Grab a cuppa, get comfortable and join us for some informal constructive conversations about some of the challenges in delivering active travel infrastructure.
This series of constructive conversations will explore how some of the big issues facing society today can be addressed ‘By Design’.
At each 1 hour session, our expert panel spent half an hour discussing key questions and more around these topics. Following this, participants were invited to take part in optional small group discussions where they could share their own experiences on the topic, present a related issue in a live project, and receive advice and feedback from peers.
Two children cycling along bidrectional segregated cycle route in urban area
Overview
What are the key challenges to engaging businesses when delivering active travel infrastructure? Are they more supportive of some schemes and interventions than others? How can local authorities engage with local businesses to cut through negative perceptions?
In this webinar, colleagues from within the Research and Monitoring Unit at Sustrans shared their findings and recommendations from their recently published report, ‘How best to engage businesses when delivering active travel infrastructure.’
Based on a survey and interviews with 83 businesses in Scotland and interviews with individuals who have experience engaging with businesses, and funded through Sustrans’ Scottish Research Programme, this report focuses on how best to work and engage with local businesses when planning and delivering new walking, wheeling and cycling measures.
This session will shared key takeaways about levels of support for active travel schemes, and how perceptions vary depending on the type of measure – from the most to least popular interventions. It will also share local businesses’ preferences in terms of channels and methods of communication
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
Chrisp Street Market Community Cycles two children having a cycling lesson
Partners from local authorities and organisations around Scotland were invited to hear from a variety of guest speakers who shared their experience and expertise in influencing attitudes, habits and behaviour.
These sessions are part of the Places for Everyone event programme – Engage · Inspire · Learn
Why it’s important to influence public behaviour
First, we hear from Susanne Mueller, Communities Coordinator, Sustrans Scotland. Susanne highlights two key reasons why it’s important to influence public behaviour, in relation to Active Travel:
Tackling the climate crisis
Improving public health
Leven’s Behaviour Change Action Plan
Next, Susanne is joined by Daniel Prince, Infrastructure Coordinator, Sustrans Scotland and Enid Trevett, Community Engagement Officer, Coalfield Regeneration Trust. They share how the Coalfield Regeneration Trust has successfully co-developed Leven’s Behaviour Change Action Plan. This includes embedding the following values into the Behaviour Change Action Plan:
Local first;
Involve young people;
Using what is already available; and
The spirit of community needs to be fostered through the way actions are delivered.
Cycling Scotland’s Behaviour Change Initiatives
Last, we hear from Katharine Brough, Head of Behaviour Change at Cycling Scotland. Katharine speaks about the Cycling Friendly programme and how the award and grant funding programme works with organisations in a variety of workplace, education and community settings across Scotland. The programme aims to address barriers to cycling and increase access to bikes and cycling rates. The session also touches on the available tools for creating and sustaining behaviour change.
Connecting Woodside, previously known as Woodside Mini-Holland, was funded by Sustrans Scotland through Places for Everyone, and Glasgow City Council. The Places for Everyone programme is funded by Transport Scotland.
Sustrans’ Martin Laban, Evaluation Manager for the Research and Monitoring Unit outlines the principles of monitoring and evaluation techniques in relation to Spaces for People.
Dynamic engagement
Monitoring and evaluating the impact of Spaces for People projects is more important than ever before due to the limited opportunity for engagement on temporary emergency measures that are being introduced.
Sustrans offer a broad range of monitoring techniques in support of this to help assess how Spaces for People projects are delivering for communities in response to Covid-19.
In this knowledge sharing session, Sustrans Evaluation Manager, Research and Monitoring Unit, Martin Laban discusses the value of understanding the impact of temporary measures have had throughout the UK in helping to shape future permanent infrastructure.
The Space to Move tool has been used to monitor and evaluate public reception of temporary infrastructure changes throughout the UK.
Guidance on standard best practice for monitoring and evaluation can be found here.
Three strategic principles
When it comes to monitoring and evaluation, there are three main strategies that can be empoyed.
Process Evaluation – Attempt to understand why you may or may not have achieved your outcomes. Did it relate to the how it was delivered, factors beyond control of the project, or process and approach used?
Look – Employ visual monitoring techniques in order to see how where your project is and isn’t working (i.e. automatic counters, manual counts, video analysis of traffic speed, volume or ATC).
Listen – Engage meaningfully with communities and key stakeholders to understand public perception of temporary measures (i.e. GIS and survey tools). This has been successfully employed within Spaces for People through Commonplace and Space to Move tools.
Questions Answered
Why is monitoring and evaluation important?
What strategies are most effective for understanding Spaces for People impacts?
How can Sustrans help support local authorities monitor and evaluate their project delivery?
What has monitoring and evaluation of Spaces for People interventions actually shown us?
Note: the examples shown are in no way prescriptive and are for information only. Where specific products are shown in this document, this does not constitute Sustrans’ endorsement of that product.
In today’s session, Colin Howell and Craig Baxter from The Highland Council share their experiences of implementing Spaces for People temporary infrastructure changes across the region.
Doug Mitchell and Jess Action from Sustrans’ Research and Monitoring Unit (RMU) team also give further explanation of the data driven support Sustrans has provided The Highland Council.
This knowledge sharing session aims to give partners key insights and valuable waymarkers about how to make their most of their own suite of temporary Spaces for People proposals.
Looking back
One of the major focus points of the Highland Council’s intervention plan was linking key healthcare facilities throughout Inverness.
Temporary cycle lanes on Milburn Road improve active travel links to Raigmore Hospital from Inverness city centre. Ewen Donaldson/Sustrans
By creating temporary cycle lanes and widening footways along the routes which connect healthcare facilities, the Council has been able to expand the opportunities for physical distancing and support safe access for for key workers.
Another suite of temporary interventions in the Highland capital has focussed on creating spaces for physical distancing along main shopping streets and tourist areas.
As lockdown eases and people begin to return to these areas in greater numbers, these changes could prove vital in allowing residents and visitors to get around whilst protecting public health.
Bridge Street is just one of the many streets in Inverness city centre that has benefited from Spaces for People interventions. Ewen Donaldson/Sustrans
Temporary road closures and speed restrictions introduced in places such as Dingwall, Fort William and Portree have also helped keep rural communities safe from the spread of Covid-19.
Questions answered
What learning experiences has the Highland Council gained and which have been the most useful?
What are the main achievements of the Council’s Spaces for People project?
How has partnering on Spaces for People differed for the authority as compared with Places for Everyone?
How can Sustrans assist local authorities with project research and monitoring?
More information on The Highland Council’s Spaces for People project can be found here.
Note: the examples shown are in no way prescriptive and are for information only. Where specific products are shown in this document, this does not constitute Sustrans’ endorsement of that product.
The majority of children in Scotland have been learning from home since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the UK in March. Sustrans.
Spaces for schools
It’s been just under one month since children throughout Scotland returned to school after a long hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prior to and during time this time, Sustrans have been working with local authorities through the Spaces for People programme to ensure that children have been able to get to and from class safely.
In this week’s knowledge sharing session, Sustrans Infrastructure Officer Dan Jeffs discusses how temporary infrastructure around schools has been supporting walking, wheeling and cycling.
Dan Jeffs talks about the benefits of children travelling actively to school, both within the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.
Teaching active travel
There are three main ways to help parents and children travel actively to and from school:
School Streets
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods
Place-based measures
Whether its through speed limit restrictions, priority access times or closed streets, each of these changes moderates driver behaviour to prioritise the comfort and safety of those the school run.
Thinking smart, staying healthy
National advice very much favours children travelling to school actively where possible. The key here is in expanding what is possible.
Not only do one third of children said they would like to cycle to school if they could, but active travel to school has been shown to increase children’s concentration levels for up to four hours.
Closing roads to traffic encourages children to travel actively and see the playground in the street. Colin Hattersley/Sustrans
“Where possible your child should travel to and from school on foot, bike or scooter while maintaining physical distance.”
www.parentclub.scot
The regular exercise that walking, wheeling and cycling provides also helps to keep children healthy, reducing sick days and improving school conduct.
Less cars on school roads travelling at slower speeds has been shown to reduce traffic accidents.
A breath of fresh air
The Kelvin Way in Glasgow was closed to traffic earlier this year in order to provide access to green spaces and give people room to exercise. Sustrans.
Promoting health and active travel is also about contributing to a sustainable environment, an issue which will affect future generations more than anyone else.
By walking, wheeling or cycling to school instead of taking the car, our air quality has been shown to improve time and again.
With Scottish Climate week just around the corner on September 14th, and Clean Air Day on October 8th, it is now more important than ever to consider the effects our travel habits have on those most vulnerable to the consequences.
There have been big increases in the amount of traffic on residential streets over the past few decades. This has resulted in more noise and air pollution as well as a greater danger on roads.
To address this problem, some local authorities have put in place filters such as bollards or planters, through which people can walk or cycle, but not drive.
Other local authorities have taken a more strategic, holistic approach, and removed through-traffic from entire residential areas..
This application, known as a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) is widespread in the Netherlands. It means that private motorised vehicles can still access all homes and businesses, but they cannot cross through a neighbourhood. People can therefore only travel through the area on foot, wheel, bicycle or bus.
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods: where people can only only travel through an area on foot, bicycle or bus.
What makes them so good for communities?
Low Traffic Neighborhoods have been proven to significantly reduce traffic volumes, both in the residential streets and across the entire residential area.
This is known as traffic evaporation – when short trips previously made by cars are now taken by other modes, such as by foot or bike.
In light of this, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods can be described as a public health tool rather than a transport tool.
This knowledge sharing session explores the different ways in which towns and cities across Scotland can implement Low Traffic Neighbourhoods so that local communities can reap the benefits of this simple, cost-effective measure.
Note: the examples shown are in no way prescriptive and are for information only. Where specific products are shown in this document, this does not constitute Sustrans’ endorsement of that product.
