feels a lot better, and it’s a safe street.”

  2. Active Travel England updates lane width guidance to prevent close passing

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    Source: Zag Daily

    Active Travel England (ATE) has published new guidance, Critical safety issues for walking, wheeling and cycling, which addresses a range of serious issues, including that of varying road lane widths which can lead to “close passing” incidents, where motorists do not – or cannot – allow sufficient space when overtaking cyclists.

    ATE is a government agency which promotes cycling as an everyday transport choice. It has concluded that the standard British road lane width of 3.65m is not wide enough for motorists to be compliant with the Highway Code, which requires them to allow 1.5m of space when passing cyclists.

    The new guidance states that lanes should either be narrower than 3.25m, where “it is usually clear to motorists that there is not enough space to safely overtake cyclists, and it is clearer to cyclists that they need to ride more centrally”, or be wider than 3.9m, where “the risk of a collision from alongside is reduced at this width and beyond.”

    The ATE guidance relates only to new projects is not legally binding, but is regarded as good practice, and will be applied to a large road-building programme across England. Motorists who flout the Highway Code rules on close passing of cyclists can typically face a fine of £100 (€113), and three penalty points on their licence, or higher if a case goes to court.

    Simon Munk, Head of Campaigns and Community Development at cycling safety charity, the London Cycling Campaign, highlighted the benefits for urban spaces in general. “At 12ft 8in [3.86m] or over, it’s easier for drivers overtaking cyclists to avoid a ‘close pass’. At the other end, narrowing lanes to 10ft 8in [3.25] lanes can mean more room for busy pavements and bus stops, while making it clearer drivers shouldn’t overtake cyclists. It might seem like tinkering with history but not only is shifting lane widths good for helping cyclists stay alive, it’s also good for making places nicer too.”

    Zag Daily points out that the guidance has been issued against the backdrop of an increased presence on UK roads of wide SUVs, which have prompted concerns about “carspreading”.