Design and other policies affecting people on bikes

The request was successful.

Dear Nottinghamshire County Council,

Please would you send me the following information:

1 - Documents and Policies. The latest version of the County Level documents which apply to the specifications, design and development of cycling facilities in Nottinghamshire, including national standards.

2 - How are out of date or dangerous cycling facilities identified? What is the process and responsibility for having them updated?

3 - What are the boundaries of responsibilities between the County Council or District Council.
(If it helps to clarify, an example of a query for which I need to know whom to contact could be if a cycle path in (say) Ashfield same to an adopted road and there was no drop kerb. Who would be responsible for providing a safe entry to the road?)

4 - Where does the responsibility lie or recommending and installing directions for cycle routes?

5 - Who in the County Council are the Councillor and Officer are the contacts for cycling facilities?

If you need any further information, please do get in touch.

Yours faithfully,

Matt Wardman

FOI, Nottinghamshire County Council

Dear Matt Wardman

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (Ref : NCC-044286-20)

Thank you for your request for information relating to cycling facilities. Your request was received on 12th May 2020, and we are dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

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You should receive a response to your Freedom of Information Request by 12th June 2020.

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Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Act Team
Chief Executives Department
Nottinghamshire County Council

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FOI, Nottinghamshire County Council

Dear Mr Wardman

I am writing to you in reply to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
request to Nottinghamshire County Council about cycling policy. I have the
following information.

 

1 - Documents and Policies. The latest version of the County Level
documents which apply to the specifications, design and development of
cycling facilities in Nottinghamshire, including national standards.

The County Council's strategies and polices relating to the development of
cycling facilities are included in the [1]Nottinghamshire Local Transport
Plan (and its current Implementation Plan) and [2]Cycling Strategy
Delivery Plan

 

When designing new cycling infrastructure, the Council makes reference to
a number of national cycling infrastructure design guidance, including the
Sustrans Design Manual Handbook for cycle-friendly design April 2014.
Design standards for new developments are set out in its Highways Design
Guide; and maintenance standards are set out in the Highways Network
Management Plan.

 

2 - How are out of date or dangerous cycling facilities identified? What
is the process and responsibility for having them updated?

The County Council, alongside Derby, Derbyshire, and Nottingham City
councils, is developing a D2N2 area wide Local Walking and Cycling
Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). The LCWIP helps the authorities identify and
prioritise improvements to its cycling networks (including improvements
along existing routes). Audits of the existing cycling facilities are also
undertaken periodically. Given the high cost of delivering cycle route
improvements the Council uses its limited resources available for such
measures to match fund bids for external funding (e.g. from the Department
for Transport) as and when it becomes available.

 

Via EM Ltd.’s Casualty Reduction Team records and analyses reported road
traffic accidents that result in injuries to road users in the county,
including analysis of any reported casualties that occur on cycle
facilities. The Casualty Reduction Team then develops annual casualty
reduction programmes to address treatable patterns of road traffic
collisions. If the analysis identified that highway infrastructure
(including existing cycling infrastructure) contributed to a pattern of
injury accidents remedial engineering measures would be considered.

 

Effectively all cycleways, whether shared with footways or on
carriageways, are subject to a variety of inspection frequencies,
dependent upon the level of usage. All roads, footways and cycleways are
allocated a specific hierarchy which then dictates the level of attention
they require.

 

All information on the Inspection and management of Cycleways, Footways
and Carriageways can be found in the County Council’s Highway Inspection &
Risk Manual which can be seen by following this link:
[3]https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/media...

 

If you would like us to consider upgrading any existing cycling
facilities, you are able to report a problem with an existing cycle
facility; or request a new/upgraded cycling facility using our online
forms or by phoning 0300 500 80 80.

 

3 - What are the boundaries of responsibilities between the County Council
or District Council?

The County Council, as the highway authority, is responsible for
improvements on its adopted highway. Improvements on the trunk road
network is the responsibility of Highways England and improvements on
non-adopted land would be for the landowner to consider. 

 

If you have a query about responsibility of a specific route/location I
would advise contacting Via EM Ltd.’s Highways Liaison Teams, or if you
would like us to consider installing dropped kerbs at a location you are
able to request new dropped kerbs using our online form or by phoning 0300
500 80 80.

 

4 - Where does the responsibility lie or recommending and installing
directions for cycle routes?

The County Council, as the highway authority, is responsible for
directional signing on its adopted highway. Directional signing on the
trunk road network is the responsibility of Highways England and
directional signing on non-adopted land would be for the landowner to
consider. 

 

If there are any routes that you would like the County Council to consider
for new/improved directional signing you are able to request this using
our online form or by phoning 0300 500 80 80.

 

5 - Who in the County Council are the Councillor and Officer are the
contacts for cycling facilities?

The relevant local County Council member should be contacted concerning
cycling improvements within their electoral division; contact details of
the relevant local County Councillor are on the County Council’s website. 

 

There are a number of officers within the County Council and Via EM Ltd
with responsibilities for cycling infrastructure, but the key contact
details are below:

•           Via EM Ltd.’s Highways Liaison Teams have responsibility for
general highways inquiries (including adopted highway, maintenance,
improvements and road safety inquiries) – email:
[4][email address] if the location you want to discuss is in
Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Mansfield, or Newark & Sherwood districts; or email:
[5][email address] if the location you want to discuss is in
Broxtowe, Gedling or Rushcliffe districts

•           The Transport Planning & Programme Development Team has
responsibility for the development of the cycling networks across the
county – email: [6][email address]

•           The Countryside Access Team has responsibility for the Public
Rights of Way network (including those that the public are permitted to
cycle on) – email: [7][email address]

•           The Highways Development Control Team has responsibility for
considering cycling improvements as part of new developments (although the
relevant local planning authority is ultimately responsible for planning
matters on new developments) – if you have an inquiry about highways
provision for a new development email: [8][email address] if the
development location you want to discuss is in Ashfield, Bassetlaw,
Mansfield, or Newark & Sherwood districts; or email:
[9][email address] if the location you want to discuss is in
Broxtowe, Gedling or Rushcliffe districts.

 

If you have any queries or concerns then please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

 

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you should write to the Team Manager, Complaints and Information Team,
County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP or e-mail
[Nottinghamshire County Council request email].

 

Yours sincerely

 

John Allison

Information Officer

Chief Executive’s Department

Nottinghamshire County Council

County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7QP

Telephone: 0115 977 2788 

 

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