B4.3.3 Designing for cyclists

All cycle facilities must be designed in accordance with Cycle Infrastructure Design (LTN 1/20) (Department for Transport) (and where appropriate Bus User Priority (LTN 1/24) (Department for Transport)) for bus stops and cycles. Cycle Facilities must be coherent, direct, safe, comfortable and attractive. Routes must be designed to remove conflict between cyclists and pedestrians, whilst also considering existing and potential use by horse riders from the outset. This must include providing appropriate levels of protection based on traffic volumes and vehicle speeds and refer to ‘List 3: Street Hierarchy’.

Points of severance (due to busy roads, high volumes of traffic, railway lines or other potential barriers) within or surrounding a development site must be identified within the Site Appraisal Assessment (1.1c, and where applicable 1.2g). Where potential or significant barriers to cycling have been identified, appropriate cycle crossing points must be provided.

Cycle routes must be designed and maintained to provide a smooth, continuous, and predictable surface. The following conditions are considered unacceptable on cycling surfaces and must be avoided:

• sharp gradients exceeding 12.5%

• non-cycle-friendly ironworks, such as poorly aligned or slippery inspection covers

• raised or sunken gullies and utility covers

• loose or uneven surfaces

• surfaces that present a slip hazard, particularly in wet or icy conditions

Applications should seek to provide greater cycle parking provision than the minimum (20-30% uplift) as outlined in District-wide cycle and other parking standards (Appendix 7).

Development proposals should ensure that cyclists can maintain a minimum lateral clearance of 1 metre from kerbside activities, including parked vehicles, loading areas, and other obstructions along the street.

Development proposals should remove potential conflicts between cyclists, buses, and general traffic. They should also ensure that bus stops are carefully located and designed to safeguard vulnerable passengers (whether waiting, boarding, or alighting) from possible conflicts with cyclists.