Highways Agency

• Cyclists, Horse Riders, Pedestrians and Disabled People

Despite the provision of many bypass schemes through the years, many towns and villages still have trunk roads passing through their centres and these can create a physical and psychological barrier between separate parts of the community, causing people to use their cars for journeys they might otherwise make on foot or by bicycle.
We work to address these issues by:

• Introducing traffic calming schemes in villages.
• Introducing speed controlling measures where appropriate.
• Developing new ways to enable people to cross busy trunk roads safely.

Access to Public Transport

Access to public transport is particularly important for certain groups in society, e.g. young people, the disabled and the elderly. The Government also wishes to encourage more use of public transport by those who do have the option of using their own car. At present, however, many potential users are discouraged by, for example, poor access to bus stops. We work to address these issues by:

• Ensuring that bus stops on trunk roads are in the safest, most convenient place.
• Working with public transport operators and local authorities to improve access to bus and rail services on foot and by cycle, and to improve facilities at bus stops.

Pedestrians

Walking is a very important mode of transport, both in its own right and as a means of providing access to public transport. However, walking needs to be made safer and personal security improved so that we can influence travel decisions away from short-distance car journeys. We work to address these issues by:

• Ensuring good pedestrian access to developments near trunk roads.
• Ensuring regular maintenance of footways and crossings.
• Developing new and improved signs for pedestrian routes.
• Where possible, working with other bodies to provide more direct routes for walking between key destinations.

Disabled People

The need to cater for the transport requirements of disabled and elderly people is becoming increasingly important. Many disabled people in Britain rely on public transport, provided that they are able to access it easily and conveniently. The ability to move around their own local community with ease is also essential.

Access to public transport is being pursued under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and the Agency will play its part in improving access to its network for all.  We work to address these issues by:

• Ensuring good access for disabled people to developments near trunk roads.
• Upgrading existing facilities as new ideas are introduced.
• Working with public transport operators and local authorities to ensure that infrastructure improvements are implemented (such as low-floor buses).

Cyclists

Over one million people use bicycles every day, both to get to work or the shops, and for leisure. However, the speed and volume of traffic, together with the condition and design of many roads, often deters people from cycling. The Agency works in partnership with others to create a cycle-friendly infrastructure safe for use by all age groups and to address issues such as safety, personal security and convenience by:

• Ensuring good access for cyclists to developments near trunk roads.
• Ensuring regular maintenance of cycle paths.
• Providing cycle facilities outside the highway boundary where possible.
• Encouraging use of cycle lanes and cycle tracks, and cycle-friendly junctions.
• Providing new and improved signing of cycle routes.
• Where possible, providing more direct routes for cycling between key destinations

Horse Riders

Horse riding is an important part of daily recreational life, especially in rural areas. However, the standard of facilities to accommodate equestrians, either crossing or riding along the trunk road, varies. Heavy traffic and excessive speed can give rise to grave danger and discourage horses and their riders. We work to address these issues by:

• Considering the needs of horse riders at both ground-level crossings and flyovers.
• Providing for horse riders outside the highway boundary where possible.