We were commissioned by Chelmsford City Council (CCC) to undertake an appraisal of the feasibility of delivering improved active travel infrastructure between East Chelmsford and Chelmsford City Centre.
Overview
City Science was commissioned to undertake for Chelmsford City Council (CCC), in partnership with Essex County Council (ECC), an appraisal of the feasibility of delivering improved active travel infrastructure between Baddow and Sandon in East Chelmsford and Chelmsford City Centre. This aligned with CCC and ECC strategic ambitions to improve urban cycling infrastructure in the east of the city.
The current active travel network in the area is very limited and does not meet key criteria set out in Local Transport Note (LTN) 1/20; falling short on its level of coherence, directness, comfort, and safety, particularly for more vulnerable or those less confident cycling.
The east of the city is a residential growth area, and the council is seeking to provide active travel routes to encourage the new residents to adopt active travel from the outset over private motor vehicles.
Scope
Prior to the study commencing, CCC and ECC developed a series of potential active travel route options, divided into segments. The overarching purpose of this study was to consider these potential route and segment options further through examining their feasibility, deliverability, and potential future scheduling, in the context of future growth planned in the east of the city identified within the Chelmsford Local Plan (2013 – 2036), adopted in 2020.
Figure 1: Allocated Developments Sites (© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors)
City Science Response
Working with Civic Engineers, we developed route designs for a number of routes identified by the council, our objective being to not only design the routes but appraise them and cost them.
Following a cycling safari to look at the potential routes and any barriers to access, we undertook a through desktop-based review of key policies and the key transport, environmental and socio-economic context. This included the local socio-economic context (population, employment, deprivation, safety), existing infrastructure (e.g. bridges, underpasses, utilities, canals, tow-paths, rights of way, cycle infrastructure), cycle demand (current and potential) and environmental context (flood risk, typology, air quality, conservation)
We then developed route designs, to test their feasibility and deliverability, and costed them. We assessed and scored each route against LTN120 national cycling guidance.
Our work included looking at bridge options across canals in the vicinity of listed canal structures that would carry cyclists and pedestrians. Some of the pathways that are being considered for use are public access pathways and therefore working with Essex County Council was essential to understand to the extent that these pathways could be used as cycle routes. In addition, one of the routes is through an existing country park that is prone to flooding so we have looked at some of the challenges that might come from using that route, particularly with regards flooding and lighting from a safety point of view.
Outcomes
The outcome of the study was to provide a strategy for the phased approach to the delivery of the routes (as more funding becomes available) and aid S106 negotiations and capital grants.
All of our analysis and results, including the phasing of the routes, were presented in our Cadence 360 visualisation platform, allowing for a clear narrative to be provided to the Council Members and Developers.