Some towns in East Sussex have a limited network of proposed walking and cycling routes, but none of these are comprehensive. Sustrans was appointed in March 2017 by East Sussex County Council to produce the evidence base for the development of a countywide Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for a number of towns.
The challenge
Some towns in East Sussex have a limited network of proposed walking and cycling routes, but none of these are comprehensive. The County Council needed support in proactively managing stakeholder expectations of future cycling and walking network development.
No consistent approach to walking and cycling network development across East Sussex towns. Support needed to develop potential schemes which can be prioritised for inclusion in planned funding bids.
What we did
We were appointed in March 2017 by East Sussex County Council to produce the evidence base for the development of a countywide Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for a number of towns including Newhaven, Eastbourne, Bexhill and Hastings. The key requirements were to:
- Identify new cycling and walking routes and infrastructure measures
- Engage with key local stakeholders to capture local knowledge, identify potential route alignments and barriers
We developed a bespoke methodology based on the government’s LCWIP guidance, London Cycling Design Standards, the Wales Active Travel Act guidance and the Propensity to Cycle Tool. We shared our Earthlight online mapping with stakeholders, to inform detailed network planning and ensure we captured local knowledge.
Our highway engineers produced sketch designs of a number of busy junctions. The comprehensive reports for each town include an analysis of existing conditions, barriers to walking and cycling and recommendations for each route alongside detailed mapping and photographs.