Strategic Active Travel Network (SATN): initial consultation

We are in the process of developing plans for a county-wide network of walking and cycling routes. This will help prioritise the council's resources and funding opportunities to improve active travel infrastructure. We are now asking for feedback on emerging, early-stage proposals for this network.

Background

The Strategic Active Travel Network (SATN) project is aligned with Oxfordshire County Council's priorities with regards to sustainable travel modes. The development of a county-wide network is one of the commitments in the recently adopted Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP), which seeks to reduce trips made by cars and other private motorised vehicles by enabling an uptake in active travel and use of public transport. SATN is also one of the actions in the supporting Active Travel Strategy.

This project is part of a wider set of strategic and policy work aimed at improving the way active travel infrastructure is designed, implemented and maintained. So far, active travel interventions have been planned primarily through Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs). At present, LCWIPs have been approved for Oxford, Bicester and Kidlington, with 7 more at different stages of development (Banbury, Abingdon, Witney, Didcot, Chipping Norton, Woodstock and Charlbury). In turn, these will be followed by plans for all other major settlements in the county.

LCWIPs, however, are based on a specific location, plus their immediate environments. SATN takes a different approach by considering the county as a whole and concentrating on links between settlements. This will allow us to assess and prioritise areas not covered by LCWIPs (albeit at a less detailed scale) and prioritise routes according to their overall strategic contribution to the network.

Progress so far

The first stages of SATN have primarily been desktop-based and focused on developing a better understanding of the context in which the network will be plotted. We have reviewed a range of datasets, including National Travel Surveys (NTS), Propensity to Cycle (PCT), Census Outputs (2021), Strava Recreational Data, Topography/Terrain, Population Densities, Collision Data and Public Transport Networks. We have also considered the local Policy Framework and committed schemes across the county, including LCWIPs and future development sites.

Key inputs are summarised in one of the attached documents, SATN: supporting data and analysis (8.88 MB) (pdf).

Based on the outputs from this desktop analysis, an initial 'long list' of desire lines has been developed which identifies the key areas in Oxfordshire where we anticipate current and future demand for good-quality cycling infrastructure.

Have your say

At this stage, we are seeking feedback on the emerging straight-line network, which can be consulted in the attached document, SATN: draft network (straight-line) (283 KB) (pdf).

We want to ensure that all key connections between settlements are included - that's why we are asking for your local knowledge and experience to help us complement and amend the emerging proposals.

You can do so by filling in the survey below.

Next steps

The feedback from this engagement exercise will be used to confirm the straight-line network and allow us to move to the next phase of the project.

We will then identify a set of high-priority links which will be translated into specific alignments on the ground, along with design recommendations and costings for each of the alignments.

A final report, including project outcomes and recommendations, will be published at the end of the project.

The opening or improvement of the routes in the network will follow from SATN as opportunities arise (often linked to central government funding or developer contributions) and will be consulted on a case-by-base basis.

Wider engagement and questions

A Steering Group has been created to support the project, including officers and councillors from County, City and District Councils, as well as representatives from key stakeholder groups. This group has already provided critical feedback and will continue to steer the project alongside this (and potential future) consultations.

We have also engaged with neighbouring authorities working on similar or relevant projects, such as Buckinghamshire Council's county-wide LCWIP or England Economic Heartland's Active Travel Strategy.

If you have questions, or prefer to provide feedback directly via mail, please get in touch with Joaquim Muntané, Active Travel Officer at Oxfordshire County Council (joaquim.muntane@oxfordshire.gov.uk / 07526973012).