Dartmoor: Granite & GearsCycle trails to health and prosperity

Application to the DfT Linking Communities - Grant to support cycling in National Parks

Linking Communities – Grants to support cycling in National Parks Application Form

Applicant Information Applicant name(s)*: Devon County Council (Lead Authority) Dartmoor National Park Authority Bid Manager Name and position: Zsolt Schuller – Strategic Sustainable Travel Officer Contact telephone number: 01392 382811 Email address: zsolt.schuller@devon.gov.uk Postal address: Devon County Council Lucombe House County Hall Topsham Road Exeter EX2 4QD

Website address for published application: www.devon.gov.uk/cycling-national-parks-application

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SECTION A - Project description and funding profile

A1. Dartmoor: Granite and Gears – Cycle trails to health and prosperity A2. Headline description: Dartmoor National Park sits at Devon’s heart and its visitors are key to the County’s growing economy. Surrounded by market towns and Cities as well as by internationally important coasts and countryside, Dartmoor is Devon’s playground. Our ambitious proposal will encourage healthy active travel to and from Dartmoor via new family friendly multi-use routes from the east and west. When on the Moor cyclists will receive a warm welcome at dedicated hub sites with facilities aimed at enticing people to explore and ‘learn or return’ to cycling. They will then return home, inspired to continue cycling for their daily trips. A3. Geographical area: This application covers Dartmoor National Park and immediate surrounds. Covering an area of 950 km2 Dartmoor contains the largest and wildest area of open country in the south of England. Home to 35,000 residents, Dartmoor is within easy access to almost 800,000 people through gateway towns and the cities of Plymouth and Exeter. The National Park receives an average of 2.4m visitors a year. Dartmoor is easily accessible via bus or the mainline rail network and is only a short drive from the M5. Ferry services from Plymouth also provide links to the continent and the Eurovelo cycle network. A detailed plan is included in Appendix A.

OS Grid Reference: SX7466 (Postbridge, central area on Dartmoor) Postcode: TQ13 9JQ (Parke, National Park Head Quarters) PL20 6TH (Visitor Centre)

Before photos at key locations Refer to Appendix A

Weblink https://sites.google.com/site/dartmoornationalparkbid/kml-links

A4. Scheme Elements Four schemes make up the complete programme with three focusing on site specific areas and one overarching the entire programme with the objective of supporting more cycling in rural areas. A detailed plan showing the four scheme elements is included in Appendix A. Together they build on the existing cycle network and focus improvements where the greatest benefits can be captured. The schemes, whilst ambitious, are achievable within the life of the Fund and

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will offer complete cycle routes to improve and create additional cycling opportunities for a range of visitors from the keen mountain biker to those looking to increase their activity level. The four scheme elements can all be progressed as standalone schemes, but together they provide high quality access routes to Dartmoor from east and west and also across the Moor itself. The scheme elements are complementary in providing an integrated and thus enhanced cycling experience for local residents, tourists and people with limited mobility. We want to build up an individual’s confidence leading to a sustained increase in cycling activity.

Scheme Element 1 – Cycling on Dartmoor

With improved routes to access Dartmoor, this scheme element will ensure that visitors have the confidence to explore further and are encouraged to extend their stay. Our vision includes creating dedicated hubs1 and trails for the visitor and providing enhanced access to these special sites. Our past experience with schemes such as the Exeter Cycle Demonstration Town, Exe Estuary Trail and Drake’s Trail has shown that we are well placed to deliver successful, high quality, schemes. The proposal is to provide trails which link to the existing network. Exciting opportunities exist to develop ‘Cycling Hubs’ at Postbridge, Princetown and Moretonhampstead with connecting routes along existing disused railway track beds and canal tow paths.

For scheme references see Table A.

Scheme Element 2 – Access to East Dartmoor For scheme references see Table A.

Improvements to access Dartmoor from the East, and major centres including Newton Abbot (Pop: 69,000), Torbay (Pop: 131,000) and Exeter (Pop: 137,000) will capitalise on the development of the Wray Valley Trail. Key sections of this largely off-road trail which are needed to create an easy to use, attractive route will be accelerated with this funding and which otherwise may not be possible to develop. A major component of this is providing a bridge for cyclists (and pedestrians) over the A38 removing a key barrier that has been identified. When complete the route will link back to Newton Abbot and the mainline rail network, providing viable commuting opportunities as well as a leisure facility. This will also link to the work of our three Local Sustainable Transport Fund programmes – Access to Employment, Access to Education and Access to Stations.

1 Cycle ‘Hubs’ are referenced throughout the Application. For the purposes of this document ‘Cycle hub’ refers to a location where visitors can stop to find information about routes and facilities. Other services may include secure cycle parking, bike hire and repair, toilets, refreshments and accommodation.

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Scheme Element 3 – Access to West Dartmoor Access from Plymouth (Pop: 256,000) and the West requires specific improvements to remove existing gaps in the Drake’s Trail and Granite Way sections of the National Cycle Network Route 27. These sections will be addressed through this funding in order to fully realise the benefits along the route. In addition, some existing sections require physical upgrades, particularly around Tavistock. Upgrading the route, and bridging existing gaps where they exist, will encourage more people to cycle for longer thus spend more time and money in Dartmoor. In addition this completes part of a wider Devon Coast to Coast route which is not only part of the National Cycle Network but also part of the Eurovelo network and a current EU project called Cycle West. Cycle West is a partnership project which will create better cycle links with Normandy and Brittany through the ferry port and rail station at Plymouth.

For scheme references see Table A.

Scheme Element 4 – Accessibility and Interpretation Improvements Complementing the infrastructure with signing and interpretation will strengthen the quality of the routes, providing accessible trails that are enjoyable to ride, inspiring and an educational activity as a major attraction for visitors. To further promote access, we will invest in a flexible, cycle friendly taxi scheme and a cycle hub at Newton Abbot rail station, both of which will improve access to Dartmoor.

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A summary of the key components of each scheme element and projects are included in the Table below.

Scheme Element

Projects

Improvements /

construction

Safer crossing /

junction

improvements

Signage /

interpretation

Other minor works

Route length

Elements indicated on map A3

1) Cycling on Dartmoor

A) Princetown Railway Trail

���� ����

35km

Trail improvements and crossing of the B3212

B) Moorland cycling hubs

���� ���� Cycling hubs at Postbridge, Princetown and Moretonhampstead

2) Access to East Dartmoor

A) Wray Valley Trail ���� ���� ����

34km

i) Moretonhampstead to Bovey Tracey ii) Crossing of the A38 iii) Bovey Tracey to Newton Abbot

B) Exeter to Dartmoor Route Development

���� Path development parallel to A38 and then via Haldon Forest Park on quiet roads

3) Access to West

Dartmoor

A) Devon Coast to Coast: Granite Way

���� ���� ����

81km

i) Connection into new development in Okehampton

ii) Southerly to Station Road, Bridestowe

iii) Pegasus Way iv) Rattlebrook Railway Trail

B) Devon Coast to Coast: Drake’s Trail

���� ����

i) Bere Alston to Tavistock ii) Clearbrook Ramp iii) Plymbridge Woods Trails and hub

4) Accessibility

and Interpretation Improvements

A) Round Dartmoor Way ���� ����

140km

Route signing and branding

B) Cycle West Route Development

���� ���� i) Cornwall to Dartmoor ii) Okehampton to Exeter

C) Improving Accessibility & Interpretation

���� ���� Newton Abbot Cycle Hub

Table A – Summary of the Scheme Elements A5. Equality Analysis Has any Equality Analysis been undertaken in line with the Equality Duty? Yes No The Impact Assessment is included in Appendix A. All routes will be access audited to ensure they are fully accessible by those with limited mobility. Use of Tramper Buggies (see Appendix A) will be encouraged. A6. Partnership bodies The project will be delivered through three levels of partnership as indicated in Table B. Statements of support from partners are included in Appendix C. Primary Partners are the lead organisations driving proposals and will be responsible for the day to day management of the programme and scheme elements. Some of the delivery will be carried out by these partners.

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Secondary Partners are key to the successful delivery of specific scheme elements. Devon County Council has Memorandum of Understandings with both the Forestry Commission and National Trust established after a number of successful previous projects. Devon has also worked with Plymouth City Council over a number of years to ensure that cross border schemes are established to create seamless high quality networks. Supporting Partners have an enabling / facilitating role either as Planning Authorities, Parish Councils, tenants or through managing complementary projects. Their support is crucial, particularly in relation to community consultation, promotion and achieving swift delivery within the funding period.

Table B – Partnership Levels

SECTION B – The Business Case B1. The Scheme – Summary of how the scheme meets the assessment criteria Please indicate how the scheme is going to achieve all the assessment criteria.

Evidence of connectivity with public transport hubs, wider cycling networks and surrounding communities. Refer to the mapping in Appendix A

Evidence of match funding (at least 30%) from the local Authority or related. Refer to Appendix D

Commitment and ability to deliver by 31 March 2015. Refer to Appendix G Clear demand from stakeholders for the proposed scheme. Refer to Appendix C High quality scheme design and innovation. Demonstrated throughout the Application Commitment to monitor proposed scheme. Refer to Section C Evidence of health benefits and positive impact upon health inequalities. Demonstrated

throughout the Application

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B2. The Strategic Case a) What is the problem that is being addressed, making specific reference to barriers to

increased cycling and why this has not been addressed previously?

Challenge: The current network of traffic-free, off-road cycle routes is fragmented and lacks variety. Dartmoor has noticed a significant upturn in the popularity of Road Cycling on Dartmoor in recent years, in part due to Devon County Council’s sustained investment in hosting of the Tour of Britain in the County. However, the annual pattern of visitors to National Park Centres has remained consistent year on year (at around 230,000), with the largest number of visitors in July and August and the smallest numbers between November and March. Total visitor numbers to Dartmoor have also been consistent at around 2.4m (with a slight decline to 2.28m in 2011). There is already a network of existing, well used routes, although infrastructure on some of these routes is in need of upgrading and improvement and gaps need to be closed to create attractive, continuous trails. With these improvements our ambition is to increase visitor numbers year on year, and create a year long experience to allow visitors to stay for longer (over 80% are currently day visitors). In order for this to be realised, there needs to be improvement to the variety of activities and opportunities available to visitors. In addition, our Automatic Counters show that cycling is a year round activity, increasing the sustainability of spending and jobs (e.g. Haldon Forest Park). Challenge: Levels of activity amongst local communities There is a clear need for improvement in order to offer encouragement and to promote opportunities for more people to engage in regular, sustained physical activity across the National Park. This opportunity provides a crucial link to one of the four strategic themes from the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Devon 2013 – 2016 “Lifestyle interventions and the prevention of ill health”. It is recorded that only 13% of the Devon population regularly participate in active recreation, and almost two thirds do not participate in any active recreation. Physical activity is linked with all-cause mortality and proves the importance of promoting our natural asset. Creating higher quality, more extensive routes will increase use and lead to a more active community. Challenge: Accessing a wild landscape There is a perception that Dartmoor is accessible only to highly committed cycling enthusiasts, capable of self-navigation with a map and compass. This hugely limits the visitor base and potential benefits of cycling to the Dartmoor economy. This needs to be addressed and the perception of isolation and fear of being lost on Dartmoor removed. There is a large population of Devon living within close proximity of the Moor, yet many are not aware of the opportunities that exist for cycling for a wide range of abilities. Our work would include a major promotional campaign to address this, advertising what is available for all. We need to break down the barriers that local communities and visitors believe exist, and promote that Dartmoor can, and should, be enjoyed by all. Work carried out as part of the development of the Dartmoor Recreation Strategy identified lack of transport, especially amongst young people as one of the biggest barriers to getting onto Dartmoor. Challenge: The vulnerable economy of Dartmoor Despite the small increase across Devon as a whole, there has been a general and substantial deterioration in the Dartmoor economy. Growth between 2004/09 already showed a marked slowdown compared with 1999/04 and ended in a significant downturn in 2009. The aspiration

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is to extend the summer tourists season and promote Dartmoor as a year round destination for cycling, helping support tourism businesses through the winter months. Challenge: Population growth across Devon In the period to 2031 Devon is set to accommodate 67,000 additional homes. This growth will place increasing pressure on existing leisure infrastructure and the County needs to be preparing for this now. In addition the ageing population profile of the County shows that over the same period the number of people over 65 is set to rise by approaching 100,000. This growth plus the increase in the number of retired residents with increased leisure time means we need to improve access to and make the most of existing assets such as Dartmoor National Park.

Funding has been a key barrier to fully addressing these problems. This application comprises projects that target these issues and whilst some have been brought forward others require additional support. This application provides an excellent opportunity to unblock these projects and deliver our vision. b) What options have been considered and why have alternatives have been rejected? Whilst other options have been considered there are issues which have meant these options have not been progressed. Off-road routes Our proposal includes a number of off-road routes. Whilst on-road does offer an acceptable route in some locations, research by Devon County Council has shown that it is the high quality off-road routes that encourage people back into cycling or to try it for the first time. In addition, on average 50% of the usage of off-road trails, is by pedestrians, people with buggies and people on mobility scooters. By investing in high quality off-road facilities, we can benefit far more users than just cyclists, creating a larger net benefit to local communities and visitors. Public Transport A central element of this proposal is to create direct linkages with public transport interchanges. The main interchanges we are focusing on as part of the programme are;

- Newton Abbot Rail Station - Plymouth Rail Station - Brittany Ferries (attracting continental visitor spending)

Devon County Council and Dartmoor National Park Authority have both worked on a number of ‘Cycle Bus’ projects in the past. Experience has shown that very often these open to great public and press applause but in the long term fail to become commercially viable after grant funding has finished. This pattern has been replicated elsewhere in the Country with services failing to offer the flexibility that many cyclists want both in terms of routes and timings.

The Devon Bike Taxi proposal is a low cost and flexible solution giving cyclists the ultimate freedom to be dropped or picked up when and wherever they want. The investment is minimal involving fitting a number of taxis across the Dartmoor area with tow bars and a collapsible bike rack that can be stored in the boot. This will then be marketed to cyclists and an “app” developed to help cyclists access the nearest service when exploring the National Park.

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Information 1SW (http://map.1sw.org.uk/) is a partnership project across the South West region aimed at encouraging people to enjoy adventurous off-road cycling opportunities. As well as delivering a number of successful hub sites a key output has been developing an easy to use Interactive Map. This map shows all routes available for cycling on Dartmoor, grades them for suitability, has information about facilities and also has photos and videos so visitors can find out more before they leave their homes. It is a fantastic resource and is already proving incredibly popular averaging over 1500 unique visits a month in its first 13 months of operation. More publicity and resources like this are needed to promote Dartmoor and all of the schemes will include high profile and innovative promotion and interpretation.

c) What are the expected benefits / outcomes? For example, job creation, health benefits, road

safety and linked transport on the basis on which these have been estimated. The benefits of the proposed scheme elements are numerous and centered around health, economy and safety. Health The benefits of physical activity are well documented and regular activity can help to prevent and manage over 20 chronic conditions. The causal relationship between physical activity and all-cause mortality is clear. Results from the Active People Survey show that two thirds of the local population in Devon are failing to achieve one session of physical activity a week. We appreciate the nature of the challenge and this programme can help to address this statistic. Economy Devon County Council received the 2012 Devon Federation of Small Businesses Best All Round Tourism Award for its investment in cycling, highlighting the benefits to the County economy. An increase in visitors to Dartmoor will bring with it increased revenue, supporting the economy of Dartmoor in these times of austerity. Increasing the tourist season and the length of stay will build on this and we aim to reduce the percentage of day visitors which is currently over 80%. There is a massive opportunity to grow Dartmoor’s economy with these targeted improvements. As a result we would expect to see job creation, an increase in holiday accommodation available and new businesses starting to cater for the increase in visitor numbers. Safety A number of projects proposed will have a positive impact on safety. Safe crossing points, cycle priority and dedicated off-road routes will remove potential conflicts between cyclists and vehicles. The introduction of specific projects aimed at increasing safety removes the requirement for cyclists to stop short as they reach a barrier, where they can now continue their ride.

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Benefit Baseline

Economy

Increased revenue £119.2m revenue generated from tourism in Dartmoor.

Job creation to cater for the increase in visitors

3,014 jobs are directly related to the tourism industry.

Increase in holiday accommodation 3 applications received in 2008/09, 11 in 2011/12 and 15 in the first half of 2012/13.

New business start ups There are currently 44 cycle businesses.

Health

Increase in people using outdoor places for exercise

Devon has 23% of people using outdoor places for health/exercise and Plymouth has 10% (Public Health Outcome Framework Indicator 1.16).

Increase in cycle trips on Dartmoor On average, over 600,000 annual cycle trips currently take place.

Percentage of the population partaking in physical activity

13% of adults in Devon are recorded as regularly participating in active recreation, and almost two thirds are not engaging in any physical activity.

Safety Improved safety

Police Stats19 data shows that between 2007 and 2011 there was an annual average of 19 collisions where a cyclist was injured on the highway in the project area.

d) Are there are any related activities, that if not successfully concluded would mean the full

benefits of the scheme may not be realised. For example, this could relate to land acquisition, planning, other transport interventions being required or a need for additional consents?

Cycling to and on Dartmoor is currently challenging for all but the most enthusiastic cyclists. This funding would allow Partners to pursue projects which deliver high quality family friendly, largely off-road multi-use routes, utilising improved canal tow paths and derelict railways to and on the Moor and vastly improving the traffic-free accessibility of Dartmoor. Without this funding the County and partners would not have sufficient resource to acquire a number of specific packages of land or deliver some of the more costly elements of the programme. As a result Dartmoor would remain inaccessible by bike and for less able users resulting in the trend for the large proportion of visitors arriving by car to remain.

Without funding many of these schemes would remain as aspirational, with resource being focused on more urban facilities in the County. As a result rural tourism businesses would miss out on the potential economic benefits of cycling visitors. Partners such as the Forestry Commission, National Trust, South West Lakes Trust and Sibelco who are making their land holdings available to deliver these routes would either not be able to deliver routes or they would be delivered to a lower standard, perhaps not multi-use.

For the Wray Valley Trail, land has been acquired over the years. This is echoed amongst other routes across Dartmoor. We have a good track record with planning and the evidence can be seen through negotiations at a local historic site on the Exe Estuary (Powderham Castle). Compulsory Purchase Orders have been used intelligently across the County.

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e) What is the impact of the scheme – and any associated mitigation works – on any statutory environmental constraints? For example, Local Air Quality Management Zones.

It is the very nature of the area that the National Park has a number of environmental designations. A number of schemes have been successfully delivered that are sensitive to the environment, and there is no reason why this should not be the case. In many cases scheme preparations have already begun thus schemes are not starting from ‘square one’ and existing risks are well known and it is understood how they can be mitigated. B3. The Financial Case – Project Costs Please complete the following tables. Figures should be entered in £000s (i.e. £10,000 = 10). Table A: Funding profile (Nominal terms)

£000s 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 Total

DfT funding sought 756.0 3,616.6 4,372.6

Local Authority contribution 402.0 1,123.0 300.0 1,825.0

Third Party contribution 706.6 370.4 150.0 1,227.0

TOTAL 1,864.6 5,110.0 450.0 7,424.6

B4. The Financial Case - Local Contribution / Third Party Funding a) The non-DfT contribution may include funding from organisations other than the scheme

promoter. If the scheme improves transport links to a new development, we would expect to see a significant contribution from the developer. Please provide details of all non-DfT funding contributions to the scheme costs. This should include evidence to show how any third party contributions are being secured, the level of commitment and when they will become available.

Devon County Council’s commitment to cycling was outlined after the 2012 Cycling Strategy Update where Cabinet approved a £13.9m countywide investment program in cycling to 2015. This followed on from the £13m spent on cycling between 2009 and 2012. In relation to this scheme Devon County Council and Dartmoor National Park Authority are both making contributions to projects through integrated transport funds and core budgets. The Secondary Partners will also contribute through schemes and as land owners (National Trust and Forestry Commission).

Third Party Contributions are also available from the Supporting Partners shown in Section A6 and other sources including developer contributions. Full details of the non-DfT funding contributions are attached in Appendix D supported by letters of commitment (Appendix C).

b) Where the contribution is from external sources, please provide a letter confirming the

body’s commitment to contribute to the cost of the scheme. The Department is unlikely to fund any scheme where significant financial contributions from other sources have not been secured or appear to be at risk.

Have you appended a letter(s) to support this case? Yes No N/A

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c) The Department may accept the provision of land in the local contribution towards scheme

costs. Please provide evidence in the form of a letter from an independent valuer to verify the true market value of the land. Have you appended a letter to support this case? Yes No N/A

d) Please list any other funding applications you have made for this scheme or variants thereof and the outcome of these applications, including any reasons for rejection.

The “Two Moors Sustainable Visitor Travel Project” was submitted as a Local Sustainable Transport Fund (Tranche 2) application covering both Dartmoor National Park and Exmoor National Park. The application was led by Somerset County Council with Devon County Council a Partner. The project aimed to provide the transport conditions necessary to support growth in the tourist economy by introducing measures such as public transport services, travel information and bicycle hire. Cycle infrastructure was only one element of the package. The letter from the DfT informing the partnership that the application had been unsuccessful stated “There were concerns about the long-term financial sustainability of proposals. Due to the pressures of affordability, this bid was not successful in securing DfT funding”. It is understood that concerns were particularly focused around the Public Transport elements of the application. As a result and as recommended we wish to proceed with the cycling elements of the proposal where issues of on-going revenue support relate only to route maintenance and promotion.

B5. The Financial Case – Affordability and Financial Risk a) What risk allowance has been applied to the project cost?

All project costs include contingency and an optimism bias of at least 15%. In addition, the number of projects that make up the programme allows scope for the more challenging schemes to progress at a slower rate if required, whilst other improvements can be fast-tracked. This ensures that cycling facilities on the Moor will continue to be enhanced throughout the funding period.

b) How will cost overruns be dealt with?

Current and programmed spend will be monitored on a monthly basis. If the situation arises that additional funding is required, it will be sought through local contributions or increases to Devon County Council or Dartmoor National Park Authority’s contributions.

c) How will cost overruns be shared between non-DfT funding partners (DfT funding will be

capped and will not be able to fund any overruns)?

Any cost overruns will be the responsibility of the highways authority, Devon County Council. The exceptions to this will be schemes that are fully funded by other partners such as the National Trust. In these circumstances these partners would be responsible for 100% of any cost overrun.

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B6. The Economic Case – Value for Money a) Please provide a description of your assessment of the impact of the scheme to include: - Significant positive and negative impacts (quantified where possible); - A description of the key risks and uncertainties; - A short description of the modelling approach used to forecast the impact of the scheme and

the checks that have been undertaken to determine that it is fit-for-purpose.

Impact Reason + / - Quantified

Increase in cyclists on the Moor

Increase and variety in trails will encourage new visitors

Positive We would expect to replicate growth seen where new network has been created/improved. 43% growth is expected in the period 2015 to 2018.

Increased revenue from visitors

An increase in visitors plus length of stay will therefore increase revenue

Positive Local cycle tourism data suggests visitor spend of £18.80 per head. Therefore we would expect an increase in revenue of over £6m up to 2018 as a result of this programme.

Job creation Increased tourism will lead to jobs created to handle demand

Positive Using employment figures from an existing cycling hub at Haldon Forest Park, we estimate there is potential for 27 new full time and 68 part time positions

Business start ups in Dartmoor

An increase in visitors will lead to an increase in business services required

Positive Business start ups are expected to increase more rapidly than they are currently.

Health benefits

Increasing route choice leads to a more active community

Positive We would expect 884 more people to cycle on an average day – a total of 322,660 over an annual period based upon previous schemes. This level of additional activity has the potential to save 0.95 deaths per year (HEAT tool calculation) and decrease average mortality in the population by 8%.

Increased safety Safety benefits through off-road infrastructure and the creation of safe crossing points at certain locations

Positive We would expect to see approximately 50% reduction in cyclist collisions, particularly where routes offer alternative to busy traffic corridors, e.g. Wray Valley Trail.

Change of use on the Moor

More visitors to the Moor reduces its isolation and charm

Negative We would aim to see a net increase in satisfaction amongst existing users.

Risks and Uncertainties

Risks have been identified for each of the scheme elements. Scheme elements are at different stages and so not all risks relate to every project that is proposed. The key risks that have been identified are:

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Identifying the impact Dartmoor covers an area of over 950km2 and identifying visitor numbers to Dartmoor and more specifically cyclist numbers is not an exact science. However, these can be estimated through available data sources. Information relating to the length of cycle trips and return visitors is more difficult to record in order to provide a detailed appreciation of the impacts of the scheme, and total number of unique, and new, cyclists to Dartmoor. Land ownership There are some areas of land that require acquisition to progress scheme elements. We have good relationships with these owners and have agreements in place in a number of cases. There is a risk to the economic case if missing links cannot be progressed. However, our already successful track record in delivery across the Moor shows that any issues on this can be overcome. b) Bidders should provide the following as annexes as supporting material: - A completed Scheme Impacts Pro Forma which summarises the impact of proposals against

a number of metrics relevant to the scheme objectives. The Pro Forma can be accessed from the Department’s website and is published alongside this application form. It is important that bidders complete as much of this table as possible as this will be used by DfT – along with other centrally sourced data – to form an estimate of the BCR of the scheme.).

- A description of the sources of data and forecasts used to complete the Scheme Impacts

Pro Forma. This should include descriptions of the checks that have been undertaken to verify the accuracy of data or forecasts relied upon. Please provide references to this supporting material for each of the metrics in the pro forma.

Has a Scheme Impacts Pro Forma been appended? Yes No N/A

Scheme Impact Pro Formas are included in Appendix E.

Has a description of data sources / forecasts been appended? Yes No N/A Information relating to the data sources and methodology is attached as Appendix F. B7. Management Case - Delivery Deliverability is one of the essential criteria for this Fund and as such any bid should set out any necessary statutory procedures that are needed before it can be constructed. a) A detailed project plan (typically in Gantt chart form) with milestones should be included,

covering the period from submission of the bid to scheme completion. The definition of the key milestones should be clear and explained. The critical path should be identifiable and any key dependencies (internal or external) should be explained. Resource requirements, task durations, contingency and float should be detailed and easily identifiable. Dependencies and interfaces should be clearly outlined and plans for management detailed.

Has a project plan been appended to your bid? Yes No

A summary Project Plan is included in Appendix G. Detailed project plans are developed for each project included in this programme.

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b) If delivery of the project is dependent on land acquisition, please include a letter from the respective land owner(s) to demonstrate that arrangements are in place in order to secure the land to enable the authority to meet its construction milestones.

Has a letter relating to land acquisition been appended? Yes No N/A

Detail relating to the number of land owners and status for each project are included in Appendix H. c) What are the main risks to the project delivery timescales and what impact will this have on

cost?

We are experienced at dealing with risk to project delivery and costs. Our focus on cycle infrastructure over preceding years has led to a number of routes delivered, such as sections of the Drake’s Trail, Wray Valley Trail and further afield at the Exe Estuary Trail. These are real examples of delivery which support our ability to handle any risks associated with this programme.

Main risks that exist, impacting both on programme and costs are related to land, works costs and reliance on external partners. We are pursuing a number of small schemes and can shift the focus and accelerate another scheme if one is delayed. This will not lead to increased scheme costs, but a change in delivery programme.

A risk register will be kept and maintained for each project to work towards removing, reducing, transferring or accepting them if they were to arise. d) Please provide summary details of your construction milestones (at least one but no more

than 5 or 6) between start and completion of works: Table C: Construction milestones

Scheme Projects Start Date Opening Date

Cycling on Dartmoor

Princetown Railway Trail

Moorland cycling hubs

September 2013

December 2015

May 2014

May 2015

Access to East Dartmoor

Wray Valley Trail

Exeter to Dartmoor

February 2014

March 2014

March 2016

February 2016

Access to West Dartmoor

Granite Way

Drake’s Trail

March 2014

March 2014

March 2016

March 2016

Accessibility and interpretation improvements

Round Dartmoor Way

Cycle West Route

June 2013

August 2013

March 2014

September 2013

Milestones have been based on the earliest start of a specific project of each route, and the latest finish. Further details are included in Appendix G. Funding for projects after March 2015 will be from Local Authority and Third Party funding.

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e) Please list any major transport schemes costing over £5m in the last 5 years which the authority has delivered, including details of whether these were completed to time and budget (and if not, whether there were any mitigating circumstances)

Devon Cycle Programme Over the last five years, £13 million has been invested in delivering cycle schemes across Devon. The County Council has considerable experience in delivering significant cycle schemes in challenging locations including the Exe Estuary, Drake’s Trail and Granite Way. Issues include routes within Network Rail boundaries parallel to rail lines, crossing rivers and valleys and negotiating with a large number of sometimes challenging landowners. The majority of schemes have been delivered on time and to budget. For example the recent bridge over the Teign at Newton Abbot came in £500k under budget. The cycle programme has also included the successful delivery of three Connect2 projects in partnership with Sustrans. East of Exeter Access Improvements Phase 2 The works on this £15 million project were started in May 2011 and completed in November 2012. The project contained three elements: improvements to M5 Junction 29; widening and bus lane provision to C832 (Old A30); and contribution to new junction provision to the Intermodal Freight Terminal off Clyst Honiton Bypass. The scheme package was funded by Section 31 Grant from DfT and Third Party contributions via Devon County Council. The contract was delayed by four months, largely due to significant problems with underground services locations. These were also responsible for the majority of the cost increase from £14.410m to £15.691m although this was also attributable to an increase in the scope of the scheme to facilitate future development. All the available Section 31 Grant allocated to this scheme has now been claimed, with the balance of funding being made up by the County Council as described above. Barnstaple Western Bypass This £42m scheme was completed on time and the construction contract settled within the allocated budget. At the time it was the biggest single civil engineering project prepared by the County Council in 20 years. The scheme included a 60m long viaduct, 1km of associated side roads, three new junctions as well as cycleways and footpaths to improve options for sustainable travel, including improved connections on the South West Coast Path and Tarka Trail (National Cycle Network Route 27). B8. Management Case – Statutory Powers and Consents a) Please list separately each power / consents etc obtained, details of date acquired,

challenge period (if applicable) and date of expiry of powers and conditions attached to them. Any key dates should be referenced in your project plan.

Statutory powers / consents that have been obtained are summarised below. Detail on these is included in Appendix I.

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Scheme Element Statutory Power / Consent Details

Cycling on Dartmoor None obtained to date

Access to East Dartmoor Planning Permission Permission obtained for two route sections

Access to West Dartmoor Planning Permission Permission obtained for three route sections

Accessibility and Interpretation Improvements

Not required

b) Please list separately any outstanding statutory powers / consents etc, including the

timetable for obtaining them.

Outstanding statutory powers / consents are summarised below, and detailed in Appendix I.

Scheme Element Statutory Power / Consent

Details Timetable

Cycling on Dartmoor Planning Permission

An Application may be required depending on final route choice.

Access to East Dartmoor

Planning Permission

Planning is required for two route sections

Planning Applications to be submitted by December 2013.

Access to West Dartmoor

Planning Permission Negotiations with land owners

Landowners supportive in most instances. Planning applications required for two sections

Planning Applications to be submitted by December 2013.

Accessibility and Interpretation Improvements

Not required

c) What will happen if funding for this scheme is not secured – would an alternative (lower cost)

solution be implemented? (If yes, please describe this alternative and how it differs from the proposed scheme?)

All schemes are within our Vision and long term programme for access to and within Dartmoor National Park. If funding is not secured, the schemes will go ahead when funding becomes available and therefore take a much longer duration to complete, if they are completed. B9. Management Case – Governance The delivery of this project will be led by Devon County Council’s Sustainable Travel Team. This highly experienced and award winning team has a proven track record of delivering cycling schemes including Exeter’s Cycling Demonstration Town project, a ‘Finding New Solutions’ project for the DfT and a number of high profile routes in the County including the Granite Way, the Tarka Trail and soon to be completed £10m Exe Estuary Trail. The team will include a project manager dedicated to the application ensuring schemes and financial claims are delivered on time. This team will work across organisational boundaries drawing in relevant delivery staff from Dartmoor National Park Authority who have led on engagement with communities and stakeholders.

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A Project Steering Group will be established between the two Authorities and chaired by the Senior Responsible Officer. The organogram overleaf depicts the agreed governance arrangements.

B10. Management Case - Risk Management All schemes will be expected to undertake a thorough Quantified Risk Assessment (QRA) and a detailed risk register should be included in the bid. The QRA should be proportionate to the nature and complexity of the scheme. A Risk Management Strategy should be developed and should outline on how risks will be managed. Has a QRA been appended to your bid? Yes No Has a Risk Management Strategy been appended to your bid? Yes No The QRA and Risk Management Strategy is included at Appendix J. B11. Management Case - Stakeholder Management a) Please provide a summary of your strategy for managing stakeholders, with details of the

key stakeholders together with a brief analysis of their influences and interests.

The response to question B.9 depicts our Governance Structure with a Project Manager reporting to a programme board.

The Project Manager will be responsible for maintaining relationships with the key stakeholders relating to each of the four scheme elements. This will either be directly or through partners as appropriate.

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Cycling on Dartmoor

Dartmoor National Park Authority will lead this scheme element with the main stakeholders being the Forestry Commission and the Dartmoor Commoners Association. Dartmoor National Park Authority has a delegation agreement from Devon County Council, for the management and maintenance of Public Rights of Way within the National Park. This agreement will be extended to deliver the relevant elements of the application. A Memorandum of Understanding is in place between Devon County Council and the Forestry Commission. This was put in place after the successful delivery of a partnership project to deliver a cycling hub at Haldon Forest Park. The agreement sets out both organisations joint aspirations to work together across land holdings to promote accessibility and cycling.

Stakeholder Influence & Interest

Dartmoor National Park Authority

An independent advisory body to Dartmoor National Park. Its purpose is to give advice on how to make the countryside of Dartmoor more accessible and enjoyable for open air recreation in ways which address environmental, social and economic needs.

Dartmoor Commoners Association

37% of the parks whole area is common land. The Council is elected to represent the Commoners, make regulations about matters affecting the management of the commons and the welfare of stock

Access to East Dartmoor Devon County Council will be the key delivery partner for this scheme element. A Management Group of stakeholders has already been established with an agreed shared vision for this area. Stakeholders include Teignbridge District Council, The Stover Canal Trust, Highways Agency and Environment Agency on the route. The engineering team will work closely with the Highways Agency and Environment Agency to develop optimum route solutions.

Stakeholder Influence & Interest

Teignbridge District Council (TDC)

Landowner & planning authority. Supportive of project as part of their Aspirational Network.

Stover Canal Trust Tenant leasing the land from TDC. Supportive of Scheme.

Highways Agency (HA) Scheme involves bridging the A38, part of the Strategic Trunk Road Network. Detailed design will be carried out in consultation with HA.

Environment Agency (EA) Scheme is in vicinity of the Stover Canal. Scheme will need to be developed in close consultation with EA.

Access to West Dartmoor Devon County Council will be the key delivery partner for this scheme element. Both Devon and Dartmoor are committed to the scheme and will manage the other main stakeholders which include Plymouth City Council and West Devon Borough Council. A small project team will exist to deliver this scheme element liaising directly with local stakeholders such as the Parishes and Commoners Association on route. Devon County Council has a strong relationship with the National Trust and a Memorandum of Understanding exists between the two organisations. This sets out joint aspirations to work together across land holdings promote accessibility and cycling.

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Stakeholder Influence & Interest

Plymouth City Council (PCC)

A number of schemes to complete the Drake’s Trail are within the boundary of Plymouth City Council. Devon County Council will work with Plymouth to design these schemes to ensure a consistent route.

West Devon Borough Council (WDBC)

Planning authority for a number of these schemes. Supportive of project and on Drake’s Trail Management Partnership.

Maristow Estate Key landowner and supporter of the Devon Coast to Coast route.

National Trust A number of the schemes are being delivered on National Trust Land. National Trust will be delivering these elements.

Accessibility & Interpretation Improvements This is the overarching element of the whole programme and as a result will require close working amongst all Partners. Devon County Council will lead, working with Dartmoor National Park Authority who will lead on engagement.

Stakeholder Influence & Interest

Devon Countryside Access Forum The Forum represents a diverse cross section of users and is keen to ensure that access improvements to the Countryside are multi-use wherever possible.

First Great Western Integration between rail and bicycle is becoming increasingly important to all Train Operating Companies. First Great Western is keen to work on developing a Cycling Hub at Newton Abbot Train Station recognising the benefit to commuter and leisure users.

Countryside Mobility South West & Living Options Devon

Representing individuals and groups with disabilities and mobility impairments. They will be consulted and part of a group aimed at ensuring that all routes are accessible.

District Councils District Councils are the Taxi Licensing Authorities. We will work closely with them to liaise with Taxi operators to develop the Devon Cycle Taxi Scheme.

b) Can the scheme be considered as controversial in any way? Yes No If yes, please provide a brief summary (in no more than 100 words)

The projects proposed are not considered controversial. Complaints that do arise are generally related to the schemes not progressing as quickly as they should. c) Have there been any external campaigns either supporting or opposing the scheme?

Yes No

If yes, please provide a brief summary (in no more than 100 words)

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B12. Management Case - Assurance We will require Section 151 Officer confirmation (Section D) that adequate assurance systems are in place. Please refer to Section D.

SECTION C – Monitoring, Evaluation and Benefits Realisation C1. Monitoring and Evaluation We are committed to monitoring and evaluating the impacts of the scheme elements, both to understand the success and value for money of the programme as well as to supplement existing monitoring programmes that are already in place. Evaluation will be carried out in a number of ways to create a detailed picture of the impact of the project and individual scheme elements. This programme includes monitoring;

• Cycle trips to and on Dartmoor

• Visitor numbers to Dartmoor

• Impact on Dartmoor economy

• Impact on physical activity

A framework for monitoring the impacts of the programme will be developed. Monitoring Cycle trips to and on Dartmoor There is an existing network of 24 Automatic Cycle Counters on and around Dartmoor managed by Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council and Dartmoor National Park Authority. This data has been used to develop a baseline to evaluate changes in the numbers of cycle trips on and around the Moor. It is proposed that an additional 8 counters are installed as part of this application to develop a more robust monitoring cordon. This will be completed in partnership with the Sustrans Research and Monitoring Unit. In addition we will monitor traffic to the main websites used by visitors accessing Dartmoor for cycling. The number of unique web hits will act as a good proxy for new interest in cycling. The main websites are; • www.cycledevon.info • www.1sw.org.uk and specifically the adventure cycle map • www.dartmoor.gov.uk Visitors to Dartmoor Visitor numbers to Dartmoor are collected using the STEAM model (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor). Annual reports are produced for Dartmoor that are consistent with the approach used in other UK National Parks and enable trends to be monitored over time. Input data includes local traffic monitoring data, attendance at major visitor attractions and tourist information centres and detailed lists of local accommodation providers and occupancy percentages. Results generated for Dartmoor National Park and the Area of Influence (2km buffer zone around Dartmoor) are shown in the graph overleaf.

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Impact on Dartmoor economy A baseline of the number of businesses directly and indirectly benefiting from cyclist’s spend has also been established. The number of businesses will be surveyed annually recording start-ups and closures.

Business type Number at April 2013

Cycle Shop 19

Cycle Hire Centre 13

Cycle Shop & Hire 12

Accommodation providers 193

Cycle Friendly accommodation providers

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The revenue generated by tourism is also collected through the Annual Monitoring Reports and use of the STEAM model. The result from 2003 and 2007 onwards are shown in the graph below. This monitoring will continue to take place following completion of the programme.

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Physical Activity The Sport England Active People Survey will be used to create a baseline profile for levels of physical activity in Devon. More detailed analysis will be undertaken specifically in relation to participation in cycling. Public Health Outcome Framework indicator 1.16 establishes the ‘Percentage of people using outdoor places for health/exercise reasons’. The 2012 baseline for Devon was 23% of people in Devon took an outdoor visit for health/exercise visits within the last seven days with 10% in Plymouth.

SECTION D: Declarations D1. Senior Responsible Owner Declaration

As Senior Responsible Owner for Dartmoor: Granite and Gears I hereby submit this request for approval to DfT on behalf of Devon County Council and confirm that I have the necessary authority to do so. I confirm that Devon County Council will have all the necessary statutory powers in place to ensure the planned timescales in the application can be realised.

Name: Dave Black

Signed:

Position: Head of Planning, Transport and Environment

D2. Section 151 Officer Declaration

As Section 151 Officer for Devon County Council I declare that the scheme cost estimates quoted in this bid are accurate to the best of my knowledge and that Devon County Council

- has allocated sufficient budget to deliver this scheme on the basis of its proposed funding contribution

- accepts responsibility for meeting any costs over and above the DfT contribution requested, including potential cost overruns and the underwriting of any funding contributions expected from third parties

- accepts responsibility for meeting any ongoing revenue requirements in relation to the scheme

- accepts that no further increase in DfT funding will be considered beyond the maximum contribution requested and that no DfT funding will be provided after 2014/15

- confirms that the authority has the necessary governance / assurance arrangements in place and, for smaller scheme bids, the authority can provide, if required, evidence of a stakeholder analysis and communications plan in place

Name: Mary Davis

Signed:

“I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I have experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor...”(Steven Spielberg)