Pedestrian strategy

The following vision statement guides the Council’s pedestrian strategy, the second Local Transport Plan and other strategies that have pedestrian impacts:

'Plymouth City Council’s vision is to make it pleasant, safe and convenient to walk for all within Plymouth'

The strategy

The Pedestrian Strategy looks at both national policies and the local position of the pedestrian. It provides evidence on why walking is important and its related benefits, including improving peoples’ health. It identifies both the opportunities and the obstacles to encouraging more people to walk more often.

The issues identified as potential opportunities or obstacles to encouraging greater walking activity include:

• Pedestrian safety - the Council has been successful in meeting its targets for pedestrian casualties since the year 2000 and has now set new targets to be met by 2010.
• Personal security - the fear of crime can be significant when deciding whether to walk or not. Small improvements such as better lighting on a route can lead to an increase in pedestrian activity.
• Rising car ownership - growing reliance on the private car will continue to be a major obstacle to increasing walking. Education and publicity will focus on the social, environmental and health benefits of walking.
• Travel to work - the journey to work contributes significantly to traffic congestion experienced in the morning and evening peak periods. Increases in pedestrian trips for this purpose will have benefits for other road users.
• Travel to school - the school run has also been cited as contributing significantly to morning weekday traffic problems. Schools will be encouraged to consider pupil’s choice of transport when they prepare their School Travel Plans.
• Quality of the environment - vandalism, graffiti, poorly maintained street furniture, lack of signing and poor lighting - all can be obstacles to pedestrian activity.
• Parking - a balanced approach to parking provision is required. If availability is too high it can be a deterrent to walking. Poorly managed parking can also make it difficult for pedestrians to reach destinations unimpeded or safely.
• Local safety schemes and casualty cluster sites - collision sites involving pedestrians will be identified and improved through this programme of works.
• Safety audit - when a new transport scheme is designed a safety audit enables improvements to be made specifically for safety purposes many of which will have benefits for the pedestrian.
• Access improvements - targeted small-scale improvements to pedestrian accessibility will benefit the most vulnerable members of society including the elderly, children and the mobility and visually impaired.
• Funding for walking - the Council will investigate new funding sources for pedestrian facilities.
• Potential partnerships - the Council will build on its committment for citywide support for the objectives of the pedestrian strategy through partnership working with the local community.

The pedestrian strategy has ten objectives:

• raise the priority given to pedestrians
• improve safety
• provide improved crossing facilities
• identify and develop networks of pedestrian routes
• emphasise maintenance
• promote accessibility for all
• inform and educate on walking issues
• work with partners
• integrate with other transport modes
• improve the pedestrian environment in the city centre

To meet these objectives, the following will be carried out:

• physical engineering measures
• marketing
• information campaigns
• education and training initiatives
• the use of new technology
• enhanced maintenance programmes

The pedestrian strategy was revised in August 2006 as a result of consultation feedback and the submission of the second Local Transport Plan. It will continue to evolve, taking account of Council priorities and new guidance from the Government.

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