Policies – walking and cycling

1.1: We will prioritise sustainable travel modes to offer an attractive and realistic alternative to private car trips.

1.2: We will increase the capacity of the sustainable transport network by reallocating road space to sustainable modes.

13.1: We will encourage the creation of healthy streets in Reading, to improve air quality, reduce congestion and help make our communities healthier, greener and more attractive places to live, work, learn and play.

13.2: We will reallocate road space away from the private car, to provide healthier streets and encourage more sustainable, active modes of travel.

13.3: We will create Quiet Traffic Areas in residential areas to reduce through traffic, slow traffic speeds, increase opportunity for social interaction and improve the quality of life for residents.

14.1: We will transform our walking and cycling network to be safe, clean and green and better connect people to local facilities and services, including education, retail, leisure and employment, as set out in the LCWIP.

14.2: We will create a hierarchy of walking and cycling routes, building on our existing network and seek to secure new routes, including through proposed developments, and, where feasible, provide segregated cycle routes. This will reflect the latest national and local guidance for walking and cycling infrastructure design, such as DfT’s Local Transport Note 1/20.

14.3: We will design our walking and cycling network to accommodate all users where feasible. This will include wheelchair users, adapted cycles, those who are visually impaired and cycles with trailers, for example.

14.4: We will integrate the LCWIP into cross- departmental strategies to maximise the benefits of walking and cycling, including improved health and wellbeing, air quality, reduced emissions and to create a more attractive local environment.

14.5: We will monitor the development and uptake of new technologies such as e-bikes and e-scooters, to inform our walking and cycling strategy.

15.1: We will deliver high-quality public space, encompassing streets and accessible interchanges across the Borough, including in our town and local centres, to bring social, health, economic and environmental benefits to all.

15.2: We will develop a comprehensive wayfinding system for the town to improve the travel experience of residents, employees and visitors in Reading, and people travelling through the town.

16.1: We will work with developers to seek opportunities to deliver new and improved routes through development proposals to provide an integrated and accessible rights of way network for all potential users.

16.2: We will maintain and improve the existing Rights of Way network across the Borough, including footpaths and bridleways.

18.1: We will take action to improve road safety for all and to further reduce fatalities and injuries on our network.

18.2: We will improve the safety of vulnerable road users through a combination of measures, including infrastructure enhancements set out in the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.

18.3: We will support and promote education programmes and road safety campaigns, particularly those that better protect vulnerable road users.

18.4: We will monitor accident data and transport safety developments to identify where we can deliver improvements to road safety.