Councillors have asked us to deliver a programme of small, lower cost, projects to support active travel.
These will initially focus on the three towns covered by Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs), Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal and Penrith.
There is potential to expand the programme to other areas as resources allow.
Status: Concept design
Funding: Multiple sources
Policy Framework: Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP)
Project description
Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to making it easier, safer and more attractive for people to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys.
The Active Travel Small Scale Improvements (ATSSI) Studies identify smaller, lower-cost improvements that can help remove barriers to active travel and improve accessibility across our communities.
The studies focus on practical measures that can often be delivered alongside highways maintenance works, development-funded projects or through local transport funding.
Active Travel Small Scale Improvement (ATSSI) studies - explained
An Active Travel Small Scale Improvement (ATSSI) is generally a walking, wheeling or cycling improvement with a value of up to £50,000.
The studies focus on improvements that are deliverable, provide good value for money and help create more accessible routes for people of all ages and abilities.
Examples include:
- new or improved pedestrian crossing points
- tactile paving improvements
- dropped kerbs
- improved footway surfaces
- removal of barriers
- cycle parking
- improved signage and wayfinding
- traffic calming measures
- junction improvements
- raised side-road crossing treatments
- small cycle route improvements
Why we're doing these studies
Delivering major active travel schemes can need significant external funding and a lot of design work.
These studies help make sure that active travel improvements can be delivered more often in more places.
Delivering the ATSSI studies
The ATSSI Studies do not provide funding for improvements directly. They create a prioritised and costed list of potential schemes that can be considered as funding opportunities become available.
Where possible we will look for opportunities to incorporate ATSSIs into existing highway and infrastructure projects, to maximise value for money and minimise disruption.
Keeping the studies up to date
The ATSSI Studies are live documents and will be reviewed regularly when we:
- deliver improvements
- identify new opportunities
- get more funding
- get community feedback
Where they're needed we will publish annual progress updates.