The Council's Active Travel Action Plan (64 page PDF) has been formally approved. This has been developed over the past year and discussed here previously.
"The Cycle Friendly City programme aims to make travel by bike anywhere in the city convenient and attractive. This will involve provision for cyclists on main roads as well as crossings linking up quieter side roads. In recognition of the multiple pressures in space on the road network, this network will focus on making cycling feel as convenient, safe and comfortable as possible for day to day cyclists (that is commuters, shoppers, anybody going from A to B)."
There's plenty of good stuff in it. I'm pleased to see a strong commitment on cycle training in schools. "Prepare (by April 2011) a plan, including annual targets, to increase the number of primary age children from P6 onwards receiving cycle training to 50% by 2013/2014 and 100% by 2016/2017. The plan will also include actions aimed at encouraging increased cycling by secondary age pupils dependant on availability of resources and mandate."
The idea of a "Family Network" is great, though looking at the map (p62) with the details of "Existing", "Short term (2014)" and "Long term (2020)" it raise questions about whether 'existing' is good enough and whether the plans/priorities for the next 10 years are good/fast enough.
Can't wait for this! -
"Establish regular programmed maintenance of lines and coloured surfacing associated with on‐road bus and cycle facilities by April 2011"
So that's a programme by next April...
There's a good summary on the Spokes site which concludes with "we urge Spokes members and other readers not to sit back just because there is a Cycle Action Plan. Sitting back is the surest way to get the plan pigeonholed and eventually lost in a filing cabinet. Rather – use the Plan in your lobbying of councillors! Perhaps most important of all – help us to ensure that the money is there."
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