In the recording below, we hear from Anna Gale from Public Health Scotland, who give an overview of the findings and recommendations from the Health Impact Assessment.
Find out more about the Health Impact Assessment and Rapid Evidence Review here: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/road-space-reallocation-in-scotland/
We hear from a fantastic line up of speakers who present and share experiences of the increase of temporary active travel interventions and strategies during the pandemic in Europe, and how these can shape the way for future long-term measures and solutions. By coming together and learning from each other, it may be possible to keep this momentum going – to transform temporary solutions into more permanent implementations and accelerate the development of sustainable active travel infrastructure across Europe.
Clotilde Imbert, Director of Copenhagenize France, presents case studies from Paris, a city that has seen an increase in temporary cycle paths but also a high increase in cycling since the beginning of the pandemic. In addition, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has an ambitious strategy, ‘Plan Vélo’ to transform Paris into a cycle-friendly city.
According to European Cyclists’ Federation, since the pandemic, France has added €300m in funding for the country’s cycling infrastructure. In the opinion column, ‘A unique opportunity to speed up the implementation of bicycle plans‘ on Copenhagenize’s website, Clotilde expands on her view of the possibilities and strategies that she believes should take place as a next step in creating permanent active travel infrastructure in France.
Florine Cuignet, Policy Officer of GRACQ, shares how GRACQ represents cyclists and promotes cycling in the french-speaking parts of Belgium. According to European Cyclists’ Federation, Brussels is one of the cities that implemented the most cycle lanes during the pandemic in Europe. In addition, the country added almost €480m in their cycling infrastructure budget in response to the pandemic.
Last year the Belgian federal government, for the first time, published a cycling action plan for the country. The plan consists of 52 action points that will facilitate and promote cycling, which will be implemented by 2024.
Ed Lancaster, Director of EuroVelo at the independent non-profit association European Cyclists’ Federation, presents case studies from rural areas in Europe. EuroVelo (European cycle route network) is a cooperation between different national and regional partners. The aim is to ensure that there are very high quality European-grade cycle routes and networks across Europe.
In January, EuroVelo presented the news that cycling on the EuroVelo routes have continued rising since the pandemic. In addition, ECF is also partner for the cross-border BIGIMUGI project that ‘aims at developing cycling mobility for all in rural areas situated along EuroVelo 3’.
Ragnhild Sørensen shares more about work that the Berlin-based organisation, Changing Cities, do. As many other cities, Berlin has created pop-up cycle lanes during the pandemic, something that has not been appreciated by all political parties. The pop-up cycle lanes were monitored and developed according to feedback. The organisation has also launched the campaign Kiezblocks in Berlin, where more than 50 local initiatives want to limit the permeability of the road network for motorised individual transport (MIT) while prioritising walking and cycling on non-arterial streets. Kiezblock is a strategy for transformational urban adaptation, initiated by locals.
In this panel session, we welcome back all keynote speakers to answer pre-submitted and unanswered questions. The panel session will also include discussion around key themes identified throughout the series, including:
– Shared learning
– Behaviour and culture
– Opportunities and constraints
Evidence suggests that the most efficient mechanism for boosting active travel is a mix of interventions that complement each other (e.g. infrastructure interventions and behavioural interventions like a route planning training).
In Places for Everyone we therefore ask applicants to design a mix of behavioural interventions alongside their infrastructure projects, and present these in a behaviour change plan.
Intentionally developing and implementing a plan of activities will increase the use of new infrastructure at the outset and ultimately increase the impact it has.
Start by considering your local context (the local people and organisations), engage and listen. Design a plan just as you would design infrastructure; in a context specific way and in response to feedback. This may it take more time but is well worth it and important.
This page offers materials and bite-sized, interactive tutorials on understanding and delivering community engagement and behaviour change in Places for Everyone projects.
This includes a practical guide to behaviour change strategies and interventions, as well as a community engagement guide, and the types of community sector organisations. Please note that you can find the references and relevant resources at the bottom of this page.
This page is a work in progress an will be updated with new materials frequently. Your feedback will help shape future sessions and materials.
In this session, we cover:
The session above, “Developing a Behaviour Change Plan”, mentions that one of the most effective mechanisms for boosting active travel is a mix of measures that complement each other. Infrastructure is just one measure we can use. In this session, we take a practical look at how to put together an effective programme that will result in a greater diversity of people using the infrastructure.
In this session, we cover:
In this session we’re going to look at community organisations in a bit more depth. We cover:
Our Community Engagement Guide 2022 provides an overview of best practice in community engagement and allows you to easily identify which deliverables and activities are appropriate at each stage in the process. This guide covers:
This template offers:
Partners from local authorities and organisations around Scotland were invited to hear from two guest speakers on how to make the case for active travel.
During the event, delegates were also given the opportunity to join smaller groups to share their own experiences, knowledge and relevant resources.
Dr David Caesar, Senior Strategic Advisor of Scottish Government shares the benefits of active travel, including how active travel improves public health and tackles health inequalities.
From messaging and communication to focusing on the positives, Dr Paul Kelly, Director of Paths for All and Lecturer in Physical Activity for Health at the University of Edinburgh, advises on how to make the case for active travel to local residents.
Our guest speakers answer questions submitted throughout the event and share final learnings.
I think that I shall never see,
Joyce Kilmer 1888-1918
A poem lovely as a tree.
Places for Everyone encourages the creation of green space as part of walking, wheeling and cycling projects. This article looks at the benefits of including plants and trees in your infrastructure project and how Places for Everyone can supporting greening.
For most people, the ability of plants to lift the senses is something to which they can personally testify; but there is also a growing body of scientific evidence that demonstrates how much planting can benefit the health of both individuals and communities. Attractive places bring people together and increase social contact between neighbours, and are also safer spaces.
The Journal of Environmental Horticulture has summarised recent academic literature on the social benefits of planting.
Varied planting can make an important contribution to bio-diversity, generating an ecosystem that includes insects, birds and small mammals. Often this means employing a different sort of maintenance regime from approaches many authorities have got used to, but this may not involve more work. Continuous green corridors can prove especially attractive to wildlife, as well as to human users.
The increasing frequency of flash storms and our large acreage of hard landscaping make flooding a growing risk. Planting can be used to trap water and allow it to infiltrate slowly into the ground, so that very little has to be carried away by the drainage system. Inclusion of a gravel layer below the topsoil can increase the amount of water such a system can cope with, and also filter out obstructions that might block pipes. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) can take the form of planting areas into which run-off can flow (rather than raised beds), or shallow depressions, or swales, which can also be made more attractive and effective with suitable planting.
Urban Design London have published technical guidance on the creation of rain gardens.
While urban heat islands, and excess heat generally, are less of a problem in Scotland than many places, most people appreciate a shady tree on a hot day, and the need for some further cooling is likely to increase. Plants also cool the air when they use heat energy to evaporate water from their leaves; and they lose heat much more quickly than solid earth or masonry, so that an area shaded by plants will cool much more quickly at night.
The Forestry Commission issued a report in 2019 on the role of trees and greenspaces in reducing urban air temperatures.
The Gynack Gardens project in Kingussie is testament to how accessible green placemaking initiatives can be a valuable tool for improving wellbeing and fostering social connections within communities.
Serving as both a direct link to the local school and train station, as well as an attractive events space for arts productions and farmers markets, this polished green space is a popular destination for town residents residents, as well as visitors travelling along the National Cycle Network Route 7 and Speyside Way.
Construction on the gardens was completed in Spring 2021. Sustrans worked closely with project lead Kingussie Community Development Trust, consultants TGP and McGowan Environmental Engineering to deliver a vision of meandering paths and wooden benches enclosing a main stone plaza.
The community completed the works with sheltered bicycle parking and a DIY repair station.
Just a mile north of Glasgow city centre, the Hamiltonhill Claypits is a restored area of natural greenspace which forms part of a key walking, wheeling and cycling route for those in the north of the city.
The site is also Glasgow’s only designated inner-city Local Nature Reserve, managed by volunteers of the Claypits Management Group on behalf of Scottish Canals.
The vision behind the project, delivered by Sustrans in partnership with Scottish Canals and Glasgow City Council, was to connect the residents of Panmure Gate and Woodside via a new active travel bridge.
Currently, the communities are split from one another by the Forth and Clyde Canal.
It was also important that the project cultivate and preserve existing habitats in the area, which would jointly serve as a place for locals to relax, exercise and re-connect with nature.
Working with local communities, a scenic network of pathways and newly installed boardwalks were introduced, allowing wildlif to be more accessible. In addition, community planting of trees and shrubs was introduced to more effectively manage the site ecology.
To the immediate south and west, a state of the art electronic footbridge was built by McKenzie Construction. The Garscube Bridge, which serves as a gateway to the Claypits, spans the Forth and Clyde Canal, and allows the safe intermittent passage of boats, cyclists, and pedestrians.
As part of the Places for Everyone event programme – Engage · Inspire · Learn – partners from local authorities and organisations around Scotland were invited to hear from a variety of voices on the challanges of Low Traffic Neighborhoods.
Split into several sessions, we explored a range of topics from engagement and design to research and monitoring. All of the sessions were recorded and have been made available to view online.
Giulio Ferrini, Head of Built Environment at Sustrans London, shares the lessons learnt from a year of trial LTNs in London. Watch to learn more about designing successful LTNs and the costs involved.
Will Wright, Evaluation Manager at Sustrans, talks through some the existing research on LTNs, Sustrans’ Introductory Design Guide and the importance of monitoring and evaluating interventions.
You can download Will’s slides here.
Katie Pennick, Campaigns Lead and Caroline Stickland, Partnerships Lead at Transport for All, share more information about the Pave the Way report, which is the product of six months research into how disabled people have been impacted by LTNs.
You can download Katie and Caroline’s slides here.
Why do we want to engage? Who do we engage with? How do we minimise risk and maximise equity? Ben Addy, Head of Collaborative Design at Sustrans London, runs through the principles of why engagement is important and what meaningful engagement looks like.
We hear from Paul Matthews from AECOM, who shares some of the lessons they’ve learnt since implementing LTN interventions in Edinburgh.