Last week's Rye News announced a plan to temporarily close the High Street in order to help with social distancing during the Covid-19 crisis now many shops have re-opened.
Here are more details from East Sussex County Council's proposals:
"On 9 May 2020, the Secretary of State for Transport announced a £250m Emergency Active Travel Fund for local authorities to restart local transport as part of the Government’s Covid-19 recovery roadmap.
The two key aims of the funding are to:-
- enable more walking and cycling for everyday journeys, alongside
- supporting safe social distancing.
The types of measures that they require local authorities to consider delivering include; road closures, widened footways, pop up cycle lanes, temporary cycle parking and social distancing signage.
The funding forms part of a wider £2bn announced in February 2020 to support the government’s wider aim to get more people cycling and walking and encouraging local authorities to develop Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP).
How much funding is allocated to East Sussex County Council (ESCC)?
The £250m is being released to local authorities in two tranches. The County Council was advised of an indicative allocation of £479,000 for tranche 1. An application by ESCC was submitted to the DfT (Dept for Transport) on June 5, 2020, to seek approval. ESCC is likely to receive the funding by the end of June/early July and will be required to deliver the measures within an eight week period.
What is the proposed programme for Tranche 1?
East Sussex Active Travel for Recovery and Growth Programme Phase 1
The "East Sussex Active Travel for Recovery & Growth Programme" – Phase 1 was submitted to government on June 5 and is still subject to DfT approval. The programme comprises the following two elements:
Element 1 - County Wide Measures
To ensure consistency across the county an integrated package of signing in town centres and high streets alongside the provision of cycle parking will be delivered. This will include:-
- Social distance signing package – using the DfT approved – "Covid 19 – Keep Apart" signing. These signs will be installed within key towns and market towns on high streets and within town centre highway areas and larger village centres.
- Cycle parking package – Temporary cycle parking racks installed across all key towns and market towns on high streets, town centre highway areas and within car parks.
- Bus stop social distancing signing package - Social distancing messaging on footways at bus stops. This will be prioritised at bus stops where there is a conflict between people queuing for buses and people queuing for to access adjacent shops.
Element 2 – Site specific schemes : The county council then listed a number of schemes across their area including road closures, more cycle routes, widening footways, speed reductions,and additional signage.
When will the programme be delivered?
ESCC has been advised by DfT that the tranche 1 funding will be received in late June/early July, and the spending of the funding must commence within four weeks of receipt of this and the measures be completed within eight weeks.
What consultation was undertaken on the development of the programme?
In developing the programme, we have collaborated with our Borough and District Councils as well as engaged with walking and cycling groups across the County for their thoughts and suggestions. In finalising the programme, these potential schemes have then been assessed on their likely impact and benefits as well as their deliverability, safety and likely local acceptability.
What further consultation will be undertaken as part of the design of the programme?
The delivery of a number of the site specific schemes will still require local consultation with those immediately affected by the proposals in order that they can provide their views and may require either the suspension of parking or the advertisement of temporary traffic regulation orders (TTROs).
Whilst government has relaxed several of the requirements in relation to the timescales and mechanisms for introduction of TTROs, should we get significant objections at either the local consultation or TTRO stage of implementing these schemes, then we may decide not to proceed with the implementation of some schemes.
Has an equality impact assessment been undertaken as part of the programme development and design?
Having due regard to the Equality Act 2010 has been essential in the development of the programme. Equality impact assessments of the measures will be undertaken as part of the design process alongside the opportunity for people whom may be affected to provide comments.
How does tranche 1 integrate with ESCC wider plans for improving mobility?
The programme has been developed to ensure that it integrates with the ambitions in the draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), which we are currently consulting upon with key stakeholders, makes the best use of the funding available and builds on recent and planned investment made in walking and cycling infrastructure through the County Council’s capital programme of local transport improvements. Therefore Phase 1 includes a small number of schemes, which have been prioritised for inclusion in our draft LCWIP, which we will bring forward as temporary schemes.
Tranche 2
ESCC has only received limited information in relation to the funding available for Tranche 2, see below.
How much funding is allocated to East Sussex County Council (ESCC)?
ESCC indicative tranche 2 funding allocation is £1.96m, which we have been advised will be available towards the end of the summer 2020. ESCC is awaiting further information from DfT on the application process; however work on developing the programme for this phase will start in mid-June.
What is the purpose of the second tranche of funding?
The second tranche of funding will enable authorities to install further, more permanent measures to cement walking and cycling habits, and where applicable enable the implementation of schemes planned in the draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.
Source: East Sussex County Council
