Tag: Knowledge Sharing

News News & Opinion Research and Monitoring

Active travel increases after path upgrades to Wishawhill Wood

Post author By Ruth Oxborrow
Post date May 12, 2023

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

Tags Blogs, Knowledge Sharing, News, Places for Everyone, RMU

Engage • Inspire • Learn

Effective behaviour change

Post author By Kyro Hartzenberg
Post date January 14, 2022

Teaching children to cycle — 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.

Tags Knowledge Sharing, Places for Everyone

Engage • Inspire • Learn SfP

Monitoring active travel infrastructure during Covid-19

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date September 24, 2020

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.

Tags blog, Knowledge Sharing

Engage • Inspire • Learn News SfP

The Highland Council – lessons learned

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date September 17, 2020

Temporary cycle lanes on Milburn Road improve active travel links to Raigmore Hospital from Inverness city centre.

Gaining insights

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.

Tags Knowledge Sharing

Engage • Inspire • Learn

What can we learn from the return to school?

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date September 9, 2020

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.

Tags blog, Knowledge Sharing, schools

Engage • Inspire • Learn

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods – an introduction

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date August 13, 2020

Pop-up filter in Croydon. Meristem Design

Pop-up filter in Croydon. Meristem Design

What are Low Traffic Neighbourhoods?

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.

Low traffic neighbourhoods have also shown to:

increase physical activity through walking, wheeling and cycling
benefit local businesses
create new public leisure spaces
deliver improved air quality

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.

Tags Knowledge Sharing, low traffic neighbourhoods

Engage • Inspire • Learn

Access for all – designing inclusive spaces

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date July 22, 2020

Members of the public using temporary ramps

Inclusivity in Infrastructure

Temporary measures introduced through Spaces for People are designed to protect public health and facilitate essential journeys for all groups, including those with additional support and mobility needs.

In support of this, Sustrans are working closely with local authorities to ensure that people with disabilities and other affected groups are considered appropriately throughout every project.

Today, we’re joined by Ali MacDonald, Organisational Lead for Healthy and Active Environments, Public Health Scotland as well as David Hunter, Independent Consultant at Mobility Access Committe Scotland (MACS) to discuss appropriate accessibility provisions across a variety of contexts in temporary infrastructure design.

Temporary ramps provide a quick, simple and cost-effective solution to the mobility needs of those maneuvering a wheelchair, pram or a walker. Market Square, Fraserburgh. Abermedia/Sustrans

Main Considerations

In terms of specific measures, please consider:

Many disabled people are more reliant on their cars and taxis than
others. Appropriate provision must be made for parking, access etc.
Safe space for pedestrians should be separate from cyclists.
Pavements should be kept free of obstacles/clutter, including roadworks. signs, bins, encroaching vegetation. These can be a particular hazard for visually impaired people and constrain footways for everyone.
Any areas separated off to provide extra walking or cycle space must take into account how disabled people can get on or off the pavement; this is especially important at bus stops.
Barriers (for example used to delineate a temporary pavement from a traffic lane) should be detectable by a blind person using a long cane.
Attention should be given to making sure enforcement (for example of traffic speed, parking/cycling on pavements) is effective.

Further guidance on how to design inclusive walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure in response to Covid-19 can be found here.

Questions Answered

How do we ensure that projects meet the needs of everyone?
How can we effectively consider the needs of disabled people without deepening existing health inequalities?
What are the accessibility considerations around removing things from the streetscape to create more space?

Tags Knowledge Sharing

Engage • Inspire • Learn

Global temporary infrastructure

Post author By Eve Leeks
Post date July 19, 2020

Countries all over the world have responded to the Covid-19 pandemic with creative and effective temporary infrastructure solutions to help protect public health.

What has happened around the world?

From Bogota to Milan, and Winnipeg to Brighton; all around the world, countries have responded to the continuing Covid-19 pandemic through the installation of temporary infrastructure measures in order to promote effective physical distancing and protect public health.

Temporary cycle lanes were installed across Berlin to make it easier for cyclists to complete essential journeys.

In Paris, ‘Corona Cycleways’ link up the city for active travel in order to help facilitate safer travel while also safeguarding against severe congestion as people become more wary use public transport.

Aukland, meanwhile, has removed parking spaces in order to extend the footways of busy streets, utilising basic materials such as planter boxes and colourful paint.

Regardless of geographical location and the measures being adopted, however, once thing is clear – people everywhere are reevaluating how we use shared spaces and the ways we move within them.

How can we learn from this?

In this knowledge sharing session, Infrastructure Officers for Sustrans Sam Valentine, Daniel Jeffs and Poppea Daniel discuss the transformative temporary infrastructure changes taking place outside of Scotland in a bid to inspire Scottish local authorities implementing their own.

Across the various case studies presented, three types of temporary measures are discussed:

Pavement widening
Temporary Cycle lanes
Open Streets

To learn more about what is happening elsewhere in the world to promote safe walking and cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic, click here.

Tags Knowledge Sharing

What were the findings?

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.

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

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.

A community asset

Communicating the results

Want to find out more?

Key updates

Contact us

Why it’s important to influence public behaviour

Leven’s Behaviour Change Action Plan

Cycling Scotland’s Behaviour Change Initiatives

Dynamic engagement

Three strategic principles

Questions Answered

Gaining insights

Looking back

Questions answered

Spaces for schools

Teaching active travel

Thinking smart, staying healthy

A breath of fresh air

What are Low Traffic Neighbourhoods?

What makes them so good for communities?

Inclusivity in Infrastructure

Main Considerations

Questions Answered

What has happened around the world?

How can we learn from this?