Integrated Public Transport Strategy - Worcestershire County Council

Chapter 5 - Walking Strategy
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Chapter 5 - Walking Strategy
Introduction
The Governments drive to develop a sustainable transport environment came to fruition
with the White Paper ‘A New Deal for Transport’ and the development of Local Transport
Plans to deliver this new agenda. The Government guidance document ‘Encouraging
Walking’ lays the foundation to develop a policy framework from which Local Authorities
can develop a walking strategy which, “will make walking a more viable, attractive and
safe option.”
This walking strategy identifies clear objectives which will promote walking as a viable
means of transport. The strategy looks to address the factors that have caused a decline
in walking, particularly for the shorter trip and to identify and apply holistic and integrated
measures in terms of road space reallocation, safety and planning.
Walking as a mode of transport is a vital element in developing a sustainable transport
infrastructure. It is still a very popular mode of transport, accounting for almost a third of
all journeys and 80% of journeys under one mile.
Encouraging children and employees to walk is an effective way of reducing peak traffic
congestion. It helps to improve fitness and health (both physical and mental) and is easily
incorporated into the daily routine. A greater presence of pedestrians helps to reduce
crime and improve a feeling of personal security. Experience shows that encouraging
walking can help create an attractive and prosperous environment in which to live.
In the last ten years walking has declined by over 10% and the average distance walked
has fallen by 18%. The journeys under one mile account for only 3% of the total distance
travelled. The growth and use of car ownership is one of the main reasons for the decline
in walking.
Until now transport planning and highway design has concentrated on developing more
direct routes and increasing capacity for the car with measures for pedestrians being
confined to trying to improve safety through segregation. Consequently, this has often
resulted in cutting off the shorter more convenient route that would have encouraged the
walking journey. Work, home and shopping developments have been dispersed with
inadequate pedestrian routes connecting them, creating the need to travel further and a
subsequent decline in walking.
All public transport journeys have an
element of walking and a decline in
patronage has had an accompanying
decline in walking. This has been
further exacerbated with inadequate
routes to and from interchanges and
research recently undertaken shows
that concern for personal security is
greatest when walking to and from the
bus stop or train station at either end
of the journey.