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Title

Sub title (inc Bridge no.)

Date

Braintree District Cycling

Action Plan - Draft

Highways/ Transport Planning

January 2018

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

iii

Contents

1 Introduction ................................................................................ 1

1.1 Preamble ............................................................................................... 1

1.2 Background ........................................................................................... 2

1.3 Aims of the Cycling Action Plan ............................................................ 4

1.4 Report Structure .................................................................................... 4

2 Policy Review ............................................................................ 9

2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 9

2.2 National Policy Context ....................................................................... 10

2.3 Regional Policy Context ...................................................................... 12

2.4 Local Policy Context ............................................................................ 15

3 Data Analysis ........................................................................... 19

3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 19

3.2 Census Data ....................................................................................... 19

3.3 Sport England Active People Survey................................................... 24

3.4 Essex Cycle Monitor ............................................................................ 24

3.5 DfT Count Data ................................................................................... 29

3.6 Collision Data ...................................................................................... 33

3.7 Collision Clusters ................................................................................ 34

3.8 Cycle collisions along routes ............................................................... 35

3.9 Cycle Crime ......................................................................................... 36

3.10 Topography ......................................................................................... 37

4 Existing Network Provision and Barriers .................................. 39

4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 39

4.2 Cycling in Braintree District ................................................................. 39

4.3 Key Barriers to Cycling in Braintree District ......................................... 42

4.4 Braintree Town – existing cycle network ............................................. 42

4.5 Braintree Town – cycle accessibility .................................................... 43

4.6 Access to employment in Braintree ..................................................... 45

4.7 Access to educational institutions in Braintree .................................... 45

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4.8 Access to future developments in Braintree ........................................ 45

4.9 Witham – existing cycle network ......................................................... 45

4.10 Witham cycling accessibility ................................................................ 46

5 Braintree District’s Cycling Potential ........................................ 48

5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 48

5.2 Commuter flow analysis ...................................................................... 48

5.3 MOSAIC Propensity to Cycle – Braintree Town .................................. 57

5.4 Summary of potential .......................................................................... 60

6 Potential Infrastructure Improvements ...................................... 63

6.1 Background ......................................................................................... 63

6.2 Potential cycle routes .......................................................................... 63

6.3 Methodology Statement ...................................................................... 63

6.4 Construction Design and Management (CDM) .................................... 65

7 Prioritisation and Costings of Potential Schemes ..................... 69

7.1 Prioritising Schemes ............................................................................ 69

7.2 Deliverability ........................................................................................ 69

7.3 Directness ........................................................................................... 69

7.4 Extension of existing network .............................................................. 70

7.5 Key attractors ...................................................................................... 70

7.6 Overall prioritisation............................................................................. 70

7.7 Estimated costs of potential schemes ................................................. 71

8 Flagship Routes ....................................................................... 81

8.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 81

8.2 Potential Flagship Routes in Braintree District .................................... 81

8.3 East/West Flagship Route ................................................................... 81

8.4 North/South Flagship Route ................................................................ 81

8.5 Potential alternative Flagship Routes .................................................. 82

8.6 Prioritisation of Flagship Routes .......................................................... 82

9 Smarter Travel Measures ......................................................... 84

9.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 84

9.2 Marketing and promotion ..................................................................... 84

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9.3 Potential Local Considerations ............................................................ 85

10 Delivery and Funding ............................................................ 87

10.1 Delivery ............................................................................................... 87

10.2 Funding Options .................................................................................. 88

10.3 Funding for Braintree ........................................................................... 88

11 Key Recommendations ......................................................... 90

Tables

Table 1.1: Active Essex Priority Aims ................................................................ 2

Table 3.1: Five Year Average Cycle Flows (Daily Average per Month, Per Site)

......................................................................................................................... 27

Table 3.2: Personal Injury Collisions involving Cyclists Aug 2012 – July 2017

......................................................................................................................... 33

Table 3.3: Braintree cycle collision clusters ..................................................... 34

Table 3.4: Cycle collisions along routes .......................................................... 35

Table 3.5: Reported cycle crime by District ..................................................... 37

Table 7.1 Costs and Prioritisation of Potential Braintree Cycle Schemes ....... 72

Table 7.2: Costs and Prioritisation of Potential Witham Cycle Schemes ......... 76

Table 7.3: Costs and Prioritisation of Potential Halstead Cycle Schemes ....... 79

Cycling Action Plan

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Figures

Figure 1.1: Braintree District Map 3

Figure 3.1: Braintree cycle to work data 2001 - 2011 19

Figure 3.2: Main Mode of Travel to Work for usual residents of Braintree District.

Figure 3.3: Percentage of People Cycling to Work in Braintree 22

Figure 3.4: Percentage of People Cycling to Work in Witham 23

Figure 3.5: Propensity to Cycle at Least Once per Month (2010-2013) 24

Figure 3.6: Locations of monitoring sites in Braintree 25

Figure 3.7: Essex Cycle Monitor 2007-2015 26

Figure 3.8: Yearly Cycle Flow Profile (2011-2015) 28

Figure 3.9: 7 Day Average Cycle Flows in Braintree (2016) 29

Figure 3.10: Braintree existing cycle infrastructure and collitsions (PICs) 31

Figure 3.11: Witham existing cycle infrastructure and collisions (PICs) 32

Figure 4.1 Existing cycle infrastructure in Braintree Town 40

Figure 4.2: Existing cycle infrastructure in Witham Town 41

Figure 4.3: Lack of cycle connectivity at Flitch Way (junctions with London Road

& Jersey Way) 43

Figure 4.4: Lack of connectivity at King George Field / Cressing Rd and Panfield

Ln / Town centre 43

Figure 4.5: Cycling parking at Braintree railway station 44

Figure 4.6: Cycle parking provision at Braintree Freeport rail station 44

Figure 4.7: Lack of connectivity between existing routes in Witham: Highfields

Road and Cypress Road. 46

Figure 5.1: Journey to Work by Cycle in Braintree (Census 2011) 49

Figure 5.2: Journey to Work by Cycle in Witham (Census 2011) 50

Figure 5.3: Journey to Work by Car in Braintree (Census 2011) 52

Figure 5.4: Journey to Work by Car in Witham (Census 2011) 53

Figure 5.5: Journey to Work by Rail in Braintree 55

Figure 5.6: Journey to Work by Rail in Witham 56

Figure 5.10 Cycling Desire Lines in Witham 62

Figure 6.1: Sustrans Recommendations for Segregation and Traffic Flow 64

Figure 6.2: Existing and Potential Cycle Routes in Braintree 66

Figure 6.3: Existing and Potential Cycle Routes in Witham 67

Figure 6.4: Existing and Potential Cycle Routes in Halstead 68

Figure 8.1: Potential Flagship Routes for Braintree District 83

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Executive Summary

Essex Highways was commissioned by Essex County Council to produce a

Cycling Action Plan (CAP) for Braintree District, as part of a commitment in the

Essex Cycling Strategy to create Cycling Action Plans for every Borough/ District.

The purpose of the Essex Cycling Strategy is to set out the key elements of a

long term plan that will lead to a significant and sustained increase in cycling in

Essex, establishing it in the public’s mind as a ‘normal or regular’ mode of travel,

especially for short A-to-B trips, and as a major participation activity and sport for

all ages.

To help achieve this, Essex is committed to establishing a coherent,

comprehensive and advantageous cycle network in every major urban area,

utilising a combination of on-carriageway and off-carriageway cycle facilities. To

enable this, each Borough/District in Essex will have a Cycling Action Plan, to be

renewed every five years. These are seen as key elements of a long term plan

that will lead to a significant and sustained increase in cycling in Braintree District

and in Essex.

This Braintree CAP is targeted towards the specific needs of Braintree residents,

which will assist Essex County Council (ECC) in tackling wider problems

associated with poor health, pollution, traffic congestion and inequalities of

opportunities for Braintree’s youth population and people on low incomes.

The aims of this Action Plan are to:

 Identify how cycling levels can be increased in the District;

 Prioritise funding for new cycling schemes in Braintree;

 Create a usable, high-quality cycle network that connects residential

areas with key employment locations, railway stations and town centres;

and

 Create opportunities to increase recreational cycling in Braintree;

Understanding current levels and conditions for cycling has been important in

developing this CAP, which has involved analysis and consideration of 2011

Census data, the Active People Survey (by Sport England), the Essex Cycle

Monitor database, Department for Transport count data, collision data, cycle

crime statistics and topography.

In order to create an environment where cycling is normal for the residents of

Braintree, it will be necessary to remove existing barriers to cycling and a series

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of cycle routes provided, with the aim of creating a connected cycle network over

time. Cycling infrastructure should provide for both key utility journeys and

encourage leisure cycling.

The key recommendations and schemes are listed in Sections 6, 7 and 8 of this

CAP and are summarised in Section 11 and below.

Key Observations

Braintree District for the most part is relatively flat, with variations in elevation of

no more than 30 metres and all major town centres having a relatively shallow

incline leading up to them.

Significant new housing development is planned with up to 950 homes to be built

across the district per year which provides a number of opportunities to enhance

and expand the cycle network. The Braintree Transport Strategy recognises the

role cycling plays in delivering sustainable new developments within Braintree

District and supports improvements to existing infrastructure as well as the

implementation of new facilities where required.

Braintree has relatively low current levels of commuter cycling but has high levels

of active leisure cycling. There is also a high propensity to cycle within the district.

Census data indicates declining usage, potentially related to an ageing

demographic profile. Despite this, there is a significant opportunity to increase

cycle use due to the high number of short (less than 5km) local commuter

journeys currently being made by car.

Collisions involving cyclists in Braintree are at relatively low levels compared with

the rest of the County. Levels of cycle crime are also low for the county.

National Cycle Route 16 passes through the southern side of the District from

west to north, connecting Great Dunmow with Braintree and Witham. The dis-

used railway line known today as the Flitch Way, on the south western side of

Braintree town is used for leisure and commuter cycling and this Cycling Action

Plan sets out a strategy to enhance its use.

Most of the towns in Braintree have fairly limited cycle provision, with Braintree

town having the largest amount of off-road routes. However, many of these are

disconnected and infrequent. Therefore, this strategy proposes connectivity to

existing routes where potential demand is the highest

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Key Recommendations

In order to create an environment where cycling is accessible to all residents of

Braintree District, existing barriers to cycling should be removed and a connected

series of key cycle routes provided throughout the district, linking to green space,

where possible. Cycling infrastructure should provide for both key utility journeys

and encourage leisure cycling.

Route recommendations are generally based on targeting gaps in the existing

network, and treating uncatered-for demand. MOSAIC analysis and Census

journey-to-work information have been used to feed into this process.

Taking into account the current barriers to cycling in Braintree District, commuter

flow analysis and locations of committed development, the following key

recommendations can be made for cycle enhancements in the district:

 A review of existing route signage and lighting;

 Improve maintenance of existing routes;

 Prioritise North – South and East-West Flagship routes, providing

improved access to the town centre and railway station;

 Develop Flagship Routes through Feasibility Studies to Detailed Design;

 Promote and market Flagship Routes with ‘Cycle Superhighway’ style

branding and disseminating techniques;

 Provide connectivity through town centres, particularly in an east / west

direction. Braintree and Witham are particularly in need of these routes

as there is little existing provision and these routes could connect key

employment areas, rail stations and town centres with large residential

areas. In addition, these routes attract the highest flows of car commuter

traffic in the district;

 Provide new and improved cycle parking, with a focus on satiating the

considerable demand for commuter trips at railway stations;

 Fill obvious gaps in the existing cycle-route network (on alignments with

cycle-friendly topography);

 Provide new infrastructure on key roads with cycle-friendly topography but

no existing facilities;

 Update the existing cycle map every two years taking on board new

innovation in cycle-map design, and promote it and disseminate it widely

through a range of channels and outlets

 Improve cycling infrastructure for access to Panfield Industrial Estate in

advance of the Northwest masterplan and connect with Panfield Lane to

the east and to the town centre;

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 Provide better access to Flitch Way in Braintree and connect Flitch way

with the key industrial employment area to the west side of town and a

better connection at London Road;

 Enhance the Pierrefitte Way / Rayne Road junction and / or the High Street

/ Pierrefitte Way junction, potentially with innovative cycle priority in the

form of advanced stop lines, toucan crossings and cycle priority traffic

signals;

 Provide better cycle access to both Witham and Braintree rail stations,

which currently have poor cycle access. This is particularly important at

Witham as it has high demand for rail use, particularly from the south; and

 Potential routes should improve connections with leisure cycling routes, in

particular, Flitch Way in Braintree, Blackwater Trail in Witham and

associated existing surrounding bridleways.

Next Steps

This is a draft Action Plan and, although the options have been developed in

discussion with Council representatives, further consultation is required before

the overall Action Plan can be finalised.

The character of the existing highway network has been taken into account, when

developing potential cycle routes and schemes – in particular existing traffic

levels. Broad costs of schemes have been identified, as well as broadly

prioritising schemes against deliverability, directness, extension of the existing

network and proximity to key attractors. However, the potential routes and

schemes have not been constrained to a set budget and the feasibility and the

precise cost of the routes can only be established through further study.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

1 Introduction

1.1 Preamble

As part of the county-wide Essex Cycling Strategy, Cycling Action Plans are being

developed for individual Boroughs and Districts of Essex, including one for the

District of Braintree. This document provides an opportunity to develop and

promote cycling in Braintree, through improved infrastructure, together with the

wider promotion of cycling by Active Essex, Essex County Council (ECC) and

Braintree District Council (BDC), to establish it in the public’s mind as a ‘normal’

mode of travel, especially for short a-to-b trips, and as a major participation

activity and sport for all ages.

Two key commitments of the Essex Cycling Strategy are to:

 Establish a coherent, comprehensive and advantageous cycle network in

every major urban area, utilising a combination of on-carriageway and off-

carriageway cycle facilities; and

 Ensure each District has an up to date Cycling Action Plan (renewed every

5 years).

The Cycling Action Plans should help to identify high quality and well planned

infrastructure which will be vital in encouraging cycling and improving safety.

ECC will ensure that every urban area has a well-planned cycle network that:

 Connects key destinations;

 Supports a network of recreational routes; and

 Caters for all users and abilities.

Coherent cycle networks will ensure that:

 The physical barriers to cycling in many of Essex’s urban areas are

progressively broken down

 Cycling becomes a prioritised mode of transport in the mind of Essex

residents.

In addition, Active Essex (County Sports Partnership) priority aims and how

cycling helps achieve these aims are included in Table 1.1.

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Table 1.1: Active Essex Priority Aims

Active Essex priority aims

How cycling helps achieve these aims

Increase participation in

sport and physical activity

Cycling is one of the most popular sports

in Essex and can be enjoyed by people

of all ages

Encourage healthy and

active lifestyles

Cycling provides a means of active

transport that can help to reduce the

number of short car journeys

Develop sporting pathways

Alex Dowsett, cycling world record

breaker, is from Essex and benefited

from Active Essex Sporting Ambassador

funding and support when he was a

talented young cyclist

Encourage lifelong learning

and skills development

Bikeability courses help children and

adults to acquire physical skills and road

safety awareness

1.2 Background

Braintree is one of the fastest growing districts in Essex with plans to increase

the rate of house building by up to 950 homes built across the district per year.

With this growth comes the need for more sustainable travel options in the district

to help prevent the negative impacts of traffic congestion and air pollution as a

consequence of increased population. Figure 1.1 shows the extent of Braintree

District; major towns include Braintree, Witham and Halstead. The population of

Braintree District recorded in Census 2011 was 147,084 people (62,743

households), of which 92% were aged 74 years or less.

One of the main strategic roads within the Braintree District is the A120 trunk

road, managed by Highways England, which forms an east-west corridor

between the M11 near Stansted Airport and Harwich and Harwich International

Port. The single carriageway section of the A120 situated within the Braintree

District, between the Braintree Bypass via Broad Green and the Colchester

Borough boundary to Junction 25 on the A12 at Marks Tey, is currently under

specific consideration by Highways England and Essex County Council for major

highways improvements by 2025.

At present, there is no cycling strategy for Braintree District. This is an issue when

trying to develop and promote cycling and has been identified as a priority in the

Braintree Transport Strategy. However, Braintree town and Witham do have

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some basic, albeit fragmented, cycle infrastructure which can be enhanced

through this strategy. The 2015 Braintree Transport Strategy highlights cycling as

one of the key interventions which need to be addressed over the coming years,

with the following key cycle interventions:

 Join up existing cycle routes within towns to create continuous cycle

routes;

 Provide new cycle routes to connect with new development;

 Provide segregated on or off road cycle routes where possible, to provide

safer routes for cyclists; and

 Provide cycle routes to connect with key employment, residential and

leisure zones within towns.

Figure 1.1: Braintree District Map

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1.3 Aims of the Cycling Action Plan

Although Essex County Council (ECC) and Braintree District Council (BDC) have

been promoting and facilitating cycling for many years, the lack of a planned and

justifiable list of interventions aimed at widening the appeal of cycling within the

District means that it has not always been prioritised.

The aims of the Cycling Action Plan are to:

 Identify how cycling levels can be increased in the Borough

 Prioritise funding for new cycling schemes in Braintree

 Create a usable, high-quality cycle network that connects residential

areas with key employment locations, rail stations and town centres

 Create opportunities to increase recreational cycling in Braintree

This is a draft Action Plan and, although the proposals have been developed in

discussion with Council representatives, further consultation is required before

the overall Action Plan can be finalised.

1.4 Report Structure

The remainder of this Action Plan is set out as follows:

 Section 2 – Policy Review

 Section 3 – Data Analysis;

 Section 4 – Existing Network Provision and Barriers;

 Section 5 – Braintree’s Cycling Potential;

 Section 6 – Potential Infrastructure Improvements;

 Section 7 – Prioritisation and Costings of Potential Schemes

 Section 8 – Flagship Routes

 Section 9 – Smarter Travel Measures;

 Section 10 – Delivery and Funding; and

 Section 11 – Key Recommendations.

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2 Policy Review

2.1 Introduction

This section provides a summary of the relevant national, regional and local

policies related to cycling, through consideration of the following documents: the

UK Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS, 2017), the

Essex Transport Strategy (2011) and the Braintree Draft Local Plan (2016).

These documents indicate that there is a great deal of support for cycling at all

levels. At a national level, there is a long term vision for cycling to become the

normal mode of choice for short journeys or as part of a longer journey. At a

regional level, there is a particular emphasis on providing sustainable access and

travel choice for Essex residents. It is recommended that cycling will be promoted

as a way to reduce congestion within urban areas, to encourage healthier

lifestyles, and as a valuable leisure and tourism opportunity that is important to

the local economy. Braintree is specifically recognised in the Essex Transport

Strategy as being set to accommodate significant housing and employment

growth. It is noted that transport priorities for the Haven Gateway (within which

Braintree is located) include “improving and promoting cycle networks”. In

addition, for local centres, such as Braintree, within the Haven Gateway, priorities

of relevance to cycling include: providing for and promoting access by sustainable

modes of transport to development areas; improving local cycle networks;

improving access to stations; and promoting sustainable travel choices.

At a local level, cycling is supported throughout the Draft Local Plan, the Core

Strategy (which the Draft Local Plan will replace) and the National Planning Policy

Framework (NPPF). The new Local Plan must ensure that housing growth is

supported by transport infrastructure. The National Planning Policy Framework

(NPPF) requires that the transport system be balanced in favour of sustainable

transport modes such as buses and cycling. The emerging Local Plan notes that

fragmented cycle networks are available in mainly Witham and Braintree. Cycling

is noted as a sustainable mode of transport, in particular for short journeys,

although becoming increasingly popular for longer commutes in some areas. As

well as the benefits in terms of reduced congestion and pollution, cycling provides

health and wellbeing benefits for the participant and should be encouraged

wherever possible. The provision of new cycle routes and infrastructure is

highlighted for new developments within the Draft Local Plan.

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2.2 National Policy Context

2.2.1 Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS)

Under the Infrastructure Act 2015, the UK Government is required to set a Cycling

and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) for England. A Draft First CWIS was

published at the end of March 2016, which set out the UK Government's ambition

for creating a walking and cycling nation, the targets and objectives they are

working towards, the financial resources available to meet their objectives, the

strategy for delivering the objectives, and the governance arrangements that will

review this delivery. Following consultation, a final version of the Strategy was

published in 2017.

The final Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy states that the Government

“wants to make cycling and walking the natural choices for shorter journeys, or

as part of a longer journey”. The aim is for more people to have access to safe,

attractive routes for cycling and walking by 2040. By 2040, the ambition is to

deliver:

Better Safety (a safe and reliable way to travel for short journeys), through:

 streets where cyclists and walkers feel they

belong, and are safe

 better connected communities

 safer traffic speeds, with lower speed limits

where appropriate to the local area

 cycle training opportunities for all children

Better mobility (more people cycling and walking – easy, normal and

enjoyable), through:

 more high quality cycling facilities

 more urban areas that are considered walkable

 rural roads which provide improved safety for walking and cycling

 more networks of routes around public transport hubs and town centres,

with safe paths along busy roads

 better links to schools and workplaces

 technological innovations that can promote more and safer walking and

cycling

 behaviour change opportunities to support increased walking and cycling

 better integrated routes for those with disabilities or health conditions

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Better streets (places that have cycling and walking at their heart), by:

 places designed for people of all abilities and ages so they can choose to

walk or cycle with ease

 improved public realm

 better planning for walking and cycling

 more community-based activities, such as led rides and play streets where

local places want them

 a wider green network of paths, routes and open spaces

The document recognises that great progress has been made on cycling in the

past six years. Cycling rates have increased in areas where dedicated funding

has been made available and spend on cycling has risen from around £2 per

person in 2010 to £6 per person in England in 2016-17. The Government want

to build on these successes and to help achieve this have made over £1 billion

of Government funding available to local bodies that may be invested in walking

and cycling over the next five years. The £1.2 billion is allocated as follows:

 £50 million to provide cycling proficiency training for further 1.3 million

children;

 £101 million to improve cycling infrastructure and expand cycle routes

between the city centres, local communities, and key employment and

retail sites;

 £85 million to make improvements to 200 sections of roads for cyclists;

 £80 million for safety and awareness training for cyclists, extra secure

cycle storage, bike repair, maintenance courses and road safety

measures;

 £389.5 million for councils to invest in walking and cycling schemes;

 £476.4 million from local growth funding to support walking and cycling;

In addition, the government is investing an extra:

 £5 million on improving cycle facilities at railway stations

 £1 million on Living Streets’ outreach programmes to encourage children

to walk to school

 £1 million on Cycling UK’s ‘Big Bike Revival’ scheme which provides free

bike maintenance and cycling classes

By 2020, the objectives of the CWIS are to:

 increase cycling activity, where cycling activity is measured as the

estimated total number of cycle stages made;

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 • increase walking activity, where walking activity is measured as the total

number of walking stages per person;

 • reduce the rate of cyclists killed or seriously injured on England’s roads,

measured as the number of fatalities and serious injuries per billion miles

cycled; and

 • increase .the percentage of children aged 5 to 10 that usually walk to

school

2.2.2 Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (CWIP)

A National CWIP is being developed to inform the CWIS. This will include the

identification of nationally significant locations/infrastructure. Six outputs are

currently being developed (three national and three local outputs):

 The national outputs focus on identifying criteria for national significance

and developing a pipeline of potential schemes; and

 The local outputs are focused on developing a Level of Service tool, and

guidance to Local Authorities on developing their own local CWIP.

Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs), as set out in the

Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, are a new, strategic

approach to identifying cycling and walking improvements required at the local

level. They enable a long-term approach to developing local cycling and walking

networks, ideally over a 10 year period, and form a vital part of the Government’s

strategy to increase the number of trips made on foot or by cycle.

While only focusing on cycling, it is hoped that ECC’s suite of Cycling Action

Plans will contribute to the future development of an Essex CWIP by providing:

 A network plan for cycling which identifies preferred routes and core zones

for further development;

 A prioritised programme of infrastructure improvements for future

investment; and

 A report which sets out the underlying analysis carried out and provides a

narrative which supports the identified improvements and network.

2.3 Regional Policy Context

2.3.1 Essex Transport Policy

The Essex Transport Strategy (2011) will seek to achieve the following five broad

outcomes:

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 Provide connectivity for Essex communities and international gateways to

support sustainable economic growth and regeneration;

 Reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve air quality through lifestyle

changes, innovation and technology;

 Improve safety on the transport network and enhance and promote a safe

travelling environment;

 Secure and maintain all transport assets to an appropriate standard and

ensure that the network is available for use; and

 Provide sustainable access and travel choice for Essex residents to help

create sustainable communities.

‘Policy 14 – Cycling’ states that Essex County Council will encourage cycling

by:

 Promoting the benefits of cycling;

 Developing existing cycling networks in towns where cycling offers an

appropriate local solution;

 Working with schools and employers to improve facilities for cyclists;

 Improving access to local services by integrating the Public Rights of Way,

walking and cycling networks to form continuous routes; and

 Providing training opportunities to school children and adults.

Cycling will be promoted as a way to reduce congestion within urban areas, to

encourage healthier lifestyles, and as a valuable leisure and tourism opportunity

that is important to the local economy.

Improving the safety of the cycling network is also a key concern within the Essex

Transport Strategy. Policy 14 of the plan sets out Essex County Council’s

approach to encouraging cycling, which includes developing cycle networks

within towns across Essex and improving access to local services and schools

for cyclists.

The Essex Transport Strategy seeks to promote sustainable travel, by providing

the infrastructure for sustainable travel and promoting the use of travel plans.

With regard to cycling, the Essex Transport Strategy considers actions to improve

access for cyclists and pedestrians in particular, and identifies the following

improvements as essential:

 Addressing gaps in existing networks;

 Better linkages for walking and cycling routes within the Public Rights of

Way network;

 Improving signing;

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 Improving crossing facilities; and

 Ensuring that pedestrian routes are accessible for everyone.

The Infrastructure Act 2015 includes a new legal requirement for the Government

to produce a cycling and walking investment strategy. The DfT’s Cycling Delivery

Plan (2014) refers to a new national cycling target, to double the number of

cycling stages (trips) nationally over a 10 year period. This new target will be

adopted by Essex County Council as part of the Essex Cycle Strategy (2015).

Additionally, the Government has introduced a £6bn Local Growth Fund for

cycling and walking. It has also set a target of achieving an annual cycling spend

of £10 to £20 per head of the population. In the Borough this could see between

£1.5m and £2.9m per year spent on improving cycling provision.

2.3.2 Essex Cycle Strategy (2016)

In response to the legal requirement, and also the requirements of the Essex

Transport Strategy, the Essex Cycle Strategy has been prepared with the aim of

setting out a strategy for providing coherent cycle networks. The purpose of the

strategy is to set out the key elements of a long term plan that will lead to a

significant and sustained increase in cycling in Essex, establishing it in the

public’s mind as a ‘normal’ mode of travel, especially for short a-to-b trips, and as

a major participation activity and sport for all ages. The strategy has been

produced in conjunction with Essex County Council, the 12 Essex Districts/

Districts, the two Unitary Authorities (Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock) and other

key stakeholders. It has taken account of current UK policy, data on cycling levels

within Essex and best practice from around the world. Specifically, it commits to:

I. Establishing a coherent, comprehensive and advantageous cycle

network in every major urban area, utilising a combination of on-

carriageway and off-carriageway cycle facilities;

II. Ensuring each Borough or District has an up to date cycling action plan

(renewed every 5 years);

III. Providing well placed and high quality cycle parking at key public

destinations such as town centres, leisure facilities and railway stations;

IV. Ensuring that all new housing includes secure and easily accessible cycle

storage and that new secure cycle storage is facilitated in existing

housing developments;

V. Ensuring that cycling is prioritised over motorised transport in all new

developments – making it easier to carry out short trips by bicycle than

by car. Cycle routes within commercial and residential developments will

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

be more direct and convenient than car routes and will connect in to

existing cycling infrastructure on leaving the site;

VI. Prioritising more frequent and good maintenance of our cycle network;

VII. Providing a clear and consistent standard of good quality, well placed

cycle signage – to an appropriate density, with provision of journey times

as well as distances (to cater for all audiences) where possible;

VIII. Continuing to improve cycle safety at sites with actual and perceived

safety problems; and

IX. Developing an improved mechanism for the reporting of safety issues.

2.4 Local Policy Context

2.4.1 Braintree District Local Development Framework (Core Strategy)

The Core Strategy (adopted September 2011) has been prepared by Braintree

District Council with the involvement of the Local Strategic Partnership in order

to:

 Provide a vision of how Braintree District will change between now and

2026;

 Set out the aims and objectives of the Council and its partners;

 Identify how and where the District will meet its needs for housing,

employment, retail development and community facilities up to 2026;

 Set out the core planning policies, which will underpin the strategy;

 Show how the environment will be protected, notwithstanding the

demands and requirements for growth;

 Show how infrastructure will be provided to support the proposed

development; and

 Show how the strategy will be monitored to ensure that it is achieving its

objectives.

Chapter 2 of the Core Strategy sets out a spatial portrait of Braintree District;

specifically Paragraph 2.13, which describes the network of cycle ways in Witham

and Braintree as ‘fragmented’, including routes along former railway lines in

Braintree, which need to be enhanced in order to provide a co-ordinated

alternative to car transport.

Chapter 3 of the Core Strategy sets out the Vision, Aims and Objectives. It is

noted that most of the growth to be provided within Braintree and Witham,

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

including a new mixed-use neighbourhood to the north-west of Braintree

comprising housing, employment and community uses. This area has been

identified as a Growth Location within Braintree.

The aims of the Core Strategy are:

 Promoting accessibility for all;

 Creating a clean and green environment and addressing climate change;

 Achieving a prosperous local economy; and

 Enabling everyone to enjoy a safe and healthy lifestyle.

The key transport objectives that have formed the basis for the transport policies

set out in the Core Strategy are:

“Accessibility – To reduce the need to travel by locating development in

sustainable locations where it will enable people to access employment, housing,

retail provision, public transport and key services; such as education, healthcare,

recreational facilities and open space”.

“Transport – To make it safer and easier for the community to travel to jobs and

key services by improving sustainable forms of transport such as public transport,

walking and cycling, and seeking to reduce carbon emissions”.

Therefore, formulating a Strategy and Action Plan with regards to improving

cycling provision in Braintree District will help towards achieving these objectives.

In addition, in terms of infrastructure requirements required to support

development up to 2026, ‘footpath cycleway and bridleway provision’ is required

to support all growth in the District, for example at the Panfield Lane growth

location.

2.4.2 Braintree District Draft Local Plan (June 2016)

The Council is currently developing the Local Plan, a new long-term strategy for

the District. The new Local Plan will plan for the growth set out in the

Government’s national planning policy (National Planning Policy Framework),

which requires local authorities to significantly boost the supply of new homes,

providing a presumption in favour of sustainable development, to be supported

by infrastructure, jobs and community facilities.

At a local level, The Local Plan target for new homes in the District is based on

an annual average of 862 homes for the New Local Plan period 2016-2033. The

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

new Local Plan (when it is complete, it will replace the Core Strategy) must ensure

that housing growth is supported by transport infrastructure. The National

Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that the transport system be

balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes such as buses and cycling.

The emerging Local Plan notes that fragmented cycle networks are available in

mainly Witham and Braintree. Cycling is noted as a sustainable mode of

transport, in particular for short journeys, although becoming increasingly popular

for longer commutes in some areas. As well as the benefits in terms of reduced

congestion and pollution, cycling provides health and wellbeing benefits for the

participant and should be encouraged wherever possible. In order to promote

the most sustainable forms of transport, the spatial strategy in the emerging Local

Plan proposes to allocate development in locations where it can be well served

by existing public transport networks and where services may be in close

proximity to facilitate walking and cycling.

The Draft Local Plan states that the internal design of new developments should

prioritise walking and cycling, as well as public transport over private vehicle

movements, to ensure that they encourage shorter internal journeys to take place

by these modes. New developments will also be expected to connect safely and

directly to the existing external footpath and cycle way routes in the local area,

and contributions will be sought as appropriate to improve connections from new

developments to the main commuter, community and retail centres or

recreational links. Public rights of way which are impacted upon by new

development may require protection or enhancement to accommodate new

users.

The emerging Local Plan notes that “there are greater opportunities for short trips

to be made by walking and cycling”, particularly where there is little opportunity

to improve urban road networks and so, address congestion.

Policy SP5 Place Shaping Principles states that all new development should

create well connected places that prioritise the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and

public transport services above use of the private car. Cycle parking will also be

expected to be provided at homes and also at destination points such as work

places, train stations and the town centre

The Sustainable Access for All policy (LPP 36) indicates that sustainable modes

of transport should be facilitated through new developments to promote

accessibility and integration into the wider community and existing networks.

Priority should be given to cycle and pedestrian movements and access to public

transport.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

The public consultation responses to the draft Local Plan are currently being

considered. In early Autumn, it is probable that it will be submitted to the Planning

Inspectorate for consideration with adoption of the Local Plan by the Council

expected in Autumn 2018.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

3 Data Analysis

3.1 Introduction

When planning for cycling infrastructure it is important to first understand current

levels and conditions for cycling. This section includes analysis of:

 2011 Census data;

 The Active People Survey (by Sport England);

 Department for Transport count data;

 The Essex Cycle Monitor database;

 Collision data;

 Cycle crime statistics; and

 Topography.

3.2 Census Data

As part of the 10 year national census, respondents are asked to state their main

mode of travel to work by distance. The 2011 Census results for Essex are shown

in Figure 3.1, below.

Figure 3.1: Braintree cycle to work data 2001 - 2011

As shown in Figure 3.1, based on the 2011 Census data, Braintree has relatively

low to medium levels of people cycling to work when compared with other Essex

0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

3.0%

3.5%

4.0%

4.5%

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

% Cycling Mode Share

Total Cyclists

Total Cycling 2001

Total Cycling 2011

% Cycling 2011

Essex Average

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Districts, with 1101 people cycling to work every day in 2011. In terms of modal

share, 1.5% of all journeys to work are made by bike; however this is lower than

the Essex average of 2.1%.

Cycling to work levels have decreased marginally in the majority of Essex

Districts/ Boroughs between the 2001 and 2011 Census. This slight decline has

been widely observed across many shire counties in England and Wales, despite

the number of people cycling to work growing by 90,000 between 2001 and 2011,

the proportion remained the same at 2.8%. The decline in cycling to work in Essex

and many other shire counties has been attributed to failures in local policy and

a lack of infrastructure

. Whereas, in urban areas, cycling to work increased due

to the implementation of improved infrastructure, thus balancing the decline

experienced in rural areas.

Figure 3.2, below illustrates the mode of travel to work for usual residents of

Braintree District (excluding those who work from home).

Figure 3.2: Main Mode of Travel to Work for usual residents of Braintree District.

The key points regarding how people travel to work are:

 In Braintree District 74% of journeys to work are by car;

 This is followed by walking (10%) and rail (9%), which depends largely on

the level of access to a station; and

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/press-releases/governments-must-get-times-cycling-work-levels-

stagnate-over-10-years

Source: Census, 2011

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

 In Braintree District (and in general across Essex), there is relatively low

usage of bus (2%) and cycling (2%) as the main mode of travel to work.

It should also be noted that journeys to work by cycle within the District are also

lower than that of the average for Essex. Figure 3.3 and Figure 3.4 show the

percentage of people cycling to work by origin within Braintree town and in

Witham, respectively.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 3.3: Percentage of People Cycling to Work in Braintree

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 3.4: Percentage of People Cycling to Work in Witham

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

3.3 Sport England Active People Survey

Sport England carry out an Active People Survey annually, which involves

interviewing 500 people from every District in England about their propensity to

do physical activity. It is the largest survey of sport and active recreation in

Europe.

Figure 3.5 shows 2010-2013 average propensity to cycle at least once per month

for any purpose based on the Sport England data. The results show that across

Essex, Braintree has relatively high levels of residents cycling at least once a

month in the county.

Figure 3.5: Propensity to Cycle at Least Once per Month (2010-2013)

3.4 Essex Cycle Monitor

Essex County Council has an established network of over 50 cycle monitor

counters located across the five urban areas of Basildon, Braintree, Chelmsford,

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0

Basildon

Braintree

Brentwood

Castle Point

Chelmsford

Colchester

Epping Forest

Harlow

Maldon

Rochford

Southend-on-Sea

Tendring

Thurrock

Uttlesford

Percentage cycling

Source: Sport England

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Colchester and Harlow. The count sites continuously record hourly total cycle

flow data and have a baseline of 2007.

Cycle flow data for routes within Braintree town has been extracted from the

Braintree Cycle Monitor Database. The locations of the monitoring sites in

Braintree are shown in Figure 3.6. Figure 3.7 shows May to October total 7-day

flows by urban area.

Figure 3.6: Locations of monitoring sites in Braintree

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 3.7: Essex Cycle Monitor 2007-2015

Together, the cycle monitor sites have observed a 17% increase between 2007

and 2015. Levels in Braintree significantly increased in the period 2012 to 2015,

from 1,800 cycle per week to 3,400 cycles per week, but fell back to 1,900 cycles

per week in 2016.

Table 3.1 below, provides a summary of average weekday two-way cycle flows

per month per site for the years 2011 to 2015. The monitoring Sites 2000010

and 2000011 on B1256 Coggeshall Road have been combined to give two-way

flows.

From Table 3.1, it can be seen that the busiest cycling corridor is Coggeshall

Road. It is noted that there is no cycle lane provision along this road. The

predominant cycle flow, (70%), was recorded to be westbound, e.g. towards

Braintree Town Centre. In addition, cycle flows along Coggeshall Road are

relatively consistent month by month, except in December where the 5-year

average decreases by approximately 20% from the summer peak.

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

May

- Oct Cycle Flows

Harlow Colchester Chelmsford Braintree Basildon

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Table 3.1: Five Year Average Cycle Flows (Daily Average per Month, Per Site)

Month

5 Year Daily Average (2011-2015) Cycle Flows (Weekdays, Per Month Per Site)

Flitch Way

Site No:

02000001

Rosemary

Avenue

Site No:

02000004

Tortoiseshell

Way

Site No:

02000006

Millennium

Way

Site No:

02000007

Coggeshall Rd,

Sites No:

02000010 &

02000011

TOTAL

(5 year

Average)

January

240

391

February

236

402

March

232

451

April

118

102

223

523

May

117

109

249

551

June

136

116

252

590

July

151

120

241

607

August

165

104

135

237

677

September

116

118

246

570

October

101

238

489

November

105

263

502

December

209

361

Total

1151

707

182

1209

2865

6114

By comparison, the other monitoring sites (all of which are off-road), show that

cycle flows noticeably fluctuate month by month. This implies that Coggeshall

Road is a relatively well-used cycling corridor, utilised by commuters who cycle

to the town centre. The cycle flow profile for all the other sites was broadly similar

with higher cycle flows recorded during the summer months, while the lower cycle

flows were recorded during the winter months, particularly between December

and February.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

In terms of total cycling flows in Braintree, the five monitoring stations captured,

on average, approximately 6060 cycling trips in 2011 and despite some

decreases in between, this has grown by 7.5% to 6511 in 2015. Figure 3.8 shows

total cycling flows (all sites, weekdays) between 2011 and 2015.

Figure 3.8: Yearly Cycle Flow Profile (2011-2015)

It can be seen that the yearly profiles roughly follow the same pattern, with the

exception of the period of July – August in 2012 and 2015, when cycling flows

increased more than other years. There is also a spike in November 2015. These

spikes in cycling activity could perhaps be attributed to better than expected

weather conditions.

2016 (7 day average) data for four sites in Braintree (Flitch Way, Rosemary

Avenue, Tortoiseshell Way and Millenium Way) indicate that levels of cycling

along Flitch Way are highest in the summer months. There is less variation along

Millennium Way, Rosemary Avenue and Tortoiseshell Way, although the summer

months do attract more cyclists in general, as would be expected (Figure 3.9).

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

Monthly Average Cycling Flows

Two-way weekday cycling flows - all sites

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2011 - 2015 Avg.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 3.9: 7 Day Average Cycle Flows in Braintree (2016)

3.5 DfT Count Data

The Department for Transport (DfT) collects vehicular flow data at various

locations on the road network around the country. These counts record all

vehicles using the carriageway, including cyclists.

Using DfT Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) data, information pertaining to

numerous locations within the district was taken. The data provides a snapshot

overview of the cycle usage along particular routes within the district.

In Braintree the two largest counts are to the east and south-east of the town:

 Cressing Road, between Leywood Close and Warren Road, where an

annual average daily flow of 175 cyclists was recorded; and

 Coggeshall Road between Dallwood Way and Cressing Road, where an

annual average daily flow of 131 cyclists was recorded.

The high flows at these locations and Rayne Road (below) could be

accommodated by a potential Flagship Route treatment. This is considered in

Section 8 of this report.

In addition, relatively high cyclist counts were recorded at the following locations:

 Rayne Road between junctions with Hunnable Road and Peel Crescent:

AADF of 108 cyclists;

100

120

140

160

180

200

7 day average cycle flows (2016)

Flitch Way Rosemary Avenue Tortoiseshell Way Millennium Way

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

 Coldnailhurst Avenue between junctions with Lancaster Way and

Alexander Road: AADF of 92 cyclists (this high level of flow will be

addressed by potential Scheme 37); and

 South Street at the junction with Fairfield Road and Station Approach:

AADF of 89 cyclists. This is noted as a key barrier to cycle access to the

railway station. It forms part of the potential Flagship Route.

In Witham, fewer counts were taken as a result of its size in comparison to

Braintree. The three highest counts are as follows:

 Powers Hall End, between junctions with Saxon Drive and Church Street:

AADF of 50 cyclists;

 Howbridge Road between junctions with Bridge Street and Tudor Close:

AADF of 37 cyclists; and

 Armond Road between junctions with Stourton Road and Barnardiston

Way: AADF of 25 cyclists. Potential Scheme 13 will address this demand.

The three largest AADF counts for Halstead are:

 Tidings Hill between Ronald Road and Rayners Way: AADF of 55 cyclists;

 A131 High Street at the junction with A1124 Hedingham Road and

Parsonage Street: AADF of 41 cyclists; and

 A1124 Colchester Road at the junction with Nether Court: AADF of 34

cyclists.

Figure 3.10 and Figure 3.11 show the existing AADF count locations and cycle

data for Braintree and Witham, respectively.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 3.10: Braintree existing cycle infrastructure and collitsions (PICs)

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 3.11: Witham existing cycle infrastructure and collisions (PICs)

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

3.6 Collision Data

Fear of personal injury is often cited as a barrier to cycling but whilst this is an

important issue, it is useful to use statistics rather than just perception to direct

improvements to highway infrastructure to improve the cycling environment. The

location of cycling personal injury collisions also serves to identify where cyclists

are travelling in higher numbers which can be useful when deciding where to

prioritise new infrastructure.

Table 3.2 shows the number of recorded Personal Injury Collisions (PICs)

involving cyclists by District for the 5 year period between August 2012 and July

2017. Note that the figures below for ‘Essex’ exclude the Unitary Authorities of

Southend and Thurrock, figures for ‘Greater Essex’ include these areas.

Table 3.2: Personal Injury Collisions involving Cyclists Aug 2012 – July 2017

Fatal

Serious

Slight

Grand

Total

% of total

cycle

accidents in

Greater

Essex

Number

cycling to

work

% of total

cycling to

work in

Greater

Essex

BASILDON

135

172

1412

BRAINTREE

129

1070

BRENTWOOD

320

CASTLE POINT

631

CHELMSFORD

194

252

12%

2486

14%

COLCHESTER

227

299

15%

3310

19%

EPPING FOREST

105

142

482

HARLOW

1018

MALDON

548

ROCHFORD

498

SOUTHEND

266

330

16%

2260

13%

TENDRING

117

148

1683

10%

THURROCK

101

136

1078

UTTLESFORD

433

ESSEX

412

1285

1709

13891

GREATER ESSEX

475

1551

2039

100%

17229

100%

Braintree experiences an average rate of cycle collisions when compared to the

other Districts and Boroughs within Essex, with a total of 129 PICs recorded

Source: ONS Cycling to Work Summary Table, taken from Census Table CT0015EW.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

during the 5 year period. To provide context to these figures, a county-wide high

of 299 PICs was seen in Colchester, and a low of 57 in Brentwood. Incidents in

urban areas are more prominent than those occurring in rural areas. Incidents

are also greater in areas with higher levels of cycling. The level of PICs involving

cyclists accounts for 6% of the total in greater Essex, which is in line with the

amount of cycling to work that occurs in Braintree District (6% of Greater Essex).

3.7 Collision Clusters

This section analyses clusters of incidents involving cyclists within Braintree

District. (e.g. when two or more incidents have occurred in a particular location).

Clusters identified for Braintree District and Braintree town for the 36 month

period from November 2011 are included below in Table 3.3.

Table 3.3: Braintree cycle collision clusters

Junction name

No.

recorded

incidents

Severity

Incident

correlation ?

(Y/N)

Description of correlated

incidents

Braintree District

Collingwood Rd/

The Avenue

2 Slight

Drivers fail to observe cyclists

negotiating roundabout, resulting

in a collision with cyclists and

pulling out onto the junction

Maldon Rd/ The

Grove

2 Slight

A1124 Upper

Holt St/

Collingwood Rd

1 Slight,

2 Serious

Drivers fail to give way to cyclists

which are turning right onto

Coggeshall Road, approaching the

junction from the west. Cars

approach from east.

Braintree Town

Market Place/

Fairfield Road

2 Slight

Within the rural areas of Braintree District there were three clusters, totalling

seven recorded collisions. A total of two of the three clusters in the rural areas

display correlations in the descriptions of their respective incidents. The locations

are as follows:

 Collingwood Road / The Avenue; and

 A1124 Upper Holt Street / Coggeshall Road.

Both clusters have formed through drivers failing to observe cyclists at the

junction and subsequently colliding with them.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Braintree town sees one collision cluster forming within the 36 months. It

comprises of two recorded collisions both of which were slight in severity. Unlike

two of the clusters within the rural areas, there is no correlation between the two

recorded incidents.

No collision clusters were identified within Witham.

3.8 Cycle collisions along routes

Table 3.4 displays the list of cycle collisions along routes in Braintree District,

within the 36 month period from November 2011.

Table 3.4: Cycle collisions along routes

Section

Approx length

of section

No.

collisions

Severity

Existing cycle route ?

Braintree Town

Cressign Rd: j/w

Hay Lane South

– Stubbs lane

0.48 km

2 Slight

No-but forms part of potential

advisory cycle lane route

(scheme 12)

Mountbatten

Rd: j/w Orion

Way –

Coggeshall Rd

1.1 km

2 Slight

No-but forms part of potential

quietway route (scheme 20)

London Rd: j/w

Queenborough

Lane – j/w

Tortoiseshell

Way

0.64 km

2 Slight

Yes-forms part of segregated

off-road section of NCN Route

Witham

Gershwin

Boulevard-

Maltings Lane:

j/w Hawkes Rd-

j/w Pondholton

Drive

1.1 km

2 Slight,

1 Serious

Yes-existing off road route

Collingwood

Road-j/w The

Avenue and

Guithavon

Valley

100 m

2 Slight

Spinks Lane –

j/w Epping Way

and B1389

500 m

2 Slight

Table 3.4 shows that within Braintree town, there are three specific road stretches

where there have been two or more recorded cycle collisions over the 36 month

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

period. Only one of these locations is marked as an existing cycle route. In

particular, the stretch of London Road has seen two recorded cycle collisions

over three years, despite the existence of an off-road cycle route.

Within Witham, there are three specific road stretches where there have been

two or more recorded cycle collisions over the three year period. Only one of

these locations is marked as an existing cycle route. In particular, the stretch of

Gershwin Boulevard has seen three recorded cycle collisions over three years,

despite the provision of an off-road cycle route.

Figure 3.10 and Figure 3.11 display the distribution of recorded cycle collisions in

Braintree and Witham respectively.

3.9 Cycle Crime

Cycle crime (mainly theft) is reported both to Essex Police and British Transport

Police, though it should be noted that cycle thefts are generally considered to be

under reported. Figures for both these constabularies are combined by District in

Table 3.5 below.

Note that the figures below for ‘Essex’ exclude the Unitary Authorities of

Southend and Thurrock, figures for ‘Greater Essex’ include these areas.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Table 3.5: Reported cycle crime by District

All Essex Reported

Cycle Thefts

2013

2014*

Year

ending

June

2016

Year

ending

June

2017

% of all

cycle thefts

in Greater

Essex

(2017)

Annual

number of

cycle thefts

per cycle

commuter

Basildon

221

208

173

203

0.15

Braintree

116

160

154

0.15

Brentwood

0.23

Castle Point

0.13

Chelmsford

292

274

334

450

17%

0.19

Colchester

355

373

247

390

15%

0.12

Epping Forest

0.12

Harlow

127

108

166

244

0.25

Maldon

0.04

Rochford

0.05

Southend-on-Sea

450

326

403

467

18%

0.22

Tendring

180

167

124

160

0.10

Thurrock

217

205

251

235

0.23

Uttlesford

0.07

Essex

1546

1521

1458

1877

0.14

Greater Essex

2213

2052

2112

2579

100%

0.16

*to Nov 20

only

2. Based on 2017 thefts and ONS Census 2011 Journey to work by cycle total for District/

Borough/ City (ONS Cycling to Work Summary Table, taken from Census Table CT0015EW)

When compared to Essex as a whole, cycle crime in Braintree is relatively low,

accounting for 6% of the county’s total. Overall, 154 crimes were recorded in

2017, a reduction of 6 compared to the previous year, which amounts to 0.15

annual cycle thefts per commuter. This figure is the 6

highest in the county. .

The number of thefts per cycle trip would be much lower if it were to be compared

with all cycle trips, as this figure is based on 2011 Journey to Work data and does

not include leisure trips, children cycling to school and people cycling part of their

journey to work but not being recorded.

3.10 Topography

There are a number of factors which determine the popularity of cycling in any

given area. Of the geographical factors, by far the most significant is topography,

as identified in many research studies and policy statements. These include

research carried out by Dr John Parkin who concluded; ‘hilliness was found to be,

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

by far, the most significant determiner of the proportion that cycled to work in a

District’

Braintree, Witham, and Halstead all display similar characteristics in terms of their

topography, with each experiencing an elevation change of approximately 30m

throughout the town. These changes are likely to be due to the presence of rivers.

All three town centres are located on the areas of the highest elevation which

may act to suppress cycling for some. However, the inclines involved are

relatively shallow and the increase in height is small.

Figure 3.10 and Figure 3.11 show the topography of Braintree and Witham,

respectively.

Parkin, J. Wardman, M and Matthew, P. (2008) Estimation of the determinents of bicycle mode

share for the journey to work using census data. Transportation, 35 (1). pp. 93-109.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

4 Existing Network Provision and Barriers

4.1 Introduction

This section provides an overview of the existing cycle infrastructure within

Braintree District as well as identifying various barriers to cycling.

The District of Braintree is situated in the north of Essex. Covering approximately

612 square kilometres, Braintree District is the second largest Essex authority in

terms of geographical area but only the fifth most populated of the 12 Essex local

authorities. The District consists of the two large market towns of Braintree and

Halstead, along with the 1970’s urban ‘expanded town’ of Witham,

interconnected with many smaller villages and urban areas. The District is served

by five rail stations, located at Braintree, Braintree Freeport, Hatfield Peverel,

Kelvedon and Witham.

4.2 Cycling in Braintree District

Some cycling infrastructure is currently provided within the District; however most

of this is concentrated in the south of the District, specifically in and around the

settlements of Braintree and Witham. National Route 16 (Stansted – Braintree –

Witham & Southend-on-Sea - Shoeburyness), which is part of the National Cycle

Network (NCN), links Braintree to Witham via rural roads and off-road cycle lanes.

The route utilises The Flitch Way, a disused railway line between Braintree and

Bishop’s Stortford; The Flitch Way accommodates cycling and pedestrian traffic

moving east / west and provides easy access to Braintree railway station.

Cycle Essex Route 2 forms a circuit from the south west of Braintree to Stansted

airport in the west. The route within Braintree District is predominantly on-road,

apart from the section utilising Flitch Way.

Cycle hire is available from Great Notley Country Park during school holidays

between April and November through TrailNet.

Figure 4.1 and Figure 4.2 show the existing cycle routes in Braintree town and

Witham, respectively.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 4.1 Existing cycle infrastructure in Braintree Town

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 4.2: Existing cycle infrastructure in Witham Town

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

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4.3 Key Barriers to Cycling in Braintree District

4.3.1 Road severance

The District is bisected by the A120 trunk road which is dual carriageway between

the M11 and Marks Farm roundabout to the east of Braintree. From there to the

junction with the A12, the A120 is single carriageway and is currently the subject

of a study to identify a new route for an improved A120, which will involve major

highway improvements, by 2025. Although off-road cycle infrastructure is in place

to safely traverse the A120, these crossings are limited in number, thereby

lengthening journey times and the distances required to travel. These off-road

crossing points are restricted to the Flitch Way which forms part of NCN National

Route 16.

Apart from Braintree, Halstead and Witham, the District itself is largely rural in

character. This is reflected in the roads which comprise of low flow, yet National

Speed Limit roads. The higher speed limits here may discourage cyclists, despite

the lack of traffic relative to the urban areas.

4.3.2 .Rail severance

The Great Eastern Mainline and the Braintree Branch Line are situated in the

southern area of the District while the Gainsborough line is situated in the north

eastern corner of the district. These railway lines create a degree of severance

within the District. This is more relevant to the Braintree branch as the Great

Eastern Mainline runs parallel to the southern boundary of the district. From

Braintree Town to Witham the provision of crossing points is limited. Where

crossings are provided, they are at-grade (level crossings) accessed via quiet,

rural roads.

4.4 Braintree Town – existing cycle network

The cycle network within Braintree itself is largely fragmented with little evidence

(e.g. signage) of continuous routes except for National Route 16 in the south-

west of the town which operates along Flitch Way and along the River Brain.

Many routes begin and end abruptly meaning that connectivity is generally poor.

Northern areas of the town in particular have a prominent lack of cycling facilities

in place.

The photographs in Figure 4.3 and Figure 4.4Figure 4.4 highlight the lack of

connectivity for cycle traffic at Flitch Way / London Road and Flitch Way / Jersey

Way and at King George Field / Cressing Road and Panfield Lane / Town centre.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 4.3: Lack of cycle connectivity at Flitch Way (junctions with London Road

& Jersey Way)

Figure 4.4: Lack of connectivity at King George Field / Cressing Rd and Panfield

Ln / Town centre

4.5 Braintree Town – cycle accessibility

4.5.1 Access to public transport – Braintree Rail Station

Braintree Railway Station is located approximately 600m to the south of the town

centre with off-road cycle access possible from the south and west through

National Route 16. Facilities connecting the station and the town centre/additional

areas of the town are relatively poor.

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Braintree District

In terms of cycle parking facilities, the station currently has 32 Sheffield stand

spaces and 20 rack spaces. All cycling parking is covered. During a site visit to

Braintree it was observed that the Sheffield stands were at capacity but the racks

were barely utilised with only two bicycles parked on the racks as shown in Figure

4.5.

Figure 4.5: Cycling parking at Braintree railway station

4.5.2 Access to public transport – Braintree Freeport Rail Station

The second station in the town is Braintree Freeport, located 1.7 km from the

town centre. A total of four Sheffield stands have been provided at the station

with an additonal 14 Sheffield stands provided near the station, adjacent to the

pedestrian crossing leading into the Freeport shopping centre. These stands

provide approximately 36 cycle parking spaces in total which are all covered, as

shown in Figure 4.6.

Figure 4.6: Cycle parking provision at Braintree Freeport rail station

Cycle access to Braintree Freeport is relatively good and includes a step free

bridge (shared with pedestrians) over the railway line which connects with off-

road cycle routes and the Freeport Braintree shopping centre in the east.

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4.6 Access to employment in Braintree

There are three main centres of employment in Braintree, located in the north-

western (Springwood Industrial Estate), central (Braintree town centre) and

south-eastern (Braintree Freeport) areas of the town. Cycle connections to the

three are poor, with isolated sections of off-road routes infrequently bordering

them.

4.7 Access to educational institutions in Braintree

Many of the schools and colleges within Braintree are poorly served by the cycle

network. This is especially apparent with Braintree College which is located in the

north of the town, an area which is lacking cycle infrastructure.

4.8 Access to future developments in Braintree

A new Braintree District Local Plan is currently being developed, which will bring

together all major planning policy for the District in one single document during

the period 2017 - 2033. However, there is potential for significant already-

committed development on the edges of Braintree town. All of these are

separated from existing infrastructure. The largest committed development is on

the north-western fringe of the town. Panfield Lane (600 homes) has an off-road

cycle route on its southern boundary, yet this route is not connected to other

cycling facilities.

4.9 Witham – existing cycle network

The cycle network within Witham itself is largely fragmented with little evidence

of cohesive and continuous routes except for NCN National Route 16 which

traverses the town centre, east to west.

Generally, the main barriers to cycling in Witham are narrow roads in the town

centre and narrow bridges crossing railway lines, particularly at the main station

interchange.

Many routes begin and end abruptly or are self-contained within new housing

developments which results in poor overall connectivity for the town; examples of

which are included in Figure 4.7. Northern and eastern areas of the town in

particular have a prominent lack of cycling facilities in place.

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Figure 4.7: Lack of connectivity between existing routes in Witham: Highfields

Road and Cypress Road.

4.10 Witham cycling accessibility

4.10.1 Access to public transport – Witham station

The town is served by Witham station which is located on the junction of the Great

Eastern Mainline and the Braintree branch line. It is approximately 1km north of

the town centre. Although the station is not directly connected to any cycling

facilities, it is located 200m from NCN National Route 16. Cycle parking

infrastructure is provided at the station and is comprised of 80 Sheffield Stand

spaces.

It should be noted that the station can accommodate up to 400 cars suggesting

that the station is predominantly used by commuters from the town and

surrounding areas. The 2015 Braintree Transport Strategy identified that

considerable numbers of London commuters from Braintree drive to Witham

station to use the higher frequency service from Witham to London.

4.10.2 Access to employment in Witham

Located centrally and to the east of the town respectively, there are two prominent

employment centres in Witham (town centre and various industrial and light

industrial areas at Eastways, Coleman’s bridge and Moss Road). Cycling

infrastructure is sporadic for both with disconnected sections and few off-road

routes. The town centre is surrounded by a number of cycle routes but these do

not connect to the centre itself.

In contrast, the northern section of the main employment centre to the east of the

town is situated on an off-road section of NCN National Route 16 which provides

access to the rail station and western areas of Witham.

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4.10.3 Access to future developments in Witham

There are 1100 dwellings proposed for the Witham area over the next 5 years;

North East Witham (350 homes) to the north of the town, and Lodge Farm (750

homes) to the south-west. The former is to be isolated from the town’s existing

cycling infrastructure, necessitating on-road cycling to the main employment

centres and the rail station. Lodge Farm lies adjacent to the existing off-road cycle

network which serves the residential areas of the south of the town. Currently this

network does not connect with any cycling infrastructure.

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5 Braintree District’s Cycling Potential

5.1 Introduction

This section provides a summary of the existing travel behaviours within Braintree

District, as well as identifying the potential for cycling.

5.2 Commuter flow analysis

The 2011 Census records how residents choose to travel to work as well as the

location of their workplace. The aim of analysing this information is to establish

where the predominant local commuter movements exist that could feasibly be

undertaken by bicycle. This data can then be used to assess the commuter cycle

potential for an area.

The predominant commuter flows for Braintree District have been calculated

based on travel between Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs). As journeys

to work take place to and from all MSOAs within the district, only the top 10 most

popular commuter journeys per mode have been highlighted.

It has been assumed that commuters would choose the same route and mode of

travel to work (in the AM) as they do to return from work (in the PM).

The following sections include the results of this commuter flows analysis.

5.2.1 Cycle trips

Although the numbers are relatively low, six of the ten most popular District-wide

commuter journeys by bicycle were made within Braintree town, three were made

in Witham and one in Coggeshall (27 cycle commuter journeys).

Figure 5.1 displays the predominant commuter flows for journeys to work by cycle

within Braintree Town and Figure 5.2 displays the main commuter flows by cycle

within Witham.

Within Braintree town, most commuter cycle journeys originate in the centre and

North West parts of town. The main destinations for cycle commuting are the

industrial areas to the west and the town centre.

Within Witham, the most prominent cycle commuter flows originate from northern,

southern and western areas, indicating that demand is fairly evenly distributed

throughout the town. These popular commuter journeys by bicycle are made to

Witham town centre and industrial areas to the east.

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Figure 5.1: Journey to Work by Cycle in Braintree (Census 2011)

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 5.2: Journey to Work by Cycle in Witham (Census 2011)

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

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Braintree District

5.2.2 Car Trips

A total of seven of the ten most popular District-wide commuter journeys by car

were made within Braintree town, the remaining three were made in Witham.

Within Braintree town, the higher levels of car use originate from large residential

areas where levels of cycling infrastructure are generally low, or are poorly

connected to the local network. This is evident in the north-east of the town,

where a combined 549 car commuter journeys were made to Springwood

Industrial Estate, Manor Road industrial area and the town centre (combined).

Furthermore, there is reasonably high car commuting demand from the

residential areas in the south west and south to Braintree town centre and Manor

Road industrial area. Figure 5.3 displays the predominant commuter flows for

journeys to work by car within Braintree Town.

Within Witham, the most prominent car commuter flows originate from northern,

southern and western areas, indicating that commuting demand is fairly evenly

distributed throughout the town. All these popular commuter journeys by car are

made to Witham town centre and the industrial areas on the east of the town.

Figure 5.4 displays the predominant commuter flows for journeys to work by car

within Witham.

Importantly, it has to be noted that all the predominant commuter car flows within

the District are short distance trips (5km or less) which could easily be undertaken

by cycle.

Note that cross district boundary analysis for car drivers has been excluded, as

the top 10 most popular origin / destination journeys to work by car all occurred

within the district.

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Figure 5.3: Journey to Work by Car in Braintree (Census 2011)

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 5.4: Journey to Work by Car in Witham (Census 2011)

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

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Braintree District

5.2.3 Rail trips

In many cases, cycling can form a key part of commuter rail journeys. The 2011

Census only records main mode by distance, therefore assumptions must be

made when analysing journeys that would be multi-modal. Where commuters

have stated their main mode of travel to work to be by rail, it has been assumed

that rail commuters would predominantly choose the closest station to them,

unless a main line station is located within a similar proximity. In such a case, it

is assumed the preference would be the main line station.

An additional assessment has been made which excludes a percentage of rail

commuters living within 1km of the rail station, as it is expected the majority of

those people would walk to the rail station.

Rail station commuter station choice within Braintree town is difficult to establish,

considering an unknown percentage of rail commuters from Braintree drive to

Witham to access the more frequent rail services to / from London.

As well as Braintree and Witham, high rail commuter flows were recorded in

Hatfield Peverel, where the cycle potential is perceived to be low due to the

majority of the town being within 1km of the rail station. In addition, Coggeshall

featured highly and since Coggeshall has no dedicated rail station it is assumed

residents would drive to Witham or Kelvedon to access rail stations.

However, it is assumed that rail commuters who reside in Witham do travel to

Witham rail station to access the train services. For that reason, rail commuting

destinations have not been taken into consideration for Braintree town. However,

the census did reveal the highest single MSOA rail commuting total in Braintree

town to be 296 people.

Figure 5.5 displays the origin of prominent commuter flow origins for journeys to

work by rail within Braintree town, discounting their station choice destinations.

Within Witham, the largest flow originates from the southern section of the town

where a total of 871 commuters originate. In addition, 410 commuters originate

from the residential areas in the north and 266 from the west. The high number

of rail commuters from the south is the highest single MSOA rail commuter total

within the district.

All the predominant commuter rail flows within Witham are short distance trips

(5km or less). Figure 5.6 displays the predominant commuter flows for journeys

to work by train for residents who live in Witham.

Cycling Action Plan

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Figure 5.5: Journey to Work by Rail in Braintree

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

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Braintree District

Figure 5.6: Journey to Work by Rail in Witham

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

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Braintree District

5.2.4 Halstead Commuter Flows

Halstead has not been included in this analysis, as it features outside the top 10

commuter flow areas within the district. However, analysis of the data shows that

the highest commuter demands are from car drivers living and working within the

town. All car driver journeys within Halstead are less than 4km.

5.3 MOSAIC Propensity to Cycle – Braintree Town

Market segmentation is concerned with grouping together a diverse range of

people to understand their current behaviour and the likelihood and triggers for

maintaining or changing how they act in the future.

The MOSAIC Cycling Segmentation was developed for TfL by Steer Davies

Gleave as an aid to cycling policy development, planning, implementation and

evaluation. This was required to help target opportunity areas to best increase

mode share and assist in increasing trips.

The MOSAIC Cycling Segmentation classifies the population into seven

segments, each with a different propensity to cycle e.g. those in the ‘Urban Living’

segment are 4.6 times more likely to be a cyclist than those in the ‘Comfortable

Maturity’ segment. This can then be applied to postcodes and displayed on

mapping as shown in Figure 5.7 and Figure 5.8.

The MOSAIC data for Braintree shows that propensity to cycle is high in Braintree

town, most notably in central areas, in the vicinity of Railway Street and

Trinovantian Way. There are also isolated pockets of high propensity in the north-

east, and southern areas. South-western and sporadic eastern locales

experience low propensity.

Cycling Action Plan

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Figure 5.7: MOSAIC Analysis – Propensity to Cycle in Braintree

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 5.8: MOSAIC Analysis – Propensity to cycle in Witham

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

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Braintree District

5.4 Summary of potential

5.4.1 Braintree Town

As identified above, there are a significant number of people driving short

distances (5km or less) to access work within Braintree town. The majority of

these trips occur from the north east and southern sides of Braintree town and

are focused on the town centre and industrial areas to the west and could be

undertaken by non-motorised modes (cycling or walking). Figure 5.9 shows the

cycle desire lines for Braintree town.

Therefore, providing improved cycle routes and marketing targeted towards car

drivers residing in those locations could provide the biggest gains in terms of

mode shift towards cycling in Braintree town.

5.4.2 Witham

A significant number of people drive short distances (5km or less) to access work

within Witham. These trips originate from the north, west and southern sides of

the town and are focused on the town centre and industrial areas to the east. In

addition, the major rail demand is coming from the same areas, in particular the

south of the town. Figure 5.10 shows the cycle desire lines for Witham.

Therefore, providing improved cycle routes and marketing targeted towards car

drivers and rail commuters residing in those locations could provide the biggest

gains in terms of mode shift towards cycling in Witham.

As identified above, low cycle commuting levels were recorded across the town.

Therefore, cycle access to the town centre and employment should be assessed

to promote more cycle journeys

Cycling Action Plan

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Figure 5.9: Cycling Desire Lines in Braintree

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 5.10 Cycling Desire Lines in Witham

Existing Cycle Network as of March 2015

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Braintree District

6 Potential Infrastructure Improvements

6.1 Background

In order to remove barriers to cycling and provide suitable infrastructure, it is

essential that all new developments in the District have good quality, cycle-

friendly routes to key services, railway stations and areas of employment. To this

end, all potential developments associated with the Braintree New Local Plan

2017-2033 should contribute towards creating a wider network of cycle friendly

routes with provision along key corridors and desire lines.

A coordinated approach should be taken, whereby development planning and

highway scheme delivery in Braintree District is linked with infrastructure

provision, complemented by soft measures that promote cycling as part of a

range of alternatives to single-occupancy car travel.

This CAP is proposing a network of strategic cycle routes, as well as identifying,

within this, specific Flagship Routes. These Flagship Routes for the District of

Braintree are described later in this report, in Section 8.

6.2 Potential cycle routes

Proposals for new cycle routes have been made to help create a step-change in

cycling conditions across the District. These might include signed routes (with

journey times and surface markings), networks of interconnected cycle routes on

quiet residential streets, filtered permeability (e.g. convenient cut-throughs and

contraflows) and, where appropriate, 2

generation cycling infrastructure, such

as Dutch, Danish or light segregation. Infrastructure improvements have been

considered for the urban areas of Braintree, Witham and Halstead.

6.3 Methodology Statement

The potential routes have not, at this stage, been subject to detailed scheme

design or feasibility, they are the result of an initial scoping study which is

recommending a strategic network. In some instances, the Sustrans Design

Manual has been used to inform provision, particularly with regard to the

acceptable provision related to traffic speed and volume conditions in specific

locations.

Where traffic volume and speed data is available, the potential schemes have

been subjected to Sustrans design principles, which recommend the type of

scheme that should be considered under those conditions (Figure 6.1). Traffic

volume and speed may influence the decision on the need to segregate cyclists

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

from other traffic. For example, where low speeds and traffic volumes are

evident, there is no need to segregate cycle and other traffic and a shared

carriageway is acceptable. As traffic speeds and volumes increase, cycle lanes

are found to be more desirable, until the threshold is reached whereby physical

segregation is required. Beyond this point, where 85 percentile traffic speeds

exceed 40mph, and/ or volumes exceed 9500 vehicles/ day (or 950 vehicles/

hour), conditions become unsuitable for cycling on the carriageway and physical

segregation with a verge is necessary. Where traffic volume and speed data are

not currently available, it may be necessary to undertake a traffic survey to

determine the provision that is required.

Figure 6.1: Sustrans Recommendations for Segregation and Traffic Flow

In some locations, it has been noted that cycle-friendly crossings will be required.

In most instances, further work and traffic surveys will be required to enable the

exact type of crossing provision to be determined.

*There are some examples where footway/ footpath conversions to shared use

have been identified. The conversion of footpaths and footways to permit bicycle

Sustrans Design Manual. Handbook for cycle-friendly design, Sustrans, April 2014

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

use is not regarded as a general or area-wide remedy, but has been confined to

specific links and locations. It is recommended that where footpaths conversion

and/ or footway conversion to shared use is considered then further studies are

undertaken to demonstrate that alternative options have been discounted and

that clear benefits can be derived. In such situations, it is vital that the benefits

to the cyclist are balanced against the increased risk and inconvenience to

pedestrians.

ECC aims to limit the use of footway conversion/ shared use paths and Engineers

and Designers should first consider alternative options.

A full list of recommended schemes can be found in Table 7.1, Table 7.2 and

Table 7.3. The locations of these routes are shown in Figure 6.2, Figure 6.3 and

Figure 6.4.

6.4 Construction Design and Management (CDM)

The potential new cycle routes identified in this CAP all require further feasibility

assessment before they can be finalised or confirmed. In some cases, the

alignment of the routes may need to be amended to ensure that the safest

scheme design, in terms of operation, construction design and management, is

identified. In some cases, a route might need to be deleted entirely, if it is

determined that CDM risks cannot be reasonably mitigated through early design

stages.

Some of the potential routes are alongside or cross features such as high speed

roads, water courses or railway lines and may either require a new structure or

widening of an existing structure in order to be implemented. It is recognised

that these features raise the potential for significant risk (and indeed cost)

during construction and operational management and they will need to be given

particular consideration during the feasibility assessment.

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Figure 6.2: Existing and Potential Cycle Routes in Braintree

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Braintree District

Figure 6.3: Existing and Potential Cycle Routes in Witham

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Figure 6.4: Existing and Potential Cycle Routes in Halstead

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7 Prioritisation and Costings of Potential

Schemes

7.1 Prioritising Schemes

The potential schemes have been prioritised according to four criteria of their

design:

 Deliverability;

 Directness;

 Extension of existing network; and

 Key attractors.

A score of high, medium or low has been given for each potential scheme against

each of the prioritisation elements. It was then possible to determine the overall

prioritisation score for each scheme (again, scoring each potential scheme as

high, medium or low).

7.2 Deliverability

The deliverability of a scheme has been assessed according to land ownership

issues, which will determine how easy the scheme will be to deliver:

 H: High being a scheme that lies wholly within the highway boundary,

straightforward to deliver, with no land ownership issues.

 M: Medium being any route that requires conversion of Public Rights of

Way (PROW); and

 L: Low being any scheme which is likely to encounter private land

ownership issues, or requires a singular large expense, such as a bridge.

7.3 Directness

The directness of the route is considered in terms of where it is proposed to

provide access to, for instance a town centre or a railway station:

 H: High being a scheme that provides direct access, using as short a

distance as reasonably possible, or could provide a real improvement on

the corresponding car journey time;

 M: Medium being a link route, providing access to the main radial cycle

route(s);

 L: Low being indirect routes, which are routed along relatively longer

distances.

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7.4 Extension of existing network

The extent to which a potential route extends the existing network is considered

against this criteria:

 H: High being a route which extends, or fills a gap in, the existing network;

 L: Low being a route which is isolated and/ or unlinked to the existing

network.

It should be noted that in some urban areas, for example Halstead, there is little

or no existing network to connect to, so most of the potential schemes will achieve

a low score in this case.

7.5 Key attractors

Under this criteria, the number of key attractors that a route connects is

considered. Key attractors include town centres, other urban areas, railway

stations, secondary schools/ education facilities, employment (including

hospitals), and leisure destinations (parks, sports centres, etc.). The scoring is

undertaken as follows:

 H: High being a route which connects to three attractors;

 M: Medium being a route which connects to two of these attractors; and

 L: Low being a route which connects to none (or just a leisure destination)

of these attractors.

Within this criteria, town centres and railway stations are considered to be the

most important attractors, so if a route connects to both it is likely to score high

rather than medium. On the converse, leisure destinations are considered to be

less important, so may attract a lower score.

7.6 Overall prioritisation

Once a score has been obtained for each of the four criteria (Deliverability,

Directness, Extension of Existing Network and Key Attractors), its overall

prioritisation can be determined, giving an overall score of low (L), medium (M)

or high (H). As a general rule, the most frequent score obtained across the four

criteria will be the resulting overall score. Where there are an equal number of

different scores, there may be some element of subjective judgement used to

decide the overall result.

The resulting prioritisation for each of the potential schemes is shown in Table

7.1.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

7.7 Estimated costs of potential schemes

As with the prioritisation, the costs of the potential schemes are rated on a low

(L), medium (M), high (H) and exceptionally High (H+) scale. The 2017 cost

estimates relate to the following broad ranges:

 L: Low being less than £100,000;

 M: Medium being within the range £100,000 to £500,000;

 H: High being within the range £500,000 to £1,000,000; and

 H+: Exceptionally High being more than £1,000,000.

The outline costs are indicative of a feasibility proposal stage costing, prior to

detailed surveys being undertaken for design and construction. Costs exclude

the following:

 VAT (costs are exclusive of VAT);

 Land costs, legal fees, Highways consultation;

 Construction on contaminated land;

 Diversion of services;

 Landscaping; and

 Access roads for construction.

Realistic unit costs have been derived for each of the elements that are identified

in the potential schemes and they have been applied to a length of route where

appropriate and as a series of elements to enable the overall cost of each scheme

to be built up. The resulting estimated cost for each scheme is included in Table

7.1, Table 7.2 and Table 7.3.

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Table 7.1 Costs and Prioritisation of Potential Braintree Cycle Schemes

Route

Route Name

Opportunity

Potential Solution – subject to Feasibility Study

Overall

Priorit-

isation

Est.

cost

Braintree

Notley Road, between

south of the A120 to

Masefield Road

Create link from south to centre and

provide better residential access to cycle

network, with connection between Flitch

Way and areas to the south of Braintree

town centre, as well as connecting to

existing off road network south of A120.

Footway conversion* to shared use on northbound

footway, from existing off-road cycle lane south of A120 to

Masefield Road. Suitable cycle crossing to be provided of

Notley Road (Sustrans recommends zebra crossing shared

with cyclists), south of Masefield Road junction. Parapet

height to be raised above 1.4m on bridge. Route connects

existing off road network to town centre and station by

connecting to potential routes 3 and 4, providing a link also

to the Flitch Way. Route also provides improved cycle

access to Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form and

John Ray Infant School.

Milton Avenue/

Goldingham Drive/ Park

Drive

On road route through quiet residential

area. Lightly trafficked routes provide a

good opportunity to develop a safe on

road cycle network

Signed quietway along Milton Avenue, Goldingham Drive

and Park Drive.

Challis Lane and

Masefield Road

On road through quiet residential area.

Lightly trafficked routes provide a good

opportunity to develop a safe on road

cycle network

Signed quietway along Masefield Rd and Challis Lane.

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use east of Challis

Lane/Skitts Hill/Park Drive junction

Rifle Hill, Hillside

Gardens, Stephenson

Road, Buckwoods Road,

Orchards Drive

On road through quiet residential area.

Lightly trafficked routes provide a good

opportunity to develop a safe on road

cycle network

Signed quietway from Rifle Hill, Stephenson Rd and

Buckwoods Rd.

Orchard Drive

On road through quiet residential area.

Lightly trafficked routes provide a good

opportunity to develop a safe on road

cycle network

Signed quietway along Orchard Drive

Duggers Lane/ Skitts

Road

On road through quiet residential area.

Lightly trafficked routes provide a good

opportunity to develop a safe on road

cycle network

Signed on road provision along Skitts Rd from junction with

Challis to roundabout with Mill Park Drive. Signed quietway

along Duggers Lane.

Mill Park Drive to

Braintree Freeport rail

station

Connection between residential areas

(and potential on road quietway

network), with Braintree Freeport and

station.

Signed on road advisory cycle lane along Mill Park Drive

from Skitts Hill to connect to the existing network over the

railbridge to Braintree Freeport Station.

Mill Hill between B1018

and Megs Way

Connection between residential areas

across railway track, with links to existing

off road cycle network

Footpath* link to allow cyclists from Mill Park Drive to Megs

Way. Signed quietway along Megs Way to Mill Hill/B1018

roundabout.

Braintree Station/Rose

Hill/Skitts Hill

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use on PROW 68_80

and 68_81 from Braintree Station along River Brain

eastwards to Rose Hill. Widen small bridge over the Brain to

southeast rear of station- potential width issues. Signed

and marked advisory route on Rose Hill and Skitts Hill to the

roundabout. Enhance Rose Hill/Skitts Hill roundabout for

cyclists. Scheme will connect with Station Approach.

Manor Street/Benfield

Way

Sign and mark on-road advisory cycle lane on Manor Street

between B1256 and Benfield Way. Enhance Benfield

Way/Manor St junction for cyclists. Potential to add toucan

crossing on Manor St to gain access to Rose Hill via the

existing public walkway (convert steps to ramp). Signed

quietway on Benfield Way to join to existing cycleway from

Benfield Way to Trotters Field.

Clockhouse Way

(NE/SW)

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use from Anglia Way

to Clockhouse Way via PROW 68_87 and 68_104. Potential

width issue. Route continues along signed quietway on

Clockhouse Way to Cressing Rd.

Cressing Road

Signed and marked advisory cycle lane on Trotters Field and

along Cressing Rd between Trotters Field and Bishops

Avenue Slip road. Potential footway conversion* to shared

use on the southbound side of Cressing Road between

Bishops Avenue Slip road and Stubbs Lane. Route includes

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Route

Route Name

Opportunity

Potential Solution – subject to Feasibility Study

Overall

Priorit-

isation

Est.

cost

short on-road section on Stubbs lane to join existing cycle

path on Millenium Way.

Bartram Avenue South/

Gulls Croft/Twelve Acres

Signed quietway along Bartram Avenue South to potential

footway conversion* to shared use, and signed quietway on

Gulls Croft and Twelve Acres to existing shared cycleway.

Potential land ownership issues as the remote footway

requires widening.

Charter Way

Signed footway conversion* to shared use on Charter Way

providing link between existing cycle routes, passing

Braintree Freeport Station

Chelmer Rd/Cressing Rd/

Beckers Green Rd

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use along PROW

68_136 north of the B1018 Millenium Way/Charter Way

roundabout to Mersea Fleetway. Potential Highway

Boundary issues. Signed quietway along Mersea Fleetway

and Chelmer Rd to Cressing Rd. Enhancement of Chelmer

Rd/Cressing Rd. Signed and marked advisory cycle lane

along Cressing Rd to Beckers Green Rd. Signed quietway

along Beckers Green Rd to join existing cycle network.

A120 betweeen Cressing

Road and B1018

Millenium Way

Signed footway conversion* to shared use along the A120

from Cressing Rd to Millenium Way. Potential land

ownership issues if footway requires widening.

Beckers Green Road to

Cressing Road

Signed footway conversion* to shared use from Beckers

Green Rd to Cressing Rd. Potential land ownership issues if

requires widening.

Coggeshall Road

between Bridport Way

Junction and Bartram

Ave North

Signed and marked on-road advisory cycle lane on

Coggeshall Rd from Wheatley Avenue to Bartram Avenue

North. Signed footway conversion* to shared use on the

westbound side of Coggeshall Rd from Bartram Avenue

North to existing cycle path west of Bridport roundabout.

Advance stop lines at key junctions (Wheatley Avenue,

Cressing Rd, Marlborough Rd). For the remainder of

Coggeshall Road traffic calming and speed reduction

measures required to ensure this high demand cycling

corridor is fit for purpose.

Vernon Way and

Rayleigh Close

Signed quietway along Vernon Way (Mountbatten junction)

and Rayleigh Close to the existing remote footway (convert

to shared use) that joins to the existing cycle route.

Mountbatten Rd

Signed quietway along Julien Court Road to potential

footpath conversion to shared use along PROW 68_147.

Potential width issues. Signed quietway along Marlborough

Rd from Beaufort Gardens to Vanguard Way, Mountbatten

Rd to Coggeshall Rd (traffic calming mesasures in place-

speed bumps). Enhance Mountbatten/Coggeshall Rd

junction for cyclists. Signed quietway on Wheatley Avenue,

to the footpath conversion* to shared use from Cunnington

Road to Bartram Avenue South via PROW 68_113. Potential

width issue.

Essex Rd, Connaught

Gardens, Edinburgh

Gardens, Beatty Gardens

Signed quietway to green space at Wellington Close from

Marlborough Rd via Essex Rd, Connaught Gardens,

Edinburgh Gardens. Potential signed remote footway

conversion* to shared use across the green space to

Mountbatten Rd via signed quietway at Beatty Gardens.

Potential land ownership issue if footpath requires

widening.

B1053/River Mead Rd,

Blackwater Way, Julien

Court Rd, Courtauld Rd

Signed and marked quietway from Julien Court Rd via Valley

Rd and Blackwater Way. Signed remote footway

conversion* to shared use north to River Mead. Potential

signed footway conversion* to shared use on northbound

side of River Mead Rd to Convent Hill.

Albert Rd /Coggeshall Rd

/Keeble Way

Signed quietway connecting Manor St to existing cycle

route across Keeble Way, via Albert Rd. Potential signed

footway conversion* to shared use on Coggeshall Rd from

Albert Rd to Keeble Way, and signed quietway along Keeble

Way. Potential width issues on Coggeshall footway.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Route

Route Name

Opportunity

Potential Solution – subject to Feasibility Study

Overall

Priorit-

isation

Est.

cost

Coggeshall Rd to

Courtauld Rd

Signed remote footway conversion* through the Park past

Bocking Place from Courtauld Rd to exisiting cycle route to

Coggeshall Rd.

The Avenue, School

Walk, Woodfield Rd,

Mount Rd

Signed quietway along The Avenue and School Walk.

Possibility to add tiger crossing of Coggeshall Rd to allow

cyclists to reach existing cycle path north of The Avenue.

Enable cycling along existing pedestrian link between

School Walk and Market Place. School Walk is currently one

way westbound for vehicular movements. Enable two-

directional on-road cycling along this link after reviewing

highway constraints. Route also extends on-road from

Woodfield Rd to Mount Rd (south). Allow cyclists to cross

Woodfield Rd to Mount Rd (south).

Manor St

Signed quietway on Manor St from Market Place to Mount

Road to join the existing contraflow route on Manor St from

Mount Road to the B1256.

High Street

Signed and marked on-road advisory cycle lane from South

St to Peirreffitte Way junction via Fairfield Rd, Market Place,

Great Square and High St. Potential contraflow cycle route

on western side of High St. Advance stop lines on western

side at junction.

London Road, between

Tortoiseshell Way and

Clare Rd (via Flitch Way)

Signed on-road advisory cycle lane on London Rd between

Clare Rd and Tortoiseshell Way. Traffic calming measures

will be required to reduce speed on London Rd to align

recommendation with Sustrans guidance. Potentially

remove on-street car parking and improve junction at Flitch

Way end to enable cyclists to access Flitch Way directly

from London Rd.

Footpath between

London Rd and Pod's

Brook Road

Signed footway conversion* to shared use running parallel

to A120 from London Rd to Pods Brook Rd. Potential land

ownership issues.

Pods Brook Road south

of roundabout with

Rayne Rd

Removal of grass verge to create new off-road cycle track

along Pod's Brook Rd from end of footpath (Scheme 30)

northwards to Raynes Rd roundabout.

Guernsey Way and

around Barens

Packaging.

Signed quietway along Guernsey Way and around Barens

Packaging.

Flitch Way to Rayne

Road

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use along PROW

68_108 parallel to River Brain from existing cycle route on

Flitch Way northwest to Rayne Rd.

Springwood Drive,

between Raynes Rd and

Xpect Health & Fitness

(to connect with existing

off-rd cycle route)

Signed on road advisory cycle lanes along Springwood

Drive from Rayne Rd to the Club House.

Swinbourne Drive

Signed quietway on Swinbourne Drive from Springwood

Drive. Potential land ownership issues as Swinbourne Drive

is private. Signed footpath conversion* to shared use on

PROW 68_62 and 68_62 to join existing cycle network from

Swinbourne Drive.

Clare Rd (between

B1256 and Pods Brook

Road) and footbridge

Enhance and sign footbridge conversion to shared use over

Pods Brook Rd (PROW 68_108). Advisory on-road provision

from the footbridge along Clare Rd to the Pierrefitte Way.

Remove kerbing where necessary. Enhance junction for

cyclists, including advanced stop lines.

H+

Peel

Crescent/footpath/Tabor

Avenue/Porters field

Signed footway conversion* to shared use through the

green space from Porters Field to Tabor Avenue. Private

land therefore possible land ownership issues. Signed

quietway on Tabor Avenue, and signed footpath conversion

to shared use (PROW 68_122). Potential width issues, and

prohibition of cycling should be removed. Route continues

on signed quietway along Peel Crescent to Rayne Rd.

Tabor Avenue and

Coldnailhurst Avenue

Signed and marked on-road route along Tabor Avenue

(quietway), and enhance Tabor Avenue/Panfield Lane

roundabout for cyclists. Signed and marked advisory cycle

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Route

Route Name

Opportunity

Potential Solution – subject to Feasibility Study

Overall

Priorit-

isation

Est.

cost

lane on Coldnailhurst Avenue to Meadowside. Consider

cycle track creation from Meadowside to B1053 Church

Lane.

Panfield Lane

Consider traffic calming measures and re-allocation of road

space along Panfield Lane and create space for people who

cycle for example advisory cycle lanes.

Sunnyside and Aetheric

Signed quietway on Sunnyside and Aetheric Road from

Rayne Rd to Panfield Lane

B1256 Rayne Rd/Bocking

End

Sign and mark advisory cycle route along B1256 Rayne Rd

between Peel Crescent and Bocking End. Pierrefitte

Way/B1256 junction enhancement required for cyclists

(advance stop lines). Remove parking on eastbound side of

B1256 Rayne Rd between Peel Crescent and Aetheric Rd.

Raise carriageway level to create a new public realm in

which the ‘car is guest’ along the one way Street of Bocking

End from Rayne Road. Alternatively install bollards and

close route to vehicles. Advisory route on two-way Bocking

End to continue until St Peter's Road.

Panfield Lane to Rana

Drive via off road paths

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use from Panfield

Lane to Rana Drive (PROW 68_135 and PROW 68_66).

Private road and therefore possible land ownership issues.

PROW 68_66 may be subject to potential width issues and

removal required of Prohibition of Cycling. Route continues

on-road along Rana Drive westwards to join existing cycle

network.

Pierreifitte Way

Signed advisory cycle route along Pierrefitte Way from

Rayne Road to London Road junction. Junctions at London

Road and/ or Rayne Road to be enhanced with innovative

cycle priority. Traffic calming measures will be required to

reduce speed on Pierreifitte Way to align recommendation

with Sustrans guidance

Coldnailhurst Avenue to

Panfield Rd (month)

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use (PROW 68_47)

from Panfield Lane to Bailey Bridge Road route continues as

Quietway along Meadowside to Coldnailhurst Avenue.

Potential Highway Boundary issue- further study required.

Glebe Ave

Signed quietway on Glebe Avenue from Oakley Rd to Baily

Bridge Rd, and along Bailey Bridge Rd to Queens Rd.

Queens Road

Quietway on Queens Rd from Bailey Bridge Rd to

Coldnailhurst Avenue.

Boleyns Avenue

Quietway on Boleyns Avenue from Coldnailhurst Avenue to

Church Lane.

Wentworth Crescent

Signed and marked quietway connecting to existing

network towards the town centre.

Bradford Street and

PRoW

Signed quietway along Rana Drive to the potential footpath

conversion* to shared use along PROW 68_44, then onto

quietway on Williams Drive, and along potential footpath

conversion* to shared use along PROW 68_45 and Friars

Lane. Route continues on-road along Bradford Street and

Phillips Chase to potential footpath conversion to shared

use along PROW 68_53 to join Scheme 22.

Trinovantian

Way/Wickham

Crescent/Rose Hill

Continued potential advisory route along Trinovantian Way

from Scheme 10, onto a signed quietway along Wickham

Crescent to potential footpath* conversion to shared use

along PROW 68_92, to potential advisory cycle lane on Rose

Hill to join Scheme 9. Further feasibility study is required for

this route.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Table 7.2: Costs and Prioritisation of Potential Witham Cycle Schemes

Route

Route Name

Opportunity

Potential Solution – subject to Feasibility Study

Overall

Priorit-

isation

Est.

cost

Witham

Cypress Road

Signed Quietway on Cypress Rd from Braintree Rd to Forest

Rd. Enhance Cypress Rd/Braintree Rd roundabout for people

that cycle.

Forest Rd and Rickstones

Signed and marked advisory on-road cycle lane on Rickstones

Rd and Forest Rd to Mulberry Gardens and allow cyclists on

Motts Lane to connect to national cycling route.

Braintree Rd, Chalks Rd,

Church St

Signed on-road provision (shared carriageway) on Braintree

Rd from Cypress Rd roundabout to Chalks Rd, Chalks Rd and

Church St to Chipping Hill.

Braintree Rd, Albert Rd,

Cut Throat lane, Motts

Lane

Signed on-road provision on Braintree Rd from Albert Rd to

Cut Throat Lane (quietway). On road cycle route continues

along Cut Throat Lane following alignment of NCN 16,

although it is noted that this road is narrow, so exact provision

will need to be determined.through further investigation

Station Road, Avenue Rd

(between station Road and

B1389)

On road provision along Chess lane from existing cycle path.

Chess Lane is narrow and exact provision will need to be

determined. Add a suitable crossing of B1389 to enable safe

access to Avenue Rd (tiger?). Signed on-road quietway

provision along Avenue Rd and Station Rd leading to the rear

of Witham Station.

Blackwater Rail Trail /

Eastways

Extension of current off-road cycle network from Blackwater

Rail Trail, under B1389 Colchester Rd to Eastways. Signed

quietway along Eastways to existing cycle track on Motts

Lane.

Freebournes Road to

B1389, B1389 between

Freebournes Road and

Eastways

On road advisory cycle lanes along Pastures Road and

Freebournes Rd. Carriageway is wide, so reallocation of road

space to favour people who cycle would be beneficial.

Vehicle speeds to be determined and measures may be

required to reduce vehicle speeds to improve conditions for

cyclists. Enhancement of B1389/Freebournes Rd junction to

improve for cyclists, and addition of junction crossings on

B1389 for cyclists to connect with NCN16. Existing on street

parking may be problematic.

The Avenue, the Grove,

Pastures Rd

On road advisory cycle lane along The Avenue, in combination

with traffic calming/ speed reduction measures. Potential to

utilise grass verge to provide a segregated facility if speeds

can’t be reduced as required. Enhance The Avenue/B1389

Colchester Rd junction. On road advisory cycle lane continues

along The Grove Route connects to potential on-road

advisory cycle lanes on Pastures Lane (scheme 7) and

onwards to the Blackwater Rail Trail.

Green route via Pastures

Way and Blackman Way

and Constance Close

Signed remote footway conversion* to shared use from

Pastures Rd south to Blackman Way through green space.

Widen and surface path through green space crossing

Blackwater Lane to Constance Close and convert to shared

use. Path crosses Blackwater Lane running south to

Constance Close. Enhancement and widening of bridge over

River Brain may be required.

Spa Road, Flora Road,

Bramble Road section

Extension of the existing signed and marked off-road cycle

path along Spa Rd, from vicinity of Brain Road to Powers Hall

End. There is potential to provide hybrid on-road cycle routes

through reallocation of carriageway and utilisation of wide

grass verges to a continental standard). Enhance the Powers

Hall End/ Spa Road junction by making crossings of Powers

Hall End suitable for cyclists (tiger?). Route continues along

Floral Road, where introduction of traffic calming measures

to reduce vehicle speeds would enable on road cycle lanes to

be provided as per Sustrans guidance. Without a reduction in

vehicle speeds, a segregated cycle lane should be provided,

which would require reallocation of grass verges. Route

continues along Brambles Road, where an on road advisory

cycle lane could be provided to connect with existing cycle

path.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Route

Route Name

Opportunity

Potential Solution – subject to Feasibility Study

Overall

Priorit-

isation

Est.

cost

Newlands Drive one way

gyratory

Signed advisory cycle lane on Newlands Drive (one way

gyratory)

Moat Farm Chase and

White Horse Lane

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use from River Brain

to Chipping Hill via Moat Farm Chase (PROW 121_88).

Suitable crossing of Chipping hill required for cyclists (tiger)

further study required. Signed quietway along White Horse

Lane crossing B1018 Braintree Rd. Toucan crossing on B1018

to provide continuous route along White Hart Lane.

Armond Road section

Signed and marked advisory cycle lane on Armond Rd from

Guithavon Valley to Highfields to connect to existing cycle

path off Highfields Rd. Enhancement of junction at Armond

Rd and Highfields Rd for cyclists.

Easton Road, Collingwood

Rd, B1389 Newland St

Signed quietway on Easton Rd from B1018 Braintree Rd to

Witham Station access. Footway conversion* to shared use

from Easton Rd to The Avenue/B1018 roundabout and tiger

crossing of The Avenue to continue route along B1018

Collingwood Rd. Potential signed footway* conversion to

shared use of B1018 Collingwood Rd from The Avenue

roundabout to Guithavon Valley Rd. Signed and marked

advisory cycle lane along B1018 Collingwood Rd to Newland

St, and Newland St from B1018 Collingwood Rd to Kings

Chase. Provide advanced stop lines along Newland St and at

key junctions (B1018 Collingwood Rd/B1389 Newlands Drive

and Maldon Rd/B1389).

Guithavon Valley section

between its junction with

Guithoven St and Cockram

Lane and Cockram Lane.

Signed on-road provision on Guithavon Valley between

Guithaven St/junction and Lockram Lane. Suitable

enhancements required to enable cyclists to safely cross/turn

right from Guithavon Valley to Lockram Lane. Signed E-W

footpath conversion* to shared use from Lockram Lane to

B1018 Collingwood Road (PROW 121_89). Potential width

issue, therefore further study required.

Recreation Ground

Signed footway conversion* to shared use around perimeter

of the recreation ground from Kings Chase to Maldon Rd.

Newlands Drive one way

gyratory

Signed advisory cycle lane on Newlands Drive (one way

gyratory)

Recreation Ground

Signed footway conversion* to shared use through the

recreation round from north west entrance south eastwards

to existing cycle route leading to Laurence Avenue.

The Grove

Suitable crossing required on B1018 Maldon Rd near entrance

to recreation ground (tiger). Signed advisory cycle lane along

Grove Rd from Maldon Rd roundabout to Pasture Rd

roundabout.

River View and B1389

between Blackman Way

and River View

Signed quietway along Blackman Way from Scheme 9 to

advisory cycle lane on Maldon Rd to the footpath south of

River Brain.

Pattison Close, Lawrence

Ave, link via Dengie Close

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use from Maldon Rd

to Pattinson Close via PROW 121_90. Signed quietway along

Pattison Close and advisory cycle route along Laurence

Avenue to Howbridge Rd south of Pinkham Drive. Footway

conversion* to shared use from Howbridge Rd westwards

north of Dengie Close and around the nursery, around the

football pitches and south to Maltings Lane. Resurfacing and

widening of path may be required to improve conditions for

cyclists- likely to need land from BDC to widen footpath.

Allectus Way. Blunts Hall

Road , Stevens Road to

Highfields Road

Signed footway conversion* to shared use from Town End

Field to B1389 Hatfield Rd via PROW 121_91. Suitable

crossing for cyclists across B1389 Hatfield Rd (tiger) should be

considered- further study required (PV^2). Quietway along

Allectus Way from B1389 Hatfield Rd to Deford Rd. Signed

footpath conversion* to shared use via PROW 121_117 to

Stevens Rd. Potential width issue and therefore required

further study. Replace steps at Stevens Rd to PROW 121_117

with ramp. Signed quietway on Stevens Rd. Signed and

widened footway conversion* to shared use on the

westbound side of Blunt Halls Rd to Spinks Lane.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Route

Route Name

Opportunity

Potential Solution – subject to Feasibility Study

Overall

Priorit-

isation

Est.

cost

Hatfield Road section

between Howbridge Road

and Maltings Lane. Spinks

Lane

Signed footway conversion* to shared use on southbound

side of Spinks Lane from Blunt Halls Road to B1389 Hatfield

Road. Provide suitable crossing (tiger) of Spinks Lane to

connect with potential Scheme 22 on Blunt Halls Rd. Convert

pelican crossing at Hatfield Rd to toucan crossing.

Route continues along Hatfield Road, where a reduction of

centre line hatching on Hatfield Rd between Howbridge Rd

and Maltings Lane would create space for potential

mandatory cycle lanes. Future potential to extend the route

into the town centre.

Footpath from B1389

Footway conversion* to shared use from B1389 Hatfield Rd

to Bramston Sports Ground to connect to existing cycle route.

Convert zebra crossing to a tiger crossing for cyclists on

Hatfield Rd.

Guithavon Road,

Guithavon St to Newland

Street.

Signed quietway on Guithavon Rd from Blunts Hall Rd to

Guithavon St. Junction enhancement required to ensure safe

for cyclists cycling to Guithavon St. Advisory on-road cycle

lane along Guithavon St to Newland St.

Highfields Road

Introduce traffic calming measures to reduce vehicle speeds

along Highfields Road. This would enable on-road advisory

cycle lanes to be utilised along Highfields, between Spinks

Lane and Spa Road where route connects with existing shared

use footway conversion along Spa Road.

Albert Road and Braintree

Road section (between

both Albert Road

junctions)

Consider ‘Cycle Street’ on the one-way Albert Rd from Cut

Throat Lane to Braintree Rd. Rail station needs signage to

indicate northbound cyclists to go via Braintree Road and

southbound cyclists to go via Easton Road or Station Road to

avoid busy junction at the station.

Powers Hall End section

between existing off road

routes opposite Saxton

Drive and River Brain

Signed quietway from existing cycle route to Powershall End,

along Powershall End to existing route on the southside of

Powershall End. Suitable crossing should be considered for

safe crossing of Powershall End (toucan?)

Hatfield Road between

Gershwin Boulevard

roundabout to Maltings

Lane

Continuation of mandatory cycle lane 23. Reducing central

hatching would create required width. To be provided from

Hatfield Road/Gershwin Boulevard to Maltings Lane.

Ebenezer Close/Cressing

Road/Conrad Road

Signed quietway along Ebenezer Close to existing bridge over

the railway line. Ensure this bridge is suitable for shared use

by pedestrians and cyclists-enhancements may be required.

Route then joins Cressing Road, which is currently an

overgrown track and so may require improvements to

provide a comfortable cycle track. At B1018 Cressing Road,

vehicle speeds dictate that physical segregation is necessary,

so convert existing zebra (southeast of Cressing Road/

Cressing Road (main)) junction to a toucan and relocate

further north west. Create a new footway conversion* to

shared use on southeastbound side of Cressing Road by

reallocating grass verge, as far as Conrad Road. Along Conrad

Road, route continues as signed Quietway, providing a

connection to potential scheme 2.

Footpath from Rosebay

Close and PROW 121_66

Footway conversion* to shared use from Rosebay Close to

Scheme 28, joined by subway to be converted to shared use,

with ramp implemented for cyclists, and potential footpath

conversion to shared use of PROW 121_66 from Bramble

Road to Powers Hall Road. Enhancements and resurfacing of

path required. Potential width issues.

H+

West of the Railway Line

New pedestrian/cyclist shared path through green field from

Motts Lane north eastwards parallel to the railway line to new

development (east of Yew Close). Potential land ownership

issues.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Table 7.3: Costs and Prioritisation of Potential Halstead Cycle Schemes

Route

Route Name

Opportunity

Potential Solution – subject to Feasibility Study

Overall

Priorit-

isation

Est.

cost

Halstead

White Horse Avenue from

A131 Mount Hill to Tidings

Hill

Signed and marked footway conversion* to shared use along

White Horse Avenue from A131 Mount Hill to Tidings Hill.

Crossing of side roads along the off road route should be

cyclist-friendly.

Link from Grange Close to

Firwood's Road along

Tidings Hill. Highfields/

Stanstead Road/ Ravens

Avenue

Signed Quietway along Tidings Hill from Grange Close to north

of White Horse Avenue. Signed quietway route continues via

Firwood’s Rd to South Close, utilising a new footpath

conversion* to shared use along PROW 88_23. Enhancement

of intersection of Firwoods and the footway conversion will

be required. Potential width issues that will require further

study. Signed quietway route via Schools Close, Highfields,

and remote footway conversion to shared use, linking to

Stanstead Rd. Signed quietway along Stanstead Rd, Ravens

Avenue and River Close to reach Scheme 3 (PROW 89_1)

Ravens Avenue to A1124

Colchester Road

Signed and resurfaced footpath conversion* to shared use

from River Close to the A1124 via PROW 89_1, 88_26.

Potential width issues that will require further study.

A1124 Colchester Road:

J/W Church Road to J/W

First Avenue

Signed on-road advisory route for cyclists along A1124

Colchester Rd from junction with Church Rd to junction with

First Avenue. Traffic calming measures should be considered.

Fenn Road, Colchester

Road J/W Fenn Road to

existing PROW

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use from Central Park

Warehouse development to A1124 Colchester Rd via PROW

89_26. Signed footway conversion to shared use on

eastbound side of Colchester Rd from PROW to Fenn Rd.

Suitable crossing for cyclists should be considered across

A1124 Colchester Rd to connect potential cycling routes

(tiger). Suitable crossing (tiger) of Fenn Rd. Route continues

on-road as potential advisory route along Fenn Rd and Colne

Rd to Coggeshall Way and Hawthorn Close (west). Signed

quietway provision on Hawthorn Close to the footpath PROW

89_19.

Churchill Avenue/ Winston

Way/ Hawthorne Close/

Coggeshall Way

Signed footpath conversion* to shared use from Hawthorn

Close to Winston Way via PROW 89_19. Potential width issue

which will require further study. Signed quietway on Winston

Way, Churchill Avenue to the A131.

PROW from Hawthorn

Close to Star Stile

Signed footpath conversion to shared use from Hawthorn

Close northwards along PROW 89_19 to Star Stile as a leisure

route. Potential width issue, and the route is through a nature

reserve, which will require further consideration.

Kestrel Rise to Colne Road

N-S link from Colne Rd to River Colne route (Scheme 10) via

predominantly off-road route utilising existing footpaths and

PROWs. Signed footpath conversion* to shared use from

Colne Rd to A1124 Colchester Rd via PROW 89_24. Potential

width issue which will required further study. Suitable

crossing for cyclists across Colchester Rd (tiger). Signed

footway conversion* from A1124 Colchester Rd to Harvey St

via Harvey St footpath. Harvey St footpath appears to be

private and therefore potential land ownership issues. Signed

quietway along Harvey St, Gardeners Rd connecting to River

Colne via footway conversion* to shared use from Gardeners

Rd past Kestrel Rise.

Parsons Bridge to

Colchester Road

Signed footway conversion* to shared use along northern

boundary of River Colne from Parsonage St to Nether Court.

Signed quietway along Nether Court and Chaffinch Way to

meet PROW 89_26 (Scheme 6).

Factory Lane East

Link from A131 High St to Parsonage Lane via signed quietway

on Factory Lane East, and along remote footway conversion

to shared use from Factory Lane East to Parsonage St.

Bridge Road/ Colne Valley

Close/ Chapel Street

Route from A131 to Beridge Rd via signed quietway on Chapel

St, signed footway conversion* to shared use over River Colne

on Chapel St, signed footway conversion* to shared use from

Butler Rd to Colne Valley Close, signed quietway on Colne

Valley Close, and Beridge Rd to The Pippins.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Route

Route Name

Opportunity

Potential Solution – subject to Feasibility Study

Overall

Priorit-

isation

Est.

cost

Martin's Road/ Kings Road/

Factory Road West/ The

Causeway

Signed quietway route from A131 High St along The

Causeway, (a contra-flow for cyclists will be required in

eastbound/ southbound direction) Factory Lane West, Kings

Rd and Martins Rd. Route continues on a remote footway

conversion from Martin’s Road/ Neale Road to Mitchell

Avenue.

Rayner Way to Mitchell

Avenue

Signed quietway on Mitchell Avenue to join signed footpath

conversion to shared use from Park Drive to Tidings Hill

(PROW 89_4). Signed footpath conversion* to shared use also

joins to Holmes Rd.

Parsonage St

On-road provision along Fairfield Way from Pasonage St

(PROW 89_3)

Abels Road to Ramsey

Road. Existing footpaths

linking Ramsey Road to

Neale Road

Signed footpath* conversion to shared use from Cutting Drive

to Ramsey Rd via PROW 89_5. Signed footpath conversion to

shared use from Ramsey Rd through green space to Juniper

Close/Holmes Rd. Signed quietway on Juniper Close to

footpath conversion to shared use to quietway on Abels Rd to

White Horse Avenue

Abels Road and Ramsey

Road

Signed quietway route from A131 Mount Hill to Abel Rd/Link

Rd via Ramsey Rd, and signed and widened footway

conversion to shared use along Abel Rd from Ramsey Rd to

Link Rd.

Parsonage St/ Mallows

Field/Pretoria Road

Signed on-road provision on Parsonage St, Mallows Field and

Pretoria Road to Colne Road. Traffic calming measures should

be considered to reduce speeds and make it safe for cyclists.

Suitable crossing of Colchester Road should be considered.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

8 Flagship Routes

8.1 Introduction

A Flagship Cycle Route is a key corridor providing safer, faster and more direct

access to one or more key attractors (town centres, employment sites, education

establishments, transport hubs, visitor attractions and existing/proposed

developments). The routes will be on high demand corridors, be able to meet

demand (both existing and potential), encourage a focus on innovation/design

best practice and will include continental standard facilities, where appropriate.

It is hoped that a county-wide suite of Flagship Routes will be a focus for future

funding, high quality infrastructure, design best practice and innovation.

8.2 Potential Flagship Routes in Braintree District

It is proposed that two Flagship routes for Braintree District are created: an East/

West Flagship Route and a North/ South Flagship Route. The routes meet at

Braintree railway station and provide key links to the town centre and Braintree

Freeport. The potential Flagship Routes are shown in Figure 8.1.

8.3 East/West Flagship Route

An East/West Flagship route can be created by upgrading the existing cycling

network that runs along the Flitch Way from Rayne in the West to Freeport

(Millennium Way) in the East. Particular focus will be required linking Mill Park

Drive to the traffic-free provision off Rose Hill.

This key spine route could benefit from upgraded provision and can be

supplemented by improved connections to the north and south of town, the town

centre, the station and various residential areas.

8.4 North/South Flagship Route

A North/South Flagship route can be created utilising some of the isolated

existing provision within the town. Particular focus will be required linking the

station to the town and where the route crosses Coggeshall Road. This flagship

route would benefit from proposed contraflow arrangements around Braintree

railway station.

This key spine route could be supplemented by improved connections to

residential and employment opportunities in the north of the town, ‘The College

at Braintree’, the station and the town centre.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

8.5 Potential alternative Flagship Routes

The precise routings of the potential Flagship Routes is not yet fixed as they will

be subject to further investigation before this can be finalised. It is noted in

Section 3 of this report that some of the highest existing cycle flows in the District

occur in the following locations: Cressing Road, Coggeshall Road; and Rayne

Road, in Braintree.

To capitalise on, safely accommodate and encourage further, the existing high

levels of cycle flow, these locations could be considered for an additional Flagship

Route(s). This should be investigated when the exact route alignment is

designed

8.6 Prioritisation of Flagship Routes

Both Flagship Routes have been considered against the four prioritisation criteria,

as per the other potential schemes:

 Deliverability;

 Directness;

 Extension of existing network; and

 Key attractors.

For the East/ West Flagship Route, this assessment found that the route would

be relatively easy to achieve, although there may be some Public Rights of Way

issues to negotiate between Braintree station and Braintree Freeport station. The

route is considered to be very direct but there are few connections to the existing

network as it is sparse in that area of Braintree. It provides a direct link between

the leisure opportunities afforded by the Flitch Way, Braintree station and

Braintree Freeport. As such, this route would overall achieve a high prioritisation.

The North/ South Flagship Route similarly connects a number of key destinations

(employment in the north, the town centre and Braintree station), by linking

disparate parts of the existing cycle network, so providing a much more useful

route. It is direct, relatively straightforward to deliver and connects to the existing

network in a number of locations, so would also achieve a high priority.

The inference from the prioritisation exercise is that it supports the basis for

identifying the Flagship Routes in the first instance, in that they are key corridors,

providing important benefits for cycling in Braintree and should therefore be

considered a high priority going forward.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

Figure 8.1: Potential Flagship Routes for Braintree District

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

9 Smarter Travel Measures

9.1 Introduction

To ensure the potential for cycling is fully realised, new infrastructure must be

accompanied by targeted promotion and events.

Local promotion of cycling should be increased to convince residents that cycling

is a normal and accessible activity for all as well as highlighting the health benefits

of cycling.

In addition, cycling has the potential to alleviate congestion by persuading people

to replace a local car journey by cycling. This could include workplace travel

planning in the town centres within the District.

9.2 Marketing and promotion

The Essex Cycling Strategy sets out a number of overarching themes for

marketing and promoting cycling which are as follows:

9.2.1 Cycle Essex

ECC are committed to running high profile campaigns under the “Cycle Essex”

umbrella which aim to change the image of cycling in Essex, break down

perceptual barriers, communicate a safety message and tie in with existing

organisations such as Active Essex.

9.2.2 High profile events

Essex has been successful in attracting high profile cycling events to the County

that have been well attended by the public, such as hosting Stage 3 of the 2014

Tour de France. ECC would like people to continue to support these events but

also give cycling a try through further mass event, car free days in town centres

and bike festivals.

9.2.3 Support for local initiatives

ECC recognise that Local initiatives are particularly effective at engaging with

people on a personal level. Therefore they aim to empower Boroughs / Districts

to promote cycling locally, support community providers / charities, support

cycling clubs and ensuring that secondary schools, large employers, large council

offices and major hospitals have up to date travel plans.

9.2.4 Cycling Maps

Cycling maps (digital and on paper) aid in navigation and are an effective

marketing tool for raising the profile of cycling. If the maps are legible, well

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

designed and effectively disseminated, they can be the nudge that is needed to

motivate the ‘near market’ to start making some trips by bike.

In addition, in order to maximise the benefits of cycling maps, future cycling maps

for Braintree should be designed with the following principles in mind:

 The maps should be prepared under the same design guidelines as the

promotion of ‘Cycle Essex’. This will help to raise their profile and visibility;

 Information included in the maps should correspond with the signage by

the roadside;

 Include more information about local points of interest. This might

encourage leisure cycling, local tourism and increase patronage to local

attractions; and

 Widely distribute the maps (if more than one) in a bundle and on as many

online and physical outlets as possible.

Furthermore, official and unofficial routes are also available through mobile

phone apps, social media and specialised websites such as mapmyride.com and

strava.com, which allows people to track their routes whilst cycling and share

them on various platforms.

For example, there is some interest in cycling at a community level in the District,

as demonstrated by the website mapmyride.com displaying over 1,700 routes in

Braintree, more than 700 routes in Witham and more than 300 routes in Halstead,

recommended by its users.

9.3 Potential Local Considerations

Braintree

Cycling in Braintree is well established and many employment and leisure

activities are based in the town. The profile and awareness of cycling has

undoubtedly been enhanced by the district and outskirts of the town itself being

included as part of Stage 3 of the Tour de France 2014. The town was also the

start point of Stage 2 of the 2015 Women’s Tour of Britain.

As well as the existing National Cycle Network, further recommended leisure

routes have also been introduced by Essex County Council as part of the Cycle

Essex scheme and connect Braintree to neighbouring villages and attractions.

Many more localised activities and clubs are also present in the town, including

Braintree Velo, which are a competitive cycling club based in Braintree. The club

enters numerous events and competitions within the local area. Additional clubs

include the Forty Plus Cycling Club and the Essex Roads Cycling Club. The

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

national cycling charity CTC also has a strong presence within the town and offers

weekly sessions and communal rides, all with an aim to improve cycle safety and

numbers.

With a high number of local journey to work trips being made, a programme of

targeted workplace travel planning should be implemented with a focus on cycling

where network has been provided.

Witham

Cycling in Witham is less established than in Braintree, although there are a

number of schemes in place. For example, Witham Town Council has

recommended a number of routes which utilise the existing signed network within

the town, and Braintree District Council, in conjunction with the cycle charity, CTC

is running events to encouraging cycling for leisure.

Witham is also home to Witham Cycling, a cycle club affiliated with the CTC,

however the regularity of meetings and events is unknown.

Halstead

Awareness of cycling in Halstead has been raised by the presence of high profile

events within the vicinity of the town, including Stage 2 of the 2015 Women’s Tour

of Britain, and by Braintree District Council which has run events in conjunction

with the CTC to encourage cycle use.

Although not part of the National Cycle Network, Essex County Council has

included Halstead in its Cycle Essex scheme, with numerous recommended

routes connecting it to neighbouring villages and sites of interest.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

10 Delivery and Funding

10.1 Delivery

The recent Infrastructure Act (February 2015) places a commitment on the

Government to produce a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. The strategy

would specify the objectives to be achieved and the financial resources available.

This new bill shows a change in the government’s thinking and a clear

commitment to providing for cycling as well as accepting responsibility for targets

and funding.

The Department for Transport’s Cycling Delivery Plan (October 2014) refers to a

new national cycling target, to double the number of cycling stages (trips)

nationally over a 10 year period. This new target will be adopted by Essex as part

of this strategy.

The Government has also set a target of achieving an annual cycling spend of

£10 to £20 per head of the population. In Essex this would equate to

approximately £17million to £34million per year spent on cycling.

A step change in the provision of cycling infrastructure and promotion will require

an increase in funding over and above the current level of funding for cycling in

Essex. Essex County has committed to:

 Ensuring a consistent level of revenue and capital funding to support the

delivery of this strategy;

 Increasing the level of funding in Essex from its current level of £2 - £3 per

head of population to £10 per head of population by 2025;

 Increasing the utilisation and prioritisation of other funding sources such

as developer contributions and central Government grants/allocations;

and

 Developing a clear and cohesive methodology for the allocation of cycle

funding across Essex Districts.

This will ensure that new proposals are not frustrated by a lack of funding and

designers and promoters are set free to develop measures that will lead to a

consistent growth in cycling numbers, frequency and safety.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

10.2 Funding Options

There are a range of funding sources available for the potential schemes

identified in the Cycling Action Plans which are as follows:

 Local Highways Panels (LHPs)

 South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) funding

 DfT Access Fund

 Local Growth Funds (LGFs)

 Section 106 (S106) monies

10.3 Funding for Braintree

The delivery of the potential schemes, soft measures and smarter travel

measures will require additional funding and so for this cycling strategy to be

successful, it is imperative that funding is provided and sustained over a number

of years.

ECC Local Highway Panels are a source of capital funding for local highway

schemes, and are an appropriate way for new cycle infrastructure to be funded.

Planning contributions from new developments are an important source of

finance and can either provide funding towards new or improved cycle

infrastructure in Braintree or if in the vicinity actually construct schemes as part

of the development.

Current UK Government spending is £2.50 per person per year; the aim is to

increase this to at least £10 per person per year by 2020/2021. Essex will also

aim to spend £10 per person per year, with an initial increase to £5 by 2017.

The Government has a £6 billion Local Growth Fund for cycling and walking and

wishes to reduce the administrative budget Local Authorities have to use in

bidding for funding.

Other sources of funding also become available from time to time such as from

the DfT. Therefore it is important that there are schemes readily available to be

put forward for funding, should such opportunities arise.

In addition to the above, other possible funding options include:

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

 As part of road safety schemes;

 As part of health and safety schemes;

 Sustrans;

 Local growth funds;

 Network Rail and/or rail operating companies;

 Active Essex / Essex Health;

 SELEP Local Growth Funds for local sustainable transport programme;

 European Union funding (e.g. European Regional Development Fund and

Rural Development Programme); and

 Acquire and investigate corporate sponsorship opportunities for any high

profile public schemes/events.

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

11 Key Recommendations

In order to create an environment where cycling is normal for the residents of

Braintree, existing barriers to cycling should be removed and a series of cycle

routes provided with the aim of creating a connected cycle network over time.

Cycling infrastructure should provide for both key utility journeys and encourage

leisure cycling.

Analysis was undertaken to assess existing travel patterns, not only for cyclists

but rail and car commuters as well. Alongside this, the propensity to cycle was

also analysed to assess whether there were similarities between those that

commute by other methods of travel and the areas where there is a high

propensity to cycle.

The existing cycle networks in Braintree, Witham and Halstead should be

developed and the following key recommendations can be made for cycle

enhancements in Braintree District:

 A review of existing route signage and lighting;

 Maintenance of existing routes;

 Prioritise North – South and East-West Flagship routes, providing

improved access to the town centre and railway station;

 Develop Flagship Routes through Feasibility Studies to Detailed Design;

 Promote and market Flagship Routes with ‘Cycle Superhighway’ style

branding and disseminating techniques;

 Provide connectivity through town centres, particularly in an east / west

direction. Braintree and Witham are particularly in need of these routes

as there is little existing provision and these routes could connect key

employment areas, rail stations and town centres with large residential

areas. In addition, these routes attract the highest flows of car commuter

traffic in the district;

 Provide new and improved cycle parking, with a focus on satiating the

considerable demand for commuter trips at railway stations;

 Fill obvious gaps in the existing cycle-route network (on alignments with

cycle-friendly topography);

 Provide new infrastructure on key roads with cycle-friendly topography but

no existing facilities;

 Update the existing cycle map every two years taking on board new

innovation in cycle-map design, and promote it and disseminate it widely

through a range of channels and outlets

Cycling Action Plan

Braintree District

 Improve cycling infrastructure for access to Panfield Industrial Estate in

advance of the Northwest masterplan and connect with Panfield Lane to

the east and to the town centre;

 Provide better access to Flitch Way in Braintree and connect Flitch way

with the key industrial employment area to the west side of town and a

better connection at London Road;

 Enhance the Pierrefitte Way / Rayne Road junction and / or the High Street

/ Pierrefitte Way junction, potentially with innovative cycle priority in the

form of advanced stop lines, toucan crossings and cycle priority traffic

signals.

 Provide better cycle access to both Witham and Braintree rail stations,

which currently have poor cycle access. This is particularly important at

Witham as it has the high demand for rail use, particularly from the south;

and

 Potential routes should improve connections with leisure cycling routes, in

particular, Flitch Way in Braintree, Blackwater Trail in Witham and

associated existing surrounding bridleways.

To ensure the potential for cycling is fully realised, new infrastructure must be

accompanied by high profile and targeted promotion of cycling to ensure the full

cycling potential is realised in Braintree District, particularly in urban areas. This

should include the promotion of leisure cycling to take advantage of the green

space within the District.

With a high number of local journey to work trips being made, a programme of

targeted workplace travel planning should be implemented with a focus on cycling

where network has been provided.

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