Gloucestershire Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan

THE CHALLENGE

Local authorities in England are strongly encouraged to produce Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) which can help attract funding and steer the long term investment in walking and cycling networks. The plans should include consideration of existing journeys, travel demand from new developments and the potential for growth, assuming investment in better facilities. The resulting documents need to be ambitious and demonstrate a practical understanding of pedestrian and cyclist needs whilst building a compelling case for investment.

SYSTRA’S ROLE

SYSTRA was asked to develop a plan covering the main population centres of Cheltenham and Gloucester, where cycling levels are already well above the national average. We led a series of workshops with local stakeholders, recognising that we needed to record information which added to previous consultations. We identified a series of measures which would provide popular connections and could take advantage of immediate funding opportunities. Led by staff with experience of using different cycling and walking facilities, we assessed the feasibility of different measures, tested their appeal to local users and prioritised the resulting schemes. Our experience of preparing plans with limited data sources enabled us to prepare a sound evidence base for decision making.