HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ACTIVE TRAVEL STRATEGY · 2014-08-29 · Hertfordshire’s draft...

HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

ACTIVE TRAVEL STRATEGY

CONSULTATION REPORT

April 2013

Environment

e-mail : [email protected] www.hertsdirect.org/ltp

Hertfordshire’s draft Active Travel Strategy Consultation report

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Contents Page Report Account of the Consultation 3 Workshop Report 7 Easy Read Report 9 Supplementary Document Active Travel Action Plan Appendices Appendix 1: Consultation Comments Log Appendix 2: Workshop Comments Log Appendix 3: Workshop Slides & Delegates List Appendix 4: Easy Read Consultation Comments Log


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1.0 Account of the Consultation

1.1 Introduction The consultation of Hertfordshire’s draft Active Travel Strategy ran from 19 November 2012 until the 18 January 2013. The Active Travel Strategy provides clear policy leads and identifies barriers and interventions to encourage active travel within the county. The Active Travel Strategy is an amalgamation of the previous Walking and Cycling strategies and will become a daughter document of the Local Transport Plan 3 when adopted. Also accompanying the strategy was a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report. This is an assessment which has considered the environmental and social/economic implications of delivering the Active Travel Strategy. The new LTP3 Active Travel Strategy has now been published, along with all of the consultation responses (with the County Council's response to each comment), the consultation continues below. A total of 61 responses were received via email, letter, and through an online questionnaire. Comments have also been analysed from an Active Travel Workshop which was held during the consultation and was attended by 42 people from a range of stakeholder groups and colleagues from other areas of Hertfordshire County Council. Approximately 265 comments have been received and analysed during this process, these can be viewed in full in appendix 1. 44 organisations who responded to the Consultation included: Alliance of British Drivers

Arriva in the Shires

Aylesbury Vale District Council

Borehamwood Town Council

Broxbourne Borough Council

Canal and Rivers Trust

Community Development Agency for Hertfordshire

Campaign to Protect Rural England (Hertfordshire)

CycleHerts

Dacorum Environmental Forum

Enfield Borough Council

Harpenden Society

Hatfield Town Council

Hertfordshire Countryside Management Service

Hertfordshire Cycling Touring Club

Hertfordshire Local Access Forum

Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust

Highways Agency

Kimpton Parish Council

Lea Valley Regional Park

Markyate Parish Council


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Natural England

North and East Herts NHS Trust

North Mymms Parish Council

Phoenix Group for Deaf Children

Ramblers Association

SPOKES (South West Hertfordshire Cycling Group)

St Albans and District Footpath Society

St Albans Friends of the Earth

St Stephens Parish Council

STACC (St Albans Cycling Club)

Stevenage Borough Council

Stevenage Cycling Touring Club

Sustrans

Three Rivers District Council

Tring Town Council

Watford Borough Council

Welwyn Hatfield Cycle Forum

West Street Residents Association

Wheathampstead Parish Council

Woolmer Green Parish Council

1.2 On-line Questionnaire Analysis. 28 responses were submitted through an online questionnaire which was posted on the HertsDirect website for the duration of this consultation.

Question 1. Do you agree with the aim to increase participation in Active Travel (walking and cycling) in Hertfordshire?

Yes 100%

No 0%

No Answer 0%

Question 2. Do you support the strategy's objectives for Active Travel? A: Enhancing economic growth.

Yes 82%

No 11%

No Answer 7%

B: Improving public health.

Yes 100%

No 0%

No Answer 0%

C: Improving quality of life.

Yes 96%

No 0%

No Answer 4%


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D: Reducing carbon emissions.

Yes 89%

No 11%

No Answer 0%

Question 3.

Rank which overarching barriers are most in need of addressing in

Hertfordshire

30%

22%4%

7%

37%

Lack of Safety and

Security

Lack of Physical

Infrastructure

Lack of Knowledge,

Awareness, Training or

Education

Social and Cultural

Attitudes

All Overarching Barriers

are Equal

Question 4.

Are there any other interventions that we have not mentioned in

the Active Travel Strategy which you would like to see included in

the "toolkit"

Yes

47%

No

46%

No Answer

7%

Further suggestions of Interventions to add to the toolkit (For HCC response please refer to the full consultation log)

SkyRides and short cycle/walking tours of urban areas.

Better public transport links for those who wish to cycle - Cross county - Essex / Herts / Beds

Pedestrianisation of busy shopping areas (eg Harpenden Lower High Street).

Provision of School Transport for pupils living more than 2 miles from school.

On busy roads - safe cycle ways or alternatives.

Adapt pavements on rural roads into shared use paths.


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A safety barrier between roads and foot/cycle ways making walking and cycling much safer from traffic similar to schemes in Europe.

More promotion of recreational walking and its health benefits.

Communicate the benefits against local and national priorities (obesity, costs etc).

Implement filtered permeability to reduce motorised vehicle route options and increase cycling & walking ones.

Inclusion of cycle awareness in the instruction and testing of new drivers.

Make rural lanes safer for exercise and travel by walkers, cyclists and horse riders i.e. Quiet Lanes Scheme.

Specialist travel training for children with a hearing loss - with deaf adult role models.

Question 5. Do you think that the implementation of Active Travel interventions can address the following objectives for Active Travel? A: Enhancing Economic Growth

Yes 64%

No 25%

No Answer 11%

B: Improving Public Health

Yes 89%

No 4%

No Answer 7%

C: Improving Quality of Life

Yes 86%

No 7%

No Answer 7%

C: Reducing Carbon Emissions

Yes 73%

No 20%

No Answer 7%

Question 6.

The strategy identifies delivery partners who are responsible for

delivering specific interventions; these are described in Chapter 5.

Are there other organisations or delivery partners that you would

like to see mentioned in the Active Travel.

Yes

46%

No

50%

No Answer

4%


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Potential Partners identified through Question 6

Groundwork, parish councils, landowners, Canal and Rivers Trust, Sustrans

Public Transport – rail.

Schools governors, parents, and teachers.

The Harpenden Society.

Cycle trainers.

Sustainable transport officer for the Maylands Business Park in Hemel Hempstead. Tring and Berkhamsted Local Transport Group and Tring in Transition Walking organisations. Residents Associations. Cambridge Cycle Campaign. The Ramblers Association Phoenix group for deaf children

Question 7.

The County Council is actively looking for additional Active Travel

partners to help implement the types of interventions within the

Strategy. Would you/ your organisation support the delivery of

Active Travel?

Yes

78%

No

18%

No Answer

4%

2.0 Workshop Report

Picture taken from the Consultation Workshop event at Campus West.


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2.1 Introduction A LTP3 Active Travel Strategy conference was held during the morning of 9 January 2013 at Campus West, Welwyn Garden City. The strategy discusses the benefits of Active Travel, primarily bettering public heath, reducing congestion and improving air quality in Hertfordshire.

The conference was attended by 42 delegates and was chaired by Trevor Mason, Safe & Sustainable Journeys Manager at the County Council. A full list of delegates can be found in appendix 3.

The aims of the conference were to:

present the draft LTP3 Active Travel Strategy, and to remind delegates that the draft strategy is out to consultation and encourage them to submit comments/questionnaires by Friday 18 January 2013 ;

through a number of workshops, discuss the various transport issues / barriers that are involved with walking and cycling, to aid in identifying the interventions that this strategy could deliver;

inform delegates of the next stages of the consultation process, and

enable dialogue between a wide range of local organisations with transport interests.

The first half of the conference included presentations from the following: - Introduction and Overview of the Active Travel Strategy (Trevor Mason, Safe and Sustainable Journey’s Manager, Hertfordshire County Council) - Improving Public Health (Dr Linda Mercy, Consultant Public Health and Tom May, Health Improvement Advanced Practitioners) - Reducing Congestion and Economic Growth (Andy Summers, Senior Engineer, Transportation Policy Team) - Air Quality Improvement and Reducing Carbon Emissions (Tim Napper, Senior Project Officer, Climate Change and Sustainability) Slides used during these presentations are available for viewing in appendix 3.

Delegates were given the opportunity to discuss issues around active travel in four workshops that were held in the latter half of the conference. Each delegate was allocated to two workshops (although on the day each delegate only attended one workshop as all four groups were deep in discussion at the changeover point). The topics of the four workshops are listed below:

Workshop 1 Active travel is not perceived to be viable due to safety and security factors

Workshop 2


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Active travel is not perceived to be viable due to lack of physical infrastructure to support it

Workshop 3 Active travel is not perceived to be possible due to lack of knowledge, awareness, training or education. Workshop 4 Active travel is not perceived to be possible or desirable due to social and cultural attitudes. Issues raised in the above workshops have been recorded and the key issues have been responded to as part of the consultation process. These can be found in appendix 2. 3.0 Easy Read Report 3.1 Introduction The Easy Read Active Travel Strategy Consultation Document was written by Mencap on behalf of the County Council, and was based on the Active Travel Strategy Executive Summary. The questionnaire appended to the document was also translated by Mencap based on the online questionnaire; the whole document used recommended language and photo symbols. To ensure that a number of Learning Disabled Groups were aware of the document, it was sent to key officers in the council who would be able to cascade the document down to day centres, groups and support workers. The easy read document was available online, but the questionnaire was not interactive online. It was expected that support workers would help others fill in the form and post it back to the LTP3 address at the end of the questionnaire. 6 of the questionnaires were returned by post and 2 via electronic means. 8 questionnaire sheets were returned in total, 2 from groups of people who discussed the issues with support workers who then amalgamated the results and 6 from individuals who may have been supported to write in their comments and concerns.

3.2 Questionnaire Make Up There were 4 main questions, the first question elicited a number of ideas and these have been reproduced below: Question 1 asked if there was anything else that the council needs to do to help more people walk or go by bike.


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Groups 1 and 2 answered:

Bike training for disabled people;

Provide opportunities where disabled people can try out different bikes with the aim of finding the ones that best suit their needs;

Information on walking groups - not just groups for older people;

Safety training and awareness courses for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers;

It is important to work with young children and their families. To educate parents was most important;

Safety clothing and headgear should be affordable to all families. Individuals 1 – 6 answered:

Make sure roads do not have potholes;

Provide good walk ways and cycle ways that are also lit;

Provide places to go for those that have not used a bike for a long time, to practice;

Tell service users that using a bike or walking saves money and can improve fitness;

Encourage more people to walk or cycle;

There should be road signs and paths on which to bike and walk. Questions 2 to 4 were multi-part questions to find out people’s views: (A synopsis of the results is attached below in Appendix 1). Q2. Do you agree we should try to get more people to walk or go by bike? Half the responders said yes, 2 said ‘not sure’, and 2 wanted to see people only encouraged to walk rather than go by bicycle. Q3 a and b: Do you agree we should try to get people to be healthier and have a better life All the responders agreed with this. Q3c Do you agree we should try to get less traffic on the road, this is so it is easier to travel around and the air we breathe is cleaner. 3 of the responders were ‘not sure’ – this may be have been because the linkages were difficult to understand unless clearly explained. 5 of the 8 said yes they agreed we should try to get less traffic on the road. Q4. What should we do to help more people walk or go by bike?

In order of popularity (highest number of ticks first) the ideas were:


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4c Safer places to cross the road 8

4a. Make places safer so there is less crime. 7

4f More training for people in how to be safe walking around. 7

4g More information for people about walking or going by bike. 7

4b More paths just for people who go by bike or walk. 6

4d Better pavements 6

4e More training for people on how to ride a bike safely. 5

3.3 Questionnaire Responses (Summary)

Q2. Do you agree we should try to get more people to walk or go by bike?

Yes not sure yes

No (just walking) yes yes

Not sure

yes to walking, not sure to biking.

Q3. Do you agree we should try to:

3a Help people be healthier? Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

3b Help people have a better life? Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

3c Get less traffic on the road so it is easier to travel around and the air we breathe is cleaner? Yes yes

Not sure

Not sure

Not sure yes yes yes

Q4. What should we do to help more people walk or go by bike? Please tick the things that are more important.

4a. Make places safer so there is less crime. 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1

4b More paths just for people who go by bike or walk. 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1

4c Safer places to cross the road 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

4d Better pavements 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1

4e More training for people in how to ride a bike safely. 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1

4f More training for people in how to be safe walking around. 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1

4g More information for people about walking or going by bike. 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1

Appendix 1: Active Travel Strategy Comments Response Log Chapter 1: Introduction and Objectives # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 1 David Broadley

(Aylesbury Vale District Council)

To achieve the objective of increasing levels of walking and cycling in the County, you need to look more at joining up Public Rights of Way and cycle routes into other Counties and the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Strategy so far reads very inward-looking.

Hertfordshire County Council is supportive of the objective to join up networks where possible to encourage active travel. The Rights of Way Implementation Plan sets out our agreed approach to this. HCC is also keen to support cross boundary active travel routes under the duty to co-operate.

2 David Kealey (St Albans and District Footpath Society)

Our members primarily walk as a leisure activity and/or for health reasons. This document does not encourage walking for leisure purposes to the same extent that the previous Walking Strategy did. In particular it does not support the extensive public Rights of Way network within Hertfordshire.

The active travel strategy recognises the importance of leisure walking, and refers to the Rights of Way Implementation Plan which sets out HCC’s approach to developing the county’s Rights of Way network for leisure walking. To address congestion and carbon emission reduction, an emphasis on commuter and access travel is set out in the Active Travel Strategy; however Hertfordshire County Council will always support connection and improvement of access to PRoW.

3 Peter Kerr (Three Rivers District Council)

TRDC is keen to work with HCC to implement the Strategy.

Noted. Thank you for your support.

4 Robert Bolt (Alliance of British Drivers)

Can only be if people wish to do it, not compulsory

Agreed, hence why Hertfordshire County Council wish to actively encourage active travel.

5 William Wyatt-Lowe (Councillor- Dacorum)

A lot needs to be done or we will never reach the tipping point of significant public involvement. And quickly, before the Bradley Wiggins effect dies down.

Agreed. The strategy is accompanied by an Action Plan which sets out how we will implement measures in the short term to capitalise on the current high levels of public awareness regarding cycling. This strategy, and the increasing involvement of public health professionals within Active Travel delivery should also ensure,

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change we are in a prime position to identify and bid for additional funding when it becomes available from external sources.

6 Janet Nuttall (Natural England)

We welcome the aim of the study, produced as a Daughter Document to the Local Transport Plan (LTP3), to merge the walking and cycling strategies to ensure active travel modes are planned together to maximise their impact, including reducing pollution; we note that the Active Travel Strategy is based on the key principles of the LTP3. We welcome the objectives of the strategy including improving quality of life and reduction of carbon emissions. The strategy specifically addresses the aim for Hertfordshire residents to increase the levels of cycling and walking for a positive impact on health, the environment and the economy.

Noted. Thank you for your support.

7 Rosie Sanderson (Broxbourne Borough Council)

Overall we agree with the aims of the strategy is trying to achieve and the types of schemes suggested to encourage more walking and cycling in the County.

Noted.

8 David Brewer (North and East Herts NHS Trust)

Not sure how active travel is a good way of supporting economic growth?

Active travel, as part of a wider package of transport measures, can help to reduce congestion across the county; congestion in itself causes a major cost to the economy, estimated to cost £0.44bn a year in Hertfordshire by 2021 in Hertfordshire (a doubling of economic costs since 2003). Evidence from elsewhere has suggested that a targeted package of sustainable transport measures has a

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change positive impact on economic parameters. The County’s recent bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund of walking, cycling and passenger transport measures in South West Herts demonstrated a cost benefit ratio of 5.7:1, whilst the DfT’s Sustainable Demonstration Town demonstration economic benefits of at least 4.5:1 of implementing these types of transport measures.

9 Michael Curry (Tring Town Council)

Sceptical about ability of the strategy to enhance economic growth.

Active travel, as part of a wider package of transport measures, can help to reduce congestion across the county; congestion in itself causes a major cost to the economy, estimated to cost £0.44bn a year in Hertfordshire by 2021 in Hertfordshire (a doubling of economic costs since 2003). Evidence from elsewhere has suggested that a targeted package of sustainable transport measures has a positive impact on economic parameters. The County’s recent bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund of walking, cycling and passenger transport measures in South West Herts demonstrated a cost benefit ratio of 5.7:1, whilst the DfT’s Sustainable Demonstration Town demonstration economic benefits of at least 4.5:1 of implementing these types of transport measures.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 10 John Metcalf

(CycleHerts) The physical travel networks that walking and cycling use are almost completely different:

• The majority of the cycling network is the road carriageway network

• The majority of the walking network is the footways and crossings of the road carriageway network.

So, unless HCC is proposing a complete traffic free cycle and walking network between all destinations, which is well surfaced and well lit, it is misleading to talk of an Active Travel Network as this encompasses all the carriageways and footways of the whole highway network other than motorways. The recent NICE report on Active Travel has separate programmes for cycling and walking. This Strategy needs to do the same.

Noted- Hertfordshire County Council will define “physical” active travel networks in light of these comments. The action plan which will accompany this strategy will separate interventions into walking and cycling schemes.

Chapter 1, Section 1.2 , second sentence Remove ‘a term used to categorise a form of transport that …’ Switch first sentence to second Add this third sentence: ‘the physical active travel network is a term which defines a variety of routes including on road and off road cycle routes, footpaths, footways as well as the Rights of Way definitions.’ Now therefore reworded to; Active Travel is one component of sustainable transport which typically uses less fuel per passenger than a single occupancy vehicle, for example car sharing and public transport. For the purpose of this strategy, Active Travel is a term used to encompass walking and cycling. The physical active travel network is a term which defines a variety of routes including on road and off road cycle routes, footpaths, footways as well as the Rights of Way definitions.

11 John Metcalf (CycleHerts)

Whilst we welcome the overall thrust of the document in supporting walking and cycling we feel that it lacks a clear focus by having too many “priorities” and calling too many items “key” this or that. There are a large number of priorities (15 key ones) and interventions (51 key toolkit interventions) in the Strategy. Our concern is that, with so many key priorities and an unknown number of non-key priorities, the word priority is

Agreed that the term ‘priority’ is used loosely. The 4 key factors that we have identified which would have greatest impact on achieving the objectives of the strategy are outlined in section 2.7 For each barrier, the term priorities has been amended to ‘areas of action’. Hertfordshire County Council feels the numbers of areas of actions identified for each barrier in this

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change meaningless. Everything being a priority means that nothing is a real priority. We would like to see a clear statement of, say, up to 5 priorities.

strategy are appropriate to address the four main barriers identified in the strategy. The barriers to cycling or walking, and the type of scheme required to address these, will be different in different parts of the county, and therefore the actions required for increasing cycling in one area may not be appropriate to others. This Strategy is a high level document, aimed to give an overview of the key barriers and challenges, and thus needs to identify a number of priorities. It would be appropriate for other more detailed documents, such as Urban Transport Plans explore the specific requirements and priorities for local areas in more detail. Key toolkit interventions are relevant based on a case by case basis, depending on local circumstances.


The Executive Summary tells us there is one over-arching objective for Hertfordshire: “To increase the levels of walking and cycling in the county, particularly for shorter journeys, for a positive impact on individual health, the environment and the economy” Whilst we agree with the sentiment here “Levels of walking and cycling” sounds ponderous. The words “levels of” are superfluous. Can we make the Objective more specific as in: To increase the proportion of journeys made by walking or cycling to benefit

Noted, your reworded objective is sensible and Hertfordshire County Council will change this in the strategy.

Executive Summary 2nd page – 4th paragraphs replace ‘objective’ with ‘aim’. And change the aim to that of below. Change aim in Chapter 1, Section 1.1 to ‘To increase the proportion of journeys made by walking or cycling to benefit individual health, quality of life, the environment and the economy’

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change individual health, the environment and the economy. Later chapters refer to quality of life as a key objective. So it needs to be added in here. Individuals, particularly children, who cycle have more freedom to get to more places more quickly. They also enjoy cycling. So it would read: To increase the proportion of journeys made by walking or cycling to benefit individual health quality of life, the environment and the economy.

13 Doug Nevell (STACC)

The 2007 Cycling Strategy identifies cycling at the outset as “ a convenient, quick, healthy, (and cheap) form of sustainable transport for short journeys; for these reasons it is worthy of encouraging.” I can see no reason why a new Strategy addressed to cycling (and walking) should not open with these appropriate attributes. The evidence to support the contribution of walking/cycling to other LTP objectives - improved health, reduced emissions and reduced congestion (so aiding the economy) – as a ‘hook’ to funding – need not lose significance in being acknowledged as a sound benefit – putting value on improving the amenity for both, to encourage a change of mode from habitual car-use. The Strategy should open with due walking/cycling credits.

Agreed. The overarching aim will be reworded to: To increase the proportion of journeys made by walking or cycling to benefit individual health, quality of life, the environment and the economy’ Reference will be made to the benefit to people’s personal finances if individuals walked or cycled more.

Chapter 1 Change aim in Section 1.1 to ‘To increase the proportion of journeys made by walking or cycling to benefit individual health, quality of life, the environment and the economy’ Exec Summary – 7th paragraph first bullet point – and Chapter 2, section 2.4.1 add 4th bullet point Rising petrol and diesel prices have a detrimental effect on personal finances; individuals can save money by walking or cycling. Footnote – House of Commons Library (Jan 2013) Petrol and Diesel Prices. SN/SG/4712. www.parliament.uk

http://www.parliament.uk/

Chapter 2: Context: General # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 14 Cllr Clive Butchins

(Borehamwood Town Council) Congestion certainly is a problem and a significant contributor to pollution, but in Borehamwood one of the main issues is how to exit the town during the morning rush hour: all routes are congested. Whilst there is clearly no one solution various combinations of improved public transport (including less crowded trains and better provision for commuter parking – including of bicycles) as well as possible enhancement to the road network.

Noted. Active travel measures, alongside a wider package of transport measures could be advantageous in such scenarios. The ATS encourages the consideration of packages of measures, to ensure the optimal combination of measures can be identified to address specific local issues such as this. The ATS will provide Urban Transport Plans with an Active Travel toolkit to help address these types of issue in the future.

15 Cllr Clive Butchins (Borehamwood Town Council)

A recent re-scheduled local bus, which is no longer in time for pupils to reach their school, is an example of the sort of detail that it is necessary to pay attention in order to ameliorate

Noted – it is agreed that the strategy needs to be implemented in conjunction with other LTP strategies – in this case the Bus Strategy, to ensure maximum effectiveness. In

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change the issues being addressed. this case, the comment has been

forwarded to the passenger transport team who require further details on the route specified to comment further.

16 Markyate Parish Council We don’t see how travel strategy will help meet these objectives. Public Health and Quality of Life are subject to negative impact when the individual is exposed to the elements and pollution from traffic. There can often be a physical risk from negotiating or travelling next to motor vehicles.

The Hertfordshire County Council LTP3 Route Hierarchy policy recommends active travel is undertaken on routes appropriate to the mode, and avoids major highways in Hertfordshire. Whilst there are risks involved in walking and cycling, there are considerable benefits to health and quality of life if Active Travel can be undertaken safely. Furthermore, the ATS proposes a range of measures to overcome the barrier to Active Travel associated with safety and security.

17 Dr Tony McAllister Motorists who become cyclists or pedestrians may well suffer greater exposure to nitrogen dioxide, ozone and PM 10 particles than if they stayed in their cars, especially as journey times will usually increase. Of course if the strategy were spectacularly successful there would be less congestion and therefore less pollution, but the equations are complicated ones.

Noted, however unlike road traffic, pedestrians and cyclists may often avoid travelling alongside congested roads through the Rights of Way Network and where provided, off-road walking and cycling facilities.

18 Dr Tony McAllister I remain unconvinced on the carbon dioxide targets. The latest announcement on the 8th January by the Met Office [despite rising carbon dioxide emissions, mean global temperature has not changed this century], cannot be ignored by either national or local government - it may

Hertfordshire County Council is committed to addressing carbon emissions in line with its own Local Transport Plan, Corporate Plan, and more widely the national Climate Change Act. Active travel, as part of a wider package of transport measures, has the potential to help reduce levels

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change well turn out that we have got it spectacularly wrong and many people are going to feel very sheepish about a global warming story that never actually happens!

of emissions.

19 Simon Barnett Combining walking and cycling, and documenting the significant contribution that they make to a variety of policies is an approach that is to be commended. The recognition on health and wellbeing in section 2.5 is particularly welcome and is especially poignant given the imminent publication of NICE guidance on walking and cycling

Noted

20 Cycle Forum By 2031 most vehicles will be zero carbon.

Whilst zero carbon cars - depending on the advances in alternative technologies and green energy production – have the potential to help address carbon objectives, they do not address congestion issues.

21 Brian Jackson (Hertfordshire Cycling Touring Club)

The cost of petrol will have the biggest effect on carbon emissions.

It is agreed that demand-side influences on car use, including the costs of petrol, will have a significant impact on carbon emissions. If oil continues to be extracted but costs will rise, it will be important to provide alternative forms of transport, such as sustainable/active travel modes to provide alternatives to car use.

22 Robert Bolt (Alliance of British Drivers)

Carbon Emissions are irrelevant.

Carbon emissions are a significant contributor to global warming, https://www.gov.uk/uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions and the Climate Change Act sets out legally binding national carbon reduction targets. Hertfordshire County Council is committed to addressing carbon and congestion in line with its own Local

https://www.gov.uk/uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions

https://www.gov.uk/uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change Transport Plan, Corporate Plan, and more widely the national Climate Change Act. Active travel, as part of a wider package of transport measures, has the potential to help reduce levels of emissions.

23 F. Rogers

Quality of life needs to be separated between benefits for individual and benefits for Society (other measures are only society)

Individuals make up a society, therefore quality of life improvements which affect society, will also have positive effects for the quality of life of an individual.


Active Travel has no relevance to Enhancing Economic Growth, IMO.

Active travel, as part of a wider package of transport measures, can help to reduce congestion across the county; congestion in itself causes a major cost to the economy, estimated to cost £0.44bn a year in Hertfordshire by 2021 in Hertfordshire (a doubling of economic costs since 2003). Evidence from elsewhere has suggested that a targeted package of sustainable transport measures has a positive impact on economic parameters. The County’s recent bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund of walking, cycling and passenger transport measures in South West Herts demonstrated a cost benefit ratio of 5.7:1, whilst the DfT’s Sustainable Demonstration

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change Town demonstration economic benefits of at least 4.5:1 of implementing these types of transport measures.


We would suggest specific reference is made in the report to the requirement to maintain and enhance the natural environment, including biodiversity, landscape, green spaces, water and soils. These issues were identified through the LTP3 along with other environmental enhancement measures such as use of recycled surface materials, implementation of SUDS, ensuring signage conforms to any policies and design codes (e.g. the Chilterns AONB code). The report should recognise the need for proposals taken forward from this study to demonstrate no adverse effects on the natural environment, through detailed assessment and mitigation where necessary.

The strategic environmental assessment (environmental report) of the active travel strategy which will be published alongside the strategy, details the impacts of active travel on the environment and how they can be mitigated.

26 Roger Moulding (Welwyn Hatfield Cycle Forum)

We believe it is important to include targets in a strategic document such as this, to enable progress to be monitored and assessed. However the targets for Active Travel set here seem to be out of line with the statistics quoted elsewhere in the document. A target is set for cycling journeys of up to 3 miles, yet elsewhere it is stated that 56% of all journeys in Hertfordshire are less than 5 miles. A cycle ride of 5 miles is easily achievable, even by novice cyclists. We would like to see targets related to this distance for compatibility with the journey statistics

The ATS targets have been set by the County Council through the development of the LTP3 in 2011 and have been agreed by members of the Highways and Transport panel. These targets were developed in conjunction with the other targets of the LTP3 and are therefore unlikely to change or be added to until a future LTP/equivalent document is reviewed.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change quoted and ensure some attention is given to longer and inter-urban cycle routes.


Hertfordshire’s neighbour, Cambridgeshire has achieved very high levels of cycling in and around Cambridge and we should aim to emulate their success. It would be useful to give some benchmark figures for neighbouring Counties, in order to assess how Hertfordshire is performing in comparison to other Counties with similar travel issues.

Cambridgeshire is difficult to compare to Hertfordshire due to the geographic make-up of the settlements within the two counties and the resultant differing transport needs. Hertfordshire, comprising many small-medium sized settlements has a dispersed trip pattern with no over-riding origin to destination route pattern. Cambridge conversely represents a large urban centre with a large population that can cycle to common destinations within and around the city centre. However, there are some key areas that could represent quick wins in Hertfordshire with regard to cycling. For example, St Albans in Hertfordshire has the highest number of cyclist rail commuters in the country, with cycle parking attracting approximately 1,500 bikes daily.


The short term cycling targets themselves offer little challenge. The current recession alone is likely to achieve the 2% year on year increase needed to reach the 2015/16 targets, without any intervention by HCC. We would like to see the target raised to at least 3.5% by 2015/16, which would require around 6% year on year increase from 2011. Raising this target would show that Hertfordshire had genuine intentions to create a step change in travel patterns. The target for 2030/31 will, however,

The ATS targets have been set by the County Council through the development of the LTP3 in 2011 and have been agreed by members of the Highways and Transport panel. These targets were developed in conjunction with the other targets of the LTP3 and are therefore unlikely to change or be added to until a future LTP/equivalent document is reviewed. It is agreed that it is challenging to disentangle the impacts of the current economic climate from the impacts

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change require significant effort to achieve the necessary modal shift and presently seems a worthy target.

that transport planning measures are having on the ground.


The document provides extensive evidence about the economic advantages of Active Travel for Businesses and the National Health Service, but hardly mentions the economic advantages for individuals. Ultimately, it is the individual who must be influenced to change his travel habits. We would like to see the economic advantages to the individual highlighted more prominently.

Agreed, interventions to this effect will be included in the action plan. Also the economic advantages to the individual will be highlighted more prominently.

Include a marketing strategy intervention in the Action Plan. Exec Summary – 7th paragraph first bullet point – and Chapter 2, Section 2.4.1 add 4th bullet point add – Rising petrol and diesel prices have a detrimental effect on personal finances; individuals can save money by walking or cycling. Footnote – House of Commons Library (Jan 2013) Petrol and Diesel Prices. SN/SG/4712. www.parliament.uk


Apart from leisure, most people will only resort to active travel if they see an advantage for their journey. This will probably be in terms of travel time and convenience. At present congestion is probably encouraging active travel, but if congestion is reduced, the balance could swing back to motorised travel, unless some other compelling restriction is imposed. Possible restrictions on car use, such as congestion charging, or road pricing are not discussed.

The ATS set outs the need for ongoing promotion to maintain participation in active travel. Travel planning (personal, family and commercial) schemes are important, along with clear identification of incentives for individuals. Congestion charging and road pricing are not being considered in Hertfordshire specifically.

31 Julia Warren (Wheathampstead Parish Council)

We are pleased to work with the Countryside Management Service in improving access to rights of way in the parish. we have spoken to the Schools department regarding safer routes to schools, and are keen to

Noted


# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change improve these

32 Julia Warren (Wheathampstead Parish Council)

we are looking to extend our local Free car park at East Lane to encourage e.g. vehicle sharing, travel to school) & improve congestion, economy, quality of life and carbon emissions. Use of public transport or walk/bike.

Noted


The Strategy quotes from the Eddington Report but makes no mention of one of its key recommendations “Policy should get the prices right (especially congestion pricing on the roads and environmental pricing across all modes) and make best use of existing networks.” Any Active Travel strategy needs to consider how to deter people from using their cars as well as encouraging walking and cycling. Carrots we need but sometimes sticks are needed as well and may be more cost-effective.

The ATS set outs the need for ongoing promotion to maintain participation in active travel. Travel planning (personal, family and commercial) schemes are important, along with clear identification of incentives for individuals. Congestion charging and road pricing are not being considered in Hertfordshire specifically through the Active Travel Strategy.


The Strategy should also look at ways of reducing motor vehicle access thus giving an advantage to walking and cycling.

Implementation of the route user hierarchy has been included as a potential tool to support Active Travel. Local decisions on motor vehicle access will be made through the development of Urban Transport Plans. Key issues will be identified locally and will adhere to the active travel strategy.


An important concept to help walking and cycling is improved permeability. e.g. open up cut-throughs’ to walking and cycling, allow contra flow cycling on one-way streets unless clearly unsafe.

HCC will explore all avenues of improving active travel infrastructure to allow greater permeability. To this effect the County produces Urban Transport Plans for each town which are reviewed every five years. These plans analyse of the key transport issues in each town including walking

Updating Roads in Herts following ATS guidance, will be included in the Active Travel Strategy Action Plan

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change and cycling and following a stakeholder consultation produce a member agreed list of measures. HCC also has a design guide for called Roads in Hertfordshire that provides detailed design advice on road improvements made by the County Council, its agents, developers or any other third party. This document highlights the need to have permeable networks to facilitate cycling and walking. This document signposts DfT guidelines on the provision of cycle infrastructure such as LTN 2/08 that provides guidance on the provision of contra-flow cycle lanes and other positive measures to facilitate cycling. This document is live and will be updated following the adoption of the Active Travel Strategy. All measures in the plan are subject to funds being identified.


Reallocation of road space. This is mentioned as a key intervention in the Executive Summary but we cannot find it in the main body of the document. We regard this as of fundamental importance.

The exact wording is not replicated, however the toolkit interventions (4.2) sets out a requirement for Roads In Hertfordshire to be the definitive guidance for any reallocation of road space.

Chapter 4, Active Travel Delivery Toolkit, Section 4.2 add a sentence to end of the third paragraph. ; The hierarchy of measures as a core principle in cycle infrastructure provision are detailed in Roads in Hertfordshire following current DfT guidelines. The aim of which is to promote on road cycling as the first choice. Details of the treatments that may be appropriate are set out in Roads in Hertfordshire

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change


Other measures and problems include:

• Tackling the appalling conditions for walking in many parts of our urban areas e.g. mini-roundabouts where there is no central refuge but traffic is comings from 3 or more directions, lack of dropped kerbs at junctions and vehicle crossovers on footways, vehicles parked obstructing the footway, lack of pedestrian crossings on dangerous roads, poor maintenance of footways

• Bike maintenance: people need help to get their bikes road-worthy

• Bikes for low income families: renting and re-cycling is mentioned but this needs some commitment

• Getting dangerous and aggressive drivers off the roads

• Use of buses in conjunction with walking

• Compulsory cycle training for drivers (on HCC contracts as a start)

• Secure cycle parking in residential areas for dwellings

The County produces Urban Transport Plans for each town which are reviewed every five years. These plans analyse the key transport issues in each town including walking and cycling and following a stakeholder consultation produce a member-agreed list of measures. HCC also has a design guide called Roads in Hertfordshire that provides detailed design advice on road improvements made by the County Council, its agents, developers or any other third party. This document highlights the need to have permeable networks to facilitate cycling and walking. Issues such as driver behaviour require a longer term awareness and promotion to which the Active Travel Strategy is committed Awareness of other road users is included in driver training courses, and will be included in forthcoming Safer Driver Handbook for HCC staff (and available for all employers). This is a document published by the council to fulfil its health and safety duties and help those using a car for business use to act more safely on the road.

# Name/Organisation C HCC Response Document Change omment without storage on the curtilage

• Secure cycle and pushchair storage for flats and apartments.

Driving standards can only be enforced by the Police, with whom the County Council works closely in the Hertfordshire Road Safety Partnership. HCC has a cycle parking guide to assist in planning new development. This document is referenced in Roads in Hertfordshire. We work with local partners to identify and deliver cycle parking at other key destinations. It should be noted that retrospectively adding secure cycle parking for existing private dwellings and residential areas is often not possible. Most covered cycle parking facilities would accommodate a pushchair if required.


The value of this strategy will not be fully realised if highway engineers and other county council staff are not aware of, and even ignore, the strategy. We have had too many examples of highway engineers introducing schemes with no regard to the recommendations in the original cycling strategy and even the council’s Roads in Hertfordshire. We need some firm commitment so that we can have confidence that this is not just a paper exercise.

Following the adoption of the document, awareness raising sessions will be held with key staff to ensure awareness of the document and the content within Roads in Herts to support Active Travel. The published ATS will be widely promoted to HCC staff. It will form part of the checklist for UTP development.

Awareness raising sessions for highways engineers as to the contents of the Active Travel Strategy and the associated requirements in the Roads in Herts guidance document will be included in the Action Plan.


Some benchmarking against similar counties such as Cambridgeshire would be useful.

According to the Cambridge Traffic Monitoring Report 2011, the cycling comprises 9.1% of all trips to work in Cambridgeshire, however this is distorted by the cycling levels in

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change Cambridge itself, where cycling represents 26% of all trips to work. Cambridgeshire is difficult to compare to Hertfordshire due to the geographic make-up of the settlements within the two counties and the resultant differing transport needs. Hertfordshire, comprising many small-medium sized settlements has a dispersed trip pattern with no over-riding origin to destination route pattern. Cambridgeshire conversely is dominated by one large urban centre with a large population that can cycle to common destinations within and around the city centre.

40 Emma Butterworth (CDA)

With Urban congestion: "Congestion is a significant issue in urban areas, with Watford, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead and Stevenage having the greatest urban delays in 2011. Traffic forecasts are expected to increase by 20.9% by 2031, based on 2011 levels, justifying the need to target packages in areas of worst congestion." Have you thought about other methods of transport other than just walking and cycling, for example 50cc scooter which produce less co2 emissions too? Under the barriers Active travel not perceived to be possible or desirable due to social and cultural attitudes section you make the filling points: "Can’t walk or cycle that far / too hilly.

Noted, active travel is defined as walking and cycling which are fossil fuel free modes of transport. Hertfordshire County Council support SCOOTS and it appeared in the successful LSTF bid for funding in the “Big Herts Big Ideas” area, however it is not an intervention that fits in the active travel strategy. It is considered that SCOOTS is more suited to consideration within the Rural Transport Strategy and through Urban Transport Plans.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change • People will get sweaty before work. • Can’t cycle in work-clothes / shoes. • Too much equipment to carry. • Have to transport other people as well. • Unpleasant weather. • Not fit / healthy enough to cycle. People like me don’t walk or • Too inconvenient." All of which are problems that could be solved with a 50cc wheels to work project such as Scoots.


What are you doing for people in rural areas within this document? Their journeys will be longer however active transport should be inclusive to all. Things like congestion affect rural residents too, as they often have to travel into urban areas for their amenities so, could a rural wheels to work project help to promote the reduction of CO2 emission and reduce congestion in urban areas? Could Scoots be used to support these needs of rural people?

As noted in #40, SCOOTS is a scheme that is supported by Hertfordshire County Council and is advocated through the Rural Transport Strategy adopted by the County Council in summer 2012. Scooters require fuel (including electric ones) and are not carbon-free or particularly active modes of transport.

42 Viv Evans (Stevenage Borough Council)

We are content with the assimilation of the existing county-wide walking and cycling strategies into a single over-arching “Active Travel” strategy. We are keen to support any policies which can encourage a shift to more sustainable and healthy modes of transport and walking and cycling initiatives are critical to this aim. Indeed we are in process of developing a Green Travel Plan for

Noted, the Strategy was written in part to secure future funding for active travel schemes and projects in Hertfordshire going forward.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change our own staff which aims to achieve similar objectives. We hope that this new strategy helps the County Council to secure new funding to help bring about this change.

43 Viv Evans (Stevenage Borough Council)

Stevenage is unique in Hertfordshire in having an extensive, and largely grade separated, cycle path and foot path network. This network has the potential to support a considerable increase in traffic without the risk of conflict with motor vehicles inherent in more traditional layouts. Stevenage therefore represents an excellent opportunity for the Highway Authority to showcase its ambitions with regard to active travel. However, that segregated network is now significantly less well used than when it was originally constructed. This reflects both a general trend towards greater car use and a local perception that the segregated cycle and pedestrian paths are less safe and make users more vulnerable to crime. Stevenage Borough Council is keen to work with the County Council wherever possible to implement active travel related actions laid out in the local Urban Transport Plan and the associated walking and cycling strategies for Stevenage.

Agreed, Hertfordshire County Council and Stevenage Borough Council are currently working on a promotion of cycling in Stevenage in 2013 in accordance with the UTP. Hertfordshire County Council is keen to promote active travel in partnership with all partners (including district authorities) through a variety of methods.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 44 Viv Evans

(Stevenage Borough Council) We would like to draw your attention to figure 1.1 in the draft strategy in which the Urban Transport Plans are listed as subordinate to this new Active Travel Strategy. Whilst we understand that the UTPs and local cycling and walking strategies are subordinate insofar as they are local rather than county wide, we feel that this layout is rather misleading. The Urban Transport Plans are themselves daughter documents to the Local Transport Plan and are intended to be local expressions of the LTP. This diagram implies that the UTPs are only responsible for “active travel” initiatives. We would be grateful therefore if a little more thought could be given to the way in which the relationship between the various strategies is mapped in the final draft.

Agreed, Hertfordshire County Council will review figure 1.1 in the strategy to clarify the status of UTPs.

A new version of Fig 1.1 in Chapter 1 Introduction and Objectives to replace the diagram to show UTPs as daughter documents to LTP3.

45 Stephen Wilkinson (Lea Valley Regional Park)

The strategy’s aim to increase participation in cycling and walking is fully supported. The Regional Park represents a major resource in this respect offering a range of walking and cycling routes, principally for leisure activity and as means of visiting and moving around the Regional Park. These routes can also double up as short distance commuting routes and are used for organised and guided walks and running to achieve personal health goals and improvements. In this way the Regional Park contributes to achieving the ‘wellbeing of Hertfordshire’ as set out in the draft Strategy; particularly in relation to the

Noted, Hertfordshire County Council is supportive of the aspiration for the Regional Park to attract active travel participants, and exploring any partnership opportunities that might arise in the future.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change County’s policy objectives for ‘Improving Public Health’, and ‘Improving Quality of Life’.

Chapter 3: Policy Objectives # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 46 Cllr Clive Butchins

(Borehamwood Town Council) Overall the objectives appear to be extremely laudable but, I fear, rather unrealistic.

Noted. Whilst Active Travel on its own will not fully achieve the objectives to increase economic growth and reduce carbon emissions, it is an important part of a wider package of transport (and non-transport measures) that can help address these core objectives.

47 Jim Brown (Stevenage CTC)

In policy terms I would like to emphasise that the strategy should recognise the contribution that active travel (cycling and walking) can make to personal budgets, if you like reducing transport poverty, as well as to health, the environment and business success (through, for example, reducing congestion). Cycling gives independence for little cost.

Noted, this is an incentive we can use to attract people to active travel, and this is noted in the active travel strategy SEA environmental report.

48 Richard Brown (Watford Borough Council)

Page 11, Table 1.2: It's worth noting that where a Local Authority has declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) it is obliged to write an Air Quality Action Plan. These action plans are key partner strategies, so please can these be listed in the table?

Agreed, the Action Plans and their delivery partners will be added to the document..

Add following text to Chapter 1, Table 1.2; entitled ‘local plans, strategies and guidance documents which could be supported by increased Active Travel in Hertfordshire’ District Air Quality Action Plans Footnote - where districts have nitrous oxide exceeding EU levels on local roads, they are required to develop such plans in conjunction with HCC transport planners.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 49 Richard Brown

(Watford Borough Council) Page 15 section 2.3.1, bullet point 2. Air Quality Action Plans are put together by the Districts with input from HCC Transport Planners, to ensure that they are joined up with the LTP and its objectives, so this could be mentioned here.

Agreed, will amend wording. Chapter 2, Section 2.3.1Replace third sentence in second bullet point in with: Air Quality Action Plans are put together by the Districts with input from HCC Transport Planners, to ensure consistency with LTP3.

50 Anonymous Lack of public transport networks that would facilitate use of a bike - for example, Harlow to WGC is too far to cycle but with a decent rail link (that doesn’t require going into and out of London) would enable me to use my bike for part of my daily commute instead of using my 3 litre 4WD across the A414 and getting stuck in Hertford during rush hour for up to an hour at the start and end of each working day...!

Noted, The Local Transport Plan has identified the general challenges associated with the lack of East/West rail connections within the county and the resultant congestion along certain East-West road routes. The Inter Urban Route Strategy sets out how East-West corridor challenges can be addressed.

51 F. Rogers

May be needed to focus on smaller targets in early years.

The ATS targets have been set by the County Council through the development of the LTP3 in 2011 and have been agreed by members of the Highways and Transport panel. These targets were developed in conjunction with the other targets of the LTP3 and are therefore unlikely to change or be added to until a future LTP/equivalent document is reviewed.

52 Anonymous Economic impact on individuals, incomes are not increasing, cars are getting more expensive; so therefore promote public transport and other alternative transport so more people will benefit economically.

Noted Exec Summary – 7th paragraph first bullet point – and 2.4.1 add 4th bullet point add this – Rising petrol and diesel prices have a detrimental effect on personal finances; individuals can save money by walking or cycling. Footnote – House of Commons Library (Jan 2013) Petrol and Diesel Prices. SN/SG/4712. www.parliament.uk


# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 53 Rosie Sanderson

(Broxbourne Borough Council) The strategy refers to the fact that funding bids for sustainable transport schemes are required at short notice. Unfortunately the document doesn’t identify the specific schemes or costs associated with them which can then be used to inform a bidding process.

Projects are identified within the Urban Transport Plans for each settlement to provide a member agreed list of projects that can be used for funding bids. For example the cycle network identified in the Waltham Cross and Cheshunt Urban Transport Plan was used to secure Links to School funding from Sustrans to add value to the Paul Cully Bridge Project.


Policy Objective 3 includes the objective to reduce road casualties, but the targets listed at the end of the document state that the number of Deaths and Serious Injuries should be no more than the current level. A target should be set in line with the Policy Objectives.

The ATS targets have been set by the County Council through the development of the LTP3 in 2011 and have been agreed by members of the Highways and Transport panel. These targets were developed in conjunction with the other targets of the LTP3 and are therefore unlikely to change or be added to until a future LTP/equivalent document is reviewed. It is therefore agreed that the text in policy objective 3 should be re-worded to reflect the agreed target.

Chapter 3, third policy objective replace ‘to reduce the levels of road casualties’ with ‘levels of road casualties should not increase’


Much is said about motorised transport’s contribution to air quality and congestion and how it will have worsened by 2030/31. The figures quoted are based on a study carried out nearly 4 years ago and appear to be substantially extrapolations of current trends. Technology has moved a lot in the last 4 years and this could significantly affect predictions made so long ago. There is no indication that consideration has been given to the likelihood of electric vehicles becoming the norm and information technology reducing the

Whilst statistics show us that transport-related emissions may be improving, it is not clear that this is due to a significant rise in electric car ownership. Figures for local authority-managed roads in Herts show improvements in CO2 emissions from this source in recent years (latest figures are for 2010 see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-emissions-estimates). Similarly, the government-supported Committee on Climate Change suggests that car emissions are declining slightly as a percentage

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-emissions-estimates



# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change need for business travel and commuting. A short discussion about these issues would avoid this very obvious criticism.

of overall transport-related emissions (see http://www.theccc.org.uk/sectors/surface-transport). However, figures from the Department of Transport for quarter 2 of 2012 (the most recent figures available) show that, of 604.9 thousand vehicles registered for the first time in Great Britain during that quarter, a total of 961 were new “ultra-low emission vehicles”. This is an increase on the previous quarter, though is still only a small number in comparison to the total. (See https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/9290/vls-q2-2012.pdf


This Chapter tells us that there are four over-arching Policy Objectives for Active Travel:

1. Addressing environmental challenges

2. Enhancing economic growth 3. Improving public health 4. Improving quality of life

We agree with these but recognise that these will sometimes be incompatible with each other.

Noted. However, these are derived from the objectives already agreed in the Local Transport Plan. Where a new local transport measure appears to be incompatible with all four objectives, a decision will be taken on its implementation taking into account the overall impact.


Enhance Economic Growth. How? (People just set out a bit earlier to get to work on time)

Active travel, as part of a wider package of transport measures, can help to reduce congestion across the county; congestion in itself causes a major cost to the economy, estimated to cost £0.44bn a year in Hertfordshire by 2021 in Hertfordshire (a doubling of economic costs since 2003). Evidence from elsewhere has

http://www.theccc.org.uk/sectors/surface-transport

http://www.theccc.org.uk/sectors/surface-transport

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/9290/vls-q2-2012.pdf



# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change suggested that a targeted package of sustainable transport measures has a positive impact on economic parameters. The County’s recent bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund of walking, cycling and passenger transport measures in South West Herts demonstrated a cost benefit ratio of 5.7:1, whilst the DfT’s Sustainable Demonstration Town demonstration economic benefits of at least 4.5:1 of implementing these types of transport measures.


Improve Health. (This could mean that more people will be inhaling Traffic Fumes and more people will be involved in accidents)

There is evidence to show that the level of pollutants is higher inside a car than outside. http://triplecrisis.com/pollution-the-great-leveller/


Enhances the Quality of Life. (People will arrive cold and/or wet for work)

This highlights the importance of providing complementary measures such as showers, and of seeing active travel supported by measures such as public transport


Reduces CO2 Emissions. (I'll buy that) 22.4% of Carbon Dioxide emissions come from road traffic (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/39729/5558-all-gas-factsheets-as-single-document.pdf) so therefore by reducing the number of vehicles on the road, Carbon Dioxide emissions will be reduced.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/39729/5558-all-gas-factsheets-as-single-document.pdf




Chapter 4: Active Travel Delivery Toolkit: Safety and Security # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 61 St Albans Friends of the Earth Cycle Path priority: The safety of

cyclists on off road cycle paths could be improved if cyclists were given the same priorities as cars. At present, a cyclist has to stop whenever a road joins that along which the cycle path travels, whereas cars travelling alongside have the priority. This makes cycling very slow and dangerous. Traffic joining from a side road should give way to both cycles and cars at the T junction.

Roads in Hertfordshire referenced in 4.2 provides detailed design advice on road improvements made by the County Council, its agents, developers or any other third party. This document highlights the need to have permeable networks to facilitate cycling and walking. Section 10.12.7 highlights the need to consider providing priority for cyclists at side road junctions where possible.

62 St Albans Friends of the Earth Time delay on pelican crossings: The time relays on many pedestrian crossings are so long that pedestrians cross before they light up. Obviously where a crossing is in continuous use time needs to be given for traffic to pass, but for most usage the time delay should be no more than that required to give cars adequate notice to stop.

Hertfordshire County Council use Department for Transport guidance, which suggests time relays based upon traffic flow, average vehicle speed and SCOOT technology.

63 St Albans Friends of the Earth 20 mph zones: no commitment is given to implementation of 20 mph zones in urban areas. Such zones not only improve the safety of active travellers, but make car travel less attractive.

The County Council will only consider 20 mph zones where a location meets the criteria set out in the Speed Management Strategy.

64 St Albans Friends of the Earth Parking in on road cycle paths: particularly outside schools makes the cycle paths at best worthless and, at worst, very dangerous. Dangerous parking in these and other areas needs to be strictly enforced if HCC’s aims to increase safe active transport are to be achieved.

Enforcement of the parking lies with district councils; however HCC works with local authorities to improve enforcement and driver awareness and ensure cycle lanes are enforceable where appropriate.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 65 Dr Tony McAllister I feel strongly that traffic calming

measures, especially ones involving speed humps [which make journeys very uncomfortable and for some even painful], are a very bad solution to the problem of speeding traffic. Devices which flash up the speed of vehicles are much better [and cause little or no resentment], with cameras as a last resort.

The Speed Management Strategy (SMS) sets out a range of traffic calming options, only some of which involve physical alteration to the carriageway. The SMS acknowledges, for example, that some measures such as round and flat top humps can be disadvantageous to cyclists. Overall, the SMS sets out a range of options which are then considered against the nature of the problem and the site. Cameras are only used where there is a history of fatalities or serious injuries at the site, and then only where they are the best option.

The Strategy refers to traffic calming "as set out in the Speed Management Strategy" and therefore the only change required is to include a clear link to the SMS, which will be included in the appendices and as a footnote. .

66 Simon Barnett The emphasis placed on speed reduction in section 4.2.1 is welcome - although it could be noticeably stronger with regards to 20mph. Among others, the Association of Directors of Public health have called for 20mph limits to be the norm on residential streets. See http://www.adph.org.uk/files/ourwork/policies/Take_action_on_active_travel_2010.pdf [2012 update pending]. It is disappointing that there is not a success indicator for the implementation of 20 mph areas.



Presumably intended to give assurance to pedestrians, Section 4.2.1 (p33) of the draft Strategy proposes an ‘intervention’ to prohibit cycling on pavements, seeking Police enforcement through issuing FPNs (Fixed Penalty Notices, carrying a £30 fine. (Accepting an FPN is tantamount to an admission of guilt; appealing against such an automatic

Cycling on footways is an offence under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835, which is primary legislation from central government. HCC does not advocate or condone cycling on footways where there is no stated cycling facility due to the potential conflict between cyclists and pedestrians. We will however, look to improve conditions or make

Chapter 5 Active Travel Delivery , Section 5.6, Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire Add Hertfordshire Police Authority in column 1 along with role ‘Strategic support and expertise in delivery of the ATS’.

http://www.adph.org.uk/files/ourwork/policies/Take_action_on_active_travel_2010.pdf



# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change fine risks full court costs, which may accrue £100’s to ‘offenders’). (Please request full version of comments if necessary, there are several more paragraphs which say much the same thing).

recommendations for locations where cyclists feel safety is compromised by cycling on the road and identify these in our Urban Transport Plans and Inter Urban Route Strategy. HCC will ensure that the police continue to be consulted on the development of these documents. HCC also runs a cycle training programme to provide cyclists with the skills and confidence to cycle on the carriageway.

68 Paul Widdicombe (Hatfield Town Council)

Cycling safety a very high priority please.

Noted, this is the reason why safety is a major part of the delivery toolkit.


We suggest that plans should be developed for safer cycle and pedestrian routes which will encourage residents and others to cycle or walk between residential areas and shopping centres or other popular destinations. If routes are identified funding can be obtained gradually, perhaps from planning gain agreements, with the project being implemented once sufficient funding has been gathered. The identification of a specific project is important when asking for developer contributions.

Projects are identified within the Urban Transport Plans for each settlement to provide a member agreed list of projects that can be used for funding bids. For example the cycle network identified in the Waltham Cross and Cheshunt Urban Transport Plan was used to secure Links to School funding from Sustrans to add value to the Paul Cully Bridge Project. The plans also consider future development. The infrastructure plan of each district’s Local Plan should also include key sustainable transport infrastructure required to facilitate the growth.


Towards the end of the Key Toolkit Interventions for enabling Safety and Security, listed on Pages 32 and 33, it is suggested that cycling on footways should be discouraged. Apart from inconsiderate cycling on footways, which we cannot condone, action in this respect, especially if it is carried out by the Police, could be very

Cycling on footways is an offence under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835, which is primary legislation from central government. HCC does not advocate or condone cycling on footways where there is no stated cycling facility due to the potential conflict between cyclists and pedestrians. We will however, look to

Chapter 5 Active Travel Delivery , Section 5.6, Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire Add Hertfordshire Police Authority in column 1 along with role ‘Strategic support and expertise in delivery of the ATS’.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change counter-productive to the aims of this document. The paragraph should be removed, or considerably toned down to refer only to irresponsible and inconsiderate cycling on footways.

improve conditions or make recommendations for locations where cyclists feel safety is compromised by cycling on the road and identify these in our Urban Transport Plans and Inter Urban Route Strategy. HCC will ensure that the police continue to be consulted on the development of these documents. HCC also runs a cycle training programme to provide cyclists with the skills and confidence to cycle on the carriageway.

71 Roger Bangs (SPOKES & Ramblers)

On busy roads - safe cycle ways or alternatives. Adapt pavements on rural roads into shared use paths.

HCC will explore all avenues of improving active travel infrastructure. To this effect the County produces Urban Transport Plans for each town which are reviewed every five years. These plans analyse of the key transport issues in each town including walking and cycling and following a stakeholder consultation produce a member agreed list of measures. The Council is also producing an Inter Urban Route Strategy to identify the key routes between towns and villages to facilitate an increase in cycling. Recent Department for Transport guidance on cycling infrastructure recommends a width of 3 metres for cycle paths; however, it does recognise that narrower paths may be sufficient where flows are low. Any improvements are subject to identifying the necessary funding.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 72 Anthony White

(Woolmer Green Parish Council)

A safety barrier between roads and foot/cycle ways making walking and cycling much safer from traffic similar to schemes in Europe

HCC has a design guide for Highway Infrastructure ‘Roads in Hertfordshire that sets out key criteria for cycling design in the County following Department for Transport guidance and regulations. The hierarchy of measures shown in the table below is the core principle in cycle design to promote on road cycling as the first choice. Details of the treatments that may be appropriate are set out in Roads in Hertfordshire. It is not always possible to provide a fully segregated cycleway due to insufficient space in the highway.

Chapter 4, Active Travel Delivery Toolkit, Section 4.2 add a sentence to end of the third paragraph. ; The hierarchy of measures as a core principle in cycle infrastructure provision are detailed in Roads in Hertfordshire following current DfT guidelines. The aim of which is to promote on road cycling as the first choice. Details of the treatments that may be appropriate are set out in Roads in Hertfordshire.

73 Andrew Smith (Watford Borough Council)

I would like to see 20mph zones introduced and a trial (similar to America) where the pedestrian has the right of way. Making visitors and residents aware of what is around them in terms of distance and time



The chapter highlights four barriers to Active Travel (a table heading refers to them as key barriers but the table itself has them as over-arching barriers)

1. Safety and security 2. Lack of physical infrastructure 3. Lack of knowledge, awareness,

training or education 4. Social and cultural attitudes

We agree that these cover the main barriers.

Noted.


(CycleHerts) There is no evidence presented for the assertion that “The perception that walking and cycling is unsafe in the County is justified to a certain extent by the statistics for Hertfordshire.” We are told that:

“Pedestrians account for just under 10% of casualties Nearly 8% of total casualties were cyclists.”

So, over 82% of casualties were vehicle drivers or their passengers. Before we jump to the conclusion that being in a vehicle is even more unsafe we need to take into account the exposure, or length of time spend travelling, in different modes. A recent study by UCL (Exposure-Based, ‘Like-for-Like’ Assessment of Road Safety by Travel Mode Using Routine Health Data Jennifer S. Mindell, Deborah Leslie, Malcolm Wardlaw December 2012) demonstrated that the fatality rates for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians for the same amount of time spent travelling are roughly equal. (The drivers also kill other people, cyclists rarely and pedestrians never). The county council needs to put over the message loud and clear that “cycling no is more unsafe than driving” rather than distorting statistics in a way that would put even the Daily Mail to shame. The chapter claims as “evidence”

• The most frequently occurring contributory factor associated with pedestrian casualties

Some people perceive safety to be a barrier to cycling, and HCC would like to help those people that this applies to overcome this barrier by improving safety where appropriate. We have changed the wording as outlined in the column to the right to reflect the comments made, and agree that the original version may have perhaps generalised. However, the research by UCL reinforces assumption of the vulnerability of cyclists and pedestrians compared with drivers with much higher hospital admission rates for cyclists and pedestrians per billion kilometres travelled or per billion hours travelled, with some variation by age. Therefore HCC reiterates the fundamental concept that should a cyclists or pedestrian be involved in a collision they are more likely to be injured than drivers and this supports intervention measures. The TRL report went into much greater analysis of the police statistics than was undertaken for the Hertfordshire Road Casualty Facts

The last 2 bullet points in Chapter 4, evidence – 4.2.1 were removed as they could be misleading. The TRL report will be added to the list of references in the appendices.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0050606




# Name/Organisation Comm HCC Response Document Change ent was ‘failed to look properly’, the second most often selected was ‘careless, reckless, in a hurry’.

• ‘Failed to look properly’ was the contributory factor most often associated with cyclist casualties, ‘entering road from pavement’ and ‘failed to judge other person’s path or speed’ were second.

These half-truths are not evidence. The reader needs to know who “failed to look properly”? The implication seems to be that it is the pedestrians and cyclists who failed to look properly. A recent report to DfT from TRL using police statistics found that cyclists were not to blame in collisions resulting in serious injury to cyclists in 93% of cases. One in four collisions resulting in death or serious injury to cyclists was due to the bicycle being struck from behind. The “evidence” demonstrates the problem of dangerous and incompetent drivers and the need to get them off the roads. When we get to the Key Priorities to deal with Safety and Security we hit a fundamental problem, mentioned above, with the Strategy. It does not work to lump walking and cycling together when it comes to many of the measures that are needed. We

2011. The Hertfordshire statistics deal with any contributory factors for each user group involved in accidents at an aggregate level. Whilst we understand this could be misleading, the implication is not to apportion blame upon an individual user group, simply to highlight the dangers and the vulnerability of interaction between different road users. HCC will consider rewording these two bullet points HCC has no powers to ban drivers from the road however will work with police to raise awareness of pedestrians and cyclists. HCC will always prioritise reducing the number of accidents on our road network, regardless of road user. HCC will continue to look at the best way of delivering training to all road users, based on the latest evidence of the main causation factors.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change start with:

1. Ensure children and adults have access to training to safely participate in Active Travel.

Is it realistic to train adults in walking? At the same time that they are on a Bikeability course?

2. Deter inappropriate speeds of other vehicles on routes for Active Travel.

As we mentioned earlier, there is a problem using the term “routes for Active Travel”. Routes for walking are footways! We don’t want vehicles on footways at any speed except for cycles, at appropriate speeds, on shared use footways. All roads (except motorways) are routes for cycling.

3. Develop urban transport plans to identify the pedestrian and cycling priority routes to encourage active travel.

We are still waiting for the priority cycle routes for St Albans.

4. Provide secure cycle parking at key destinations e.g. Rail Stations, Town Centres, Schools.

Need to add dwellings/residential areas and perhaps say key origins and destinations.

Training can be undertaken in a number of ways, the action plan which accompanies this strategy includes independent travel training and business, personalised and school travel planning initiatives which lead to measured success in encouraging use of active modes. Walking and cycling can be included together in the context that there are officers in SSJ who will work on overlapping schemes Cycling on footways is an offence under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835, which is primary legislation from central government. HCC does not advocate or condone cycling on footways where there is no stated cycling facility due to the potential conflict between cyclists and pedestrians. Other vehicles are also not permitted to use the footway. St Albans has a current Urban Transport Plan that identifies a number of measures for cycling and walking. Further projects in the area are being developed and delivered using the successful BIG HERTS BIG IDEAS LSTF funding, including cycle parking, the Green Ring and travel planning measures. The Cycle Study in St Albans will be finalised in 2013 to inform the next review of the Urban Transport Plan. HCC has a cycle parking guide to assist in planning new development.

Chapter 5 Active Travel Delivery , Section 5.6, Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire Developers added to Table 5.2 – ‘Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire’. Role - Delivery of active travel infrastructure as part of housing and business developments


5. Identify and develop Active Travel routes for children to travel safely to and from schools (as part of Safer Routes to School).

Agreed but realise that the walking and cycling routes are likely to be different in many cases. There should be safe crossing points for pedestrians of all roads. A default speed limit of 20 mph in urban areas is needed. We want safe cycle routes from every dwelling to local schools. Undertake a Bikeability assessment of all roads within 3 miles travel of all secondary schools and 1 mile of all primary schools. Publish the assessment so parents can see how safe or not their local roads are for their children.

6. Develop easily accessible information for the public on active travel in the County to encourage including information for employers to encourage active travel in

This document is referenced in Roads in Hertfordshire. We work with local partners to identify and deliver cycle parking at other key destinations. It should be noted that retrospectively adding secure cycle parking for existing private dwellings and residential areas is often not possible. HCC develops transport plans for each town to identify key issues and interventions and schools are a key stakeholder in this process. The Safer Routes to School programme also works with schools to produce travel plans to highlight the key local issues needed to allow more pupils to walk or cycle to school. Each school is ranked countywide. HCC has a speed management strategy that sets out the criteria for 20mph zones and limits in Hertfordshire that will be used as a measure to encourage active travel where applicable. This document follows national guidelines and was developed in partnership with Hertfordshire Constabulary. Bikeability assessments are being used to determine suggested cycling routes that are published on HCC maps, to date mainly for business travel plans. HCC continues to work to provide web-based mapping which allows users to determine which modes they are interested in, and ideally to providing mapping apps which can be used as route maps on the move. The

Add partnership working with police to document and highlight in action plan. Chapter 5 Active Travel Delivery , Section 5.6, Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Police Authority to be

# Name/Organisation Comme HCC Response Document Change nt their workforce.

This means spending significant sums to signpost cycle routes. Also there is a need for a county-wide set of up to date cycle maps covering every town. The St Albans map is a good model. The cycle maps should be separate from, and in addition to, any bus or utility walking maps for each town.

7. Ensure that the needs of cyclists and pedestrians are considered in new developments and when changes are made to the highway network to encourage active travel.

We agree with the sentiment but it needs to be re-drafted so that it is clear that all changes to the highway network need to consider the needs of cyclists and pedestrians and not just changes to encourage active travel. To encourage active travel, ensure that the needs of cyclists and pedestrians are considered in new developments and when any changes are made to the highway network. We agree with the key toolkit interventions for this barrier but it would help if the most effective ones could be highlighted, in particular, the need to work with the Police and the newly elected P&C Commissioner to deter careless and dangerous drivers by rigorous enforcement.

production of paper copies will depend on demand and resources available – it many cases it is more useful to have web-based maps which can be centred on particular destinations e.g. schools and businesses which can be printed off by the user when required. Noted. HCC feels this is included with the intervention of ‘Give full consideration to the needs of pedestrians & cyclists when designing new highways and highway improvement schemes’. The need to work in partnership with the police will be reinforced in the document and considered in the action plan.

added to Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire’.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change As well as more emphasis on enforcement, more emphasis also needs to be given to speed reduction. A recent report from TRL for the DfT (TRL report PPR 580 Infrastructure and Cycling Safety) concluded that “Of all interventions to increase cycle safety, the greatest benefits come from reducing motor vehicle speeds. Interventions that achieve this are also likely to result in casualty reductions for all classes of road user.” It is a pity that this was not picked up in the evidence and it highlights the need to focus on what is important and effective rather than an undifferentiated mass of key points

A key intervention within the Active Travel Strategy is that HCC will consider 20mph zones and traffic calming measures where applicable; however, the counties Speed Management Strategy determines where they are appropriate that follows national guidance. Over the Summer of 2012 DfT consulted on proposed revisions to the Circular 01/06 Setting Local Speed Limits. DfT have stated that the existing guidance is mainly “fit for purpose” and only minor amendments are proposed. DfT stated that a summary of consultation responses would be made available in December 2012, but this had not appeared online in New Year 2013. It is expected that the new guidance will be published during 2013. Once the new guidance is published the County Council will consider whether the strategy should be reviewed in light of the new guidance.


It would be useful if the strategy could take more account of the Regional Park in defining interventions to overcome ‘barriers’ to active travel in Hertfordshire. Although there is still work to be done to enhance and increase walking and cycling routes within the Park by the Authority and a wide range of stakeholders the Park does currently offer a variety of off road, well signed, and safe walking and cycling routes within an attractive environment. For example section 4.2.1 Safety and Security identifies a perception that walking and cycling is not safe in the County. A wide range

As noted in #45, Hertfordshire County Council would welcome further communication with organisations such as the Lea Valley Regional Park, to help deliver a wide range of interventions that will encourage people to walk and cycle more.

Lea Valley Regional Park is to be added to the list of Active Travel Delivery Partners in Table 5.2. – local support for intervention delivery. Added to districts in table 5.2 - District Councils, Neighbouring Authorities and Lea Valley Regional Park Authority.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change of interventions such as traffic calming, cycle training, improved crossing points, maintenance of footways etc are listed.

77 John Metcalf (STACC)

Most cycling will be on the road network for the foreseeable future. We agree with the emphasis on shorter journeys of under 5 miles, which are likely to be in urban areas. The most important measures are the ones which would make urban roads safer, and appear safer, for cyclists (and pedestrians). The evidence suggests that the most effective way to do this is to reduce the speed of motor vehicles. We recommend that the strategy should propose the introduction of a default 20 mph speed limit in the urban areas of the county.



Junctions and roundabouts are often hazardous places for cyclists. The strategy should set out what measures the council intends to take to make them more cycle friendly.

Whilst the Active Travel Strategy does not list individual junction’s which need to be improved, Urban Transport Plans should identify where there are particular junctions which require addressing. The Council monitors the transport planning interventions required to facilitate cycling, including the review of hazardous sites and future measures required. The Roads in Herts Document provides clear guidance on junction treatments for cyclists in section 12.7.



79 Doug Nevell

(STACC) The strategic long term objectives to increase cycling journeys by 400% (or any intermediate goals) have little hope of success without major reconsideration of highway safety’, and monitoring of progress. The intervention, to address ‘road user hierarchy’ has little meaning unless there is a reallocation of highway space – ‘highway’ to signify both carriageway and ‘sidewalk’ (part of Highways responsibilities). The conceptual mass of extra cyclists would tend to be novice cyclists; persuaded to abandon their cars for the advantages of cycling, for which safety would be a critical issue.

Noted. HCC feels this is included with the intervention of “Give full consideration to the needs of pedestrians & cyclists when designing new highways and highway improvement schemes. The design of schemes follows the guidelines in Roads in Hertfordshire. Clearly there are financial and geometric constraints that also need to be considered when making changes to the highway.


Complementary strategic traffic management objectives should be acknowledged as a corollary of this document. With only 19 % of journeys to work (under 3 miles) liable to be significantly impacted by cycling, the scale of benefits from abandoning the car to cycle such journeys, seems overrated, without some ‘encouragement’ to do so from traffic management. Although the ’railway station drop’ and the ‘school drop’ are legitimate targets to induce change of

Incentives will be sought where required to attract greater numbers of people to take up active travel. Business transport planning will also be offered in order to encourage greater active travel. Urban congestion is damaging to the economy, and to the environment. Therefore HCC would encourage the use of Active Travel in these areas to reduce congestion.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change habit, they are a primary cause of urban centre congestion, which should have minimal affect on business/freight traffic since they should use the arterial network. The only cause to be in such locations is that their workforce or customer base lies there (where the expectation to travel at more than 20 mph should be severely limited); any loss of time there is not recoverable without unacceptable strictures on the community. By 2021 (if not earlier) vehicle tracking systems should control all ‘freight’ deliveries clear of intermediate urban centres, with punitive deterrents for ‘detours’. (Lone car occupancy and time constraints are effective Motorway interventions in US.) ‘Arrangements with SATNAV system operators’ to avoid inappropriate routeing needs some teeth. Cycling’s contribution to the reduction of congestion (though valuable) is interdependent on traffic strategy

Hertfordshire County Council is not aware of any restricted route information currently available for the County. If this information were to be collected it would require someone to go through all the Traffic Regulation Order’s which would be very time/cost consuming. This information can then be passed to the relevant SAT NAV providers, but it would be their decision as to whether they include in on their maps. Hertfordshire County Council will continue to work with SAT NAV providers to supply them with accurate information which is within the County’s means and available resources. Ultimately it will be the responsibility of the SAT NAV providers on how they wish to use it. Cycling has a role to play in reducing congestion; and it is felt that through the adoption of this daughter document; HCC will be in a better position to fund future cycling projects in the future.

Chapter 4: Active Travel Delivery Toolkit: Lack of Physical Infrastructure # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 81 Alissa Ede

(Major Projects Group, HCC) Installing dropped kerbs for cyclists might have a benefit for people in wheelchairs?

As a rule, dropped kerbs are installed for the benefit of disabled people, and it is agreed that whilst this can have a benefit for cyclists, we need to be careful not to create a conflict between cyclists and wheelchair users.


Public Rights of Way should be included on Page 35 Para 4.2.2 Physical Infrastructure where you discuss developing a network of Active Travel routes. The purpose of the RoWIP is to constantly improve the public Rights of Way network, including adding new links where it can provide dual utility and leisure use. This becomes particularly important when considering proposals for new developments which will most likely be on the fringes of existing urban settlements.

Agreed, will be added to final draft Chapter 4, Sec 4.2.2, , key priorities section, second bullet point add: Reword to: Develop a network of Active Travel routes, including Rights of Way, that encourage cycling and walking as a utility and recreational activity to improve health and reduce the carbon emission from transport...

83 Cycle Forum Inappropriate highway engineering is detrimental to cycling.

Agreed, one of the interventions is to remove un-necessary street clutter.

84 Cycle Forum Work with developers to “design cycling into lives”. Part of a joined up approach.

Agreed. Developers need to be listed in the list of key partners required to implement the ATS.

Chapter 5 Active Travel Delivery , Section 5.6, Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire Table 5.2 – Add Developers to table


The focus of the County's transport policies must start in the urban areas as the majority of people live and work in these areas. But, we must not forget the infrastructure between these centres as the more active will cycle between the urban areas.

Noted, it is the aim of Hertfordshire County Council to improve inter-urban routes. The Inter-Urban Route Strategy sets out the County’s approach to developing links between urban centres, including where appropriate the encouragement of active travel.

86 Anonymous Lack of infrastructure to promote commuting.

The active travel strategy aims to improve this, alongside the other LTP3 daughter documents including the Inter-Urban Route Strategy.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 87 Donald Robertson

(The Harpenden Society) Pedestrianisation of busy shopping area’s e.g. Harpenden Lower High Street.

It is for Urban Transport Plans to consider this type of measures in local cases (e.g. the Lower High Street, Harpenden scenario).

88 Paul Hilder (Hertfordshire PCT)

Lack of proper cycle lanes along major routes.

Noted, Hertfordshire County Council aims to add cycle lanes where appropriate and funding allocations allows, for example the installation of a new cycle lane on St Albans Road in Watford.


Whilst Watford has one of the best networks of cycle routes in Hertfordshire I would like to see a trial of the Boris Bikes scheme used in London. We have satellite car parks covered by CCTV on the fringes of the Town to trial a scheme

Noted. HCC would welcome further discussion to explore the potential for viable schemes with partners to promote active travel.


Poor infrastructure does not help. Some of the paths need maintaining to a higher standard. Good lighting is a major requirement and can be a barrier. Safety for cyclist particularly when travelling along many of the busy routes in Watford is a barrier. More dedicated cycle routes and where possible more shared unrestricted shared use paths

HCC has worked in partnership with Watford Borough Council to develop a cycling strategy covering the Borough to fill the key gaps in the network. Maintenance of footways and cycle paths is prioritised by our asset management team and further work is ongoing to refine this process. Street Lighting is considered during the design process for cycle paths, however, it is sometimes not included in more rural areas for environmental reasons.


We need to give some priority, either here or in the safety and security section, to tackle the junctions, roundabouts and stretches of carriageway that are perceived as dangerous by cyclists.

The Active Travel strategy focuses on the barriers, areas of action and key interventions to deal with safety and security. Urban Transport Plans will focus on the specific junctions and roads where action is required.

Chapter 4, Active Travel Delivery Toolkit, Section 4.2 add a sentence to end of the third paragraph. ; The hierarchy of measures as a core principle in cycle infrastructure provision are detailed in Roads in

# Name/Organisation HCC Response Document Change Comment • Maintain, manage and develop the

cycle and pedestrian network in a manner that encourages use.

This is meaningless unless it means “Maintain, manage and develop the road network in a manner which encourages cycling and the footway and road crossing network for pedestrians in a manner that encourages use by pedestrians.”

• Develop a network of Active Travel routes that encourage cycling and walking as a recreational and health improving activity as well as creating opportunities for those willing to undertake longer utility trips.

Does this mean develop a network of traffic free routes for walking and cycling? If so, say so. However, the priority must be routes for utility cycling if we are to achieve modal shift to cycling. Longer utility trips will be helped by having safe and convenient routes linking towns in close proximity to

Noted. The Active Travel strategy is set out to encompass both walking and cycling elements of travel using a number of routes.

Hertfordshire following current DfT guidelines. The aim of which is to promote on road cycling as the first choice. Details of the treatments that may be appropriate are set out in Roads in Hertfordshire.

Chapter 4, Sec 4.2.2, , key priorities section, second bullet point add: Reword to: • Develop a network of Active

Travel routes, including Rights of Way, that encourage cycling and walking as a utility and recreational activity to improve health and reduce the carbon emission from transport....

Add the following to the action plan -

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change each other. e.g. St Albans, Watford and Hemel Hempstead. • Ensure that all railway stations, key

employment sites and key services in towns, particularly those associated with high levels of commuting or limited car parking, have convenient cycle and pedestrian access arrangements, high quality, covered and secure cycle parking and links to local cycling and walking networks.

Agreed but we also need secure cycle parking for all dwellings which do not currently have it. People in dense urban areas are likely to want to cycle but often do not have secure storage. Give permission for bike lockers on the carriageway if necessary. Also we need “convenient cycle … access arrangements” to County Hall. • Ensure the availability of cycle

parking at schools and create safe cycling and walking environments around schools and in residential areas where feasible.

Delete “where feasible”. What sort of walking strategy accepts that we will have environments, around schools and in residential areas, where it is not safe to walk? • Ensure that cycling and pedestrian

routes are ‘fit for purpose’ and resilient to climate change effects, for example able to withstand flooding incidents and hot weather in accordance with Roads in

This will be considered but it is difficult to fit secure cycle parking retrospectively to existing residential areas due to land ownership and physical constraints. Noted. The Hertford and Ware Urban Transport Plan identifies measures to address this issue. Noted Noted. HCC has an asset management strategy that prioritises maintenance on the network based on its statutory duties, network hierarchy and finance. Not all routes are surfaced or lit due to there rural nature, and some facilities are maintained by District Councils. Roads in Herts sets out a design criteria for new routes.

• review scheme selection process to reflect strategy in Action plan.

# Name/Organisation C HCC Response Document Change omment Hertfordshire design guide Section 1 paragraph 6.3.1. 1.

If this means traffic-free routes “fit for purpose” it should include properly surfaced, well lit, cleared of leaf mould and cleared of snow and ice.


A large proportion of people who currently do not cycle are unlikely to get started unless they can cycle on traffic free routes. We need more traffic free routes which are linked to key destinations such as schools, town centres, swimming pools, shops and stations. These traffic free routes need to be continuous (i.e. avoiding broken links particularly at junctions), well lit, well surfaced, properly maintained and gritted in winter.

HCC has a design guide for Highway Infrastructure ‘Roads in Hertfordshire that sets out key criteria for cycling design in the County following Department for Transport guidance and regulations. The hierarchy of measures shown in the table below is the core principle in cycle design to promote on road cycling as the first choice. Details of the treatments that may be appropriate are set out in Roads in Hertfordshire. The potential users of the route are also considered during this design process. It should be noted that segregated cycleways are often the most expensive option and it is not always possible to provide a fully segregated facility due to lack of space in the highway.



An additional intervention or prioritised action should make reference to the existing off road paths and cycleway provided for in the Regional Park e.g. Lee Valley Walk, and the Lee Valley Pathway and the need to promote, protect, improve and expand this network both to enhance opportunities and to provide connections to routes outside

Agreed, there would be benefits of providing these routes to active travel participation. The deliveries of off-road routes are set out in the Rights of Way Improvement Plan, and HCC would welcome further contact with the regional park to discuss this further.

Chapter 4, Section 4.2.2.Interventions Add 2 extra bullet points below the first bullet point:

• Develop and promote use of off road recreation/parkland routes.

• Provide cycle hire facilities where they are likely to be used.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change the Park that link with residential and business communities. Likewise in addressing the barrier concerning the lack of physical infrastructure (4.2.2) to support Active travel reference should be made to the development of cycle hire facilities such as those run within the Park at Broxbourne Old Mill and Meadows. This would be an important ‘intervention’, encouraging cycling and walking as a recreational activity in the Park for example will help improve confidence and enjoyment of walking and cycling generally.

Cycle hire facilities can be added to the toolkit.


The strategy mentions the prioritisation process for infrastructure schemes. This process can explore more options and produce more cost-effective schemes when local cycling campaign groups are involved early on in the process before decisions are taken by the council. It would help if this involvement could be made explicit in the strategy.

HCC aims to work with a range of partners when considering schemes. The involvement of local cycling campaign groups will be made more explicit in the table of delivery partners

Chapter 5 Active Travel Delivery , Section 5.6, Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire Table 5.2 – Add Developers to table. Table 5.2 Last row second column – cycle forum role - change to identification of potential schemes, and promotion and lobbying of Active Travel interventions.


Although some incremental dedicated routes may be created, the majority of any cycling trips will necessarily be ‘shared’; vitally this will have to be increasingly with the pedestrians amenity*. Re-allocation of carriageway space is increasing relevant, particularly where impractical to share pavements, though ultimately a journey may need to be within the traffic stream, where cycling must presume primary status in any safety hierarchy. Whatever form it takes, the cycling

Noted. Noted. HCC will explore the options of improving priority for cyclists on the highway, however this can only be

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change network must provide continuity throughout, with removal of ‘no cycling’ or ‘cyclists dismount’ signing, while parking free. Where ‘segregation’ marking is employed, precedence for cyclists should be adopted over joining drives and minor junctions (continental practice). Major junction controlled crossings may be shared with pedestrians. (* always of course with due regard to other users) Nevertheless, mature/experienced (commuters?) may wish to take advantage of their legal right to use the carriageway to progress at an effective pace, without the needful slower pace when sharing with pedestrians. No constraints on so doing are acceptable. The strategy needs a meaningful definition of road user hierarchy, and to acknowledge significant new infrastructure to achieve ‘modal transfer’ goals (not instantaneously; the strategy is for the next 15 years!).

considered where safety is assured. Details on priority at side roads are included in section 12.10.7 of Roads in Hertfordshire. Noted. The County Council undertakes transport planning for towns in the County by the development of Urban Transport Plans and the Inter Urban Route Strategy. These documents consider the needs of the users and the function of the routes and looks to identify interventions that are appropriate to the conditions of each site. Any interventions are designed to the hierarchies set out in Roads in Hertfordshire, and the route user Hierarchy policy as set out in the existing Local Transport Plan (volume 2: Policy Document).

Chapter 4: Active Travel Delivery Toolkit: lack of Knowledge, Awareness, Training or Education # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 96 Cllr Clive Butchins

(Borehamwood Town Council)

Education is an aspect that I recognise as being most important. Not just of students and their parents to use greener methods to attend school, but also drivers to drive safely and at a speed appropriate for the situation. I consider this far preferable to most speed calming measures, e.g. cushions and humps, which I know have been rejected (and removed) by at least one council.

Noted, it is agreed that it is important to target the supporting of both students and parents in raising awareness of, and facilitating active travel.

97 Cycle Forum Need cycle and cycle maintenance shops to encourage cycling.

Agreed, cycle retailers can support active travel, in part through offering discounts on cycling equipment and maintenance. These will be added to the list of key partners in delivering the ATS.

Chapter 5 Active Travel Delivery , Section 5.6, Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire Table 5.2 – Add Developers to table with their role – provide active travel infrastructure and supporting measures in accordance with active travel strategy, local plan and UTP recommendations. Table 5.2 Add row to table – Cycling and walking shops. Role – Encouragement of cycling and walking.


The poor and deteriorating state of the County's roads, especially during the hours of darkness, is an additional deterrent.

Noted, highway maintenance is a constant priority for Herts Highways. The Transport Asset Management Plan sets out the Council’s approach to road maintenance.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 99 F. Rogers I suspect adults are holding back

youngsters, and this passing down generations needs a separate target.

It is agreed that it is important to target schools in active travel. The Local Transport Plan does set out targets for sustainable travel to schools, and these should be referred to in more detail in this strategy.

Refer more explicitly to the LTP3 sustainable travel to schools targets.

Section 2.6.2 – add third bullet point:

There is an LTP3 indicator called NI 198 (Mode share of sustainable school journeys) which is monitored and reported annually.

100 Leslie Freitag

The dispirit band of cycle trainers who could seriously interact with ALL schools. They are secondary in the scheme of things. Treated with distain by officers and have very low status.

HCC offers cycle training to all schools, and currently trains 5,000 pupils per year. Trainers working for HCC have various meetings each to provide feedback, and issues of “low status” etc has not been raised. The training will be subject to national audit in February 2013.


Making residents and visitors aware of distances to key destinations will increase walking and cycling in Hertfordshire.

Agreed, better signage is a tool that Hertfordshire County Council supports to influence the uptake of active travel within the strategy.

102 Norman Jones (Hertfordshire LAF & Ramblers)

More promotion of recreational walking and the health benefits there of and that facilities for functional walking can often have benefits relating to recreational walking or vice versa.

Agreed and already implicit within document.


Key priorities • Dissemination of Active

Travel information to give individuals a perceived option for travelling by walking or cycling; Can we put this in plain English? e.g “Provide information on active travel so that individuals can make informed choices on walking and cycling.

Agree that plainer English is required.

4.2.3 priorities – 1st bullet point Replace - • Dissemination of Active Travel information to give individuals a perceived option for travelling by walking or cycling; With: Provide information on active travel so that individuals can make informed choices on walking and cycling. 2nd bullet point – reword

# Name/Organisation Co HCC Response Document Change mment • Ensure both adults and

children are fully trained and competent at using Active Travel modes;

How will this be enforced? If an adult does not pass their competency test will they not be allowed to walk anywhere?

• Promotion of walking and cycling opportunities through awareness raising and promotional campaigns; Agreed

Key interventions What are “Active Travel educational programmes”?

• Agreements with local shops for discounts on walking and cycling equipment;

What is counted as walking equipment? Shoes (sensible only?), umbrellas, raincoats? Most cycle shops only sell cycling equipment.

• Bicycle loan, purchase and recycling schemes;

Add in maintenance - too many bikes are out of action with owners who don’t know how to get them repaired. Also there is potential for social enterprises which would train NEETS (Not in Education, Employment or Training) in cycle maintenance qualifications to refurbish and recycle old bikes for less-well off members of the community to get them cycling.

• Driver awareness training; Does this refer to cycling? If so, say so.

Can the county council start this by insisting that all drivers on council

It is correct that this cannot be enforced, and that “ensure” is not the correct term to use. Agree that clarification is required, however there are many ‘outdoors’ shops that sell flat durable boots/shoes and waterproofs that would enable people to walk in adverse conditions. Agree that maintenance is important. There is an examples of a scheme where NEETS are refurbishing old bikes for less well off, this is currently being investigated and will appear in the action plan.

• Ensure both adults and children are fully trained and competent at using Active Travel modes; To Encourage adults and children to use active travel safely with tuition if necessary.. Sec 4.2.3 – interventions 3rd bullet point remove ‘Active Travel educational programmes’ Replace 5th bullet point • Agreements with local shops for discounts on walking and cycling equipment; with Agreements with outdoor and cycling retailers for discounts on goods that will encourage more walking and cycling. 6th bullet point •Bicycle loan, purchase and recycling schemes; - add maintenance after purchase 8th bullet point reword ‘Driver awareness training to

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change contracts and all suppliers have all their drivers undergoing such training? • Improving signage on a given route

raises awareness of the active travel options available;

This may be true. However, if this is a statement of intent to improve, say so. • A programme of kick-scooter safety

training for schemes What does this mean? What schemes need training?

Driver awareness training – this does include awareness of cyclists. . Issues such as driver behaviour require a longer term awareness and promotion to which the Active Travel Strategy is committed Awareness of other road users is included in driver training courses, and will be included in forthcoming Safer Driver Handbook for HCC staff (and available for all employers). suggest change to “improve signing”

Educating drivers to be aware of cyclists on the roads 9th bullet point – replace • Improving signage on a given route

raises awareness of the active travel options available;

With ‘Improving signing’ . Action Plan – to include Safety Driver Handbook.


NICE guidance includes ‘provision of cycle storage in residential design’ to encourage ownership, none less than for low-cost housing/apartment type housing, where there is as likely a demographic bias towards (and need for) sustainable transport – at least in proportion to car parking. Identify a design intervention for the provision for secure cycle storage for ALL new residential development.

It is agreed that sustainable transport could be increasingly encouraged through better design of new buildings. Hertfordshire County Council’s Building Futures programme is developing a toolkit to develop this theme, and the concept of a transport module within this toolkit will be investigated as a future idea.

The future incorporation of transport within the Building Future’s toolkit will appear in the action plan for the ATS.

Chapter 4: Active Travel Delivery Toolkit: Social and Cultural Attitudes # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 105 Cllr Clive Butchins

(Borehamwood Town Council)

Personally I do not use my cycle because it takes around ten minutes to get it out of my shed and take it to the front of the house and be ready to mount up, by which time I can already be at the local shops. So using my car would probably save me at least half an hour per trip and I would not have to worry that I might want to buy something I could not carry on a cycle. This is for a round trip of probably 2 miles.

It is acknowledged that time and convenience plays a large factor in influencing a decision to use cycles. For new buildings, the Building Futures online design guidance for buildings encourages the consideration of types of cycle storage which will make it more convenient for daily use. For some other homes and trips, it is acknowledged that in some cases it is inconvenient to store cycles, or use them for specific trips, however the measures in the Active Travel Strategy seeks to overcome those barriers where possible.

The development of the Building Futures toolkit will appear in the active travel strategy action plan.

106 Simon Barnett Section 4.2.4 titled changing attitudes is also welcome. Placing emphasis on behaviour change is critical alongside improvements to the physical infrastructure and enhancing safety and security.

Noted

107 Cycle Forum Showers at work are over-rated and not needed.

It is acknowledged that not everyone requires a shower after cycling, but where the absence of a shower can be demonstrated to be a real barrier to participation in Active Travel (e.g. through a staff travel survey), then there is clear justification for installing them.

108 Cycle Forum Need dis-incentives for motorised travel- and advertise the benefits of active travel.

Agreed

109 Cycle Forum Target cycling for school journeys to meet targets very fast.

Agreed, increased sustainable transport to school is something Hertfordshire County Council supports.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 110 Brian Jackson

(Hertfordshire Cycling Touring Club)

With childhood obesity becoming more prevalent, the journey to and from school should be targeted. Connecting cycling/walking routes to schools would help. Discouraging driving children to schools should also be implemented.

Childhood obesity is an issue which Hertfordshire County Council’s school travel planning officers are addressing through their work on school travel plans. The incorporation of the public health service within HCC in April 2013 will provide further synergy between travel planning and the health agenda to address the obesity issue amongst school children.

Emphasize targeting the journey to school as a priority in the active travel strategy action plan.


The major problem is a perception that our roads are not safe for cyclists. This myth has to be dispelled. SkyRides and short cycle/walking tours of urban areas might help.

Agreed, which is why we included perceptions of safety as one of the four key barriers to Active Travel. Perceptions are hard to change- and it is agreed that one of the best ways to change negative perceptions is to spread positive stories and events- such as SkyRides.

112 Francis Whittaker (Dacorum Borough Council)

Barrier: Valley topography e.g. Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted.

Noted and agreed, hills are a barrier to active travel. Hills are mentioned as a preventative perception in Table 4.1. Those who struggle to manage hills could think about an electric bike.

Make sure hills/topography are listed as barriers in the active travel strategy. 4.2.4 interventions 6th bullet point – add the words after ‘Advertise the availability of electric bikes;’ which would be particularly advantageous for hilly areas.

113 Simon Archer (Arriva in the Shires)

Walking signs in minutes are a good idea, can this be made standard for walking signs in Hertfordshire.

Hertfordshire County Council agree that walking signs in minutes are a good idea and therefore should be encouraged where there are design specifications included within schemes.

Action Plan – encourage use of walking signs in minutes in UTPs.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 114 Simon Barnett The strategy could be enhanced by

further aligning Hertfordshire's health walks to the emerging priorities of the new national centre of Walking for Health, the Ramblers, who in April 2012 became national hosts in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support following a divestment by Natural England and the Department of Health.

Noted and forwarded to the Countryside Management Service (CMS). The new CMS Health Walk Projects Officer will develop a working relationship with the Walking for Health national team once in post.

For Action Plan. The new CMS Health Walk Projects Officer will develop a working relationship with the Walking for Health national team once in post

115 Simon Barnett The Ramblers and Macmillan will be giving Walking for Health a new lease of life and working in partnership to support local schemes to increasingly target inactive people and those living with long-term health conditions. See http://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/resources/scheme-coordinator-workshop-resources

Noted and forwarded to the CMS. The new CMS Health Walk Projects Officer will develop a working relationship with the Walking for Health national team once in post.

For Action Plan. The new CMS Health Walk Projects Officer will develop a working relationship with the Walking for Health national team once in post

116 John Metcalf (Cycle Herts)

• Target activities towards groups where Active Travel participation could be higher but is currently low (For example, areas with high levels of self-containment [journeys made within town], flat terrain, existing higher levels of cycling, and higher levels of no-car or one-car households).

It’s not clear what groups or areas are the targets here. What are: Areas with high levels of self containment? All urban areas? Existing higher levels of cycling? But, this is supposed to be targeted at groups where active travel is currently low.

• Disproportionately concentrate efforts on these groups to help ensure health

Analysis will be required to identify the areas where measures are most likely to be effective in achieving a modal shift. Transport planners will work with others, for example our public health colleagues and highways engineers to consider the present scheme ranking process to see how it can be improved. We welcome input from cycling and walking forums. Your assumption is that vulnerable groups will be targeted to encourage them to cycle more

Add to action plan. – Improve the present Active Travel scheme ranking system, taking into account views of other experts, as to how schemes can be better targeted.

http://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/resources/scheme-coordinator-workshop-resources



# Name/Organisation Comm HCC Response Document Change ent inequalities are not widened further.

From what is written here we are not clear what groups are being targeted. Is it (as indicated in the evidence)

• Elderly people? • Minority ethnic groups? • Lower socio-economic groups? • People with disabilities?

Whilst concentrating on these groups might reduce health inequalities it may not be the best way of getting more people cycling. With the current perceptions of the safety of cycling on the roads we are hardly likely to get many people from some minority ethnic groups or lower socio-economic groups cycling. It pains us to say this but it may be more effective to target resources where we can get more people cycling which would then encourage these groups to see that cycling is normal and safe. Walking seems a more realistic option for elderly people – yet more proof of the need for separate programmes for walking and cycling. • Encourage the use of pre-existing

infrastructure within the county to facilitate active travel. Encourage groups to use these spaces as places to “get fit”.

Is pre-existing infrastructure different from existing infrastructure? What sort of infrastructure are we talking about – roads, buildings, parks? The priority should be to make walking or cycling the normal mode of travel for short journeys not just a

often, however it is more likely that they can be encouraged to walk more through targeted interventions such as travel planning and guided walks. The groups that are currently targeted are people with disabilities, including older people; children who are encouraged by school travel planning initiatives and learning disabled are also helped by independent travel training measures. Noted. Wording to be revised to • Encourage the use of existing

infrastructure within the county to facilitate active travel. As well as the transport, environmental and economic benefits encourage groups to use the transport network as a place to “get fit”.

Chapter 4, Section 4.2.4 Changing attitudes. Priorities section Replace 3rd bullet point. With • Encourage the use of existing

infrastructure within the county to facilitate active travel. As well as for transport, environmental and economic benefits encourage people to use the transport network as a

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change weekend activity to “get fit”. Some of our existing cycle routes are in such poor condition that many people will not use them for regular utility journeys. • Advertise the availability of electric

bikes; These need to be available for hire. The county council should have them for staff at county hall and to travel to and from the railway stations in Hertford. Other employers should be encouraged to do likewise. • Provision of incentivisation

schemes for walking and cycling; It’s not clear what is meant here. We also need disincentives for using private cars e.g. workplace parking charges. • Removal of street clutter on

pavements; Agreed As in London, this should include removal of most of the guard-railings used to disadvantage pedestrians. Get rid of most of the “Cyclists Dismount” signs – we have one in St Albans on the same post as a “Cycle Lane” sign.

The availability of electric bikes for hire would be a good idea, however obviously in the present financial climate it may be not be straightforward. It will be a suggestion in our draft action plan. Pedestrian guard-rails are referred to in Roads in Herts, (see Section 4, 7.2.1) quote Pedestrian guard rails can be used to prevent pedestrians crossing at dangerous places (for example where filtering traffic may be moving at times unexpected by pedestrians) however this should only be done as a last resort if the potential conflict cannot be mitigated by other means.

place to “get fit”. Mention electric bikes – hire schemes – in Action Plan

Chapter 4: Active Travel Delivery Toolkit # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 117 Markyate Parish Council There will always be an uncontrollable

barrier – the weather. No one wants to arrive at their destination soaked. People need to arrive ready to work, suitably clothed and dry. Also there is often a need to take school books and work, business papers which can be heavy and unwieldy to the degree that they make cycling dangerous.

Noted, investments in suitable clothing and storage are sometimes required. This is particularly the case in trip destinations such as schools and employment locations.

118 Cycle Forum Fill in the “missing links” in the cycling network.

Noted, It is one of our priorities when funding becomes available to address the identified gaps in the walking and cycling networks.


TRDC is keen to work with HCC on the implementation of the SW Herts Cycling Strategy and also in other ways to increase cycling and walking, such as further TravelSmart initiatives.

Noted. Thank you for the support.

120 F. Rogers I think the 'speed of life' (people always in a rush) is understated by the selected barriers (although it impacts on each of them)

Noted, there are perceptions that Active Travel is not convenient. The educational programmes outlined in the strategy seeks to address these perceptions by promoting the positive aspects of cycling and walking such as improved health and reduced costs, to balance out the perceptions of inconvenience.


Incentives for active travel – in these times of austerity, the fact that active travel, especially walking, is cheap should be used as an incentive to get people moving in addition to those listed in the document.

Agreed. Exec Summary – 7th paragraph first bullet point – and Chapter 2, section 2.4.1 add 4th bullet point Rising petrol and diesel prices have a detrimental effect on personal finances; individuals can save money by walking or cycling. Footnote – House of Commons Library (Jan 2013) Petrol and Diesel Prices. SN/SG/4712. www.parliament.uk.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 122 Roger Moulding

(Welwyn Hatfield Cycle Forum) Nowhere amongst the various ‘Key Toolkit Interventions’ is there any suggestion of adopting blanket 20mph speed restrictions in residential areas. Such initiatives have proved very popular in many localities across the nation and do much to encourage Active Travel. 20mph zones could be marked on maps to identify quiet links to the more rigidly defined cycle routes.

The County Council’s policy on speed management is referred to in the Speed Management Strategy, and HCC will only consider 20 mph zones where a location meets the criteria set out in the Speed Management Strategy.

123 Roger Bangs (SPOKES & Ramblers)

To have modal change increasing cycling we need continuous safe cycling routes. This out weighs all other factors.

Noted. The lack of physical infrastructure is one of four key barriers identified in the strategy and safe cycling routes are identified in the toolkit.

124 Anthony White (Woolmer Green Parish Council)

The key issue is, what incentive to the public can you offer to encourage people to take up alternate transport rather than using their vehicles, otherwise your proposed strategy will not work.

Agreed, we wish to encourage Modal Shift through the promotion of improved health and reducing fuel costs for individuals.


Support the delivery of schemes and incorporate our Green Travel Plan

Noted. Support is welcomed.


Suggestions for the "Toolkit of Interventions" (i.e. deliverable schemes or interventions NB why not stick with this simpler language?): My suggestions are- 1. More Cycle Paths, which are signposted. 2. More Changing Facilities at work or even public places to change and store clothing. 3. Secure places to store bicycles and outer clothing, including umbrellas. 4. Some sort of financial incentives 5. Safety Provisions for Walkers and Cyclists. e.g. Day glow clothing, Free bicycle checks and lights or torches.

Noted, many interventions have already been noted in the document. Those that are not are suitable for application in specific circumstances and will be added to the toolkit.


(STACC) The strategy mentions the reallocation of road space in favour of cycling and walking but gives little detail or commitment. The council needs to look for opportunities where mandatory and protected cycle lanes can be created by reallocation of carriageway space currently occupied by on-street car parking, multiple traffic lanes and wider than necessary traffic lanes.

The document sets out a high level strategy for Active Travel, and provides a steer that reallocation of road space (e.g. the implementation of a cycle lane) is an acceptable tool to be considered when addressing a local transport issue. Specific details of where mandatory and protected cycle lanes can be implemented is for local Urban Transport Plans to determine, in line with the design guidance for cycle lanes set out in Roads in Hertfordshire.

Amend 4.2 to specify the hierarchy of measures as a core principle in cycle infrastructure provision as detailed in Roads in Hertfordshire following current DFT guidelines. The aim of which is to promote on road cycling as the first choice. Details of the treatments that may be appropriate are set out in Roads in Hertfordshire. (Plus diagram).

Chapter 5: Active Travel Delivery # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 128 St Albans Friends of the Earth Token lengths of cycle path: are not

used, take up useful width on the road/pavement and are wastes of money.

HCC will explore all avenues of improving active travel infrastructure to allow greater connectivity. To this effect the County produces Urban Transport Plans for each town which are reviewed every five years. These plans analyse the key transport issues in each town including walking and cycling and following a stakeholder consultation produce a member agreed list of measures. HCC also has a design guide for called Roads in Hertfordshire that provides detailed design advice on road improvements made by the County Council, its agents, developers or any other third party. This document highlights the need to have permeable networks to facilitate cycling and walking. This document signposts DfT guidelines on the provision of cycle infrastructure such as LTN 2/08 that provides guidance on the provision of contra-flow cycle lanes and other positive measures to facilitate cycling. All measures in the plan are subject to funds being identified.


Cycle route locally are not very cycle friendly. Some stop abruptly forcing would-be cyclists onto busy roads. Some are overgrown. Consideration should be given to allowing the use of the pedestrian footpath in certain cases if there is a serious desire to increase cycle usage in the county.

Cycling on footways is an offence under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835, which is primary legislation from central government. HCC does not advocate or condone cycling on footways where there is no stated cycling facility due to the potential conflict between cyclists and pedestrians. We will however,

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change look to improve conditions or make recommendations for locations where cyclists feel safety is compromised by cycling on the road and identify these in our Urban Transport Plans and Inter Urban Route Strategy.


Attention should also be paid to the state of the roads: potholes can be a serious deterrent – and danger - to cyclists.

Noted, highway maintenance is a constant priority for Herts Highways. The Transport Asset Management Plan sets out the Council’s approach to road maintenance.

131 Markyate Parish Council Are there other organisations or delivery partners that you would like to see mentioned in the Active Travel Strategy? Planners. Permitting out of town developments, be they educational or business makes access more difficult and promotes – indeed requires the use of personal transport, frequently the car, to get there.

Noted, we will work closely with district/borough planners as schemes are identified. Local district plans also set access criteria for developments. Districts are included in Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners for Hertfordshire, it is implicit that this includes district planners

132 Markyate Parish Council The cycle lobby is very strong, but cyclists must respect others. Groups of cycles, particularly slow moving cycles, are equivalent to a large vehicle and can cause congestion. Cyclists must also respect pedestrians and not mow them down.

Noted, cyclists must obey traffic laws.

133 David Broadley (Aylesbury Vale District Council)

How is the strategy going to be implemented? There needs to be a link into the development plan documents produced by districts and also the County Council's service plans.

Agreed. The active travel strategy sets out the high-level aspirations and is also designed as a hook for future funding. Hertfordshire County Council works closely with district authorities on transport planning matters, and are active consultees as districts develop local plans and other related documents. This document will help guide the

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change County Council’s future approach to responding to partner strategies and plan, and facilitate working with, districts. An Action Plan has been developed for the ATS which sets out the interventions to be delivered in 2013/14

134 Simon Barnett In 2011 the World Health Organisation published the Health Economic Assessment Tool for walking, to complement the existing cycling HEAT. It enables an economic assessment of the health benefits of walking or cycling schemes by estimating the value of reduced mortality that results from specified amounts of walking or cycling. Application of the HEAT would be a significant development in making the case for the various interventions proposed as part of this strategy. See http://heatwalkingcycling.org/

Noted and agreed, Hertfordshire County Council is aware of the HEAT tool, having used it on previous occasions for various funding bids, including the Local Sustainable Transport Fund bid. It will be ensured that our public health colleagues are also aware of this.

HCC will provide a link to the HEAT tool in the active travel strategy appendices- and the action plan- and ensure this is promoted to public health colleagues.


On Page 42 of the document you explain how projects move from the RoWIP to implementation. You do not say that you will support the RoWIP. On Page 19 of the previous document a separate paragraph (Walking Policy E) is devoted to ‘Support the implementation of the Rights of Way Improvement Plan’.

It is the intention that the RoWIP and the ATS are mutually supportive. It is agreed that there should be a clear linkage between both documents.

4.2.2. priorities Add another bullet point after 2nd, bullet ; Support the implementation of the Rights of Way Improvement Plan

136 Cycle Forum Needs to implemented, unlike previous cycle policies.

The document will provide an Action Plan to demonstrate how it will be implemented. The document also provides HCC with a clear justification and hook for identifying new funding opportunities should these become available.

http://heatwalkingcycling.org/

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 137 Brian Jackson

(Hertfordshire Cycling Touring Club)

Poorly designed cycling facilities do not help.

HCC also has a design guide for called Roads in Hertfordshire that provides detailed design advice on road improvements made by the County Council, its agents, developers or any other third party. This document highlights the need to have permeable networks to facilitate cycling and walking. This document signposts DfT guidelines on the provision of cycle infrastructure such as LTN 2/08 that provides guidance on the provision of contra-flow cycle lanes and other positive measures to facilitate cycling. This document is live and will be updated following the adoption of the Active Travel Strategy.


Give full consideration to the needs of pedestrians & cyclists when designing new highways and highway improvement schemes (for example, to ensure that all new footways are built to the width and design standards set out in Roads in Hertfordshire);

Noted and agreed.


Are there other organisations or delivery partners that you would like to see mentioned in the Active Travel Strategy? Groundwork, parish councils, landowners, Canal & River Trust, Sustrans

Noted. These will be added. Add to partners in Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partners > Groundwork, parish councils, landowners, Canal and River Trust, Sustrans

140 Anonymous Better public transport links for those who wish to cycle - Cross county - Essex / Herts / Beds etc - at the moment you have to go into London to get into Herts and there is no capacity to take your bike on the bus...!

Noted, it is acknowledged in the LTP that east/west travel in Hertfordshire requires improvement, and the recent Inter Urban Route Strategy identifies strategies for key corridors to mitigate this.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 141 F. Rogers I suspect for many people, the hardest

task is convincing them that their actions can make a difference to all these objectives

Agreed, which is why travel planning and education are a key element of the strategy that will help address perceptions.


Availability of cheap methods to get access to cycles. Approved second hand, cheap rental systems, exchange mechanisms as children grow, etc.

Noted and agreed. This would need to be implemented in partnership with cycle shops and providers.

Add second hand schemes, rental systems etc to active travel action plan.


Workplace reluctance to provide simple 'freshen up' locations for cyclists, especially in inclement weather. Safe place to leave one's cycle at work in bad weather.

Noted, these measures form part of the business travel planning interventions set out in the toolkit.


Are there other organisations or delivery partners that you would like to see mentioned in the Active Travel Strategy? Schools are mentioned. Sometimes it is necessary to think separately about governors, parents, teachers - and to communicate with each differently.

Agreed, this is something that the Hertfordshire County Council school travel planners are already doing, and should be more explicit in the strategy.

In the delivery partners table, distinguish between the different roles of key people at schools Change Table 5.2 to reflect the different roles.

145 Donald Robertson (The Harpenden Society)

Are there other organisations or delivery partners that you would like to see mentioned in the Active Travel Strategy? The Harpenden Society

Noted. Whilst we cannot name every group and society in Hertfordshire by name, we will refer to ‘community groups and societies’, for which the Harpenden Society can consider itself included within.

Add to partners -> Community Groups and Societies Change Table 5.2

146 Leslie Freitag The plans are very verbose and self serving as presented. They have little punch and a quick examination of for example schools would soon reveal how cycle facilities are there because a grant was available, in other words they lie empty all day. Schools have no incentive so why should children take the ability of cycling into adult life? A school near me has a poster 'WALK TO SCHOOL WEDNESDAY!' It serves no purpose. It is tired and

Noted. Schools should be encouraged to adopt a ‘live approach’ to travel planning, rather than ‘ticking a box’ once. This is something Hertfordshire County Council is aiming to encourage by using schemes such as the “walking bus” and “bikeability”. The County Council’s school travel plan team works to try and incentivise receptive schools to encourage modal shift.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change ignored and been there for years, no advertising hoarding would be in place for so long. Lip service to an ideal. The same school had a pavement outside near knee deep in fallen leaves till mid Dec. If parents and staff they were to walk to and from school then this would be an issue. If the school doesn't even look outside its entrance to see how pupils and adults arrive it is obviously not on their radar. Incentives are missing; the poster Walk Wednesday obviously ticked a box once!

147 Leslie Freitag If the County was serious about cycling the issues would be dealt with and if a cycle qualification was a good idea it alone amongst LAs would not charge £40 for the privilege. Poor income families who may prefer to see their children cycle cannot afford such a sum. The road safety department shouldn't have to make a profit. The savings hoped in the LTP3 would justify the internal deficit Road Safety runs up. Other councils find the resources which are available from DfE why not HCC? Finally despite useful initiatives from Highways in Pedestrian and Car management at for example traffic lights they have never extended the same technology to bikes. A horse rider only needs to approach a crossing with a control button easily reached by the rider; such innovation never applies to cyclists. Make cycling interesting and cool. Simple things like a seriously produced cycle certificate when a course is passed. Those with bikes

HCC charges £20 per pupil, with the other £20 of the cost of providing the training coming from the DfT Bikeability grant. This enables HCC to train twice as many pupils that it otherwise could fund. The approach has worked well in the county, and there provisions made to ensure that poorer pupils are not disadvantaged through cost.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change can go home early once a week/month etc. Post Olympics cycling shouldn't need encouragement but every little helps, so why not cycling as part of annual school sports across the county, with real inducements. Instead it’s very little is offered in HCC.

148 Paul Hilder (Hertfordshire PCT)

I live in Hertford and work in Welwyn Garden City. I regularly cycle to and from work via Cole Green way and Route 61. This is fairly good in spring and summer during daylight. It is safe and relatively traffic free but not very inviting in winter when it's dark and there are no lights along Cole Green way. Alternative routes along main roads have too much traffic and no parallel cycle paths. More people would probably enjoy cycle commuting if these issues can be tackled.

This surface of this route is being improved in the current financial year to remove some current drainage issues. The lighting of the route would be costly and require careful consideration given the rural nature of the route.


Are there other organisations or delivery partners that you would like to see mentioned in the Active Travel Strategy? We have a local (part-time) sustainable transport officer for the Maylands Business Park in Hemel Hempstead. It would be useful to liaise with this officer in promoting cycling and walking for businesses.

Noted, as part of LSTF funding and ongoing commitment to travel planning HCC would welcome greater dialogue with Dacorum Borough Council and the dedicated travel plan co-ordinator for Maylands (in addition to other sites across Hertfordshire).

Add travel plan co-ordinators (at employment sites) to text in the partners table. Add to Table 5.2


Please comment how you/ your organisation can support the delivery of Active Travel. Through promoting sustainable transport in the Borough via Core Strategy policy and the Maylands sustainable transport officer.

Noted, and keen to engage in further dialogue.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 151 Francis Whittaker

(Dacorum Borough Council)

We would want to work closely with HCC on the CIL / S106 to see how the Council can help support Active Travel and balance out other transport priorities in the Borough.

Noted and welcomed.

152 Jane Hennell (The Canal & River Trust)

The Trust is surprised that the Grand Union Canal is not recognised and mentioned as a potential cycle / pedestrian link throughout its length as it passes through the county. The route of the canal passes through several urban areas, or provides a link to them, as well as giving access into the open countryside for recreational purposes.

Noted and included in action plan. Add the Grand Union Canal opportunities to the active travel action plan.

153 Jane Hennell (The Canal and River Trust)

We would welcome recognition and promotion of the canal towpath and would suggest that the use of the towpath is promoted more generally as a sustainable transport route as well as a recreational asset.

Agreed – and not only at this site but others too.

Add ‘more promotion of canal towpaths’ to 4.2.2 interventions and include the suggestion in the Action Plan

154 Jane Hennell (The Canal and River Trust)

However the promotion and increased usage of the towpath as a sustainable transport route may result in the need to upgrade or improve specific stretches or overcome particular barriers to accessibility. The Trust does not have a budget to pay for increased maintenance as a result of increased usage. The Canal & River Trust would wish to discuss funding further however the increased usage of the canal network in this way is fully in line with the Trusts charitable objectives. Localised improvement may be necessary in the form of widening, resurfacing, better signage or removal of physical barriers and we would wish to discuss the funding of such improvements and will seek to

Noted, HCC welcome partnership working with other groups with a common goal of increased active travel. Whilst HCC does not have any existing budget to pay for the maintenance of the towpath, we welcome future discussions regarding the future strategy for the path.

Add to active travel action plan. - Partnership with The Canal & River Trust. To secure funding for improvements to towpaths to increase usage of the towpath as a sustainable transport route.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change work in partnership with the Council to secure funding for improvements. Through our volunteer projects we may be able to offer other aid in the future.


Natural England welcomes proposals to implement active travel infrastructure on Rights of Way, through the RoWIP, particularly where these will enhance access to Hertfordshire’s green spaces (including LNRs). We also welcome acknowledgement of the objectives of the Green Infrastructure Plans to help facilitate easier and affordable access to Hertfordshire’s green spaces and countryside.

Noted, Hertfordshire County Council welcomes partnership working with other groups with a common goal of increased active travel.

Add Natural England to list of partners and add the action to explore opportunities further within the active travel action plan. Natural England added to list of partners in Table 5.2.

156 Councillor Frances Button (Oxhey Park, Three Rivers)

I think you will find that David Burt is well aware of my request for better cycle parking facilities in Moor Park tube station. Parking facilities there are limited, and every day loads and loads of bikes are bolted to the local chain mail fences. I have counted well over 50 several times and this is on both entrances to the station.

Hertfordshire County Council is working in partnership with Transport for London to increase the provision of cycle parking at Moor Park Station and other TFL stations in Hertfordshire.


It would be beneficial to know that the County Council will be using the Borough’s Urban Transport Plans and the schemes contained within them as a mechanism for acquiring funding. We look forward to working with HCC on the implementation plan and the identification of specific schemes. At present the only mechanism we can detect are the Urban Transport Plans but these don’t cover the whole borough and they do not identify cross-border schemes and therefore strategic projects (particularly small

The development and ongoing review of Urban Transport Plans are the key mechanism by which schemes are identified, but it is acknowledged that there are other opportunities for delivering Active Travel Interventions, for example through the ‘Traffic and Environment’ list process for delivering schemes in rural areas as set out in the Rural Transport Strategy, or through Government Challenge bids that arise on an ad-hoc basis).

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change scale proposals crossing between two boroughs). The implementation plan referred to will therefore be a very important stage in this process.

158 Norman Jones (Hertfordshire LAF & Ramblers)

The examples for partners need to identify walking organisations in at least one instance. Incidentally British Waterways has now (from last year) been superseded by The Canal & River Trust.

Noted and received. Hertfordshire County Council has received comments from the Canal and River Trust and welcome future collaboration with the Trust.


I suggest that it should be Planning Policy throughout the County that small local shops be encouraged and that no Out Of Town Supermarkets should be allowed. It might be useful for all supermarkets to have to charge for parking and that this charge would have to be paid for separately and the charge is paid directly at a separate machine to the County.

Planning policy such as this would need to be set out at a national level. Any local plans would need to go through public consultation and it is unlikely that the requirement for supermarkets to charge for parking would get through the democratic process, let alone be agreed by the supermarkets themselves, who would regard it as a disincentive to their customers.


The County may also wish to incorporate best practice arising from the ‘Greenway project’ being run by Transport for London. This project defines a Greenway as a safe quiet route through a park, a green space, or a street with light traffic. The aim of this programme, to create a coherent network of attractive and functional routes for walking and cycling available to all, that improves access to and through green spaces across the Capital would complement interventions in the Strategy to improve safety and physical infrastructure.

Noted, this is something which could be considered in Hertfordshire if the local circumstances were amenable and there was a robust business case. The Green Ring in St Albans is an example of a similar project which fits this description. This suggestion can be added to the toolkit.

Add ‘greenway’ to toolkit. Sec 4.2.1 interventions – Add this as bullet point 6 – Investigate running further ‘Greenways Type’ projects (similar to those being developed by Transport for London and the developing Green Ring in St Albans). Also add to Action Plan.


(STACC) The strategy favours advertising the availability of electric bikes. It would be worth investigating whether these could be available for hire or lease at rail stations.

Agreed, potential trial schemes in Hatfield and Watford currently being investigated.

Add to active travel action plan – Electric bike hire or lease. .

Any Other Comments # Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 162 St Albans Friends of the

Earth We don’t know any local councillors who cycle or walk, and suspect the same is true of HCC. We think that many planning decisions, road designs, traffic calming measures etc would be much better for active transport users if the people making the decisions about them were compelled to make regular use of active transport themselves.

Noted, many of our County Councillors are keen walkers or cyclists and are fully aware of the key walking and cycling issues in their local areas, as well as in Hertfordshire.


Unfortunately electric car technology is not yet ready to play a significant part in the process.

Noted. The County Council’s Electric Vehicle policy is supportive of electric vehicles, however it is agreed that Electric Vehicles are yet to take on a significant market share.

164 Markyate Parish Council The Parish Council would be interested (in helping to support the delivery of the ATS), but have limited resources. They also need to consider all residents, not one sector to the disadvantage of another.

Noted and appreciated.

165 North Mymms Parish Council

North Mymms Parish Council supports reasonable actions to encourage walking and cycling and to make people more active, however, investment will need to be put into improvements in the infrastructure.

Noted. One of the purposes of the strategy is to act as a hook for future funding opportunities that might arise to increase investment in infrastructure.

166 David Broadley (Aylesbury Vale District Council)

Are you liaising with the adjoining County Councils on for example ensuring Public Rights of Way and cycle routes can be more joined up? For example, around the A41 at Aston Clinton and Tring both Herts and Bucks need to have an input into committed and proposed development to ensure connectivity of routes and smooth interchanges between modes - bus/cycle/train/walking etc.

HCC is looking to work with neighbouring authorities where appropriate.

Ensure neighbouring local authorities are listed as a delivery partner in the Active Travel Strategy. Add neighbouring authorities to Table 5.2 next to District Councils and add connectivity of routes to the role – local support for intervention delivery and connectivity of routes.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 167 Alissa Ede

(Major Projects Group, HCC)

There is no mention of disability (other than people over 65 are more likely to be disabled and unable to walk). I thought it might be possible to include something about how the active travel strategy might also encourage disabled people to exercise (e.g. providing appropriate infrastructure so that visually impaired people can walk in town/to work). Is it worth adding in a paragraph about this somewhere? Or else pointing to where disability issues are addressed more specifically and explain why they are not included in this document?

Noted and will amend the strategy and/or will include in the action plan.

An action with regard a specific intervention for disabled people to be included in the Action Plan


Being the secretary of a cycling organisation, we can encourage cycling; leading short tours of urban centres and longer rides between such centres using the lovely quiet lanes of Hertfordshire.

Noted, we need the support of voluntary organisations to help promote active travel.

Add to active travel action plan and delivery partners table See action plan. ‘and voluntary groups’ added to table 5.2.‘


Please comment how you/ your organisation can support the delivery of Active Travel. Implementation of the TRDC capital programme for cycle way improvements, shopping centre enhancements and highway improvements.

Noted, generic schemes of this type will be included in the action plan.

Add to active travel action plan.- Three Rivers District Council active travel improvements.


Provision of school transport for pupils living more than 2 miles from school.

Please refer to the 2012 home to school transport policy on Herts Direct for details of provision.


Publicising developments to our members and to the wider public through the media and open meeting. Feedback to councillors and council officers.

Noted, this support will be mentioned in the active travel strategy.

Add mention of the role that partner organisations might have in publicising relevant events and interventions within their programme of communications 5.6 3rd bullet point – add, for example through their programme of communications.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 172 Bryn Jones

(Welwyn Hatfield Cycle Forum)

Hertfordshire and the south east are among the most densely populated areas in the world. So there should be neither more new businesses nor new houses in the south east. The trains are already overflowing so there are no room for more commuters to London- so no more new businesses in London.

Whilst it is acknowledged that some residents in Hertfordshire do not desire new businesses or houses in the South East, there is a stated County objective to support economic growth, and a fact that population is forecast to increase significantly over the next two decades regardless of whether this is desirable or not (due primarily to increased life expectancy and in-migration to the UK). Ignoring the housing and employment challenges this brings will be detrimental to the needs of future generations.

173 Jane Hennell (The Canal & River Trust)

We would ask that any reference to British Waterways in the document is replaced with ‘The Canal & River trust’ to reflect our change of name.

Noted. Change “British Waterways” to “The Canals and River Trust”. Find all mention of this and change…

174 Jenny Volp (Highways Agency)

Whilst I have no specific comments to make on the strategy, I support the Council in its aim to identify, deliver and promote interventions to increase the numbers of people participating in walking and cycling in Hertfordshire. I notice that the Highways Agency is not listed in your list of immediate partners to support this, however if you would like our advice then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Noted. Support is welcomed. Highways Agency added to the list of transport network providers in Table 5.2.


Please note that Natural England reserves the right to object to any of the individual schemes in the event that, once further details become available, we consider the scheme’s environmental impact to be unacceptably high.

Noted.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 176 Nick Gough

(Development Manager, HCC)

It looks like the phrase 'Active Travel' is almost promoted as a brand and so has capital letters. That approach is not followed consistently in the formatting eg the contents page.

Noted. Ensure consistency with capital letters. All references to Active Travel will have capital A and T.

177 Nick Gough (Development Manager, HCC)

And a request- can the final document have an alphabetical index at the end? It makes it much easier to search when dipping in for a specific point. I see from the Help section in Word that it can be used to create an index.

Noted Add alphabetical index to strategy. Index to be added at end of drafting process.


The Council is concerned by the wording on page 25 which refers to Waltham Cross as being the most deprived ward in the County. One it seems unnecessary to specifically mention Waltham Cross as no other wards have been identified in this manner throughout the document. Secondly this information is incorrect, the 2010 Index of Multiple Deprivation (the latest information available) identified 5 more deprived wards in the County before Waltham Cross, all of which are situated outside of the Borough of Broxbourne.

Noted and agreed, officers will re-check stats used and remove specific mention of Waltham Cross.

First bullet point after Fig 2.4 – following words deleted. “As seen in Waltham Cross Ward, which is the most deprived ward in the county. “


Public opinion about cycling is dominated by the few reckless cyclists, who seem to believe they are immune from any transport legislation and control. This results in cycling being seen by the public as irresponsible and far from the useful means of travel seen by people in many European countries. Police action would be welcomed to combat blatantly irresponsible cycling and if effective, could help to bring respectability to cycling.

Agreed, cyclists must abide by local traffic legislation or be penalised.


We have already mentioned our concern about the abundance of key and over-arching priorities, interventions and toolkit interventions. We have some classics which need to be edited out before the press starts quoting them: • “numbers of people participating in walking and

cycling” Is participating in walking different from walking? • “increase their participation in walking and

cycling”

Noted, we have amended the strategy to use plain language as much as possible. All the point below have been amended: Agree – text amended No, this is not different – point agreed, text amended Agree – text amended

All the changes identified by the consultee have been addressed in the final strategy and changed to plain language where feasible.

# Name/Organisation HCC Response Document Change Comment • “maximize Active Travel opportunities” • “maximize their impact on reducing congestion.” • “an opportunity for modal shift to cycling or

walking” • “over-arching barriers to participation in walking

and cycling” • “enabling interventions (i.e. physical and non-

physical measures)” • “A toolkit of interventions (i.e. deliverable

schemes or measures)” • “Identify evidenced priorities ..” • “Active Travel is a term used to encompass

walking and cycling” • “increasing the modal split usage of active modes

of travel” What does this mean? • “training to safely participate in Active Travel” • “Active Travel would generally be part of the

delivery of the scheme, by providing pedestrian and cycle parking, …”

Where do we put the pedestrian parking? • “Ensure both adults and children are fully trained

and competent at using Active Travel modes” It is not clear what a Toolkit Intervention is as distinct from an Intervention. If it merely means that it comes out of the Active Travel Delivery Toolkit we would find it useful to see the complete contents of the Toolkit. “Enabling interventions” are also mentioned which seem to the same as “toolkit interventions”. The document recognises that most people will not know what an “enabling interventions” are as they have to be explained in the text as “i.e. physical and non-physical measures”. Similarly “A toolkit of interventions” has to be explained as “i.e. deliverable schemes or measures”. Why not cut the jargon (which has to be translated) and just refer to measures or schemes as appropriate? It would help if the final version of the Strategy could be written in plain English.

Agree – text amended Agree – text amended Agree – text amended Agree – text amended Agree – text amended Agree – text amended Agree – text amended Agree – text amended This means to increase the overall proportion of travel trips to be taken by walking and cycling (as per the LTP targets). Agreed that this could be better worded – text amended Noted – rephrased to only refer to cycle parking Agree – text amended Agreed that the language could be simpler. The toolkit refers to a list of schemes that we could use to solve some of the barriers to walking and cycling. Text has been added to attempt to explain this. Reference to enabling interventions altered as suggested.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 181 Emma Butterworth

(CDA) Who will be operating your prevention projects? It would be useful to know within the document.

It is not Hertfordshire County Council practise to include officer contacts in Strategies; this is due to officers changing roles; officers leaving the organisation and new people joining HCC.

182 Gruff Edwards (Dacorum Environmental Forum)

In our experience there are at present defects in respect of dealing with pavement parking, which lie in the powers and priorities both of the police and of the local authority, who both seem keen to minimise their own responsibilities and/or to place them at each other's doors. In the light of this, I make three recommendations. While realising that some of them lie outside HCCs powers, I hope that they can be incorporated into reports you produce, which may have some effect on the Police and central Government to whom they may be sent. 1. Herts. Constabulary should have a published policy on when in practice the police will act on pavement parking etc. (Dacorum Environmental Forum last night agreed that such a request be sent to the Police Commissioner, and copied for information to our MP.) 2. The Highway Code should be amended so that pavement parking becomes an offence outside as well as within London. 3. Local Authorities should have more powers and/or incentives for introducing residents' parking schemes, or similar.

Noted, Hertfordshire County Council does not encourage vehicles to be parked on a verge causing an obstruction. Enforcement lies with the police. Currently parking policies lie within each district/borough councils remit.

HCC will take your comments into account when liaising with partners in the future.

Add ‘enforcement of verge parking’ to strategy. 4.2.1 add 2nd bullet point to key toolkit interventions: Enforcement of verge parking


Finally the Strategy identifies a range of Active Travel Delivery Partners. This section should also include open space providers such as the Regional Park Authority. Following the transfer of public health powers to the County later this year I would like to take this opportunity to stress that we would welcome working closely with you on any initiatives or ‘pilots’ where the Park could be used.

Noted, Hertfordshire County Council welcome input from the Lea Valley Regional Park.

Lea Valley Regional Park to be added to Table 5.2 Active Travel Delivery Partner’s

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 184 Phil Escritt I believe that the current draft gives insufficient

emphasis to the importance of walking and cycling as leisure activities in addition to their role in sustainable transport. Walking is on of the most popular leisure activities and is something which people can do at almost all ages. Walking and cycling for both leisure and sustainable transport are important drivers for health and well being.

Hertfordshire County Council agrees that walking and cycling are important leisure activities which may lead to increased utility walking and cycling. We will seek to enhance mention of leisure cycling and walking this can indirectly leads to reduced congestion and an increased in economic growth. The Rights of Way Implementation Plan sets out further details on this.

Increase mention where possible of leisure walking and cycling. To look through…

185 Phil Escritt I am also concerned that although the strategy mentions the Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) it no longer contains any commitment to implement it. I appreciate that implementation will be constrained by the Council's financial resources but there may be many other sources of finance such as contributions from developers which can and must be exploited.

The strategy should support the implementation of the Rights of Way Improvements Plan and this will be made more explicit. Together the documents should give a clear coherent message of supporting walking and cycling.

State clearly that the ATS supports the implementation of the ROWIP. Sec 4.2.2, , key priorities, second bullet point: Develop a network of Active Travel routes ‘including Rights of Way’

186 John Page (West Street Residents Association)

Traffic speed in built-up areas - 20 mph should be more widely implemented.



Lack of separation - traffic/pedestrian/cycling - Holland provides some good examples

Noted.


Residents Associations should be actively involved as delivery partners

Noted, HCC welcome active support from residents associations.

Table 5.2 - Included in Delivery Partners table; Residents Associations added to Town and Parish Councils.

189 Jo Simpson (CPRE Hertfordshire)

We are unable to comment on enhancing economic growth without careful consideration of environmental impact.

Noted.


Insufficient number of safe and well-signed, direct cycle ways and well-signed, direct footpaths which are free of obstructions which are perceived to be threatening (e.g. overhanging bushes)

Maintenance of priority action routes is one of the toolkit interventions advocated in the active travel strategy.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 191 Jo Simpson

(CPRE Hertfordshire) Time constraints don’t appear on your lists, but we accept that there is little you can do about this. However, if the above recommendations are implemented, journey times could be shortened

Noted. Time constraints can be addressed more explicitly in the barriers section however this issue can be partly addressed by a change in human behaviour – for example getting into the habit of allowing more time to walk

Chapter 4, Section 4.1 Table 4.1 Last bullet point reword Too inconvenient to Too inconvenient / time consuming


Improve availability and safety of footpaths and cycleways. But it is essential to ensure that footpaths are DIRECT.

Agreed - where feasible this will be considered.

Add ‘direct’ to the wording in the toolkit Chapter 4, Section 4.2.2 – key priorities section – reword first bullet point to: Maintain, manage and develop the cycle and pedestrian network in a manner that encourages use. For example where feasible design direct routes.

193 John Shead Putting investment into safe infrastructure will reap dividends in terms of a much fitter population who will not become a massive burden on the health Service. A cost benefit ratio of 1:5 is quite realistic.

The active travel strategy points out the financial cost of an un-healthy society, Hertfordshire County Council in conjunction with our public health colleagues, who will also be part of HCC from April 2013, hopes to be able to influence change through this strategy.

194 John Shead The introduction of 20mph speed limits in urban areas is essential. Not only will this bring about a reduction in collisions and KSI but neighbourhoods will be more attractive, petty crime will decrease, people will walk, talk, shop locally and get involved in their immediate community.

The County Council will consider 20 mph zones where a location meets the criteria set out in the Speed Management Strategy.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 195 John Shead Proper investment is essential. At least £10 per

capita should be a starting point. Noted. The Strategy sets out how funding is received by the County Council and its partners for Active Travel. It is hoped that this strategy can help to lever in additional funding through acting as a hook for securing investment (for example through external funding bids such as the Local Sustainable Transport Fund).

196 John Shead Active Travel in Holland is flourishing and is an example of best practice in Europe. Hertfordshire must seize the opportunity to go and learn how to achieve the same levels. David Hembrow, a British expat offers 3 day study tours in English. See http://hembrowcyclingholidays.com/studytour.html Nearer home, Cambridge have achieved the highest level of cycling in Britain. The Cambridge Cycle Campaign will only too pleased to offer practical advice, See http://www.camcycle.org.uk/

Noted, Hertfordshire County Council does however have to accept that Hertfordshire is not Holland; and unfortunately HCC cannot currently boast the same cycling infrastructure as seen in Holland, however it is acknowledged that best practise from elsewhere should be recognised and utilised where possible. HCC welcomes support from the Cambridge Cycle Campaign.

197 John Shead Each town has to have its own a walking and cycling officer. Currently Hertfordshire has just ½ i.e. a part time officer. Clearly this is unacceptable, and shows just how committed Hertfordshire is to Active Travel.

The Active Travel Strategy will form the basis of co-ordinating action on the promotion and delivery of walking and cycling interventions in Hertfordshire. An officer group from the Planning, Promotions, Rights of Way, Highways, Schools and Health departments in Hertfordshire County Council has been coordinated to prepare and action a plan to implement the strategy and secure funding where appropriate.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 198 Alan Story


Dacorum Council support all of the objectives, and have a programme of LSTF funded projects that support the strategy's objectives, including Active Travel promotion to employers/employees, involvement in the Travel Smart project to all households

Noted, Hertfordshire County Council are pleased that Dacorum Borough Council is a partner in the LSTF project.

199 Alan Story (Dacorum Borough Council)

Geographical make up of Hertfordshire - villages at distances to main employment / service / retail hubs, leading to historical high reliance on car use, resulting in high car ownership levels - further compounding the 'habit' of reliance on car use.

Agreed, Hertfordshire has particular transport challenges because of the polycentric layout of its urban areas. Measures to overcome this have to be designed to specifically address local circumstances.


A 'cradle to grave' approach is required to encourage and form sustainable travel patterns from a young age. In the current climate this is supported by the barriers to car ownership for the young (high insurance premiums, expensive fuel costs) and represents a useful opportunity to encourage and promote Active Travel to young adults which will inform later life choices in travel modes.

Noted. These barriers to car use should be used more to publicise the benefits of Active Travel use.


Whilst covered partially within 'educational programmes' and promotion activities, it would be beneficial to further communicate the benefits against local and national priorities (obesity, costs etc)

Noted, publicity and promotion will form part of the interventions, and will include local and national priorities.


Maylands on the Move project delivery aimed at Maylands businesses and employees and is seeking to promote more efficient and sustainable ways of travelling to and from Maylands Business Park, Travel Smart project delivery, Master planning etc

Noted, we are in the process of producing an evaluation of the benefits of the LSTF bid at Maylands. The case study will share good practice, not only in Hertfordshire, but also nationwide through the Department for Transport.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 203 Alan Story


The draft document was released around the same time as the NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) publication Walking and Cycling: Local Measures to promote walking and cycling as forms of travel or recreation (PH41). This presents different evidence values to those suggested within the Draft Strategy. It may be that each document uses different sources for the basis of evidence, however, http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/stats/climate-change/4817-2011-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-provisional-figur.pdf concludes that in reference to the point made in 2.2.2 In 2010 transport accounted for 24 per cent (not 21% as suggested). In 2011, CO2 emissions from the transport sector, at 119 Mt, accounted for just over a quarter of all CO2 emissions. Between 2010 and 2011, transport emissions decreased by 1.4 per cent (1.7 Mt); (Not 131Mt/CO2 per annum as suggested) The Strategy identifies some levels of car ownership in the County, and presents Census 2001 levels (18% without a car)as well as an update from the latest County Travel Survey which suggests 10% without a car. Subsequent to the publication of the draft Strategy the Census 2011 results have been released publically (key messages) and whilst households without a car has decreased across the Borough, the situation is not as severe as the CTS would suggest, with the level of households without a car now being 16.9% It may be beneficial to review the evidence base against these recently published reports and particularly census data.

Noted, evidence to be checked. Review evidence as suggested Last bullet point/ paragraph in 2.5.1

• A further guidance document from NICE promoting walking and cycling is due to be published in November 2012.

Change the reference to the NICE guidance which is now officially published rather than in draft format.

204 Peter Bate (Sustrans)

Difficulty in buying a suitable utility bike rather than a sports bike or mountain bike.

A range of bicycles are available from local and national retailers. Advice can be provided on the most appropriate bicycle for the journey being made in promotional materials.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 205 Peter Bate

(Sustrans) The top reason for not cycling is always the danger from motorised vehicles. This comes out in every survey.

Noted, Hertfordshire County Council is aware of the safety concerns and seeks to address the barriers in section 4.2.1 and through the Road Safety Strategy


Implement filtered permeability to reduce motorised vehicle route options and increase cycling & walking ones

HCC also has a design guide for called Roads in Hertfordshire that provides detailed design advice on road improvements made by the County Council, its agents, developers or any other third party. This document highlights the need to have permeable networks to facilitate cycling and walking. This document signposts DfT guidelines on the provision of cycle infrastructure such as LTN 2/08 that provides guidance on the provision of contra-flow cycle lanes and other positive measures to facilitate cycling. This document is live and will be updated following the adoption of the Active Travel Strategy.


The interventions are insufficiently bold & ambitious. The public health crisis caused by physical inactivity is significant, but choosing to travel by car rather than walk or cycle seems to those who do it the sensible option as the other choices are just not perceived as viable. Often that is a reasonable judgement. How many people cycle round the magic roundabout in Hemel for example, which has been a major barrier to cycling & walking for many years.

We have attempted to include a wide range of interventions in the toolkit that could be realistically used in specific circumstances in Hertfordshire, and are likely to attract the funding required for change. It is agreed that many perceptions held by frequent car users are reasonable based on the experiences of those people and the travel planning and education

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change programmes proposed need to challenge these perceptions. We would welcome any further suggestions regarding the toolkit measures.


Sustrans is an expert in the delivery of Active Travel programmes.

Noted.


The Active Travel strategy is a move in the right direction but needs to be bolder and more ambitious in order to achieve the increased activity levels required for a healthy population. One aspect which is not mentioned is that of transport poverty where households are spending more than 10%, and sometimes much more, of the household budget on transport. Walking & cycling are very cost effective and can save hard pressed citizens significant amounts of money. How many multi car households would like to reduce the number of cars they run given a viable alternative? Improved health & saving money are outcomes that people can verify for themselves and know whether they are getting the benefit of their behaviour change.

Noted and agreed this is a key issue, Hertfordshire County Council will emphasise the individual economic benefits in the strategy, particularly where transport poverty is clearly relevant.

Exec Summary – 7th paragraph first bullet point – and Chapter 2, section 2.4.1 add 4th bullet point Rising petrol and diesel prices have a detrimental effect on personal finances; individuals can save money by walking or cycling. Footnote – House of Commons Library (Jan 2013) Petrol and Diesel Prices. SN/SG/4712. www.parliament.uk

210 Tony Bradford (Hertfordshire CMS)

Inclusion of cycle awareness in the instruction and testing of new drivers

This is a change that could only be introduced by national government.


I think that the most significant of these are the Public Health and Quality of Life objectives.

Health is important, which is why Hertfordshire County Council has incorporated this objective in the active travel strategy. Working with public health colleagues will help the county council meet these objectives.


The CMS delivers and plans to expand the Health Walks Programme for Hertfordshire, delivers Green Infrastructure which is an important resource for active travel (and has demonstrated delivery). Can be engaged to add environmental value to infrastructure projects

Hertfordshire County Council welcomes CMS’s contribution to the active travel strategy delivery programme.

Include Health Walks programme in the ATS Action plan.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 213 Tony Bradford

(Hertfordshire CMS) There is considerable emphasis on cycling throughout this strategy when there are less barriers and equal, if not more infrastructure to deliver walking. I would also suggest that consideration of the social value of walking together, be it to work, for leisure or retail purposes, as a means to promote and reinforce adoption of these modes would benefit from some consideration.

Walking is a mode of transport that most people use to some extent. Part of the promotional work should focus on the social benefits of walking, where this can be demonstrated to increase participation in walking.

In reference to the promotional work, refer to the social benefits of walking as an incentive to increase walking. Chapter 4, Section 4.2.4 – Interventions section. 3rd bullet point – add words to show social benefits ; ‘Publication of local positive experiences including the social benefits to be gained from walking and cycling with others’

214 John Bell (St Stephens Parish Council)

Lack of incentive for car users to give up their cars in favour of public transport. Rural lanes that people use for leisure and exercise can also be very hazardous due to insensitive, speeding drivers.

Hertfordshire County Council realise that there are safety barriers that prevent people walking and cycling, this is why the county council have listed possible mitigating interventions in section 4.2.1. The Speed Management Strategy sets out the approach to addressing speeding drivers.


Public transport would be better used if it became more convenient than using the car. There must be an increase in bus routes and more regular, reliable services. Until then, unfortunately, little will change. Bus companies obviously need to make money from their services and will not want to support unprofitable routes, however if there is a local need then they should be offered a subsidy to provide that service. Initially this could be expensive for Herts County Council but if successful in the longer term this would help to achieve the aims of this initiative.

Agreed. The County Council’s bus strategy sets out the full approach to addressing bus usage.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 216 John Bell

(St Stephens Parish Council)

Make rural lanes safer for exercise and travel by walkers, cyclists and horse riders ie Quiet Lanes Scheme?

HCC is currently finalising an inter-urban route strategy to identify the key missing infrastructure to facilitate growth and active travel. Quite lanes schemes have been trialled in the County previously, however, are not supported as they did not change the behaviour of motorists. The County Council will only consider Speed Management Schemes where a location meets the criteria set out in the Speed Management Strategy.


The traffic congestion problems mentioned under Enhancing Economic Growth will not be solved until the public are convinced that travelling by bus is more convenient than getting the car out.

Noted. The County Council’s bus strategy sets out the full approach to addressing bus usage.


We encourage walking by maintaining local footpaths under the Parish Paths Partnership scheme and have produced a Parish Paths Map. We have with Sustrans provided a cycle route through Greenwood Park to enhance the route between Watford and St. Albans.

Interventions include promoting the use of maps. It would be helpful if there was a central source of online maps and with this in mind yours could be included.

Action plan to address how Active Travel mapping can be improved.


Economic constraints often limit the fulfilling of strategies such as this plan but it is essential that all parties involved with its implementation will give it their full backing.

Agreed. Partnership working is key to deliver many of the interventions in the active travel strategy. It is intended that this strategy also acts as a hook to securing external funding to support the delivery of Active Travel

220 Jane Shaun (Phoenix Group for Deaf Children)

cannot see any reference to deaf children / young people's need for travel training in order to achieve this aim

Travel training is mentioned in section 4.2.3, toolkit interventions words will be adjusted to include those not only with learning difficulties.

Chapter 4, Section 4.2.3 10th bullet point. Reword to School Travel Buddy Support including appropriate travel training for physically disabled and learning disabled.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 221 Jane Shaun

(Phoenix Group for Deaf Children)

The impact of hearing loss upon confidence to travel independently - deafness impacts upon communication, an essential element of travelling successfully and independently across the county. Signage, clear communication by frontline personnel is a key factor to overcoming this barrier. Expectation that taxi transport is the only way for deaf children / young people to travel to school or college safely.

Travel training of frontline personnel is recognised as an intervention that is implemented where appropriate and where funding allows. Intalink (bus and train operators) for example, regularly discuss disability training for their front-line staff. A disability awareness training DVD for bus drivers was developed and funded by HCC a few years ago and is still used by some operators.

To be included in Action Plan – further promotion of Disability Training DVD.


Specialist travel training for children with a hearing loss - with deaf adult role models is essential.

See #221. Action Plan – travel training.


Practical travel training for children with a hearing loss - with deaf adult role models.

See #221.


We have two members of staff who have undergone training on delivering travel training to disabled children / young people - we are able to provide specialist training for other travel trainers, assess and modify materials to met the needs of this group

See #221.

225 Ian Gregory (Welwyn Hatfield Cycle Forum) (Cycle Herts) (Hertfordshire LAF)

Success should be judged in terms of the percentage of distance travelled by active modes for all journeys within Hertfordshire. The proposed targets make no sense to me and should certainly not ignore bike journeys of 3 to 5 miles.

The current targets have been approved through the adoption of the Local Transport Plan. The County Council collects data on cycle trips of a variety of lengths.. The role of the ATS is to help delivery of the Local Transport Plan, including its targets, which was published in April 2011. The LTP's target of percentage of journeys under 3

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change miles by cycling was developed through the cycling forum, and also reflects where there is most opportunity to achieve change. However, data on other journey lengths is recorded, and the use of the target does not imply that encouragement will not be given to longer cycling trips.

226 Mrs C Helm (Kimpton Parish Council)

We fully support the active travel strategy. Noted.

227 A Pagan (Ramblers Association)

I disagree with supporting the use of scooters on pavements. They are upsetting and possibly dangerous to elderly pedestrians.

Hertfordshire County Council promotes the safe and responsible use of scooters on pavements for children as they can be a fun way of getting to and from school etc. It is agreed that used in the wrong way they could be dangerous.


Stop cars and lorries parking partly or wholly on pavements. Driving on pavements is illegal.

Noted, Hertfordshire County Council does not encourage vehicles to be parked on a verge causing an obstruction. Enforcement lies with the police. Currently parking policies lie within each district/borough councils remit.

Action plan – draft county parking policy.


Ramblers Association should be involved. There are two organisations mentioned which represents walkers. The Ramblers, can organise conducted walks; reporting defects in the rights-of-way network; representing the interests of walkers and commenting on plans such as this.

Noted Add Ramblers Association to list of delivery partners Ramblers Association to be added to the list of delivery partners of Active Travel Strategy in Table 5.2.

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 230 A Pagan

(Ramblers Association) 100% of adults can walk, whereas 43% of adults own bikes. So where there’s a conflict between the needs of walkers and cyclists, the needs of walkers must be predominant.

The active travel strategy aims to increase the uptake of both walking and cycling in the county, where the two modes conflict with one another, a suitable resolution should be formulated on a site specific basis.


Walkers should not be expected to share routes with cyclists. Walkers and cyclists’ routes should be separated by a significant physical barrier. IE; not a painted white line or a “tactile strip”.

Where possible it is Hertfordshire County Councils general practice to keep pedestrians and cycle routes separate- however where they are together there will be appropriate signage and markings. Roads in Hertfordshire sets out full guidance.


Walker’s routes should be wide enough for two people to walk comfortably. IE; at least 2m wide.

Footways are currently designed to be 2m in width where possible; according with Roads in Hertfordshire, 2011.


Walking should be planned to be enjoyable and mentally relaxing, if it is desired to encourage more people to walk. Sharing routes with cyclists is neither of these.

Noted, see #231.


Please bear in mind that many urban walkers are elderly with some with walking sticks/frames. It is good for elderly people to be able to walk around the town they live in without fear of being knocked down by a cyclist.

Noted, Cyclists by law are prohibited from using pavements.

235 Ken Hastings All aspect are well covered but regretfully the planning jargon will ensure no realistic action takes place. It is a typical Report steeped in Planning culture. Subjects could be covered in a report a fraction of the size of the report presented using simple English comprehendible be the General Public. I am guilty of such a Reports. It needs courage to changed? And accept the horror of one’s Boss and Political Leaders

Thank you for your comment. A number of respondents have also commented that the first version contained too much 'jargon'. We have made amendments in the latest version to ensure it reads more easily.

Reduce the jargon throughout the document. Add an action plan

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change We have also developed an Action Plan for the strategy, to ensure that the key actions for the future are identified and delivered. This will be a new appendix to the strategy.

236 Ken Hastings The reason for Cycling accidents shows a bias in favour of the motor vehicle and little research. Viz “cyclist failing to look etc etc”. The design of our roads and inconsiderate and dangerous driving are the root causation which is not acknowledged. Only this morning 28 Jan 2013 the BBC News stated Police are seeking the driver of a car being perused by a police car that killed a couple on a tandem.

Hertfordshire Road Casualty Facts 2011 deal with any contributory factors for each user group involved in accidents at an aggregate level. Whilst we understand this could be misleading, the implication is not to apportion blame upon an individual user group, simply to highlight the dangers and the vulnerability of interaction between different road users. HCC will consider rewording the two bullet points in Chapter 4, Sec 4.2.1

Chapter 4, Section 4.2.1 4th and 5th bullet points removed as misleading. Refererence made to J Knowles et al, (2009) Collisions involving pedal cyclists on Britain’s roads: establishing the causes. TRL Report PPR445 www.trl.co.uk

237 Ken Hastings Society is not prepared to provide the sort of cycle provision that Stevenage has. As a regular user of the Stevenage cycle track for health reasons I am bound to say the English would not use such provision if it was available. When cycling rarely do I meet more than three cyclists, although many school children use that track on the way to and from school and disabled people in their battery scooters. Uk is not Holland.!

As one of the post war new towns, Stevenage had walking and cycling routes incorporated into the original design. To build on that advantage the Council and the Stevenage Borough Council will consider ways of motivating more people to walk and cycle.

Include the Stevenage Borough Council project in the Action Plan.

238 Ken Hastings Any intelligent persons looking at St Michaels Road in Hitchin with cars parked on the cycle track and the word on the road at the Cambridge Road Roundabout that says “END” when help is really needed for the cyclists to realize the whole policy is a farce.

The cycle lane on St Michaels Road Hitchin is advisory therefore vehicles are permitted to park within it under the regulations. It is understood North Herts District Council are reviewing the parking restrictions in this area. Hertfordshire County Council

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change also has an Urban Transport Plan for Hitchin that identifies the key improvements required to facilitate increased cycling within Hitchin. These schemes are currently in the councils cycling ranking list for funding and will be developed as and when funding is identified. Improvements to cycle parking in the town centre have been undertaken and further parking is to be provided at the rail station in partnership with First Capital Connect. The design standards for cycleways have been refined over recent years and Hertfordshire has produced a design guide following best practice to ensure cycle facilities implemented are as continuous as possible.

239 Ken Hastings The Report looks good and will satisfy politicians that something is being done but nothing will change. It is appreciated the economic and political reality is unpalatable but it is always sensible to acknowledge of the truth.

The strategy itself is a 'high-level' document, to provide an overall justification and guide for delivering Active Travel. It is agreed that more specific information is required on what exactly will be delivered, and therefore the Strategy now contains an action plan as a new appendix. This provides information on the key Active Travel interventions that will be delivered.

Add an action plan

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response Document Change 240 Melanie Macleod

(Bedford Borough Council)

We have no formal comments to make but are interested in how you have set out your policies and the case studies, so we may contact you in the future to discuss these issues further. Here in Bedford, we are looking forward to the challenges associated with the merger with public health and have already started feeding into the JSNA process and other Healthier Together initiatives.

Noted

241 Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

See Below See Below See Below

# Name/Organisation Page #

Comment HCC Response Document Change

A Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

3. “What is the Active Travel Strategy Approach?” – 2nd Paragraph speaks of “evidence” but does not say what this is. For anyone reading the Executive Summary this is not wholly reliable.

The executive summary provides a background to the requirement for a strategy. There is too much evidence for it all to be summarised here.

B Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

4. Quotes – Where are these taken from? These are taken from the strategy itself

Consider taking out the quotation marks to make it clearer.

C Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

9. Where has the definition of active travel come from? Although I cannot find a proper definition, most sources are referring to “active travel” as travelling on foot or by cycling. I would argue that “car sharing” and “public transport” are not forms of active travel although I would agree that walking or cycling to and from a bus stop or train station is. Suggest the definition is reconsidered.

Agreed, The first paragraph at Section 1.2 is mis-leading, car sharing and public transport refer to sustainable transport. It will be reworded.

The first paragraph is reworded to: For the purpose of this strategy, Active Travel is a term used to encompass walking and cycling. The physical active travel network is a term which defines a variety of routes including on road and off road cycle routes, footpaths, footways as well as the Rights of Way definitions.’

D Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

10. Figure 1.1 – Urban Transport Plans are Daughter Documents to the LTP3, however this diagram makes them look as though they form a part of the Active Travel Strategy.

Agreed Fig 1.1 will be readjusted. An amended Fig 1.1 will show UTPs as being daughter documents to LTP.

E Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

12. Summary of key points: Comprehensive evidence but where are the figures taken from? Suggest adding the sources.

Agreed – footnotes will be added where required.

Footnotes to be added to the numerical statistics in the strategy. Add TTDR 2011 www.hertsdirect.org/docs/pdf/ttdr11.pdf

F Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

11. Table 1.2 – Suggest including the Bus Strategy, Rail Strategy, Intalink Strategy and Rural Transport Strategy

Agreed – 3 of these 4 documents will be added to Table 1.2 Rail Strategy is not added as Hertfordshire County Council does not directly influence rail policy.

Table 1.2 – add under HCC or Partner Strategy – Bus, and Rural Transport Strategies.

G Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

14. 4th bullet point – I am not sure the sentence separates or clearly defines the two statistics.

Noted. Sentence will be amended. Remove word “with” in 3rd bullet point in Section 2.2.2 and full-stop after emissions.

H Katie Pudney 19. What does GVA stand for? There is a footnote to explain what Spell out Gross Value Added in text in

(Enfield Borough Council)

Gross Value Added means, GVA will be spelt out in full in the text in section 2.4.3 third paragraph.

sec 2.4.3 3rd (paragraph).

I Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

19. Car ownership statistics are based on a much smaller sample than the Census data. I recognise that the 2001 Census are no longer necessarily reliable, I still think the paragraph should state that the CTS is based on a much smaller sample.

Noted- will add a footnote Add note in parentheses after 7th bullet point in 2.4.3 - (Please note that the CTS is based on a much smaller sample size than the census).

J Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

30. Table 4.1 Suggest adding “lack of road safety knowledge” to “lack of knowledge, awareness, training or education”.

This has been through a number of group discussions; suggest road safety is acquired knowledge.

K Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

32. Key priorities – One of the main barriers to active travel is safety. Therefore, other road users, especially drivers, must be made aware of more vulnerable road users through education.

Agreed - this is something that is already happening in our driving awareness courses, and education of drivers should be referred to within the strategy

Add the following intervention to 4.2.1 – Safety and Security key toolkit interventions. ‘Continue to offer and increase the number of drivers attending speed awareness training courses in liaison with the police authority. This includes awareness of more vulnerable road users.

L Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

32. Key Toolkit Interventions – In connection with the previous comment, suggest adding “work in partnership with the police, driving schools and other relevant bodies to educate drivers about other road users particularly pedestrians and cyclists.

This is something that is already happening in our driving awareness courses. Hertfordshire County Council will emphasise this in the Action Plan and will be referred to in the strategy.

Add the following intervention to 4.2.1 – Safety and Security key toolkit interventions. ‘Continue to offer and increase the number of drivers attending speed awareness training courses in liaison with the police authority. This includes awareness of more vulnerable road users.

M Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

33. How do you “design out crime?” – this would benefit from an example

Hertfordshire County Council “building futures” gives an example of designing out crime; there will be a link in the appendix.

Add link as a footnote and in appendix to the Building Futures toolkit.

N Katie Pudney 37. Key priorities 3rd bullet point – suggest see #32 see #32


emphasising earlier point about raising awareness among drivers of other vehicles as well as promoting walking and cycling in its own right

O Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

37. Key Toolkit Interventions – are “Dr Bike” like schemes promoted and used in Hertfordshire? Should note support for National Walk 2 events and add personalised travel planning to the list.

There will be an action plan as an appendix to this strategy; schemes such as this will be included.

This will be considered in the Action Plan and could be part of the marketing strategy.

P Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

39. As this section is about social and cultural attitudes, could there be an intervention to create spaces that provide a sense of community and ownership that brings people together which incorporates open spaces and connects people?

HCC will work closely with colleagues who develop Hertfordshire’s Building Futures toolkit and emphasise the importance of improvement of the public realm to community cohesion.

This will be considered in the Action Plan – Building Futures toolkit – transport planners to work with the team to include active travel as part of the toolkit.

Q Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

50. Table 5.3 – Which departments do the indicators fall under in HCC?

Departments will not be listed in the table as names can be subject to change which would date the document.

R Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

50. 5.8 2nd paragraph – This sentence should recognise that quality of life will only be improved if the interventions are applied and benefit all people – if they are not implemented correctly, it could increase health inequalities.

Hertfordshire County Council recognises that deprived areas may require focussed interventions to encourage modal shift.

S Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

2. 5th Paragraph suggest changes to read “European, national and local bidding opportunities for Active Travel often arise at short notice, requiring clear objectives and a well evidenced strategy backed up by local support to secure funding…”

Noted, will change Exec Summary 5th paragraph reworded to: Active Travel often arises at short notice, requiring clear objectives and a well evidenced strategy backed up by local support to secure funding…”

T Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

5. “How will the strategy be delivered?” 2nd paragraph – I think there is a “y” missing at the end of “deliver”. Additionally, 3rd bullet point – I think “school” should be plural.

Typing errors noted and will be amended

Exec summary p.5 ‘delivery’ typing error in second paragraph after ‘how will the strategy be delivered?’

U Katie Pudney 15. Air Quality – suggest removing the Comma to be removed Remove comma. After NO2 – 2.3.1 1st


comma after (NO2) paragraph.

V Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

General

I think the diagrams, especially the maps are too small, they are barely legible on a page

Noted, the maps can be enlarged when looking at the strategy on the internet.

W Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

20. 1st paragraph – suggest changing “to not” to “not to”

Noted, will change 1st sentence after figure 2.3 – change ‘to not’ to ‘not to’.

X Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

21. 5th bullet point – “advices” should be “advises”

Noted, will change 6th paragraph down in section 2.5.1 reword to advises.

Y Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

33. Case Study 2nd paragraph – suggest adding the word “during” between “per day” and “PM peaks”

Noted, will change Herts Case Study Kings Langley Pedestrian Improvements. Add ‘during’ between “per day” and “PM peaks” in Section 4.2.1

Z Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

42. 5.2.2 1st paragraph – remove the second “sets”

Noted, will change 5.2.2. 1st paragraph remove second ‘sets’

AA Katie Pudney (Enfield Borough Council)

49. First bullet point “maintain” should be “maintaining”, 2nd bullet point urban transport plans should be capital letters.

Noted will change 5.6 – first bullet point – add ing to maintain.

Appendix 2 Workshop Comments Log 2.1 Summary of main comments made During the consultation period Hertfordshire County Council together with Public Health organised a workshop session which was open to key stakeholders and partners in active travel. A total of 4 workshop sessions were held, each focussing on a key barrier to active travel, and further discussing possible interventions to these barriers. Section 2.1 focuses on a summary of the key points raised by the workshops. ACTIVE TRAVEL STRATEGY CONFERENCE – 9 JANUARY 2013 Summary Of Main Points From The Workshops Workshop 1 - Safety and security

Comment HCC Response

Use Rights of Way and bridle paths for commuting

Noted, this can sometimes be feasible but is not always practical. The Rights of Way Improvement Plan sets out the County Council‟s agreed approach to Rights of Way.

Provide more kick scooter parks / training in schools

The County Council‟s school travel planning team presently include training for kick scooters within their work. This comment will be forwarded to them.

More signage with distance and journey times

This type of signage is very helpful to pedestrians and cyclists, and has been demonstrated to be successful where implemented already in Hertfordshire (e.g. in Watford through the LSTF funding). Financial restrictions means that they cannot be rolled out to all locations, only where specified in new design schemes, but they are a key part of the toolkit – see section 4.2.2

Promote the economic benefits of less car use to individuals

Agreed, this will included in future action plans and wording will be added to the ATS.

Walking and cycling buddies Travel training is a good idea but it is resource intensive. This is something that volunteers could help deliver.

Provide more cycling courses and speed awareness courses for adults

Noted, cycling courses for adults will be explored, speed awareness courses are offered to drivers who are caught speeding by the Police.

More park and ride The County Council recognises the contribution that well designed and sited Transport Hubs (interchanges) can have in maintaining sustainable access to, from and within towns where economic and housing growth is being considered. As set out in the Inter Urban Route Strategy, HCC will work closely with District Councils on developing transport strategies to support growth and is prepared to support, or promote such transport hubs, if they are included in a District Council's local plan and/or supported by the neighbouring District (should the site(s) not be in the District of the town or towns it was aimed at serving)

Need to start with educating children Encouraging children to be mobile and walk from a very early age is vital.

Need to promote the Highway Code to improve safety

HCC offers a range of road safety courses, which includes reference to the highway code.

Shared spaces should be the norm Shared spaces are appropriate in certain locations.

Identify footpaths which could be HCC will seek greater dialogue with user groups with

officially used by cyclists regard this suggestion.

Develop a smartphone App for reporting maintenance issues and a buddying scheme

This something that could be explored in future action plans.

Workshop 2 - Lack of physical infrastructure


Develop a cycle network that directly links key destinations in urban areas (in conjunction with the National Cycle network being developed by Sustrans)

Cycle networks are being developed where funding allows, however budgetary and other restraints will mean the development of a cycle network will take time.

Clear, accurate and robust route signage for walking and cycle routes (Signings with timings to access by walking/cycling maps)

Signage with timings is very helpful to pedestrians and cyclists. Financial restrictions means that they cannot be rolled out to all locations, only where specified in new design schemes. Maps are a very useful promotional tool and will play a part in the action plan.

Plans/maps showing on-street cycle routes, bicycle parks and loan schemes

Maps are a very useful promotional tool and will play a part in the action plan.

Active travel information should not just be online, physical measures are also needed i.e. signposts

Agreed travel information will not only appear online, it needs to be on signposts etc. This is listed in 4.2.2. as an intervention:

Clear, accurate and robust route signage for walking and cycle routes (Signings with timings to access by walking/cycling maps);

Signposts are constantly being vandalised i.e. turned around, need a different method of attaching signs to posts

Noted, Ringway (the Highway contractors) are responsible for signage maintenance.

All scheme designs should be audited by disability groups

This is not always feasible, however all schemes undergo a safety check.

The location of cycle parking is important need to integrate with cycle routes. Need to adhere to particular standards of design guide

The HCC design guide, Roads in Hertfordshire, provides detailed design advice on road improvements made by the County Council, its agents, developers or any other third party. This document highlights the need to have permeable networks to facilitate cycling and walking. This document also includes a cycle parking guide. Location of cycle parking is also considered with Urban Transport Plans at key destinations.

Need to focus on the simplicity of cycling, as all the gear, showers etc can put people off

This is something to be considered in the promotion of cycling.

It is difficult to take bicycles on commuter trains, the alternative is bike hire facilities at destination stations

This is something an idea that local groups could explore.

Maintenance of current active travel network i.e. vegetation, clearing of glass/leaves needs consideration

There is an agreed highways maintenance program in place

Workshop 3 - Lack of knowledge, awareness, training or education


Production of up-to-date route and network maps of the cycling and walking network for each town and wider networks which will be widely



available both as a map and on the internet. i.e. Milton Keynes has colour co-ordinated routes

Bus and train interchanges need to have good interpretative maps to enable people to walk and cycle to their destinations. Station travel plans should be looking at this. Rail franchises need to have station travel plans in their contracts


Maps on buses also a very good idea. (we have maps on the underground why not buses?).


Too much reliance on on-line maps, when you look online there are so many different sources of maps – but not always consistent, one good place to go would be useful – eg local authority web links to a good mapping source such as Sustrans. So people can print them out easily, or how about some ready printed ones (funded by adverts?)


More use of interactive maps on smart phones.

This is something an idea that could be added to the toolkit.

Educate the businesses about flexible working – so to help people to be flexible about walking and cycling. educate businesses of the economic benefits of active travel in their workplaces – less car parking spaces

Hertfordshire County Council‟s business travel planners incorporate flexible working in their travel planning messages to employers. Business travel plans encourage employers to travel by sustainable transport, and are an important part of the toolkit.

Promotion via short sharp events, get lots of businesses involved. People like competition – rather than being told what to do. Got to be subtle.

This is an intervention that could be considered in the action plan.

Training for HGV and Bus drivers for awareness of cyclists

HCC will investigate whether HGV and bus drivers are given cyclist safety awareness training.

Ensure questions are relevant in the Environment survey/ county travel survey, and linked in with others questions in other surveys i.e. district surveys

This is an intervention that could be considered in the action plan.

How do we reach GPs with the active travel message that walking and cycling is good for everyone‟s health – rather than them just treating the symptoms

HCC will consult with public health colleagues to query how GPs spread this message to their patients.

Workshop 4 - Social and cultural attitudes


Need to publicise cycle safety statistics to overcome the “perception barrier”

This is something that could appear in the action plan.

Important to encourage people to do short distance journeys actively i.e. to the shops and back

This is part of the personalised travel planning and general promotion of active travel that needs to take place.

Need to integrate active travel into school buildings, with cycle paths leading to school buildings and adequate cycle parking facilities

HCC school travel planning team works closely with many schools to encourage them motivate children to walk and cycle.

Maps need constantly updating. Hertsdirect website should have information for all routes, local and countywide


More promotion needed i.e. health walks

CMS do promote their health walks online, HCC will consider how the message can be spread more widely.

Get shops involved in community cycle events to provide maintenance before the ride sets off

Cycling events are organised by HCC and its partners, this is something in which cycle shops may wish to be involved.

Employers are best at incentivising schemes

Business travel planners often need to encourage employers to motivate their staff to travel sustainably.

Removal of street clutter, as this also impacts on mobility transport as well

Street clutter is an issue which is addressed in the ATS.

Pedestrians/cyclists need more priority over the car

Where appropriate the Route User Hierarchy priorities pedestrians and cyclists over the car, but it depends on a number of criteria.

2.2 Feedback from Workshops The aim of the workshops was to gather participant‟s views on the following issues that are perceived to act as barriers for those wanting to cycle or walk:

Safety and security (Workshop 1)

Lack of physical infrastructure (Workshop 2)

Lack of knowledge, awareness, training or education (Workshop 3)

Social and cultural attitudes (Workshop 4)

2.2.1 Workshop 1 – Active travel is not perceived to be viable due to Safety and Security factors Participants in Workshop 1 contributed the following views and comments: Issues Raised:

Not just a safety and security issue, health should also be considered due to pollution hotspots.

Will getting people out of cars actually improve their health, as they will be breathing in more pollutants?

Rights of Way and bridle paths could be used for commuting e.g. Nicky Line.

There is a safety perception with sharing bridle paths with horses.

There is an issue with using private land and rights for usage, a change of use of a right of way needs agreement with the land owner.

Lighting is an issue, and there is a link into policing (cycle police), what sort of resources do the police have?

If you take people out of their cars will the road just fill up with another car or will it reduce congestion?

Monitoring has shown that there is a 10% reduction in traffic in school holidays.

Modal shift by safer routes play a key part i.e. SRTS.

Need to educate children and provide scooter parks.

Need to provide kick scooter training / safety training.

Signage is being introduced in Watford with journey times on them, but only for journeys less than 10 minutes. Signage is key as some distances are not that great but people perceive them to be longer.

Need to promote the economic benefits of leaving the car at home to the individual.

Both parents working has a big impact on walking to school.

Not all children go to their local school.

Unlit underpasses are a barrier.

Need to improve security at schools for bicycles and scooters i.e. Holywell school has a walking bus and a locked cycle park.

Walking and cycling buddies.

We need to capture the children and start good habits, teaching them to ride bicycles safely.

There is a generation of car users that have never cycled and never had cycle training.

There is a two way issue with cycle training, for vehicle users and cyclists.

Should a levy be put on car parking?

Need incentives for modal shift.

Parking restrictions can affect local businesses.

In rural areas any initiatives should compliment other initiatives already in place.

Boris Bikes, why can‟t Hertfordshire do this?

Consider more parking on peripheral areas of towns.

Look at the successful Cambridge Cycling Campaign.

Consider providing buggies for mothers who cycle in to town centres with young children.

Provide more cycling courses for adults.

Getting women to cycle is a big issue.

Car sharing buddies and walking.

Could supermarkets (when providing planning permissions) provide extra parking spaces for car sharing for commuters?

Park and Rides are often dark, quiet places.

Cambridge park and ride a good example.

There is a selfish element with people they need to want to make a change.

Traffic calming such as speed humps (especially speed platforms) are not pleasant for bus users.

Should there be lower speed limits for roads with traffic calming?

Speed humps on footpaths (for cyclists) are bad for wheelchair users.

There should be more variable average speed limits enforced by cameras.

Regulations mean that some roads with 40mph limits cannot be reduced to 30mph even if there are schools nearby. There are examples in the county (e.g. Woolmer Green) where money had been spent on safety works when the speed cameras could have just been changed to 30mph. If there have been no KSIs the site will not even be considered.

More 20mph/30mph limits could cause congestion.

20mph zones are self enforcing but need other measures such as traffic calming.

Need to start with the children, in Switzerland the schools go on all day walks.

The UK has too much red tape with risk assessment to consider doing what the Swiss do.

Parents of children are often a barrier for walking and cycling, need to train the parents at the same time.

Need to re-route HGVs away from active travel routes.

Planning controls can help stop HGVs using inappropriate roads if a new business sets up.

38 tonne trucks are less polluting than small lorries (but do more damage to the roads)

Are road maintenance costs factored into economic figures?

HGV drivers ignore „Not Suitable for HGVs‟ signs.

School crossing patrols have been cut and prioritised to key sites, therefore volunteers are now relied upon more.

School crossing patrols are preferred to puffin crossings due to the human element, as children do not always check that the traffic has stopped.

Safety issues would be better if everyone understood the Highway Code, therefore we need to promote the Highway Code more or provide refresher training.

Lobby DfT to send out the Highway Code when people renew their car tax.

Speed awareness courses should be made more widely available.

Use TV adverts for Highway Code awareness.

There is an increase in the number of European cars on the UKs roads who do not contribute to road tax and may not be insured.

The media always pick up on the negative aspects of walking and cycling i.e. accidents never the positive.

Motorbike casualties are horrendous, being on 2 wheels is dangerous. Children now wear helmets for kick scooters. Some cyclists do not have lights on their bikes.

Why are bicycles still sold without lights? And there is no legislation for lights/helmets.

In Switzerland bicycles have to be insured.

Insurance on bicycles couldn‟t be done in the UK until there is further modal shift as it would be considered a disincentive.

More respect is needed for each other and shared spaces.

There are examples in Watford where cycle routes have been removed and there is one big shared space.

Design everything with cyclists in mind.

Traffic lights need to provide priority to cyclists.

Give rights of way to pedestrians not cars.

All pavements are shared in Germany but they are slightly wider than UK pavements.

Shared spaces should be the norm i.e. like the change to using seat belts.

Cyclists need to use common sense and use proper bells.

It would be useful to identify routes where cyclists can use the footpath, even though the law says they cannot use them. Formalise the use of footpaths.

There are cycle paths between towns but not within towns.

New developments have narrow roads which limits cycling, cycle routes should be automatically be built.

The number plate scheme used in Japan for on-road and off-road parking is a brilliant scheme.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) signs are effective.

Need a radical change in the UK with crossings, on the continent they are often every 50 yards.

European drivers often don‟t stop though.

Spanish drivers are good, what is the enforcement in Spain?

The clearing of ice and snow on footpaths is an important issue, which HCC does not do but can provide salt.

Need to lobby county councillors about vegetation, to get the issue put on a priority list at HCC.

Develop a Smartphone APP for reporting maintenance issues and a buddying scheme.

Cycleways that are close to road barriers are full of glass.

Should we be protecting pedestrians/cyclists from the sun as a result of climate change?

Footpath maintenance is an important issue. 3.2.2 Workshop 2 – Active travel is not perceived to be viable due to lack of physical infrastructure Participants in Workshop 2 contributed the following views and comments on the following interventions: Develop a cycle network that directly links key destinations in urban areas (in conjunction with the National Cycle network being developed by Sustrans)

Routes should be planned which link in with urban development plans to avoid schemes being implemented which do not integrate with the destinations.

Difficulty of balancing the integration of cyclists and pedestrians within urban areas.

One member of the panel expressed concern at the wording of the strategy in banning cyclists from the pavements. Disagreement that

police will by and large not target cyclists, only those carrying out bad behaviour.

There was concern for overuse of the term „segregated/dedicated‟ cycle routes when in reality many are shared either on street or shared cycle/footway schemes.

Examples: Stevenage / Hatfield – cannot cycle anywhere in town centre from end of routes into town. Why have cycle lanes heading for town centres when there is no cycle access around the centre.

Provide easily accessible information to the public on existing walking and cycling infrastructure and alternative routes. This should preferably be self service online

The group talked more about signage than information per-se.

Consideration of a need for plans showing cycle routes available on-street – possibly near bicycle park or loan schemes.

St Peters Street – St Albans, an example of a mixed use area which works well.

Stevenage train station – nightmare for cyclists. Train station to town centre – need to cross bridges, very difficult.

Disagreement with purely online self service information. Do not agree with purely online. Physical measures needed such as signposts.

Difference between urban and rural signage needs, in rural areas more likely to follow the road signs. Difference needed between signage for cars and other users in town centres.

Remove street clutter to improve the public realm, removing physical barriers to active travel

The issue mainly lies with the law on balance of cyclists‟ right of way. Thus clutter at priority junctions where council have placed signs warning cyclists to dismount at every priority junction. The physical infrastructure is not helpful with bicycle travel – for instance the zigzag gates are poor for tricycles and those with child wheel extensions.

Shared surface areas are a good idea for the centres.

Parking enforcement with on-street cycle lanes. Incorporation of anti-vandalism measures into the design of new infrastructure

Signposts constantly being turned round or removed, needs different method of physical attachment to a post.

Designs to address the needs of less mobile and visually impaired people, including dropped kerbs and removing unnecessary street furniture that impedes access

Consideration that tactile surfaces are incorrect of balance for cycle (with vertical raised strips) and pedestrian (horizontal raised strips).

Scheme designs need to be audited with disability groups. Engage with the right groups in the design process.

Town centre permeability needs to be addressed for cyclists. Less mobile people who can cycle and not walk far have restriction on

limited destinations because cycle areas stop before the town centre. Potential for special access blue badge for cyclists and „tricycles‟ for disabled users to ride within a town centre.

Some railway station surfaces are extremely slippery. Suitable surface designs are needed.

Clear, accurate and robust route signage for walking and cycle routes (Signings with timings to access by walking/cycling maps);

Yes, all agreed with.

Signage was considered quite an issue in town centres with a lack of signing. Also, the idea of distances being made available in minutes was a good idea and more practical for users.

Secure and accessible public cycle parking

Location of cycle parking is important. Need user friendly cycle stands. Need to address issue of balance with short/long term parking spaces - long term spaces take up a greater space.

Need to be provision of parking choices and need to be integrated with cycle routes. Need to be adhered to particular standard of design guide.

CCTV isn‟t always the solution. Sometimes there is an issue of location of CCTV.

Installation of facilities for cycle storage, including showers, lockers and secure covered storage areas at employers, schools and key public destinations;

Idea of partnership between town centre shops to put in facilities such as showers, repair services.

Need for environment or incentive for employers to provide facilities as part of a larger obligation – relates to planning conditions.

To some extent – the need for specialist equipment puts off people to cycle because of the equipment necessary. Needs to be a focus on the simplistic nature of cycling. Considered an unhelpful idea that you need all the gear to start cycling.

Work closely with rail operators to permit bicycles on trains where appropriate, or ensure appropriate provision for secure cycle parking where this is not possible

When trains are cancelled, difficult for train operators to send suitable vehicles for people with bikes or disabled because taxi will not be there. Need to speak to the train operator.

Commuter train services with bikes are difficult. Infrastructure such as carriages need to be improved. Full cycle facilities on trains and trams, buses you can‟t.

Alternative is bike hire facilities at the destination train station. Secure lockers and visible storage at stations

All in agreement

Maintenance of existing Active Travel network, in line with existing County Council policy on maintenance of the vegetation and kerbs alongside the Highway.

Remind of sweeping up leaves so surfaces are not bad. Also broken glass.

Cycleways and dogs on long leads

Network, signage, cycle parking – station, pedestrians when terminating

3.2.3 Workshop 3 – Active travel is not perceived to be viable due to lack of knowledge, awareness, training or education Participants in Workshop 3 contributed the following views and comments on the following interventions: Production of up-to-date route and network maps of the cycling and walking network for each town and wider networks which will be widely available both as a map and on the internet.

This was generally thought to be a good idea. For example Milton Keynes has colour co-ordinated routes, and colour coding was thought to be a good idea.

Bus and train interchanges need to have good interpretative maps to enable people to walk and cycle to their destinations. Station travel plans should be looking at this. Rail franchises need to have station travel plans in their contracts. Maps on buses also a very good idea. (we have maps on the underground why not buses?).

There needs be different maps around for different purposes; utility walking, utility cycling, leisure walking, leisure cycling.

Maps on buses, school travel maps (smaller scale) and larger scale maps.

Too much reliance on on-line maps, when you look online there are so many different sources of maps – but not always consistent, one good place to go would be useful – e.g. local authority web links to a good mapping source such as Sustrans. So people can print them out easily, or how about some ready printed ones (funded by adverts?)

Some joined up thinking to produce good information sources would be appreciated.

Also have more use of interactive maps on smart phones.

Possible partners – Districts and County Council. GIS officers. Campaign groups involvement in map creation (best routes etc). Get volunteers involved.

Promote travel planning to Schools, Businesses, Employment Areas and Stations.

Many businesses, schools, businesses etc have to devise travel plans, but how can you enforce schools, businesses, to actually use and update their travel plans? Who should be involved in monitoring / using them – there is a role here for public health.

Stations should be working closely with local authorities and bus companies when implementing travel plans.

One issue is that people tend to travel a lot further, therefore there needs to be more secure bike storage as people commute further.

Children travel further with parents tending to take their kids to school on the way to their work.

It is very important that new employees get to know about travel choices.

Possible partners – cycling organisations, getting commitment from universities, police (there are crime hotspots where cycles are stored, lighting and security concerns, districts.

Active Travel educational programmes;

What sort of programmes would be best? Public health? Health and wellbeing? Financial gains? Minutes vs. calories lost?. Link to „active for life‟ campaign. Would be good to bring all the messages together. E.g. 10 mins walk of your 30 mins total for the day (as in the Clarendon Road signs – 10 mins walk).

There is evidence that active travel is very good for children – they are better behaved, better engaged at school, learn more when working. Need to spread this message to parents and teachers.

There is also the Economic benefit message to businesses and to individuals – may be cheaper to not have a car at all and just hire one when needed?

Educate the businesses about flexible working – so to help people to be flexible about walking and cycling – may be in a little later as cycling may take a little longer for example. Also educate businesses of the economic benefits of active travel in their workplaces – less car parking spaces.

Promotion through media (websites, Smartphone apps, press publicity and other promotional activities)

Who should be promoting this? – we need to be careful not to be seen to dictate. Potential for linking in with national campaigns, make sure the message is clearer.

„Cycle challenge‟ worked brilliantly (says SC at University of Hertfordshire)

Short sharp events, lots of businesses got involved. People like competition – rather than being told what to do. Got to be subtle.

Walk to school week works well. Needs to led by Local Authorities but with involvement with lots of other groups. Involve children, appeal to people‟s self interest.

Need to promote what‟s out there. Promoting through the media. Experts on market research required. Branding needed. E.g. „change for life‟, Web site already there – the information is there to be downloaded.

Agreements with local shops for discounts on walking and cycling equipment / Bicycle loan, purchase and recycling schemes / Targeted provision of information through personalised journey planning

Functional walking – does it need equipment?

Proactive businesses – could incentivise walking and cycling. In Bedford – VDRS – bulb out in a car – e.g. go to a repairer and stamp the card. Something similar to this for walking and cycling shops? Sponsorship form from Halfords – free maintenance according to mileage walked/cycled.

Power assisted bikes, does cycle to work scheme allows this?

Big businesses have more clout – e.g. BAA can afford to engage with bike shops to get them to offer discounts. It is about sharing best practice.

High visibility jackets also involved – what about advertising on them. Driver awareness training

There is speed awareness training – safety for pedestrians/ cyclists incorporated into the training message. (HCC can speak to Ian Powell/ Guy Bradley about this. What is currently offered?)

Both sides needs addressing – safety from and for cyclists.

Putting HGV drivers on cycles can work – and vice versa – let them see how much people can be seen. Some lorries are putting devices on their lorries so they can see cyclists.

In France – cars will not overtake cyclists unless they can go into the other lane, why not here in England?

Do bus drivers get training about cyclists?

Pedestrian and cyclists courses? Problem is that cyclists do not have to have training to get on the road.

Police could go into businesses and train their drivers.

Possible partners – police, local authorities, freight quality partnerships, trainers.

Improving signage on a given route raises awareness of the active travel options available

Lot of the signage is superfluous.

A signed network is complicated.

Research needed as to effectiveness of new signage – for example in Clarendon Road.

Possible partners - Policy makers, university researchers, highways. School Travel Buddy Support including travel training for people with learning difficulties

Volunteers need to be engaged, skills for the future.

Perceived problems that children cannot be left alone to travel.

Quality of the training – needs to be consistent.

Costs a lot.

Who to champion? Supporting national publicity events such as Bike Week, „Bike 2 Work‟ and Bike to School Week

Promotion and link in with interventions listed above. Include cycling issues within regular market research activities

Ensure questions are relevant in the Environment survey/ county travel survey, and linked in with others questions in other surveys. For example Town councils, districts often undertake surveys – needs to be joint surveys or at least co-ordinated surveys – save and share costs, realistic outcomes, partnership working.

Dissemination of research identifying the benefits of Journey Planning, Climate Change, Energy Saving, Health and Physical activity, air quality and health issues

Results need to go to the politicians, so as to headline figures to the public. Panel papers could be used to disseminate messages to the politicians. Also dissemination to the districts, parishes, town councils – we should share findings more with others.

For example in Leavesden – new housing development – Sec 106 – there were many discussions on a play area, but it took a while for a councillor to say that we need cycle routes on the new development – this only came about because someone had asked him the question.

How do we reach GPs with the active travel message that walking and cycling is good for everyone‟s health – rather than them just treating the symptoms?

A programme of kick scooter safety training for schools.

Is this a fad? Val Male (HCC Safe and Sustainable Journeys in Schools, Team Leader) is doing this.

Boris Bike type scheme

A cycle hire scheme similar to what is happening in University of Leeds is going to be tested. This will be between University of Hertfordshire and Sustrans. Early stages yet. The Boris Bike scheme will not work in Herts as £10K per bike in reality – needs many people to justify it.

3.2.4 Workshop 4 – Active travel is not perceived to be possible or desirable due to social and cultural attitudes Participants in Workshop 4 contributed the following views and comments on the following interventions: Give full consideration to the needs of pedestrians & cyclists when designing new highways and highway improvement schemes

We want cycling on roads, which is HCC‟s first option, last resort is taking cyclists off road. Want to lower speed and quantity of traffic to encourage active transport. Quantraflows etc, each town‟s dynamics are different.

Accident comparisons

“Cycling is dangerous”. In terms of fatalities per hour, they are on a par with the car‟s safety, stats like this need to be publicised to overcome the “perception barrier”. Segregated/safe cycling needs heavy investment. Training might also help.

Develop a cycle and walking network that directly links key destinations in urban areas (in conjunction with the National Cycle network being developed by Sustrans)

Important to encourage people to do short distance journeys actively i.e. to the shops and back.

Schools

Need to integrate active travel into school buildings, with cycle paths leading to school buildings and adequate cycle parking facilities.

Production of up-to-date route and network maps of the cycling and walking network for each town and wider networks which will be widely available both as a map and on the internet.

Needs constantly updating (maps etc, from the councils) Intalink scheme example.

Hertsdirect website should have information for all routes, local and countywide (maps, identification of safe routes). HCC to lead on this sort of scheme.

Want a paper hard copy, pocket sized and ready to go. Promotion through media (websites, Smartphone apps, press publicity and other promotional activities)

Interface- what people know is available, how do we encourage more people to benefit from things such as health walks. Needs more promotion.

Information needs to be tailored, with more than just maps, with a routing, interactive, user friendly.

Agreements with local shops for discounts on walking and cycling equipment

Get shops involved in community cycle events to provide maintenance before the ride sets off. Thus the shop gets business and is in the forefront of the local cycling community.

Bicycle loan, purchase and recycling schemes

Business travel plans. Employer cycle/electric bikes purchase/pool schemes.

Driver awareness training

Companies to take a “we will not employ drivers unless previously cycle trained”.

Improving signage on a given route raises awareness of the active travel options available

People need clear signage, and proper parking (cycle hubs).

Want increased signage, clear and robust (1/3 of expenditure). Holland love signage.

En road/path visual signage. Continuous signage is import.

Signage is also advertising, helping with normalisation (minutes are great, with silhouette of someone walking).

Community / guided Cycle Rides and Walks (including „Skyrides‟ and Health Walks)

Council communications for publicity, needs to be accessible

People need a bike in working order (needs a community bike/mobile maintenance scheme).

Always include local bike shop at the start of rides, to get people up to speed, and he makes a tonne of business, makes them a focus to the cycling community.

How to get people who are un-interested, get them to donate their old bikes, bikes out of garages, make it affordable, furniture recycling schemes, wheels Stevenage example.

Need to ensure quality and safety for group events, positive experience is necessary, getting info out to the public (through districts, GPs (have to link to schemes), the local press, and joined coherent method).

Local cycle groups to work with bigger body, to facilitate cycle rides. Identification of local role models

Schools are the best places to reach the masses. Promotion of Active Travel through „Olympic success‟ legacy

Road safety campaigns, “Olympic legacy, cycling casualties increase”. Advertise the availability of electric bikes

Electric bikes- LOW priority, bike shops and councils need to provide guidance.

Develop campaigns aimed at improving the behaviour and attitudes of other road users towards cyclists and making them aware of their safety requirements

Engage with the family, need to think of the whole spectrum. Need a combined approach, together with cycle leaders, tailored advice, and use off road routes.

Provision of incentivisation schemes for walking and cycling

Employers are best at incentivising schemes.

Need to remove barriers before start incentivising the active travel. Removal of street clutter on pavements

Barriers on cycle paths are not good, needs to be arranged to create a safe environment (in conjunction with HH guidance).

Impacts on mobility transport as well.

Collective approach.

Pedestrians needs need to be prioritised, make car drivers disadvantaged over pedestrians.

Need to alter the balance away from pedestrians. Gloucestershire key town entrances example. Try and find a solution to balance out.

Zebra crossing by junctions to slow down traffic (and gives a better flow). Pedestrians need to cross the road, so we need to make it safe.

Clothing issues

Clothing and helmets are possible barriers, because they “look nerdy”, puts normal people off.

Equipment

Lighting for pedestrians and cyclists is a real issue, need reasonable lights/other safety equipment.

Appendix 3 Workshop Slides & Delegates List

1.1 Workshop Slides

www.hertsdirect.orgwww.hertsdirect.org

Active Travel Strategy

Consultation Workshop

9th January 2013


Trevor Mason

Safe and Sustainable Journeys Manager

Hertfordshire County Council


Housekeeping

• Mobiles

• Facilities

• Fire exits


Purpose of the Day

• To provide background to the draft strategy

• To seek comments on the draft

• To outline the next steps


Agenda

10.00 Improving public health

10.20 Reducing congestion and economic growth

10.40 Air quality improvement and reducing carbon emissions

11.00 Break

11.30 Workshops to discuss key barriers to participating in active travel and the interventions that could overcome them.

13.00 Sandwich lunch and networking.

13.45 Close


Active Travel Strategy

• Replaces current separate strategies for walking and cycling

• Recognises non-transport benefits

• Overall framework for what is delivered

• Consultation closes 18 January

• Final strategy to be published April 2013


What is the purpose of the strategy?

• To deliver walking and

cycling as part of wider

packages

• To provide a „hook‟ for new

funding opportunities

• To integrate the County’s

new public health

responsibilities with

sustainable transport

• To set out a toolkit of Active

Travel interventions signed-

up to by key partners



£0.44bn = the costs of congestion and overcrowding in Herts

81% = the percentage of business that regard congestion as a ‘disadvantage to being in

Hertfordshire’

65% and 76% = the proportion of men and women that are insufficiently active

£48.8m = the cost of obesity to the NHS in Hertfordshire

35% = the projected increase in carbon emissions from transport between now and

2031.

14 = the number of locations on local roads in Hertfordshire where nitrous oxides officially

exceed the EU limit

Active Travel – the key challenges


What types of measures are in the toolkit?

Package approach – e.g. LSTF


Developer Contributions

County Council capital and revenue

Contributions from third parties

(e.g. external partners, landfill tax, public transport operators, sponsors etc)

Community Infrastructure Levy

Grants (e.g. Sustrans, Lottery Funding, Health)

Special Government Funding (e.g. Local Sustainable Transport Fund)

DfT - Local Transport Plan Funding

Funding Sources

Active Travel Strategy Funding Opportunities


• Public Consultation until 18th January

• Final strategy to be published in April 2013

• For further information:

Web: https://consult.hertsdirect.org/active-travel-strategy

email: [email protected]

Next Steps

www.hertsdirect.orgwww.hertsdirect.org www.hertsdirect.orgwww.hertsdirect.org


NICE Produce Guidance in 3 Areas:



Who is this guidance for?

• Practitioners involved in physical activity promotion or who work in the environment, parks and leisure or transport planning sectors. employers

• Estate managers

• Highways authorities

• Land use planning + development control

• Developers

• Public transport operators

• Those responsible for workplace travel, carbon reduction or sustainability plans.

• People who promote walking and cycling, those who want to walk or cycle.


Benefits of walking and cycling

• Reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

• Keeping the musculoskeletal system healthy.

• Promoting mental wellbeing.

• car travel, leading to in air pollution, carbon dioxide emissions and congestion.

• Reduce road danger and noise.

• Increase the number of people of all ages who are out on the streets, making public spaces seem more welcoming and providing opportunities for social interaction.

• Provide an opportunity for everyone, including people with an impairment, to participate in and enjoy the outdoor environment.

Health Environmental







Thank You For Listening

Public Health Contacts

Dr Linda Mercy

[email protected]

Tom May

[email protected]


The economic impacts of Active Travel

Andy Summers

Transport Policy Team Leader

Hertfordshire County Council www.hertsdirect.orgwww.hertsdirect.org

Agenda

• The Hertfordshire economy

• The influence of transport in general on economic growth

• The contribution of Active Travel to economic growth

• Case Study – Hertfordshire Local Sustainable Transport Fund bid

• Next steps


Hertfordshire’s Economy – Key Points

Residual strengths:

• 2% of the total UK economic output

• 4th highest economic output per capita of all LEP areas

• Low unemployment compared to UK average

• 4th highest rate of entrepreneurship of all LEP areas

(source: Herts Local Enterprise Partnership 2012)


Key Economic - Key Points 2

However…

• Lower growth rates compared to competitor regions

• Highest rate of employment decline 2008-2010 of all South East LEP areas (-4.3%)


What are businesses saying?

Hertfordshire Business Survey (2011)

“Level of congestion on the roads” – 72% of businesses

thought that this was important and 81% though that being

in Hertfordshire was disadvantageous in this respect.

“Transport Costs” – 88% thought they were important

and 37% thought that being in Hertfordshire was

disadvantageous in this respect.

The other main disadvantage cited was ‘cost of business premises’

(61%)


The ‘theoretical’

economic benefits of

transport schemes

Direct economic

benefits to

society

6. Increased profits

4. Labour Market Impacts

3. Reduced Business Costs

5. AgglomerationIndirect

economic

benefits

Business

productivity

benefits

2. Other social benefits

(safety, health, emissions etc)

1. Non-work related user benefits

(e.g. commuting, leisure etc)


Congestion costs in Hertfordshire (1)

• Herts population expected to rise by 24% to 1.36m in 2035 (ONS)

• Long term traffic flows in the county are forecast to grow by around 11% between 2010 and 2031 (EoE Transport

Model)

• Long term costs of congestion expected to double in Hertfordshire to £0.4bn / annum by 2021 (EoE Transport

Model)


Congestion costs in Hertfordshire (2)


Other transport-related costs in Hertfordshire

• The estimated direct cost of physical inactivity to the UK National Health Service is £1.06 billion.

• Physical inactivity costs the English economy £5.5b per year in sickness costs

• It is estimated that in 2007 in Hertfordshire obesity cost the NHS £48.8 million.

(Department for Health – start active, stay active, 2011)


Active Travel – part of a wider LTP approach

Will not address economic

challenges on its own…

…but is a key part of a wider

package of transport

interventions

LTP Approach:

✔ Make best use of existing

network

✔ Small scale network

improvements

✔ Promote and support

sustainable transport


Case Study: A package approach

Hertfordshire’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund bid

• Integrated package of measures for Watford, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans

• £11.7m (+ £3.3m) investment over 4 years

• Walking, cycling, passenger transport and travel planning

• Cost benefit ratio of 5.7 to 1



Maylands Business

Park

•42% of employees live within 10km

•82% of employees currently travel to

Maylands by car

The LSTF funding will introduce:

•Walking routes, cycle route to town

centre, better access to Nickey Line,

Travel Plan Co-ordinator

•£1.3m per annum congestion

reduction benefits in Hemel by 2030


Key points for workshops

1. Packaging measures together for maximum economic

effectiveness

2. Targeting and Prioritising – where can Active Travel

funding have the greatest impact on economic objectives

3. Who is going to fund this infrastructure in the future and

how can we encourage them to do so?

(i.e. demonstrating the economic benefits)


Thank You / Questions?

Andy Summers

Transport Policy Team Leader Hertfordshire

County Council

[email protected]

01992 556193


Active Travel – Climate Change & Air

QualityTim Napper

Senior Project Officer - Climate Change and Sustainability



What do carbon emissions / air quality

mean?

From cars.uk.msn.com


Air Quality (cont.d)

London – From guardian.co.uk


The National Context

• 2006 Stern Review

• Climate Change Act 2008

• EU Air Quality Directive

• Environment Act 1995 - AQMAs

• Localism Act 2011 – EU infractions


The Local Context - Emissions

• East of England: higher proportion of emissions from transport

• Forecast increase in emissions, mainly from cars

• DECC Herts statistics: reductions, but need to sustain momentum

• Six Herts districts have higher minor road emissions than from A roads


The Local Context – Air Quality

• 14 AQMAs in Herts (in 2013)

• Roadside nitrogen dioxide steady/increasing

• Urban nitrogen dioxide increased in recent years (slight decrease 2009-10)


How do emissions and air quality relate to

active travel?

43%

26%

4%

21%

6%

Private motor transport

Freight

Public Transport

Air

Maritime

% of UK transport

sector carbon

emissions

(incl. international)

(Source: Sustrans)


How do they relate to Active Travel?

(cont.d)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Passenger Car Bus Bicycle

CO

2/p

assen

ger/

km

tra

vele

d

Source:

European

Cyclists'

Federation,

2011


The Benefits of Active Travel

• CO2 Reductions

• Lower ozone concentration

• Health benefits / Life Expectancy

• Health costs

• EU infractions


Case Study: Travelsmart Broxbourne

• Partnership project

• Aim: reverse trends in increased car use

• Individualised Travel Marketing (ITM)

• Reductions in distances of daily car journeys

• Associated emissions reductions


Thank You / Questions?

Tim Napper

Senior Project Officer – Climate Change and

Sustainability


[email protected]

01438 844466


Consultation Workshop

• Open invite

• Comments may range from strategic to specific locations, and from different specialisms

• Submit written comments

(on-line questionnaire)

[email protected]


Workshops

• Start at 11.30 after break

• 2 x 45 minute workshops

• Numbered tables


Where Next?

• Public Consultation until 18th January

• Final strategy (and consultation report) to be published

in April 2013

• For further information:

Web: https://consult.hertsdirect.org/active-travel-strategy

email: [email protected]

1.2 Issues Raised After Presentations

The economic benefits to individuals (not just businesses) should be highlighted more in the strategy.

Are road signs with distance and journey times on them the new standard?

The effect of most car emissions on public health is harmless apart from nitrous oxides.

1.3 Delegates List

Name Organisation

Robert Bolt Alliance of British Drivers / LAF

Simon Archer Arriva the Shires

Gordon Pearsall Bedfordshire Police

Rosie Sanderson Broxbourne Borough Council

Andrew Turner Building Futures

John Metcalf CycleHerts

Simon Barfoot East Herts Council

Tom May Health Improvement Advanced Practitioner

Judith Watson Herts Association of Parish & Town Councils

Peter Neville Herts Association of Parish & Town Councils

Ian Gregory Hertfordshire LAF

Norman Jones Hertfordshire LAF

Roger Thomas Hertfordshire LAF

Pearl Robson John Lewis

Liddy Lawrence NHS / LAF

Lorraine O’Gorman North Herts District Council

Dr Linda Mercy Public Health

Keith Dyall Railfuture

Dr Tony McAllister Retired

Roger Bangs SPOKES / Ramblers – Footpath Secretary

Doug Nevell St Albans Cycle Campaign

David Kealey St Albans & District Footpath Society

Marilyn Emerson Stevenage Borough Council

Richard Javes Stevenage Borough Council

Walter Osedeme Stevenage Borough Council

Jim Brown Stevenage CTC

Nigel Brigham Sustrans

Tom Darlington Three Rivers District Council

Jamie Cecil Transport Consultant, University of Hertfordshire

Scott Copsey University of Hertfordshire

Andy Smith Watford Borough Council

Kate Jenkins Watford Cycle Hub

Bryn Jones Welwyn Hatfield Cycle Forum

Roger Moulding Welwyn Hatfield Cycle Forum

HCC Officers

Name Organisation

Alistair Ryder HCC, Transport Planning Policy Officer

Andrew Freeman Highways, ITP Manager

Andy Summers HCC, Senior Engineer – Transport Policy Team

Bob Fenton HCC, Countryside Access Team Leader

Callum Hale HCC, Transport Policy Team

Dave Burt Highways, ITP Manager

Judy Cameron-Rollo HCC, Transport Planning Policy Officer

Richard Cuthbert HCC, Access & Rights of Way Team Leader

Tim Napper HCC, Climate Change & Sustainability

Tina Gigg HCC, Transport Policy Team

Tony Bradford HCC, Countryside Management Service

Trevor Mason HCC, Safe & Sustainable Journeys Manager

Val Male HCC, SSJ’s in Schools Team Leader

Appendix 4: Easy Read Consultation Log 1.1 Consultation Log Table

# Name/Organisation Comment HCC Response

1 Group 1 Bike training for disabled people. On of the most important things in this Strategy is to ensure children and adults have access to training to safely participate in Active Travel.

2 Group 1 Provide opportunities where disabled people can try out different bikes with the aim of finding the ones that best suit their needs.

There are specialist companies that attend events with loan bikes suitable for disabled people. However this needs funding, if an opportunity arises in the future it is something that could be considered by volunteer groups and others.

3 Group 1 Information on walking groups - not just groups for older people.

Information for walking groups is provided by the Countryside Management Service- as well as other local groups such as the ramblers. You can find out more by visiting: http://www.hertslink.org/cms/

4 Group 1 Safety Training and awareness courses for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

Training and awareness is important for the success of active travel.

5 Individual 1 Make sure roads do not have potholes HCC are committed to ensuring that the roads are pot-hole free, and HCC’s contractor will make repairs to the carriageway where necessary.

6 Individual 1 Provide good walk ways and cycle ways that are also lit.

HCC are committed to maintain and provide suitable walk and cycleways in

http://www.hertslink.org/cms/

the county, and will work with HCC’s contractors to ensure this.

7 Individual 1 Provide places to go for those that have not used a bike for a long time to practice.

HCC encourage practice rides on off road cycle paths and in park land where cycling is allowed.

8 Individual 2 Tell service users that using a bike or walking saves money and can improve fitness.

HCC want to let people know about all the benefits of active travel.

10 Individual 4 Encourage more people to walk or cycle Agree, that is why we have written this strategy.

11 Individual 5 There should be road signs and paths to bike and walk

Hertfordshire County Council agrees that signs are a good way of showing where people can walk and cycle- they are also a good advert.

13 Group 2 It is important to work with young children and their families. To educate parents was most important.

Agreed; that is why Hertfordshire County Council feel that travel planning is going to be good. We are also looking to improve school crossing patrols.

14 Group 2 Safety Clothing and headgear should be affordable to all families.

Unfortunately shop prices are out of HCC’s control; however there are opportunities to buy affordable second hand items off the internet and at other smaller sales.

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