Kent Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan

Update

Thank you to everyone who took part in this consultation. The feedback is being carefully analysed and considered.

A consultation report, along with the final Kent Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (KCWIP), will be presented to Members of the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee in due course. The consultation report will be made available from this webpage, along with a 'You Said, We Did' document detailing how responses have helped finalise the Plan, and a link to the final KCWIP.

Original consultation content:

Welcome to the public consultation on the proposed active travel network which will form the first Kent Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (KCWIP).

We are carrying out this consultation to gather your views on the proposed cycling routes and walking and wheeling zones to enable residents and visitors to make more journeys on foot or by cycle. Your feedback, local knowledge and insights will be invaluable in understanding the challenges and opportunities for active travel improvements across Kent.


Why do we need a KCWIP?

The government’s ambition is to make walking, wheeling and cycling the natural choices, both for shorter and longer journeys. Transforming local areas in ways that support active travel will reduce congestion, improve air quality, improve physical and mental health and support local economies.

The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) concept has been developed by the Department for Transport (DfT) for local and regional authorities to take a strategic approach in improving walking and cycling infrastructure. We have been working with many of the district councils in Kent to develop detailed LCWIPs and have been successful in obtaining funding for the delivery of some of their proposals in recent years.

To fulfil our county-wide role as the Local Transport Authority, to supplement the existing LCWIPs and to aid future LCWIP development in parts of Kent, we have decided to develop a KCWIP. This is to ensure that the public and stakeholders are clear about where our priorities are for improvements to walking, wheeling and cycling and to help us make sure that each district LCWIP forms a coherent county wide plan for delivery.


What will the KCWIP deliver?

The key outcomes of the KCWIP are:

  • A network plan for walking and cycling, which identifies preferred routes and core walking and wheeling zones.
  • A plan for integrating the KCWIP into active travel planning policies, strategies, and delivery plans.
  • A prioritised programme of infrastructure improvements for future investment.
  • A robust, evidence-based document which sets out the underlying analysis conducted and provides a narrative which supports the identified improvements and network.


How can I find out more?

Please read / view the information provided on this web page before you take part in the consultation. You can:

  • Watch the short video to find out more about the KCWIP background and methodology.
  • Read the Consultation Document to find out more about the KCWIP and proposals.
  • View the interactive maps or individual scheme plans to see the proposed cycle routes and walking and wheeling zones. These maps provide an indication of the types of improvements that could be developed for each route or zone.
  • Take a look at the summary 'tube style' maps for the cycle routes showing the key destinations along each route.
  • Use the Question and Answer tool below.


How can I get involved?

There are a number of ways to get involved:

  • Use our interactive maps below to comment on specific locations and improvements.
  • Complete the consultation questionnaire to help us further understand your views on the proposed cycle routes and walking and wheeling zones and their respective improvements.
  • Come and meet us at one of our in person public drop-in events;
    • 8 November 2-7pm Union Street Methodist Church, 20 Brewer Street, Maidstone, ME14 1RU
    • 13 November 2-7pm Cyclopark, Watling Street, Gravesend, DA11 7NP
    • 16 November 2-7pm The Guildhall, St Peter’s Pl, Westgate, Canterbury, CT1 2DB

If you can’t attend an in person event, use the Question and Answer tool below or contact us using the details on this webpage.


What happens next?

Once your feedback reaches us, we will:

  • Analyse responses to this consultation and produce a Consultation Report, which will be published on this webpage.
  • Where possible, incorporate feedback from the consultation and amend the cycling routes and walking and wheeling zones.
  • Prioritise the cycling routes and walking zones and their respective improvements in the short, medium and long term to produce a prioritised programme of cycling and walking infrastructure improvements.
  • Present the final KCWIP to the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee. Once approved the Plan will be integrated into local policies, strategies and plans.

Update

Thank you to everyone who took part in this consultation. The feedback is being carefully analysed and considered.

A consultation report, along with the final Kent Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (KCWIP), will be presented to Members of the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee in due course. The consultation report will be made available from this webpage, along with a 'You Said, We Did' document detailing how responses have helped finalise the Plan, and a link to the final KCWIP.

Original consultation content:

Welcome to the public consultation on the proposed active travel network which will form the first Kent Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (KCWIP).

We are carrying out this consultation to gather your views on the proposed cycling routes and walking and wheeling zones to enable residents and visitors to make more journeys on foot or by cycle. Your feedback, local knowledge and insights will be invaluable in understanding the challenges and opportunities for active travel improvements across Kent.


Why do we need a KCWIP?

The government’s ambition is to make walking, wheeling and cycling the natural choices, both for shorter and longer journeys. Transforming local areas in ways that support active travel will reduce congestion, improve air quality, improve physical and mental health and support local economies.

The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) concept has been developed by the Department for Transport (DfT) for local and regional authorities to take a strategic approach in improving walking and cycling infrastructure. We have been working with many of the district councils in Kent to develop detailed LCWIPs and have been successful in obtaining funding for the delivery of some of their proposals in recent years.

To fulfil our county-wide role as the Local Transport Authority, to supplement the existing LCWIPs and to aid future LCWIP development in parts of Kent, we have decided to develop a KCWIP. This is to ensure that the public and stakeholders are clear about where our priorities are for improvements to walking, wheeling and cycling and to help us make sure that each district LCWIP forms a coherent county wide plan for delivery.


What will the KCWIP deliver?

The key outcomes of the KCWIP are:

  • A network plan for walking and cycling, which identifies preferred routes and core walking and wheeling zones.
  • A plan for integrating the KCWIP into active travel planning policies, strategies, and delivery plans.
  • A prioritised programme of infrastructure improvements for future investment.
  • A robust, evidence-based document which sets out the underlying analysis conducted and provides a narrative which supports the identified improvements and network.


How can I find out more?

Please read / view the information provided on this web page before you take part in the consultation. You can:

  • Watch the short video to find out more about the KCWIP background and methodology.
  • Read the Consultation Document to find out more about the KCWIP and proposals.
  • View the interactive maps or individual scheme plans to see the proposed cycle routes and walking and wheeling zones. These maps provide an indication of the types of improvements that could be developed for each route or zone.
  • Take a look at the summary 'tube style' maps for the cycle routes showing the key destinations along each route.
  • Use the Question and Answer tool below.


How can I get involved?

There are a number of ways to get involved:

  • Use our interactive maps below to comment on specific locations and improvements.
  • Complete the consultation questionnaire to help us further understand your views on the proposed cycle routes and walking and wheeling zones and their respective improvements.
  • Come and meet us at one of our in person public drop-in events;
    • 8 November 2-7pm Union Street Methodist Church, 20 Brewer Street, Maidstone, ME14 1RU
    • 13 November 2-7pm Cyclopark, Watling Street, Gravesend, DA11 7NP
    • 16 November 2-7pm The Guildhall, St Peter’s Pl, Westgate, Canterbury, CT1 2DB

If you can’t attend an in person event, use the Question and Answer tool below or contact us using the details on this webpage.


What happens next?

Once your feedback reaches us, we will:

  • Analyse responses to this consultation and produce a Consultation Report, which will be published on this webpage.
  • Where possible, incorporate feedback from the consultation and amend the cycling routes and walking and wheeling zones.
  • Prioritise the cycling routes and walking zones and their respective improvements in the short, medium and long term to produce a prioritised programme of cycling and walking infrastructure improvements.
  • Present the final KCWIP to the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee. Once approved the Plan will be integrated into local policies, strategies and plans.
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

If you have any questions about the KCWIP and the proposed routes or zones you can ask them here and we will respond as soon as we can. Your question, and the answer, will be visible below and you will also receive an email notification.

If you require any documents in an alternative format or hard copy, please use the email address or phone number provided under the ‘Alternative format' section on the page. 

We won’t, of course, respond to any abusive, offensive or off-topic questions, these will also be hidden from view.

Please do not share any personal information about yourself or anybody else here. 

  • Why is the KCWIP not integrated with the existing Sustrans cycle route network? For example, there are no KCWIP cycle routes in the Tunbridge Wells area but there is the excellent Sustrans route 18 which covers the TW / Ashford area.

    HPCvicechair asked 4 months ago

    For this consultation the map was kept as just the proposed routes/zones so that it was clear what the KCWIP was proposing.  In the final document we will ensure a map which shows how these proposed routes link in to the existing network and links in with District and Borough level plans through their LCWIPS. 

    Given the scale of the KCWIP it is crucial that it compliments proposed district-level active travel schemes and aligns with district-level policies and ambitions. 

    There are a number of LCWIPs which have been, or are in the process of development, by district-level authorities across the county. As these documents primarily emphasise cycling and walking trips made at a local level, it was deemed important to produce a plan that approached the future of Cycling and Walking Infrastructure in Kent at a County-wide level, considering both urban and rural areas, shorter and longer distance journeys. The KCWIP is designed to complement these LCWIPs by connecting more localised routes proposed by LCWIPs with the longer, inter-urban routes proposed by the KCWIP. For this reason, walking zones and cycling routes have not been proposed in locations where there is an existing LCWIP. The areas which have an existing LCWIP are as follows:

    • Ashford 
    • Folkestone and Hythe
    • Gravesham 
    • Sevenoaks
    • Tonbridge and Malling 
    • Tunbridge Wells and Paddock Wood

  • Are you also going to be looking at Public Footpaths etc, many of which have been allowed to fall into disrepair which has rendered them unusable. I used to be an avid walker but have had too many bad experiences of paths that are overgrown and no managed properly in the Thanet and Dover area so now I stick to routes that I know are safe.

    Jennifer1 asked 6 months ago

    Thank you for the question.  Yes we will work with our colleagues in Public Rights of Way to look at opportunities where we can make improvements to existing footpaths, taking the routes off the main public highway.  

    You can raise concerns about vegetation on existing routes using the Report a Problem function on our website here; Report a problem on a road or pavement - Kent County Council  


  • How has the proposed KCWIP network been developed?

    Nikki Hale asked 7 months ago

    The KCWIP has been developed using a number of sources:

     

    • The Department for Transport's LCWIP guidance.
    • In order to understand local context and project-specific challenges, input has been sought from local stakeholders.
    • Online sources of information such as the Census.
    • Online tools such as Google Maps.

     

    These above-mentioned sources of information have been compiled to produce the cycling routes and walking zones and their improvements which we now invite you to share your feedback on.

  • Why are there two points labelled R15-11

    KRG asked 6 months ago

    Thank you for your feedback. Improvement R15-11 is assigned to three different points in the vicinity of the A2/A227 junction. Given their close proximity the three improvements were grouped.

  • R15-10. Provide a new facility on the left hand side with a crossing on approach to the roundabout. Left hand side can be misinterpreted as it varies depending on the direction of approach to the roundabout. Please clarify, north, south, east or west side?

    KRG asked 6 months ago

    Thank you for the question.  The left hand side refers to the eastern side.  

    Kind Regards

    Active Travel Team

  • Why are there no cycle routes in West Kent at all ? When will you remove the metal width barriers which seriously impede cyclists with wide handlebars as well as wheelers and disabled mobility barriers ? The Tonbridge to Penshurst cycle path has several such barriers as does the Medway cycle path.

    Woollnick asked 6 months ago

    Thank you for your question.

    With regards to the routes in West Kent, given the scale of the KCWIP it is crucial that it compliments proposed district-level active travel schemes and aligns with district-level policies and ambitions. 

    There are a number of LCWIPs which have been, or are in the process of development, by district-level authorities across the county. As these documents primarily emphasise cycling and walking trips made at a local level, it was deemed important to produce a plan that approached the future of Cycling and Walking Infrastructure in Kent at a County-wide level, considering both urban and rural areas, shorter and longer distance journeys. The KCWIP is designed to complement these LCWIPs by connecting more localised routes proposed by LCWIPs with the longer, inter-urban routes proposed by the KCWIP. For this reason, walking zones and cycling routes have not been proposed in locations where there is an existing LCWIP. 

    Regarding the barriers, these have not been installed as a matter of course, only when either there is a known or foreseeable problem or, on permissive routes, where they are a requirement of the landowner to allow the cycle path to be provided.  In most cases where the barriers are used, they are properly designed ‘motorcycle inhibitors’ which have been made to be as Equality Act 2010 compliant as possible, whilst still be reasonably effective at excluding illegal motorcycle access. 

    In a few instances, the barriers are installed with the specific purpose of making cyclists dismount. These will be on sections of a cycle path where the width is so restricted that it is not safe to have mounted cyclists and pedestrians mixing – an example of this is the narrow path by the moorings at East Farleigh on the Medway Towpath.  In terms of Tonbridge to Penshurst, the barriers were installed at the request of the landowners. The only exception  being the half barriers/ chicane at the rail underpass which was to address the height restriction.

    If you have any queries about specific barriers you can log a request here for someone to review and respond - https://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/report-a-problem 

  • Kent does not exist in isolation. Why are there no cross-border cycle routes with Medway, London Boroughs or East Sussex?

    KRG asked 6 months ago

    Thank you for your message.  Please refer to Map 1 in the consultation document, or the larger version in the "Plans featured in the consultation document" on the right hand side of the page.  This illustrates the inter county/unitary authority connections.  We can only suggest improvements for  routes and zones which are inside of Kent County. 

  • Are there any planned routes for Maidstone?

    Johnbsfa asked 7 months ago

    This first iteration of the KCWIP shows the 15 top prioritised walking/wheeling zones and cycling routes.  In this version for Maidstone there is Cycling Route 14 Maidstone to Sittingbourne.  If you have a look at the consultation document on the webpage and review map 1 and 2 (page 8 and 9) you will see there are routes and zones identified for Maidstone, which will be considered for future versions of the KCWIP.  

  • Why there are no proposed routes in my area?

    Nikki Hale asked 7 months ago

    Given the scale of the KCWIP it is crucial that it compliments proposed district-level active travel schemes and aligns with district-level policies and ambitions. 

    There are a number of LCWIPs which have been, or are in the process of development, by district-level authorities across the county. As these documents primarily emphasise cycling and walking trips made at a local level, it was deemed important to produce a plan that approached the future of Cycling and Walking Infrastructure in Kent at a County-wide level, considering both urban and rural areas, shorter and longer distance journeys. The KCWIP is designed to complement these LCWIPs by connecting more localised routes proposed by LCWIPs with the longer, inter-urban routes proposed by the KCWIP. For this reason, walking zones and cycling routes have not been proposed in locations where there is an existing LCWIP. The areas which have an existing LCWIP are as follows:

    • Ashford 
    • Folkestone and Hythe
    • Gravesham 
    • Sevenoaks
    • Tonbridge and Malling 
    • Tunbridge Wells and Paddock Wood