Tag: Blogs

Categories
National Cycle Network News News & Opinion Places for Everyone Project/Department Filtering Research and Monitoring

New Stockingfield Bridge reaches quarter of a million journeys milestone 

According to data collected and analysed by Sustrans, around 240,000 active journeys are predicted to have been made via Stockingfield Bridge in 2023. 
 
Of these, around half were completed by bike, with joggers and walkers making up a large part of the remainder. 
 
Delivered by Scottish Canals in partnership with Sustrans, Stockingfield Bridge provides a key active travel connection between the communities of Ruchill, Gilshochill and Maryhill.

Featuring stunning artworks and landscaping improvements, the new bridge also serves as the missing link in the Forth and Clyde Canal and National Cycle Network.
 
A total of £13.7 million was awarded to the project via Sustrans through Places for Everyone, an active travel infrastructure fund backed by the Scottish Government.

Accessible attraction

Stockingfield Bridge provides a safe and accessible crossing for people living and working in the north of Glasgow. Credit: Sustrans/McAteer, 2023.

Researchers also asked people about their experiences of using Stockingfield Bridge. Most of those surveyed agreed that the route is well signposted, is of high quality and allows them to cross busy roads safely. As well as this, 82% of users agreed the route is accessible for people of all ages and abilities. 
 
Prior to completion of the bridge, access to the canal towpath and travel between the communities was limited to a narrow poorly lit underpass. Heavy traffic and a repeated instances of flooding also raised safety concerns.

Karen McGregor, Scotland Director for Sustrans, said:

“It’s truly extraordinary to see how people living and working across Glasgow have embraced Stockingfield Bridge over the last two years. Not only is the route proving to be indispensable in increasing the number walking, wheeling and cycling journeys to and from the city centre, it’s also reconnecting neighbouring communities and keeping people safe from traffic every day.”

“The route is also transformational in terms of accessibility, meaning everyone regardless of ability can access the canal towpath and travel onwards via the National Cycle Network. I really look forward to seeing Stockingfield Bridge continue to grow in popularity and firmly embed itself as an iconic Glasgow landmark.”

The unique design of the bridge allows people to cross the structure from multiple locations along the canal towpath. Credit: Sustrans/McAteer, 2023.

John Paterson, Scottish Canals’ Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Stockingfield Bridge has not only re-connected the people of north Glasgow who did not have easy access across the canal since the canal was built in the late 1700s, but has become an active travel route for thousands across Scotland.”

“We are committed to ensuring that our canals and towpaths are accessible for all and provide a traffic free attractive environment to enjoy, and Stockingfield Bridge is impressive example of this. We are delighted to hear that so many people have benefited from this investment and look forward to welcoming many more in the future.”

The report and its findings can be accessed here.

Categories
News News & Opinion Research and Monitoring

Active travel increases after path upgrades to Wishawhill Wood

The Wishawhill Wood path links the suburb of Craigneuk in North Lanarkshire with Wishaw town centre via a high-quality active travel route.

Previously, the only option for walking, wheeling and cycling away from the busy road, and without the use of an inaccessible footbridge over the railway, was a muddy and overgrown path.

Construction on the new route was completed in 2020.

It has since provided a safe and easy way for people of all abilities to travel between Craigneuk and Wishaw, as well as improving access to the local woodland and Wishawhill Wood Pump Track.

The project was led by Green Action Trust (GAT) and part-funded by the Scottish Government through Sustrans Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme. Match funding was provided by North Lanarkshire Council who have also taken on maintenance responsibility for the route.

Sustrans’ Research and Monitoring Unit (RMU) evaluated the impact of the project in 2022 by counting and surveying people using the path, as well as interviewing local people and stakeholders.

The Wishawhill Wood path links the suburb of Craigneuk in North Lanarkshire with Wishaw town centre via a high-quality active travel route. Credit: Green Action Trust.

What were the findings?

RMU analysis found that the path has contributed to substantially more trips being taken through Wishawhill Wood – particularly by young and older people.

Before the path upgrade, an estimated 16,000 trips were made during 2019 by people passing through or visiting the pump track. After the upgrade, an estimated 41,000 trips were taken during 2022 – about two and a half times as many.

The path is mainly used for recreation and has helped local residents increase their regular physical activity.

In 2022, 40% of survey respondents said they made a journey along the route daily, compared with 15% in 2019.

The path upgrade has also helped people access a much wider range of local services than before.

Many people using the route strongly agreed that it is easily accessible, enhances the area and meets the needs of the community.

85% of respondents said they were walking or cycling because the path was the most convenient route to get to their destination, up from 18% in 2019.

Numbers of people strongly agreeing that the path is well maintained, feels safe and is well lit have also increased, but are still relatively low.

RMU analysis found that the path has contributed to substantially more trips being taken through Wishawhill Wood.

A community asset

Reflecting on the impact upgrading the path has had on the local community, interviewees were positive.

One person told us:

“It’s a great green transport link, in terms of from the centre of Wishaw, right the way down through…it certainly has opened the area up.”

Local resident, Wishaw

Dan Scott, the Managing Director at Socialtrack, a local social enterprise that encourages people to cycle, scoot, and skateboard, explained how the upgraded path had encouraged pump track users to cycle rather than drive.

“Six lads travelled from another part of Wishaw, which was two miles away from the pump track. The first time they came, six lads came in four cars and then six lads came in three cars, and then eventually six lads came themselves on their own bikes.”

Dan Scott, Managing Director, Socialtrack

Communicating the results

By presenting the findings of the study as a StoryMap, which uses a combination of interactive maps, graphs, voice recordings from local people and “before and after” photos, users can simply and interactively learn more about the project.

The webpage details the story of the path, how it was developed, how it connects people and place, and its impact within the local community.

Alan Boyd, Evaluation Officer in Sustrans’ Research and Monitoring Unit, said:

“We are pleased to share our findings which detail the increase in walking, wheeling and cycling as a result of the path upgrade in Wishawhill Wood.”

“The new path has created a safer and more accessible route for people of all abilities travelling between Craigneuk and Wishaw.”

“We have uploaded our analysis onto a StoryMap for those who would like to find out more about the project. The StoryMap is flexible, so users can zoom in and out of the maps, easily skip to whatever research they find most interesting, and listen to local people discuss the changes that they have seen since the path opened.”

Alan Boyd, Evaluation Officer, Sustrans
The upgraded path had encouraged people to cycle rather than drive to the local pump track. Credit: Holly Musgrove/Sustrans, 2022.

Mike Batley, Development Officer at Green Action Trust, added:

“The Wishawhill Wood project has been a great opportunity for the Green Action Trust and partners to make a real difference to people’s quality of life through access to greenspace and active travel.”

“Anecdotally the path has clearly had a positive effect, however this new piece of evaluation has put firm data behind its impact, which is very encouraging for future projects.”

“The StoryMap brings the work to life in an easily understood and engaging way, so I’m delighted to see the results in this format.”

Mike Batley, Development Officer, Green Action Trust

Want to find out more?

Experience the StoryMap or contact monitoring@sustrans.org.uk

More information about StoryMaps

Categories
News News & Opinion Places for Everyone

Analysis shows increase in active travel after project delivery

Staff and volunteers from Glasgow's Hidden Garden set up planters off Victoria Road as part of the South City Way Small Grants Scheme, funded by Sustrans and Glasgow City Council

The 2020/21 evaluation report published today provides evidence on the key impacts of the Places for Everyone grant fund, and demonstrates the contributions of the programme to the outcomes set out in Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Framework.

The report also highlights how the programme performed during the pandemic and the baseline monitoring currently being undertaken for projects in the design stage.

The Places for Everyone programme is funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans.

The programme is open to a range of organisations in Scotland – including local authorities and community groups – that enables the creation of active travel infrastructure.

In addition to funding, the programme also provides advice and support to partners on establishing safe, attractive, healthier places in our urban and rural areas.

There are currently around 250 projects in place or in development as part of the Places for Everyone programme.

Impact of the programme

The report aggregated data from projects across the lifespan of the Places for Everyone programme up to and including the 2020/21 funding year. This includes Sustrans Scotland’s previous Community Links and Community Links Plus grant funds.

One of the key findings is that walking, wheeling, and cycling numbers increased after the completion of infrastructure projects.  

Results from an analysis of 30 projects showed a 54% average estimated rise in active travel trips after initial delivery.

Further study showed that the increase in active travel was sustained one year after delivery, with 24 projects averaging a 37% increase in trips.

The 2020/21 evaluation report provides evidence on the key impacts of the Places for Everyone grant fund and demonstrates the contributions of the programme to the outcomes set out in Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Framework.

The monitoring also suggests that the programme led to an improvement in the perception of safety among both pedestrians and cyclists.

This was particularly evident among groups who traditionally regard safety as a barrier to active travel, including women, the elderly and disabled people.

Local people’s perceptions of community involvement in planned Places for Everyone projects were equally encouraging.

In Glasgow, a survey of 984 local residents found that 71% felt the Connecting Woodside project would either greatly or slightly improve the sense of community in their area.

Monitoring and evaluation during the pandemic

Results show that Places for Everyone projects were particularly beneficial to communities in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The programme helped mitigate against some of the impacts at local level by providing safe active travel options for key workers and others.

The projects saw increases in walking, wheeling and cycling during a period of unparalleled societal change.

In Edinburgh, for example, the Innocent Railway path project saw a 344% growth in cycling between 2014 and during the pandemic in 2020.

The report aggregated data from projects across the lifespan of the Places for Everyone programme up to and including the 2020/21 funding year.

Looking ahead

The Places for Everyone programme is committed to enabling more people in Scotland to walk, wheel and cycle for their everyday journeys.

The Research and Monitoring Unit are continuing to monitor a sample of projects currently at design stage, and will update their analysis with projects from 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Planned work includes upgrading active travel routes, improvements to public spaces in our towns and cities, connecting communities and key hubs and addressing local safety issues.

This highlights the variety in the programme’s work, with projects ranging from rural to urban and village to city.

It also evidences Places for Everyone’s contributions to wider development projects such as local masterplans and flood defence schemes.

One of the key findings is that walking, wheeling, and cycling numbers increased after the completion of infrastructure projects.  

Nigel Donnell from Sustrans’ Research and Monitoring Unit, said:

“We’re really pleased to be able to share this evaluation report. It highlights that the Places for Everyone programme is helping people throughout Scotland to walk, wheel and cycle for more of their everyday journeys.

We are really proud of everything it has achieved so far, and with around 250 projects in place or in development the fund will continue to play an important role in creating safer, more attractive, healthier, and inclusive communities.

We’d like to thank Transport Scotland for providing the funding to facilitate the Places for Everyone fund, and our delivery partners whose hard work has ensured the success of the programme”.

The full report is available on request, if you would like to find out more contact nigel.donnell@sustrans.org.uk.

PLACES FOR EVERYONE 20-21 IMPACT REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Categories
Engineering team National Cycle Network News Pocket Places

Perth residents celebrate community-developed revamp of Craigie Place

Residents, school pupils and artists who worked to redevelop Craigie Place in Perth have celebrated following the completion of installations designed to make the area a better place to walk, wheel, cycle and live.

Craigie Place pictured from above. Artwork by Bigg Design and Fun Makes Good

The square where Craigie Place meets Glenearn Road and Windsor Terrace, on National Cycle Network Route 775, has been resurfaced and a designated cycle path installed. Also among the improvements are the installation of benches, cycle parking and raised beds for planting. 

Artists Eleanor Young from Fun Makes Good and Hamish Bigg from Bigg Design designed wayfinding artwork and floor murals, highlighting places of local interest as well as those further along NCN775 such as Loch Leven, and, more locally, Perth’s South Inch park and Craigie Burn. 

The improvements, developed by Sustrans Scotland and Perth and Kinross Council together with the community, Inch View Primary School and St Mary Magdalene’s Church through online consultations and surveys, were designed to address local concerns about unsafe and illegal parking in the square, as well as difficulty finding NCN775. 

Artwork by Bigg Design and Fun Makes Good

Paul Ruffles, Principal Urban Designer, Sustrans, said: 

“This is a wonderful small project delivered in partnership with the local community, Perth and Kinross Council and local artists. The work has transformed the space from a redundant space used for car parking into a calm, green and vibrant space for people of all ages and abilities. It’s a real pleasure to see these changes happen and highlights the value of putting people at the heart of decisions on their local spaces.” 

Installations at Craigie Place, Perth. Image: Janie Meikle Bland

Christopher Lennox, Technician, Road Safety, Traffic and Network, Perth & Kinross Council, said: 

“My involvement in the scheme was to investigate, partially design and organise the hard landscaping works on behalf of Sustrans. This included helping with the construction strategy and traffic management plan. The pocket places programme has revitalised the small space creating a focal point in the community, having improved travel networks benefitting both pedestrians and cyclists.”

Members of the Sustrans team with artists Eleanor Young and Hamish Bigg at the launch. Image: Janie Meikle Bland

Artists Eleanor Young and Hamish Bigg said:  

“Bigg Design and Fun Makes Good have been delighted to work with Sustrans and Perth and Kinross Council to transform this once derelict space. We were amazed at the support and responses we received from Inch View Primary School and the local community. It’s been particularly enjoyable getting hands-on installing the artwork and meeting residents as they’ve come to chat to us and see the project evolve – everyone has been so friendly and enthusiastic about the new space! 

“Located on the National Cycle Network, the sculpture draws on the aesthetics of road signage and ground markings, reinventing them to create a colourful and engaging public space. A circle of posts support double-sided artworks symbolising local landmarks and places of interest, whilst a hand-painted ground mural acts as a ‘compass’ to point visitors in their direction.  

“Combined with Sustrans’ landscape design, we hope the new space creates an oasis of art and planting in the urban environment – a place to meet, rest and play, that invites exploration of the local area.”

Artwork by Bigg Design and Fun Makes Good
Craigie Place before the installations.

Sustrans Scotland’s Pocket Places programme is an opportunity for local communities to shape their neighbourhood and take a lead in making their local area a better place to live. Pocket Places is funded by the Scottish Government through Transport Scotland and delivered by Sustrans Scotland.

Categories
Case Studies News News & Opinion Places for Everyone Project/Department Filtering

Opening the Loch Indaal Way

An opening event was held in October 2021, attended by local children from Port Charlotte Primary School with music provided by the Islay Pipe Band. Credit: ©2021, Islay Community Access Group, all rights reserved.

The Loch Indaal Way joins the communities of Port Charlotte and Bruichladdich via a safe, accessible and traffic-free route.

Prior to this, the sole existing link between the two communities was a section of the A847 carriageway, a national speed limit road which offers little protection to those walking wheeling and cycling on the island.

The newly completed off-road route has already proved popular with local residents and business owners, with its frequency of use expected to greatly increase when the tourist season returns.

Making waves in rural design

The Loch Indaal Way provides 2.53km of traffic-free route between the Islay communities of Bruchladdich and Port Charlotte. Credit: ©2021, Lisa Irvine/Sustrans, all rights reserved.

The Loch Indaal Way project was spearheaded by the Islay Community Access Group (ICAG), a local network of volunteers with a vision to increase health and wellbeing through greater outdoor accessibility.

Patrick McGrann, Head of the ICAG, said:

“ICAG, a small voluntary group, worked for 6 years to deliver the Loch Indaal Way. We are extremely proud of our new community asset .To see local folk and visitors of all ages and abilities enjoying access to the countryside is heart warming. We have involved our community throughout and all have ownership and satisfaction of a job well done.”

Pat McGrann, Head, Islay Community Access Group

With the support of Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme, ICAG secured the a large part of the funding to deliver the 2.53km off-road active travel route.

Sustrans and ICAG previously worked together to deliver the lauded Three Distilleries Path at Port Ellen, a popular 5km active travel route which takes in the Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg distilleries.

Emily Gait, Infrastructure Coordinator for Sustrans, said:

“The Loch Indaal Way is a great example of where a community have worked together to create a project which meets the needs of the people who live and visit the area. Inclusive designs and strong community backing have been key to the ultimate success of this project.

Going forward, we hope this inspires other small communities across Scotland to nurture their own walking, wheeling and cycling ambitions.”

Emily Gait, Infrastructure Coordinator, Sustrans

Key features of the route include three upgraded and newly created crossings, as well as landscaping and placemaking initiatives such as the provision of comfortable seating areas and shrubbery sections.

Smooth gradients and minimal placement of steps also maximise accessibility for users with limited mobility.

Change through community

New and upgraded crossings, minimal steps and barriers, as well as added seating areas and landscaping initiatives were fundamental to the designs. Credit: ©2021, Lisa Irvine/Sustrans, all rights reserved.

The proposals to create a new off-road walking, wheeling and cycling route between Port Charlotte and Bruichladdich received popular community support from the outset.

Through an proactive and considered period of engagement, ICAG worked closely with local landowners to secure necessary land donations to make the path a reality.

The local Bruichladdich Distillery also became involved in the promotion and funding behind the project, even entering into a maintenance agreement with ICAG to ensure to path stays fit for purpose.

AJ Cunningham, Operations Manager at Bruichladdich Distillery, said:

“Even before the path was finalised, it was being adopted by a lot of locals. I don’t think this was out of them being inquisitive, either. It’s just a really enjoyable and risk-free way to walk where they didn’t have that option before.

I don’t think it could’ve worked out any better unless you took it all the way out to Bridgend!”.

AJ Cunningham, Operations Manager, Bruichladdich Distillery

Evident local enthusiasm for project only further increased as construction got well underway against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.

A safer, healthier future

An opening event for the Loch Indaal Way took place in October 2021, featuring attendees from Port Charlotte Primary School and the Islay Pipe Band. Credit: ©2021, Islay Community Access Group, all rights reserved.

At an opening event in October of last year, children from Port Charlotte Primary School led a procession along the Loch Indaal Way from the Port Ban war memorial to Bruichladdich Town Hall.

They were joined on-route by local residents, members of ICAG and the local Baptist Minister, as well as the musical stylings of the Islay Pipe Band.

After passing several renowned destinations, including the Bruichladdich Distillery, the event culminated in a ceremonial ribbon cutting, which officially opened the route for all users to enjoy.

Children from Port Charlotte Primary School have provided artworks depicting key attractions along the route, including St. Kiaran’s Church and Loch Idaal House lighthouse. Credit: ©2021, Islay Community Access Group, all rights reserved.

Six months on, and The Loch Indaal Way is now an indispensable part of daily life on Islay.

A local group of swimmers use the path for convenient access to the beach as part of weekly meet-ups.

Attendees of St Kiaran’s Church hold fortnightly walks along the path.

A recently installed cycle repair station has also been well received by the community, ensuring daily errands, active commutes and leisure trips are able to continue with minimal disruption.

Categories
Behaviour Change Case Studies News Places for Everyone

Creating new neighbourhood links in Toryglen

Through their work with local people, Glasgow-based charity Urban Roots realised that residents of a new housing development, funded as part of the regeneration of Toryglen, were finding it hard to access local services and greenspaces.

The charity applied for funding through Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme to design local walking and cycling routes. These will link the new estate with nearby shops, football pitches and woodland.  

finding this page useful?

Help us out by answering a short survey!

Listening to the needs of the community

To gather information on the links that would be most useful to the community, Urban Roots held focus groups tailored to their different volunteer groups, held engagements at existing meetings and ran standalone events.

Urban Roots works to support many vulnerable people and groups with protected characteristics. This experience and the trust built up with volunteers, locals and service users let them carry out in-depth consultation with groups that may have been hard to reach for a local authority or developer, including a mental health and wellbeing group and the Orchard Grove care home

The charity focused on identifying solutions to problems faced by the community in the area. They created concept boards to spark ideas at consultations. By working closely with the community and design agency LUC, Urban Roots were able to make sure that feedback from the targeted consultations was meaningfully translated into the concept designs. 

This meant the proposed designs suggested walking and cycling routes which recognised the everyday journeys made by local residents, formalised desire lines and which were accessible, safe and welcoming to all.

“I think this would be a great space to use and for everyone from elderly to disabled people. Really well thought about!”

Consultation Response

Changing local travel habits

Urban Roots used their consultations as a chance to find out more about individual and social barriers to walking and cycling in the area. This led to the charity setting up a behaviour change project in partnership with Camglen Bike Town.

The project supported local people to be more active in their everyday trips. Cycle training for adults and young people gave locals the confidence to use bikes to get around the local area. Bike maintenance sessions and guided rides help to make sure that people had the skills and knowledge to ride safely and confidently.

“ At Bike Town, we believe local communities and the organisations representing them are ideally placed to facilitate walking and cycling activities that support the development of new cycling active travel infrastructure. ”

Jim Ewing, Senior Team Leader, Camglen Biketown

Partnership working

Urban Roots were well placed to lead on the community engagement but did not have experience of project managing significant construction projects.

To take the designs forward, Urban Roots engaged with Glasgow City Council and local regeneration agency Clyde Gateway This has resulted in Clyde Gateway applying for £50,000 of detailed and technical design funding through the Places for Everyone fund, to further develop Urban Roots’ concept design work.

Key Learning

Community organisations have key local contacts and an understanding of their local area. Local authorities could contract them to help with the planning of new routes or to encourage a more meaningful engagement process.

Community organisations may also have capacity to help drive local authority projects and foster local ownership.

This approach could be replicated through all stages of a project, from initial design creation to supporting activities after construction and ongoing maintenance.

Categories
Behaviour Change Case Studies News Places for Everyone

Reaching new audiences along the South City Way

Bike for Good, interior and exterior shots, Glasgow
Two women stand, talking at a counter in Bike for Good's shop. A third woman stands behind the counter smiling. The women to the left of the image is holding a green and white bike.
The new Bike for Good Hub provides servicing, repair and a community base

A proactive approach to reaching new audiences has seen a surge in the number of people trying cycling for the first time along the South City Way in Glasgow.

The South City Way project is a partnership between Glasgow City Council and Sustrans, funded through Transport Scotland. The 3km route, from Queen’s Park into the City Centre, seeks to rebalance the streets in favour of people walking and cycling and to make journeys in the area more pleasant.

Local charity Bike for Good were funded by Glasgow City Council to deliver behaviour change measures before and during construction of the project.

They offer bike recycling, cycle training, outreach activities and maintain the city’s Nextbike public bike hire fleet.

The charity has strong partnerships with local organisations around the cycle route and provided tailored support activities to different audiences. 

finding this page useful?

Help us out by answering a short survey!

Focused Impact

Bike for Good’s purpose was clear: to reach people new to cycling and help them to overcome their barriers to being more active.

By organising a wide range of events that mixed food, music, films and socialising they reached people who would not have been interested in purely cycling-focussed activities.

 As a result, two-thirds of cycling activity participants were new to cycling.

Removing barriers

A section of text is written on a blackboard: "Changing lives through cycling! Our Glasgow South Community Hib offers a range of services for..."
Bike for Good run a wide range of programmes from their two Glasgow centres

Bike for Good worked hard to make it easier for more people to come along to their engagement sessions.

The sessions are free to attend and the charity proactively took their services to different areas along the route. 

As well as reaching new audiences by partnering with other organisations working on health, integration and rehabilitation programmes, they offered activities for specific audiences including:

  • Women only rides and cycle skills training
  • Kids afterschool club with occasional trips away
  • “Spokes Not Blokes”, a monthly maintenance session for women and non-binary people

Finally, Bike for Good also ran a pilot project aimed at giving people affordable access to bikes. Aimed at people on low or no income and population groups who are less likely to cycle the “Bikes for All” pilot provided access to Glasgow’s Nextbike public hire scheme for £3 year – a discount of 95%.

This meant that as well as Bike for Good activities being accessible to a wider range of people, they have increased their understanding of ways to effectively encourage participation in cycling among under-represented and minority population groups.

In a two-year period (July 2017 – July 2019), 414 people were signed up, representing 8% of all new annual members of the nextbike scheme in Glasgow during this time. In the same period, 10,253 bike rentals were made by Bikes for All participants, representing 2.3% of all nextbike hires in Glasgow. (from the Bikes for All impact report, November 2019).

Key learning

Tapping in to existing social and support networks helps increase engagement with a bigger range of audiences, especially those who may be seldom heard.

Activities that encourage people to use new infrastructure should be tailored for different target groups or individuals. As a person starts to make more journeys by bike, their needs will change. This means that there needs to be a range of ways to support them.

Local Authority Support

Glasgow City Council provided funding to Bike for Good through Smarter Choices Smarter Places funding. This two year agreement has enabled them to provide a visible and welcoming community space to promote active travel to those living and working around this new route.

The targeted use of this fund to support this significant new route is to be commended. It has supported and complemented the  changes to the built environment carried out by Glasgow City Council and, by coming from a trusted, local organisation, will help lead to longer, more impactful changes in the community.

Key learning

Just as individuals will have specific active travel needs, different infrastructure projects will require different approaches to how they encourage people to walk and cycling more in the surrounding area.

Based on the reported success of Bike for Good’s activities, a relatively small investment in providing support activities can have a large impact. The number and type of people using the route will be key measures of success, so the benefits of supporting a wider audience to be cycle-ready are clear.

Categories
News News & Opinion

Shoreditch Parklet – An urban jungle

Shoreditch Parklet
Shoreditch Parklet

Shoreditch is not the first area of London you think of when you think “parks”. Shoreditch High Street is a hub of trendy shops, with high tech start-up stretching off to either side and on fleek bars peppering the area. It’s the place to go in London for an artisanal coffee or a craft beer rather than relaxing in the sun.

In 2017, the urban greens and design agency Meristem was commissioned by three local authorities to create a modular system which would bring park life to Shoreditch’s Calvert Avenue. Taking over just two parking bays, an outdoor seating area for up to fourteen people was created outside the paper&cup coffee shop. .

The seating alone isn’t the biggest impact on the local area. The parklet contains twelve meters of planters with hardy shrubs, which screen the seats from the road and help to adsorb pollution in the local area. There are also two trees providing shade and increasing urban biodiversity, as well as parking for eight bikes.

The new seating created by the parklet provides more space for customers visiting local businesses and encourages people to linger in the area, helping the local economy. More cycling spaces encourages people to cycle or use public transport rather than driving to their destination.

A Parklet for People

The Shoreditch Parklet is one example of what can be done in a small space to open it up to the community. Temporary parklets, as Friends of the Earth created on George Street, Edinburgh, can help show the impact that reduced traffic can have on an area, while we can support the creation of permanent or semi-permanent parklets through the Community Links scheme, to let communities create a new space for relaxation.

Please get in touch if you would like to find out how a parklet can be added to your town, street or village through Places for Everyone.

Categories
News News & Opinion

Eight Scottish local authorities successfully shortlisted in Community Links PLUS 2018

Run by Sustrans and funded by the Scottish Government, the   CLPLUS delivers pioneering and game-changing projects which inspire public bodies in Scotland to design better places and spaces for people to live, walk and cycle in for everyday journeys.

Proposals from Angus, Edinburgh, Dundee, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Perth and Kinross, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire councils have all been selected to go through to the second phase of the competition, and funds each of the 10 projects with a grant of £50,000 to further develop their proposals.

The next stage will include extensive engagement with local communities and stakeholders and developing designs which could be taken to construction. Out of these 10 finalists, a number of successful projects will be selected to be taken to construction after 2020.

The grants will total £500,000 from Transport Scotland funds, delivered through Sustrans Scotland. Each project is expected to begin further development of the proposals within the next month with the judging stage of the competition set to take place in April 2019.

CLPLUS is demonstrating that designing places around the needs of people delivers a wide range of benefits, including boosting local economies, supporting smaller retailers, healthier communities and safer, more attractive streets.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said:

“The Community Links Plus fund generates some of the most exciting ideas for introducing the infrastructure we need to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and make journeys by bike or on foot.

“It’s very encouraging to see we have eight different local authorities which have not only identified opportunities in their areas but have been shortlisted for this stage of the competition. We will look forward to finding out which ideas are taken through to construction.

“The Scottish Government doubled the active travel budget to £80 million to help create an active nation of people leading healthier and more active lifestyles.”

Sustrans Scotland Head of Infrastructure Matthew Macdonald said: 

“These 10 shortlisted projects are a bold step towards a healthier, more sustainable and vibrant Scotland which designs places around the needs of people over vehicular access.

“With the backing of Transport Scotland, Sustrans will now work in partnership with the eight shortlisted local authorities to help develop their pioneering visions into realistic proposals which have the support and input of their local communities.

“These exemplar projects demonstrate the wide ranging benefits that well designing safer, friendlier places bring, such as boosting footfall for local business, improving the health of local people and creating safer environments that are more pleasant to live in and move through.”

Councillor Lynne Short, Dundee City Council city development convener, said: 

“This is an exciting win for Dundee as we look to offer more opportunities for people to cycle and walk safely around the city and beyond.

“Reaching the next stage of this process will allow us to further develop our ideas and consider options on how to improve multimodal connectivity between the centre of the city and communities.”

The 10 shortlisted projects are:

1. Angus Council: Accessible Arbroath, Active Travel, Active Town

The redesign of the A92 in Arbroath to create a segregated cycleway and footpath through the town and reduce the number of car lanes from four to two. The project would also create a 1.5km active travel corridor linking the West Links play area to the Abbey and would include redesigned junctions, crossings and landscaping to encourage and enhance cycling and walking for visitors and residents.

2. City of Edinburgh Council: Edinburgh Active Travel Network

Creating a connected network of routes across the capital, enabling cycling to be a realistic journey choice from many parts of the city to the city centre, Edinburgh Park/Gyle, Leith and the Waterfront and the Bioquarter, and also bringing significant benefits to pedestrians and to the wider public realm.

3. Dundee City Council: Northern Links

The creation of three strategic cycle routes connecting the city centre and the communities to the north east and west. These routes would form a joined up network and cross the city’s inner ring road, to encourage more people to walk or cycle to the city centre and waterfront.

4. East Renfrewshire Council: A727 Active Travel Corridor,Toll to Toll, and the A77 Newton Mearns to Glasgow Cycle Corridor

Linking Thornliebank with Clarkston the A727 Toll to Toll project would see the creation of dedicated cycle paths and improved walking routes as part of an enhanced public realm. The project would also create improvements for people walking and cycling along the A77 from Newton Mearns and Giffnock to Glasgow, by creating segregated cycle ways and connecting to key public transport links in the area.

5. Glasgow City Council: North City Way

The North City Way (NCW) aims to deliver a coherent, predominantly segregated, walking and cycling route from Milton into Glasgow City Centre, via Ashfield, Cowlairs, Keppochhill and Sighthill. It will utilise a vehicle-free bridge over the M8 and a new bridge over the Glasgow – Edinburgh railway, creating a quiet and safe route to the City Centre for people on bikes and on foot from the north of the city and beyond.

6. Glasgow City Council: Yorkhill Kelvingrove Cycling Village

Through partnership working with Glasgow City Council and Sustrans, the Community Council have already overseen some enhancements to the area including improved roads, footways and signage, installation of cycle racks and on-street cycle pumps and new Nextbike stations. Following this success, this project aims to improve the look and feel of the area, prioritising the needs of pedestrians and cyclists and creating an attractive ‘gateway’ to the SECC/Hydro.

7. Glasgow City Council: Glasgow Avenues Plus

The City Deal funded ‘Avenues’ project is a core component of the City Centre Strategy and Action Plan 2014-19, which aims to “ provide an excellent and sustainable quality of life and experience for citizens, visitors and investors that will drive growth in employment, population and shared prosperity”. Through the development of Avenues the project aims to introduce connected green routes across the city centre that will link key neighbourhoods, gateways and focus points, display a people-centred approach to street design, promote sustainable modes of transport and improve perceptions of the city.

The project builds on the Community Links PLUS partnership and will extend the benefits of both the pilot Sauchiehall Street Avenue (under construction) and ‘The Underline’ (one of the next Avenues due for completion in 2021) into the communities on the north-western fringes of the city centre. The proposed Glasgow Avenues Plus activity will further extend this connected network through and out into the wider city, provide short and long term cycle storage at key transport nodes and develop community based cycle initiatives across Glasgow providing the opportunity for all abilities all ages to participate.

8. North Ayrshire Council: Coastal Connections

Coastal Connections aims to improve the walking, cycling and public transport links between Irvine, Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan by creating new, segregated routes, bridges and new links between the towns. It will contribute to the regeneration of the areas, by creating placemaking hubs, improving waymarking and provide improved access to schools, employment areas, town centres, housing areas and key attractions including the

Maritime Museum and new Portal leisure centre.

9. Perth and Kinross Council: Perth City Region Cycle Network 

The creation of eight new, safe and direct walking and cycling routes into the city centre which will encourage more active travel and help improve the look and feel of local areas. The routes would link to public transport and National Cycle Network routes in the area.

10. South Ayrshire Council: Accessible Ayr

Accessible Ayr is a project to transform how people access Ayr town centre and how the town centre links to key destinations in the area, including local attractions and residential areas. The project reimagines Burns Statue Square with the potential to link the rail and bus infrastructure through a new combined public transport interchange.

Find out more about Sustrans’ Community Links PLUS competition

Update 31/08/2019: Community Links PLUS has become part of Places for Everyone. Details for the new programme can be found here.

Categories
News News & Opinion

New walking and cycling project in Edinburgh to mark Clean Air Day

To mark Clean Air Day, Sustrans Scotland are inviting members of the public to share their views on the current conditions and issues along the streets and the types of improvements they would like to see, as part of a new “Meadows to George Street: Streets for People” project.

This initial engagement from the public in the project forms part of a series of events and activities over the summer which will gather the views of anyone who uses the route or who has an interest in it. People are invited to visit the project webpage to sign up for updates and share their views via the online Placecheck tool.

“Meadows to George Street: Streets for People” is funded by the Scottish Government through Sustrans Scotland’s “Community Links PLUS design competition”. It aims to transform this busy transport route in the heart of historic Edinburgh by significantly enhancing the quality of walking, cycling and public spaces. The project will extend along Hanover Street, The Mound, George IV Bridge, Forrest Road, Bristo Place and Teviot Place.

Sustrans Scotland head of infrastructure, Matthew Macdonald said:

“The ‘Meadows to George Street’ project will vastly improve the experience for people walking and cycling in Edinburgh and help create safe, coherent and attractive routes through the city centre.

“The City of Edinburgh Council have demonstrated real vision in their proposal and has shown they are keen to improve journeys for people on foot and on bikes, of all abilities, across the capital.”

As part of a City Summit to mark the International Clean Air Day, City of Edinburgh Council will hold a series of events, including closing one of Edinburgh’s central streets to cars and having a procession led by Scotland’s Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf.

Sustrans Scotland’s National Director, John Lauder said:

“Clean air has never been more important, and the need for action never more urgent.  Walking and cycling are all steps people can take to do their bit in reducing emissions, while improving their health. In contrast, poor quality air has been shown to cause a whole range of health problems. The best and easiest way to deal with air pollution in cities is to reduce the number of cars in congested urban spaces.”

Find out more about how we are working towards improving air quality

Read more about our Community Links PLUS Projects  

Update 31/08/2019: Community Links PLUS has become part of Places for Everyone. Details for the new programme can be found here.