Latest news with #ActiveTravelEngland
BBC News
11-08-2025
- BBC News
'Plymouth council lacks will to encourage active travel'
"Hazardous" – that's how Mark Swarbrick from the Plymouth Cycling Campaign has described getting around the city by said: "The problem with the infrastructure in Plymouth is that it's fragmented. You've got cycle paths which just disappear and leave you stranded in the middle of the road."Most of the cycle paths in Plymouth that are on road are not segregated, so you're next to 40mph, 30mph traffic."The government wants to make walking, wheeling and cycling the preferred choice for short journeys in towns and cities by part of its net zero strategy to bring down carbon emissions it wants half of local journeys to be made this way. Local authorities can apply to Active Travel England for funding to deliver walking and cycling February, Plymouth City Council received £1.3m from the Department for Transport-sponsored local authority said some of this money was being spent on a high-quality traffic-free route between Colesdown Hill and Saltram Mark Swarbrick said many of the cycle routes in the city were not connected to each other, making it necessary to ride on roads said: "We're well short of the sort of network that's required to encourage active travel in Plymouth, and the trouble, I think, is that we lack the political will or leadership to make it a reality." Plymouth City Council said: "While some sections of our walking and cycling network are built to a very good standard, there are gaps and we know this can lead to frustration and act as a barrier to how people choose to travel."That is why we are fully committed to delivering further improvements and will continue to press for investment to provide the best walking and cycling network we can for people living in, working in and visiting Plymouth."Meanwhile, cyclists in Exeter have welcomed a £1.7m traffic-free route along Rifford Road which opened in Devon County Council-funded scheme included upgrades to the road, as well as providing segregated spaces for cycling and walking. "It's great" said James Diamond, chair of the Exeter Cycling Campaign."It does three things: it makes travel cheap, makes it safe and easy, it's also tackling air pollution issues."The campaign carried out a 12-hour count on the route after some people criticised the scheme."We found over 1,200 people using it in a day – that's pedestrians, that's people on mobility scooters and that's people on bikes," said Mr Diamond.
Daily Record
04-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
New roundabout opens in UK as locals get 3-minute video in how to use it
The £2m roundabout features a two-way segregated cycle track, a 3m wide footway, and a central island A 'Dutch-style' roundabout that comes with a comprehensive three-minute tutorial video has been opened in an English town, sparking debate among locals. The £2m construction in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire is now open for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Users of the innovative junction are instructed to yield to pedestrians first, followed by cyclists, before giving way to other vehicles, reports Bristol Live.. Local David Coulson, 65, expressed his concerns, saying: "I wouldn't be surprised if people got killed or injured on it. I also can't believe they spent this much money. It's right off the M1 - you're not going to get many pushbikes coming off there." He added: "I drive but I also take a walk up here. I don't see much other footfall than myself. I think they've done it because we've also got the Magic Roundabout and now they can say we've got both. At least it's colourful." Finance manager Fred Theron, 52, commutes by bike during warmer months from Luton and has reservations about driver awareness. He said: "I'm not sure if motorists will know how the cycle aspect works with having to give way. But I do think it's a good initiative and hopefully more people will cycle to work like I do." One sceptical local who chose to remain anonymous criticised the project as 'a complete waste of money', saying: "There are no pedestrians up this way really to give way to. There's more important things to worry about like homeless people. There was nothing wrong with the old roundabout." Local councillor Adrian England took the new Dutch-style roundabout in Hemel Hempstead for a spin. He said: "I cycle everywhere in Hemel Hempstead. With anything new - especially when you're a cyclist and all you've got is your helmet - you need to look after yourself. I felt perfectly safe today and I've come up along the cycle way." Stephen Giles-Medhurst of Hertfordshire County Council said: "We hope to encourage more people to cycle or walk to their places of employment. It's safer, as the pedestrian crossings and cycle path go all the way round it." Reflecting on his experience, he added: "I had a go on a bike this morning and it will take a little bit of getting used it. Vehicles are slowing down, maybe because it's new, but I didn't have any near misses. You can't engineer out someone being stupid." Local residents previously criticised the roundabout for its perceived complexity, leading Hertfordshire County Council to release an instructional CGI video. The video, lasting three minutes, educates cyclists to give way to pedestrians and stay alert of vehicles, despite having priority in their dedicated cycle track. It furthermore outlines the rule requiring cars and lorries to give way to cyclists and pedestrians both when entering and exiting the roundabout. Funding for the roundabout was provided by Active Travel England, the government's agency tasked with fostering walking, cycling and wheeling. At present, there are three Dutch-style roundabouts in use across the UK. The first was launched in Cambridge in 2020, succeeded by another in Sheffield in December 2024, and the most recent one began operation in Chichester in February 2025.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
I tried the UK's newest 'Dutch' roundabout - was it really as confusing as some claim?
It was raining when I took a purple bike and helmet (borrowed from a friend) to the opening of a new £2m, "Dutch-style" roundabout built on an industrial estate in Hemel Hempstead. I had not ridden a bike since I was about 10 years old, so it was a little daunting to put myself in front of traffic on a new road layout. Cyclists similarly inexperienced might also be feel uncertain by the unfamiliar array of black, green, red and white road markings. The roundabout is funded by Active Travel England and the basic premise is that cars and lorries must give way to both cyclists and pedestrians - while cyclists must give way to pedestrians. The layout is markedly different to other roundabouts, which has prompted some criticism they are "confusing". So I had made sure to watch the three-minute CGI explainer video the local council created to help uncertain road users like me. The video warned me to keep an eye out for oncoming cars, despite having priority on my segregated cycle track. The roundabout joins three other Dutch-style ones in operation around the UK - in Cambridge, Sheffield and Chichester. They were first introduced in the Netherlands in the early 1980s and were declared the 'Holy Grail' of traffic safety, according to Dutch News. The country is famed for its cycling culture and infrastructure and, according to Urban Cycling Institute, invests €595m each year in infrastructure linked to bicycles. Since then they also become increasingly common in France, especially Paris, and have no headed over to the Channel. In the UK, council leaders say they will help make life easier for those wanting to cross these roundabouts on foot and on bike, while also helping to manage the speed and flow of traffic. The previous Conservative government cut England's cycling and walking budget by £380m in March 2023, according to Bike Radar - though the current government now announced a £291m funding package this year to create 300 miles of new footpaths and cycle tracks in a sign of the shifting momentum towards pro-cyclist transport. Nonetheless - the approach continues to receive a mixed response. In the UK, campaigners have raised concerns over people being confused by the road markings, and who has right of way, with the BBC reporting that Cambridge's Dutch-style roundabout has seen more collisions in the three years since it was built. And even in the Netherlands, concerns remain about accidents at the supposedly cycle-friendly roundabouts. Road safety advocacy group VVN pointed to research that showed 22.3% of roundabouts in the Netherlands had one or more bicycle accidents, 786 of which were the scene of serious incidents, Dutch News reports. But what's it like tackling the newly minted version on Boundary in Hertfordshire, some 30 miles north-west of London? The video warned me to keep an eye out for oncoming cars, despite having priority on my segregated cycle track. So, how easy is this to follow in practice? After a few false starts, I was off across the brightly coloured green cycle lane - which made it very easy to see where I was going. As I made my way onto the roundabout, a man zipping around it on an e-bike did look a little startled by the new configuration and shouted "it's a bit confusing" at me. The roundabout wasn't too busy when I cycled around it with a few cars and lorries who slowed down when they saw me coming. There were one or two lorries who put their foot down when they saw me on the approach - probably thinking they had the element of speed on their side to out-race me. It seemed that many of them were not too sure about the new road lay-out and being cautious of a young woman in high-vis teetering about. With my own cycle lane, it did feel a bit disorientating to be on the look-out for cars - even though I knew I had priority. But, with no pedestrians on a zebra crossing, a driver who is not familiar with Dutch-style roundabouts may believe they have a right of way – cyclist or not. Deciding not to risk it, I was quite wary of how fast I was going while constantly scanning the area ahead. One of the criticisms in Hemel Hempstead has been the location of the roundabout in an industrial estate not from the M1 turn-off and there didn't seem to be many pedestrians (or cyclists) using the snazzy roundabout when Yahoo News was giving it a test run. Even for an inexperienced cyclist like me, roundabouts like these that give priority to cyclists can ultimately only be a good thing - it quickly began to feel like second-nature and knowing motorists were slowing down ahead of time helped instil a bit more confidence. I can only imagine a more experience cyclist will be overjoyed at knowing they have their own designated lane and the traffic stopping especially for them. But putting one of these roundabouts in a location serving mainly delivery drivers in lorries... well, it does seem like it could have gone elsewhere. But what do some of the locals we met feel about it? David Coulson, 65, who regularly drives across the roundabout, told us he "couldn't believe" the cost of the works. "I wouldn't be surprised if people got killed or injured on it," he said. "I also can't believe they spent this much money. It's right off the M1 - you're not going to get many pushbikes coming off there. "I drive but I also take a walk up here. I don't see much other footfall than myself," said Coulson, originally from New Zealand. "At least it's colourful." Finance manager Fred Theron, 52, works close to the new roundabout and cycles to work from Luton in the summer. He said: "The roundabout before was more dangerous because there are a lot of trucks using the it. "Cycling, you'd have to be in the road coming from Boundary Way and that wasn't the best. Now it's going to take a bit longer having to the cycle around the whole ring but it will be safer." Theron said it would take time for motorists to get used to the new road layout, adding: "Here, when I was walking across, there was a truck coming and I wasn't sure if he was going to stop. "I'm not sure if motorists will know how the cycle aspect works with having to give way. But I do think it's a good initiative and hopefully more people will cycle to work like I do." Lib Dem councillor Adrian England, said he felt "perfectly safe" testing out the roundabout following its opening on Tuesday. "With anything new - especially when you're a cyclist and all you've got is your helmet - you need to look after yourself," he said. Meanwhile Stephen Giles-Medhurst, the executive member for Highways from Herts County Council, said he had a go on a bike and acknowledged it would take "a little bit of getting used to". "We hope to encourage more people to cycle or walk to their places of employment," Giles-Medhurst said. "It's safer, as the pedestrian crossings and cycle path go all the way round it. Vehicles are slowing down, maybe because it's new, but I didn't have any near misses. You can't engineer out someone being stupid."Read more Family pays tribute to cyclist killed in collision by Wiltshire driver (Wiltshire Times) Scared of cycling in London? Here's how to do it safely (The London Standard) World Bicycle Day: How Rome is urging more people to ditch their cars and cycle (Euronews) Click below to see the latest South and South East headlines
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Further road improvements for major Leeds route
The latest phase of a £10m scheme to improve safety on a major road in Leeds will begin on 2 June. Leeds City Council said there were 172 casualties on the A660 over a five-year period, between 2016 and 2021. In addition to making it easier for cyclists and pedestrians to use the route, the roadworks are intended to speed up bus journeys between Headingley and the city centre. The work includes creating segregated cycle tracks, upgrading junctions and changes to pedestrian crossings. The council said the work is due to be completed by the summer of 2026. The improvements are being funded by a £10.4m grant from Active Travel England, with this phase of work being delivered by Hinko Construction. It includes delivering a segregated inbound and outbound cycle track on both sides of the road, changing pedestrian crossings outside the Arndale Centre and The Original Oak to toucan crossings, and a major upgrade of junctions at Hyde Park Corner and North Lane. Other improvements include introducing a 20mph speed limit between Shaw Lane and St. Michael's Road, wider pavements, and continuous crossings at most junctions, upgrading bus stops and shelters, and providing better access to public transport outside the Arndale Centre. From Monday 16 June, the junction of St. Michael's Road and the A660 will be permanently closed to motor vehicles, with the area being transformed into a public space. The junction of the A660 with Regent Park Avenue will also be closed to motor vehicles from 30 July, and the existing left-turn road closure from Woodhouse Street to A660 Woodhouse Lane will be made permanent, with greenery and space for outdoor dining. The council's deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, Jonathan Pryor, said the A660 was one of the city's busiest routes between north Leeds and the city centre. "It's important that we make these improvements so it's safer for everyone using it - helping to meet our Vision Zero-strategy goal of eliminating road deaths and serious injuries on Leeds roads by 2040. "As with any scheme of this nature, there is likely to be some disruption during construction, but we will work to keep this to a minimum - so we are encouraging people to plan ahead when travelling along this route." The work follows previous phases completed earlier this year. The council said the majority of works will be carried out between 09:30 and 15:30 on weekdays, and said bus routes would not be affected. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Leeds City Council Work begins on scheme to upgrade major route Cycle lane plan to go ahead despite objections Park campaigners' anger over Leeds traffic plan Council sorry after bollards installed at bus stop
BBC News
02-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Work to begin on latest phase of improvements to A660 in Leeds
The latest phase of a £10m scheme to improve safety on a major road in Leeds will begin on 2 City Council said there were 172 casualties on the A660 over a five-year period, between 2016 and addition to making it easier for cyclists and pedestrians to use the route, the roadworks are intended to speed up bus journeys between Headingley and the city work includes creating segregated cycle tracks, upgrading junctions and changes to pedestrian crossings. The council said the work is due to be completed by the summer of 2026. The improvements are being funded by a £10.4m grant from Active Travel England, with this phase of work being delivered by Hinko includes delivering a segregated inbound and outbound cycle track on both sides of the road, changing pedestrian crossings outside the Arndale Centre and The Original Oak to toucan crossings, and a major upgrade of junctions at Hyde Park Corner and North improvements include introducing a 20mph speed limit between Shaw Lane and St. Michael's Road, wider pavements, and continuous crossings at most junctions, upgrading bus stops and shelters, and providing better access to public transport outside the Arndale Monday 16 June, the junction of St. Michael's Road and the A660 will be permanently closed to motor vehicles, with the area being transformed into a public junction of the A660 with Regent Park Avenue will also be closed to motor vehicles from 30 July, and the existing left-turn road closure from Woodhouse Street to A660 Woodhouse Lane will be made permanent, with greenery and space for outdoor dining. The council's deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, Jonathan Pryor, said the A660 was one of the city's busiest routes between north Leeds and the city centre."It's important that we make these improvements so it's safer for everyone using it - helping to meet our Vision Zero-strategy goal of eliminating road deaths and serious injuries on Leeds roads by 2040."As with any scheme of this nature, there is likely to be some disruption during construction, but we will work to keep this to a minimum - so we are encouraging people to plan ahead when travelling along this route."The work follows previous phases completed earlier this council said the majority of works will be carried out between 09:30 and 15:30 on weekdays, and said bus routes would not be affected. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
