The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan

The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan LCWIP) analyses local travel patterns to identify where best to invest in cycling and walking infrastructure over a 10–15-year period. It is in two parts: a high level Stage 1, which has been published and identifies potential areas, and a Stage 2, which is currently being produced and will contain detailed schemes.

In 2021, car trips made up 59% of journeys under 5 miles. Therefore, there is a big opportunity to switch from short car trips to walking and cycling, known as active travel modes. Walking and cycling are low-cost, accessible, healthy, environmentally friendly and efficient. Getting more people to walk and cycle will help the Council respond to the Climate Emergency, tackle congestion on our roads, improve air quality and enable healthy lifestyles.

The key outputs from Stage 1, published in July 2023, are:

• Broad plans for core walking zones and cycle corridors within towns and suburban centres or between towns and suburban centres
• A high-level prioritised programme of infrastructure improvements for future investment; and
• The detailed background analysis which produced the zones, corridors and improvements.

It does not contain the specific designs for the proposed infrastructure improvements. These are developed in the Stage 2: Detailed Design and Feasibility.

Two sets of workshops were held with representatives from Surrey County Council, Mole Valley District Council, Sustrans and selected local organisations, such as local cycling and walking groups, parish councils and residents associations, and local councillors. The first set of workshops was on existing issues and identifying walking and cycling routes. The second set of workshops reviewed the proposed zones and corridors. A summary of the engagement activities is provided in Section 4 on page 65 of the LCWIP Stage 1 Report.

Core Walking Zones are in areas of high pedestrian activity, typically with walking trip generators, such as high streets, schools or business parks. They have been identified in order to enhance the walking environment, to make walking a more pleasant experience and so increase the number of people opting to walk.

Measures to encourage walking could include: wider footways, better and more frequent crossing points, changes to junctions, traffic calming, speed reductions and possibly restrictions to certain types of through traffic in some areas.

A cycle corridor is a cycle route that connects towns and suburban centres both to each other and to clusters of key destinations, such as town centres, schools and railway stations. For example, a route from central Leatherhead through Fetcham to Bookham linking up with Effingham. They may also plug into the cycle network beyond the district to enable onward travel to locations such as Epsom, Reigate or Horley.

Measures to encourage cycling could include: segregated two-way cycle tracks (providing physical separation between cyclists and motor vehicles) shared used paths (providing off-carriageway facilities that cyclists and pedestrians share) and Dutch-style advisory cycle lanes (providing a delineated space for people cycling within the carriageway and seeking to prioritise people cycling over motor vehicles through measures such as a 20mph speed limit and centre line removal). The measures could be delivered by reallocating space from verges and the carriageway or reducing on-street parking.

This stage involves specific designs for the six schemes selected by the Mole Valley Cabinet:

• Cycling Route: Leatherhead to Great Bookham/Effingham (two alternative alignments)
• Cycling Route: Leatherhead to Epsom – north
• Core Walking Zone: Dorking
• Core Walking Zone: Leatherhead Town Centre
• Core Walking Zone: Great Bookham
• Core Walking Zone: Leatherhead North

The output will be a series of feasibility design drawings that are sufficiently detailed to support business cases and funding applications.

The preference, wherever possible, is for segregation from traffic. However, given the width constraints of many areas of the district’s historic streets, it will not be possible for entirety of every cycle route to be segregated from traffic. In these situations, other measures to slow, reduce and restrict motor vehicle traffic may be needed to create a safer, more attractive environment for cycling.

The LCWIP is not about pedestrianisation. It is about cycle and walking prioritisation. However, there could be a possibility of greater restrictions on through traffic in some areas. Fully worked-up proposals will emerge through the detailed design and feasibility stage and go to public consultation.

The aim is not to make it more difficult to drive but to increase the number of people choosing to walk and cycle for short journeys or as part of a longer journey (e.g. combined with public transport). However, in some cases, prioritising active travel could mean that the desires of car users come second. Actions such as reductions in speed limits, the reduction in off-street parking to accommodate cycle tracks or the introduction of a “modal filter” (a limitation on vehicles using a street to, for example, emergency vehicles, buses and blue badge holders) would alter driving experiences.

Mole Valley’s LCWIP is just one of number of district and borough LCWIPs that Surrey County Council is coordinating across the county. Mole Valley has to fit in with Surrey County Council’s work programme and work on Stage 2 only commenced in May 2024.

As with the Stage 1 LCWIP Report, the detailed design and feasbility stage will involve engagement with councillors and stakeholders. At the end of the process there will be a full public consultation.

The costs will vary in each location and for each route dependent on the characteristics of the proposals. The Stage 1 Report provides high level estimated costs for each prioritised scheme. More thorough and accurate costs will emerge in the Stage 2 process.

There is currently no funding allocated for the delivery of the LCWIP.

However, with the conclusion of the feasibility and design process, Mole Valley District Council will be equipped with worked up designs to apply for funding from the Department for Transport (DfT), if and when it becomes available. It is likely that Mole Valley and Surrey County Council will both be required to contribute some match funding to secure the substantial DfT sums.

In addition, having the LCWIP in place, with network plans for each area, will help the Council to request funding from developers for walking and cycling infrastructure.