Biodiversity Action Plan for the National Cycle Network ... - Sustrans

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2. Introduction to Sustrans 2.1 About Sustrans 2.1.1 Sustrans is the UK's leading sustainable transport charity. Our vision is a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. We are the charity behind the National Cycle Network, Safe Routes to Schools, Bike It, Liveable Neighbourhoods, TravelSmart and many other projects that are working everyday on practical and innovative solutions to transport challenges. 2.1.2 Sustrans was started in 1977 by a group of Bristol environmentalists, who set up a cycling group called Cyclebag. Within two years the group began a programme of building cycle routes, which has continued unabated for nearly 30 years. 2.1.3 After 15 years’ experience of building paths, Sustrans began to capture the public imagination and launched a Supporter Programme. Supporter numbers rose from 200 in 1993 to 40,000 in 2005. By 1995 Sustrans was in a position to make a realistic bid to the Millennium Commission for Lottery funds to help construct the National Cycle Network. The original bid was for a 6,500-mile network by 2005 with 2,500 miles of routes built by the year 2000. The enthusiasm for the project shown by local authorities all over the country has since increased this total to 12,000 miles. 2.1.4 The bid was successful and Sustrans was awarded £43.5 million. Although this is a huge amount, it only represented 20% of the total costs of the first phase of the project. The remainder came from a variety of sources including local authorities, development agencies, the European Union, the Highways Agency, the cycle trade and industry, and from generous contributions from Sustrans Supporters. 2.2 Sustrans’ projects 2.2.1 Sustrans works on a range of practical and innovative projects that allow people to choose to travel in healthy and environmentally friendly ways, as well as contributing towards wider regional and national government policies and objectives. These projects are summarised on page 9. Sustrans’ Biodiversity Action Plan for the National Cycle Network (December 2007) 8
Project National Cycle Network Safe Routes to Schools Liveable Neighbourhoods TravelSmart Bike It Art and the Travelling Landscape Volunteer Rangers Active Travel Research and Monitoring General Description A comprehensive network of safe and attractive places to cycle and walk throughout the UK. Sustrans delivers the Network with many partners and 12,000 miles of route are now open. Sustrans has a range of services to help people to get the most from the Network. We provide a free public information service, produce high quality maps and guides, commission public artworks on the routes and run a national volunteer programme, with nearly 2000 volunteer rangers looking after and helping to promote their local routes. In 2002, we were awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of our work on the National Cycle Network. In 2005 the project won the National Lottery ‘Helping Hands Award’, decided by public vote for the lottery project with greatest national impact. Sustrans pioneered this initiative in the UK, working with schools to make cycling and walking to school both safe and fun. Sustrans has also built hundreds of Links to Schools from the National Cycle Network, giving children traffic-free routes and parents peace of mind. Updating city living for the 21 st century by putting people at the heart of their community. Places where children can play safely, people can shop locally, with plenty of open and public spaces accessible to all. Pioneered by Sustrans in the UK, offering a unique service that gives households the tailor-made information they need to walk, cycle and use public transport more. We know that millions of children want to cycle to school in this country - yet only 1% do. Sustrans has stepped in to sort this out with Bike It, a ground-breaking project which has already quadrupled the number of children cycling to its target schools. Sustrans believes getting children to start cycling now is the key to the future of sustainable transport. Creating more memorable journeys on the National Cycle Network by commissioning quality public artworks, from sculptures through seats and drinking fountains, creating public spaces that can be appreciated by all. Nearly 2000 volunteers across the UK working with their communities on major Sustrans projects. Persuading government to promote walking and cycling as a way of combating obesity, heart disease and cancer. National monitoring programme which collects data from around the UK and uses this to produce an annual report on cycle usage around the UK. This has been a powerful tool in showing that cycling has been growing over recent years, particularly on carfree routes. The data is produced mostly from automatic counters managed by local authorities and is supplemented with manual counts. 2.3 Flagship project 2.3.1 Sustrans is working to establish and promote a National Cycle Network in the United Kingdom. The Network so far consists of some 12,000 miles of cycle routes passing through the centres of most major towns and cities in the UK and within one mile of over 50% of the UK’s population. It serves the urban areas, provides access to the Sustrans’ Biodiversity Action Plan for the National Cycle Network (December 2007) 9
Page 1 and 2: Biodiversity Action Plan for the Na
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Executive Summary 6 1. Int
Page 5 and 6: 12. Mitigation and enhancement meas
Page 7: 1. Introduction to biodiversity in
Page 11 and 12: 2.3.5 Map of National Cycle Network
Page 13 and 14: On-going key action plan items and
Page 15 and 16: Association, the British Horse Soci
Page 17 and 18: 7. Links with Local Biodiversity Ac
Page 19 and 20: 9. Habitat Action Plans 9.1 Hedgero
Page 21 and 22: grasses such as tor grass Brachypod
Page 23 and 24: Contribute to the implementation of
Page 25 and 26: Where planting is required in hedge
Page 27 and 28: 10.3 Badger Meles meles 10.3.1 Desc
Page 29 and 30: 10.4.2 Optimum survey time The opti
Page 31 and 32: 10.6 Great crested newt Triturus cr
Page 33 and 34: Loss of food plants for certain spe
Page 35 and 36: 12. Mitigation and enhancement meas
Page 37 and 38: 12.6.2 Some bat species rely exclus
Page 39 and 40: 13.3 Japanese knotweed Fallopia jap
Page 41 and 42: seed. Young plants are easy to pull
Page 43 and 44: 14. Education and understanding 14.
Page 45 and 46: 16. Glossary HAP Habitat Action Pla
Page 47 and 48: Cumbria LA7 7NH Tel: 01539 567953 w
Page 49 and 50: Ways for Wildlife Wildlife, cycle p
Page 51 and 52: © David Hall © Toby Smedley Visit
Page 53: Appendix 2 - Phase 1 and 2 habitat

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