Resin Bound Surfacing

Wednesday, 17 July 2041

Resin Bound Surfacing

We supply interior resin surfacing for a variety of facilities, and also homes. The most common resin floors for indoors is self-levelling epoxy plus polyurethane resin surfacing. All these surface types provide slip-resistance and can be easily cleaned to use in hygienic places like kitchen areas in addition to labs. The interior resin surfacing is actually a long-lasting and also durable surfacing kind, capable to go through heavy use.

Self-levelling epoxy surfacing is ideal for warehouses, production facilities as well as pharmaceutical industries. https://ukresinboundsurfacing.blogspot.com/ It may also be utilised in areas including food preparation zones and also industrial facilities; this is because of the slip resistant and hygienic properties which can be presented. The epoxy surfacing type is fitted 2-3mm thick; the specification gets poured on the current surface which is then spread smoothly. We make sure to clean your surfacing before the mix is poured over the surfacing to make sure that the surface will be completely smooth.

Polyurethane flooring is also obtainable; this is generally used for sports halls at educational institutions plus leisure clubs. Polyurethane sports surfaces are certainly common in these kinds of institutions, since they supply durable, slip-resistant qualities which makes the surfacing excellent for almost any sport. https://ukresinboundsurfacing.wordpress.com/ Two layers create the polyurethane resin flooring - the first layer is actually a prefabricated granular rubber base mat, that's glued to the existing area. The top layer is 2mm of self-levelling polyurethane which is applied and then distributed onto the base layer. A durable finish is made by applying a wear resistant mat on the top.

Non-slip qualities and fantastic appearance are supplied through the fitting of MMA quartz surfacing. Places including meal preparation areas, schools along with hospitals may have MMA quartz flooring installed. https://ukresinboundsurfacing.tumblr.com/ The hard-wearing flooring is set up easily and has a remarkably fast curing time - which allows the surfacing to be utilized after just a couple of hours. Mainly because the product is covered with a primer coat, the surfacing binds to the existing floor effortlessly.

The self-levelling polyurethane surfacing sort makes a matte finished look plus supplies great qualities for school sports halls. This surface sort may also be used for lots of different institutions which include production facilities, pharmaceutical laboratories, industrial environments and also aviation establishments. http://resinboundsurfacing.weebly.com/ When the polyurethane mixture is ready it will be poured onto the desired space and then spread evenly using specialized equipment. Heavy duty polyurethane screed is also used in lots of institutions such as production facilities, food prep areas and breweries. The long lasting, hardwearing surface is a hygienic surface type making it excellent for many establishments. Numerous different colours are accessible in each one of the resin surfacing types so you can select a personalised style to meet your needs.

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

Removing barriers to sustainable travel

Sara Ladkani-Knowle on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path with her 13-month old daughter

Our recent YouGov poll revealed that 84% of parents say their awareness of environmental problems had increased in the last year, yet almost a third (27%) cited the inconvenience of planning a sustainable journey as a key barrier. We know there is public appetite to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, and our survey shows that people want to travel in a more environmentally friendly way, but now they need the right infrastructure to act.

Sara Ladkani-Knowles, 36, moved house two year’s ago because of its proximity to the Bristol to Bath railway path – a cycling and walking route which enables her to cycle around the city. After having her first child, Sara still uses the path to travel to the shops, park and meet friends locally. We caught up with Sara to find out why she decided to take the plunge and move location.

Reducing our impact on the environment

Sara said: “At school I learnt about climate change and the damaging effect humans are having on the planet and this really stayed with me. We’re starting to notice the rate of global warming, with regular new stories highlighting the speed at which the ice caps are melting and the increasing number of natural disasters. It worries me and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

“As a family we’ve made a number of changes to our lifestyle to reduce our impact on the environment. This includes buying veg boxes to reduce plastic waste, bringing our own re-usable bags to shops and also limiting the amount of water we use by having shorter showers.

The benefits of living near a cycling and walking path

“My husband and I bought a house on the Bristol to Bath railway path so that we could rely less on our car and we use it all the time. Before I became pregnant we used to cycle to Bath regularly as it only takes an hour. It’s such an enjoyable experience because there are no cars to navigate so it really takes the street out of cycling.

“It’s an amazing place to bring my 13-month-old daughter because it’s away from congested, busy roads and means she’s not breathing in polluted air. I take her to the shops in Fishpond and Warmley on the path. She’s not quite up to the ride to Bath yet but we are slowly building up to a trip there.

“ If the UK had more cycle paths like the one I travel on, I think more people would consider riding a bike or walking for shorter journeys. ”

- Sara Ladkani-Knowles

“I’m really looking forward to teaching her how to cycle independently on the path when she is older. It’s such a great place to venture to on a day out as there are lots of places you can stop off and it’s great for spotting wildlife. Right near us there’s a damp spot where dragonflies roam and frogs breed. I can’t wait to take her plant spotting, such a huge variety down there.

Removing the barriers to sustainable travel

“I’d say one of the biggest barriers to more families travelling sustainably is how infrequent and unpleasant public transport can be. As a mother, I find it hard to find space for a buggy on the bus. This means I have to carry my daughter in a sling but she’s getting too heavy for that now.

“Travelling by bus can also be expensive. It’s £4 where I live which builds up quickly if you’re travelling every day. Combine this with how unreliable public transport can be and it’s no wonder that cars are perceived as more convenient and comfortable.

“If the UK had more cycle paths like the one I travel on, I think more people would consider riding a bike or walking for shorter journeys. Bristol is a great place to travel actively but there are gaps in some of the routes which force you out onto busy main roads. If it’s like this in a very cycle friendly city, I dread to think what it’s like across the rest of the country.”

Find out how to start cycling for more journeys

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Friday, 21 June 2019

Why did I choose to do a cycle ride, I could just have done a bake sale?

Gaia, 11, cycles the new traffic-free link at Ledaig on the Caledonia Way

Gaia celebrating the end of her Caledonia Way adventure at Inverness Castle

Anyway, I should probably explain myself, I’m Gaia, I’m 11, I love cycling and raising money for charities that have helped my friends and family. I have now done two charity cycle rides and I’m always looking for a new challenge. I decided on the Caledonia Way as it certainly would be a challenge, I mean, from 182 miles (when I did the Hebridean Way in 2018) to 237 miles, that certainly is a challenge.

I wanted to raise money for Alzheimer Scotland. My grandad died with Alzheimer’s so I wanted to support the charity that helped him. I set up a page on Just Giving and people would leave messages with their sponsorship. Thinking about those messages kept me going and really helped motivate me when I was finding it hard.

Seeing Scotland differently

It was a different way of seeing Scotland, from a different angle. Because we didn’t scare animals away and you take a longer route, as you’re not always on the road, you see things you wouldn’t see in a car. We rode through lots of different types of scenery along the coast, lakes and forests, it was all really beautiful. My highs consisted of sweeping into Caradale, 1¾ miles to Lochgilphead, woohoo, and the seals sitting on the rocks at Loch Caolisport.

I really enjoyed it but it was hard work. Riding in the rain was absolutely horrible. Getting up was sometimes a struggle, there were a few times when dad had to literally take the tent down around me, because I was so tired. Also the hills were tough, because my bike is a road bike it doesn’t really have the low gears so sometimes I had to get off and walk when it was too steep, but I don’t mind that.

Being on my bike exhilarates me

Being outdoors and on my bike exhilarates me and I always get a good night’s sleep. I don’t think it matters whether you are a child or an adult, sometimes I think I was the one encouraging dad that he could do it. When I ride my bike I may not have as much experience as my parents but I’m learning to be safe on road.

I felt very proud when we finished, and it was really exciting to think I had travelled all that way. Though I had to take a break from my bike for a wee while afterwards because it takes a lot out of you doing a ride of that length.

I definitely want to do another big cycle ride, I’ve done it before and I want to do it again, we just need to find another route for next year.

Take a look at Gaia’s Just Giving page

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Thursday, 13 June 2019

How a handcycle opened up the world of cycling to me

“I think more people with disabilities would start cycling if they had more faith in their abilities and if they saw people like myself out on my handcycle.“

“I’ve never let my disability hold me back and riding a bike is just one of the many outdoor activities and sports I take part in. There’s so much out there.”

A new report published by Sustrans and Arup reveals that one third (33%) of disabled people in UK cities and towns would like to start cycling but 84% never do due to a number barriers preventing them. These include heightened safety concerns, lack of dedicated cycle infrastructure and the high cost of adapted cycles.

Tina Evans was first diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia at 16 year’s old, a recessive genetic condition that effects balance and co-ordination and gradually deteriorates the body. Having always had a passion for the outdoors, Tina hasn’t allowed her condition to get the best of her and has continued to take part in activities such as skiing, surfing and cycling to help retain muscle strength and keep fit.

Living with Friedreich’s Ataxia

Tina said: “At the age of 16 I noticed something wasn’t quite right with my balance. Sometimes I would walk into my friends and I found it difficult to keep my balance while my eyes were closed. After a few doctor’s appointments and medical tests, I was diagnosed with a rare condition called Friedreich’s Ataxia.

“By the age of 21 I had to battle with my pride and give into the wheelchair. But I quickly came to realise that it was the best decision I had ever made. Doing small things like going to town or walking with friends became hard work due to tiredness and my confidence slowly dropped. The wheelchair gave me back the freedom to move around freely and actually made me feel more able.”

Taking on a challenge

“I’m the type of person who always looks for the solution in life and my diagnosis hasn’t stopped me from doing the things I love. I’m an adrenaline junkie at heart and still go on skiing holidays, surf and cycle. I purchased a recumbent handcycle a few years ago and since then have taken part in the Swansea 10k and cycled the length of a half marathon. I like having a challenge to keep my motivation up. It is a huge sense of achievement when I finish a race or travel a long distance and makes me feel like I’m beating my condition.

“A friend and I are taking on another challenge later this year and are planning to cycle from Bangor to Cardiff over seven days. We hope to complete the 250 mile journey on an adapted tandem, which has a handcycle at the front. I feel such an awesome sense of freedom when I am out on my bike and love testing my limits. This is why we are thinking of going even bigger for our next challenge ride.

“ As a disabled person it’s easy to fall into the belief that I am different which can make me feel isolated, but when you cycle you’re automatically a part of the ‘family’ and it’s a wonderful feeling. ”

- Tina Evans

“In the lead up to the event, I’ve been training on a mixture of cycle paths and roads. People tend to speed on rural roads in the Gwendraeth Valley, so I stick to main roads and a quiet cycle path near my house when training. I think it’s great to have cycling paths so near, as when I train in the evening after work, I feel safer and much more confident. During our ride down the country, we will be using paths as often as possible in respect for traffic that we would be holding up on roads.“

Making cycling more accessible

“I think that it’s so important to have cycling infrastructure in place, and as the popularity of cycling continues to escalate, it will lead to a greater need to ensure everyone can enjoy riding a bike safely.

“I think more people with disabilities would start cycling if they had more faith in their abilities and if they saw people like myself out on my handcycle. There needs to be more information available to demonstrate the options there are for people with neurological conditions. I had no idea a recumbent handcycle even existed until I looked into it more.

“I’ve never let my disability hold me back and riding a bike is just one of the many outdoor activities and sports I take part in. There’s so much out there. It’s just a case of finding it.

“I look forward to future developments, which will see more paths running through rural areas, encouraging people from all abilities to ride together. I get a real sense of belonging, when other cyclists pass me on the path and say hello.

“As a disabled person it’s easy to fall into the belief that I am different which can make me feel isolated, but when you cycle you’re automatically a part of the 'family’ and it’s a wonderful feeling.”

Find out more about our "Inclusive cycling in towns and cities” report with Arup here.

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Wednesday, 12 June 2019

Sustrans Scotland urges MSPs to back the 20MPH (restricted roads) Bill

On 13 June, the Scottish Parliament votes on a Bill that could save lives, make walking and cycling easier, make our towns and cities better for people.

We urge Members of the Scottish Parliament to take leadership. To follow the example set recently in Wales and legislate to set the restricted roads default speed limit at 20mph in Scotland.

To reiterate:

Road safety - 20 mph will reduce the number and severity of road casualties

Public health – 20mph makes streets feel safer for people to walk about and cycle, encouraging more people to do so

Social justice – our research shows that children in Scotland’s poorest areas are 3 times as likely to be killed, seriously injured or injured by motor traffic as children in the wealthiest areas, despite lower car ownership in these areas. Making 20mph the default speed limit on restricted roads will have a particularly positive impact in these areas.

Sustrans were one of 25 organisations in public health, child advocacy, active travel, and poverty campaigning to call on the First Minister to support the Bill.

The arguments have been made, the evidence has been heard. Now it’s time to show leadership.

Sustrans remains committed to 20mph as one of the best measures to make walking and cycling easier and safer in our towns and cities.

Find out more about why Sustrans Scotland supports 20mph

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Friday, 7 June 2019

Walking and cycling must be a priority area for health and social care

Active travel can play a critical role in increasing levels of physical activity. Two recent reports set out why it must be a priority area for improvement in health and social care.

Firstly, new guidance from NICE, the National Institute For Health And Care Excellence, highlights five ways in which active travel can encourage and support people of all ages and all abilities to be physically active and to move more. This guidance sets out how local strategy, policy and planning, and improvements to the built or natural physical environment such as public open spaces, workplaces and schools support better health through more physical activity. These are:

Local authorities and healthcare commissioning groups have senior level physical activity champions who are responsible for developing and implementing local strategies, policies and plans. Champions will raise the profile of physical activity to address local need, including through active travel
Local authorities prioritise pedestrians, cyclists and people who use public transport when developing and maintaining connected travel routes. Prioritising people who walk and cycle, as well as those who use public transport, empowers people to make travel choices that help to create healthier places and happier lives for everyone
Local authorities involve community members in designing and managing public open spaces. This can include walking and cycling routes through open spaces, and access to open spaces
Workplaces have a physical activity programme to encourage employees to move more and be more physically active. Measures can include supporting employees to walk, cycle or use other modes of
Schools and early years settings have active travel plans that are monitored and updated annually. Plans should be ambitious, and they should be designed to make change happen, primarily by creating a culture of active travel and changing the environment around the schools

Addressing the WHY

The second report that makes the case for why active travel is a priority area for quality improvement in health and social care is a report produced by Sustrans with partners for Sport England. The report presents a definitive case for investing in active travel to support physical activity. Our expert and independent research team reviewed the best quality evidence and found a wide range of effective interventions that increased walking and cycling, with the strongest evidence pointing to joined-up approaches across whole cities and whole towns.

The review identifies the strongest available material by setting a high quality threshold and including only those studies with a control or comparison group. This degree of rigour is not common outside of academia, but the decision to apply this approach for the review was taken in order that the output provides an authoritative overview. The review found 84 studies meeting the criteria within peer-reviewed and ‘grey’ literature drawn from wide-ranging and non-traditional sources internationally. There is strong and substantial evidence that active travel interventions are effective at increasing walking, cycling and physical activity

A number of recommendations emerge from the study. In investing in active travel, priority should be given to: ‘whole system’-type intervention approaches; identifying appropriate combinations of measures that ‘fit’ locally, based on evidence of need and likelihood of impact; encouraging local agencies to promote active transport as part of their efforts to increase physical activity; securing consistent, long-term funding streams; and enabling funding streams that draw on wide-ranging cross-departmental support.

Clear message for governments

There is a great deal of alignment between the NICE guidance and the Sport England review. Between the two reports there is a very strong case for:

Approaches that support active travel through environmental change (building safer, better routes and places) and behaviour change (supporting people’s needs)
Working across whole towns and cities to support active travel in a range of different contexts that engage everyone and all trip types
Ensuring that measures to increase active travel are designed to fit the local need, and that implementation is supported locally
Better recognition of the strength of the link between active travel and physical activity, and of the role that this connection can play in supporting health and social care

The message is clear: walking and cycling as well as other forms of active travel, have a vital role to play in making the UK more active. And in order for us to realise the full benefits of more physical activity, active travel must be a priority area for investment in support of improvement in health and social care.

Find out more about our partnership with Sport England

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Monday, 3 June 2019

HUSS data can make active travel interventions more efficient and impactful

HUSS helps identify which schools have above national average rates of walking, scootering and cycling.

Since all 32 local authorities in Scotland signed up in 2010, the Hands Up Scotland Survey (HUSS) has become an Official Statistic. HUSS acts as a valuable record of how children travel to school and nursery in Scotland.

Not only does it provide an overview of travel habits, but local authorities also receive a breakdown of each individual school’s data. This level of detail is not released to the public but can be used to help target schools strategically with the most effective interventions to increase active travel across the country.

HUSS helps identify which schools have above national average rates of walking, scootering and cycling. Pinpointing what has been successful in the past, therefore best practice can be shared between schools in a local authority. Digging down into the HUSS data can help provide explanations for why certain schools have lower levels of active travel ensuring the schools with most need get the most effective interventions.

By comparing before and after HUSS figures schools can then monitor and assess the effectiveness of initiatives aiming to increase walking, scootering and cycling through new infrastructure and/or behaviour change programmes.

Monitoring the effectiveness of School Streets

School Streets is an initiative that seeks to close the roads directly outside school gates to vehicles, lower emissions and promote active travel. Sustrans used the data collected via HUSS to analyse the mode shift in schools that have already signed up to the programme.

So far the results have been encouraging. Primary schools engaging with School Streets saw a 2.6 percentage point increase in pupils travelling actively to school within two years. In the same time scale, School Streets schools saw a 4.4 percentage point decrease in the use of private motorised vehicles. The evidence suggests that five years after first engaging with Schools Streets, levels of active travel remain higher than prior to School Streets, and levels of private motorised vehicle use remain lower.

Why HUSS is so important

There are many factors that influence how children travel to school: the size of the catchment area, socio-economic differences; urban/rural nature of the region; road layout and the provision of active travel infrastructure and cycle paths.

Having a national survey helps eliminate local bias and inaccuracies, making it possible to compare schools locally and nationally since their figures are collected under the same conditions.

The Hands Up Scotland Survey is a valuable resource of national and local value. Monitoring progress on how schools, local authorities and the Scottish Government are doing when it comes to supporting healthier, greener, sustainable travel choices to school and nursery.

Opportunity for local authorities to share and learn best practice using HUSS figures

For anyone who wants to learn more about how to use HUSS data, Sustrans has organised a free showcase on June 19th at the Lighthouse in Glasgow. It is a collaborative learning event aimed at local authority officers working in health, education and transport. The event will cover:

How local authorities and organisations use and extract maximum value out of HUSS data
Learn what you could do with HUSS data and share best practice of using HUSS data
Provide feedback to Sustrans’ Research and Monitoring unit who produce HUSS on the format of the local authority data reports and what would work best for you
Provide ideas for HUSS research and analysis that would benefit local authorities.

Sign up for the HUSS Data showcase

Thursday, 30 May 2019

Walking and cycling key to boosting physical activity levels

Walking and cycling for transport make a valuable contribution to our activity levels. Be it walking to school, cycling to work, or many other everyday journeys, active travel can offer a convenient, accessible and affordable way to move more. For those with busy and hectic lives, it may be one of the few opportunities to create a regular habit.

Sport England commissioned Sustrans, working with Dr Nick Cavill and Prof. Adrian Davis, to assess and highlight the great potential of active travel and mark Sport England’s own ambition for how cycling and walking can support their vision of a more active nation.

Strong case for investing in active travel

The report presents a definitive case for investing in active travel to support physical activity. Our expert, independent research team reviewed the best quality evidence and found a wide range of effective interventions that increased walking and cycling, with the strongest evidence pointing to integrated approaches across whole places.

Eighty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. These were then clustered by a series of intervention typologies:

City and town-wide interventions – these involved a mixture of changes to walking and cycling infrastructure eg. cycle lanes and community engagement programmes eg. cycle training.
Building or improving routes or networks.
Social marketing including marketing of infrastructure.
Workplace and other institution based interventions.
Interpersonal interventions.
School-based programmes.

Conclusions

Overall, the review concludes that there is strong evidence for the positive impact of interventions to increase or support active travel. This in turn increases levels of physical activity. Of the different intervention typologies the evidence was strongest (in terms of volume and robustness) for city or town-wide interventions. Each of the other intervention types reported some increases in walking and or cycling.

Of 84 studies, over two thirds (61) found interventions had led to increased levels of active travel. Most of the remaining studies showed no significant change or showed mixed results across a number of indicators. A small number showed decreases in active travel.

All of the peer reviewed studies addressing whole town or city-wide interventions showed that interventions increased levels of cycling and walking compared to controls. The evidence available for city and town-wide programmes shows change at the population level. However, the evaluations did not discriminate between different population sub-groups.

The review also found evidence for the positive impact of walking and cycling interventions at a more localised level. Interventions to build or improve local routes or networks report increased walking or cycling in most cases.

Recommendations

The report provides clear consensus of active travel’s huge potential. To harness this, it’s crucial we engage with and listen to people in the places they live and work – to recognise barriers, challenges and local context, and understand how active travel can work for them. The report also carries recommendations to invest and collaborate in active travel more effectively – an important reminder of how further research and robust evaluation can help us continue to improve provision and delivery.

The message is clear: active travel has a vital role to play in achieving a more active nation. This review is an important step towards fulfilling that promise.

Sustrans and our partners on this project would like to thank Sport England, our expert advisory panel, and our theory-into-practice workshop participants of key stakeholders. All contributors are listed in the report.

Read the full report

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Wednesday, 22 May 2019

The postcode lottery of children’s road safety

We need more widespread high-quality infrastructure and slower streets to make children and young people safer, especially in deprived areas.

Children on foot or bike are more than 3 times as likely to be involved in a collision with a vehicle in the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland than the 20% least deprived areas.

We need more widespread high-quality infrastructure and slower streets to make children and young people safer, especially in deprived areas.

What we have been studying

Though it is well-established that there are more road traffic accidents in more deprived areas, we have been researching just children travelling on foot or bike only.

Sustrans Scotland compared road casualty data for slight and serious injuries with the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation to work out the risk to children in different areas. This produced the average risk of being involved in an incident across Scotland depending on level of deprivation.

What we found

The risk for a child on foot or bike of being involved in a road traffic accident increases as areas become more deprived. From an average of 0.25 incidents per data zone in the least deprived areas to an average of 0.83 incidents per data zone in the most deprived areas.

Children on foot and bikes are at a disproportionate risk of injury in deprived areas.

Why is this?

We do not know and this research isn’t designed to tell us. The truth is that everywhere will be different and there are lots of interwoven factors that lead to this social injustice.
However, our work delivering walking and cycling infrastructure and working with communities leads us to a few theories:

Deprived areas are often denser and busier, so you might expect more casualties as there are more people around.
Deprived areas are more likely to host busy and fast roads that are more dangerous.
Car ownership is likely to be low in these areas (though cars driving through might be high) which means that more people are out on foot or a bike on the way to school or work.
There may be a lack of investment in infrastructure and locals may not have the time or resources to complain or organise a response.

What do we want to happen?

Though we are not sure why this is happening, we do know what we can do to reduce this inequality and deliver safer streets. The most effective preventative measures are safe infrastructure and slower speed limits.

Infrastructure: evidence shows pedestrian safety requires appropriate crossings, wide pavements, and comfortable walking routes. And for cycling, segregated space offers the biggest improvement.
Lower speed limits: Protecting children from cars means that we need to slow down cars. Slower streets reduce both the number and severity of collisions. 20mph has been particularly effective in deprived communities, where it halved casualties in the most deprived areas of London.
There is a need for more research to better understand the causes of this inequality.

If we want more people walking and cycling, and more children seeing the health benefits of active travel to school, we need to start by making our streets safer places - especially in Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas.

Find out more about our work in Scotland

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Wednesday, 15 May 2019

I worry for my son's health because of London's toxic air

Lorcan began struggling to breathe in June 2018 following a cold.

©RayMalone. When Lorcan was first diagnosed his consultant advised us to walk on quieter back streets and try to avoid taking the tube.

A growing body of evidence demonstrates a link between poor air quality and asthma, with recent findings revealing the UK has the highest rates of childhood asthma caused by air pollution in Europe. As many as one in five new cases of child asthma in the UK are linked to traffic fumes and other pollution, totalling nearly 40,000 cases a year – a worryingly high figure.

Pollution from traffic can damage airways, leading to inflammation and the development of asthma in children who are genetically predisposed to the condition. Lorcan, aged two and a half, was diagnosed with a severe viral wheeze in June 2018. Since then, he has been in and out of hospital following seven episodes, with consultants confirming that air pollution from cars is a significant contributory factor.

Ruth Fitzharris, based in Crouch End in North London, shares her story about Lorcan’s condition and what she thinks needs to be done to clean up the Capital’s dirty air.

London’s toxic air

Ruth said: “When Lorcan was first diagnosed his consultant advised us to walk on quieter back streets and try to avoid taking the tube which is hugely debilitating in the capital. Since then I have felt trapped. I used to enjoy taking him into central London but now those places are bad for him and the air is becoming noticeably worse.

“Even in my local area, walking down the road you can see back-to-back traffic pumping out toxic fumes. A simple trip to the shops is an anxiety-inducing experience but I don’t have any choice in the air my son and I breathe.

“ I don’t have time to wait for the Government to take action. I met another mother in a similar situation a couple of month’s back who has now left Islington and is living in Winchester. This is the reality of the Capital’s chronic air problem. ”

- Ruth Fitzharris

The impact of air pollution on little lungs

“Over the course of the past year, Lorcan’s had seven episodes. Because of this, he has been in and out of hospital for three days at a time to receive intense treatment. This involves receiving medication through an inhaler for which he has to be pinned down because he is too young and distressed to co-operate, with each episode he has been given the inhaler around 50 times, oxygen masks and nebulisers and a medication called prednisolone which can inhibit growth.

“As a result, Lorcan’s height and weight has slipped from the 50th to the 9th centile. He has also become less agile and he’s missed out on quite a lot of playing with other children and going to the nursery – the sort of things that other children take for granted.

“He is too young to understand that he has to have the medication and becomes extremely agitated, so he’s not able to sleep much while in hospital. The process is very distressing for us both and we don’t get much sleep at the hospital.

“Because of the frequency of his episodes, my plans to get a job have been delayed and I cancelled being maid of honour at my best friend’s wedding. This recovery time from each episode is physically and mentally draining. And not just for me, the whole family is on edge whenever he goes back to hospital. The anxiety and stress has a huge impact on our everyday life.

Reducing our dependency on cars

“There needs to be a big reduction in the use of polluting vehicles in cities. There is traffic everywhere you look. Public transport is very congested and our cities lack an extensive well-connected cycling network like in Holland. It would be fantastic to retrofit dedicated cycling and walking infrastructure on our roads.

“We’re lucky that we have access to medication which has prevented him from having an episode for four months. But that doesn’t stop the anxiety and stress I feel when taking the tube or walking down a road packed full of cars idling their engines.

“I don’t have time to wait for the Government to take action. I met another mother in a similar situation a couple of month’s back who has now left Islington and is living in Winchester. This is the reality of the Capital’s chronic air problem. Probably the only way to escape it is to leave.”

Read on about Sustran’s air quality projects here.

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Wednesday, 1 May 2019

Second report of the Glasgow Connectivity Commission blueprint for a thriving city

The first report of the Connectivity Commission in December 2018 left me wanting more.

It identified many problems with transport in Glasgow that Sustrans Scotland recognise, but it didn’t propose the type of radical change needed. I wrote a blog about this, explaining why I felt Glasgow needed a bolder vision for true transport transformation.

The second report delivers that. We welcome the report and the practical, deliverable recommendations for a healthier and prosperous Glasgow.

While press coverage has focused on the proposals for a Glasgow Metro, there are big ideas for walking, wheeling, cycling and public space too.

Connectivity

A network of safe, high quality, segregated cycling routes connecting the city centre to suburbs. The South City Way, a segregated space for cycling between Queens Park and Merchant City, is highlighted for praise. This project is delivered by a partnership of Glasgow City Council and Sustrans with part finance from our Places for Everyone programme, which is funded by Transport Scotland.

The Commission wants to see this type of infrastructure connecting all parts of the city and outer neighbourhoods so that everyone has the option of safe, direct cycle routes into the city centre.

Changes to vehicle access in the city centre to prioritise people-friendly public spaces

The ‘smart grid’ proposal takes a lead from the city of Vitoria Gasteiz in the Basque Region and Barcelona’s ‘Superblocks’; mini-neighbourhoods created by permitting vehicles only on certain streets, and prioritising walking, cycling and space for people. Vitoria Gasteiz has seen a rapid increase in walking and cycling as a result.

More Avenues

The acceleration and expansion of the Avenues project into other parts of the city centre such as George Square, Argyle Street, Cathedral Street and High Street. The Avenues programme, delivers streestscape improvements to establish principal Avenues throughout the city centre, forming an integrated network of continuous pedestrian and cycle priority routes.

It helps make the city more attractive, “people-friendly”, and economically competitive.

Glasgow Metro

Once delivered, the eye-catching metro will help people leave the car at home and make life better for those without a car, but the proposals for walking, cycling and placemaking would also have major impact (at a fraction of the cost).

Whilst delivering the ambitions of the report will not be easy, the Commission underpin their recommendations with evidence of their impact and have indicated how they think infrastructure can be paid for.

We value our strong working relationship with Glasgow that has helped us to deliver the South City Way, South West City Way, Connecting Woodside and a host of other schemes to help more people walk, wheel and cycle. We hope to be a part of delivering these new, exciting proposals.

Glasgow has identified a path to be a greener, healthier and happier city. It is not alone in realising the problems created by 50 years of car-centric planning, and we continue to support the City of Edinburgh with plans for the City Centre Transformation.

More cities, towns and places in Scotland should take note and work out how they can deliver places for everyone.

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Tuesday, 23 April 2019

Do we understand road traffic well enough to justify high levels of investment in roads?

The ways that we move around are highly complex. How we make decisions about the routes we elect to use, and the destinations that we need to reach or that we choose to visit, serve to influence where and how traffic flows. Add to this more personalised factors about the ways that we drive and times we need or prefer to make trips, and we see a hugely complicated matrix of factors that determine where congestion builds.

Given the complexity of the equation, there are strong grounds to wonder whether we understand traffic well enough to intervene to alter the road network effectively. And crucially, what does ‘effectively’ mean in this context? Are schemes which aim to make car journeys quicker and easier sensible given the damage that our over-reliance on cars is doing to the environment and to society?

This blog is a response to two Highways England reports concerning the impacts of road ‘improvement’ schemes.

The first of the reports is about the ‘pinch points’ programme. Coverage of the report included headlines such as ‘England traffic jams ‘worse’ despite congestion schemes’. This report is a review of a series of evaluations of road schemes that were intended to support economic growth and to improve congestion and safety outcomes. The report covers evaluation work conducted early after the changes were made – before the schemes are ‘mature’.

But there is already strong evidence that the schemes are not delivering in the way that was intended. Some improvements in congestion during peak hours are offset by further delays during other periods. Safety outcomes are more positive, although the removal of outliers arguably puts a more positive light on this result than is warranted.

The second report is a summary of evaluations of 85 major schemes. Major schemes tend to involve very costly new road construction or significant engineering measures. The report suggests that the planned outcomes of the major schemes are largely met.

However, there is some richer context to this. On the one hand, the accuracy with which adverse outcomes are forecasted is lauded – knowing the extent of the damage being caused by a road scheme doesn’t feel like a cause for celebration. On the other hand, the inaccuracy of traffic and cost forecasts is very clear.

This point about forecasting traffic levels, and the implication for what this shows about our understanding of the impacts of the measures that are being implemented to support travel by car, are a real cause for concern. The challenges of forecasting are numerous and complex. But the fact that we are not doing it well suggests that we really don’t understand the implications of the changes that we are making to the road network.

In an era where the problems that car traffic poses are better understood than ever before, should we really be investing on this scale in an attempt to make it easier for people to drive further, faster and more frequently?

A recent briefing paper by Transport for Quality of Life for Friends of the Earth makes a strong case for how the planning system can be used to reduce the need for car travel. In particular, the report makes the point that ‘The expansion of road networks around towns and cities only leads to a vicious cycle of more settlements on the periphery, more roads, and further sprawl’. The implication is that the current investment in roads is ‘locking-in’ damaging behaviours by facilitating more travel by car.

More forthrightly, an argument recently presented states that ‘Cars are killing us. Within 10 years, we must phase them out’. The author states that ‘Transport should be planned, but with entirely different aims: to maximise its social benefits, while minimising harm … accompanied by a steady closure of the conditions that allow cars to rampage through our lives’.

Both reports pick out a myriad of reasons why the car is causing so much damage, and the former at least makes clear and constructive suggestions for alternatives to investing to support car travel.

The huge programme of investment in roads that supports more car travel could and should be reoriented to offer solutions to current economic, health and wellbeing, social justice and environmental challenges.

Sustrans’ work is all about supporting positive outcomes across the domains of economy, health and wellbeing, social justice and environment, and about offering alternatives to car use for the trips that people want and need to make.

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Thursday, 18 April 2019

Paths for everyone: a new traffic-free link on the National Cycle Network

The official opening of the new traffic-free link in Ledaig

Xavier Brice, Sustrans Chief Executive and Lee Craigie, Active Nation Commissioner for Scotland

Recently we reviewed the entire National Cycle Network, all 16,575 miles, and in 2018’s Paths for everyone report we were honest in highlighting where the Network doesn’t meet the high standards we’ve set ourselves at Sustrans. The report identified 50 activation projects that Sustrans will focus on fixing and upgrading that are key to improving the entire Network.

We’re incredibly proud to see the very first of these reach completion, with a new traffic-free link at Ledaig, between North Connel and Benderloch, on the iconic Caledonia Way in the Scottish Highlands.

It’s an important first step in a far longer journey. We want the Network to truly represent the idea of paths for everyone. You can’t genuinely label a trunk road as a ‘path for everyone’. Our vision is to make all the Network traffic-free or quiet-ways, suitable for people of all abilities. That’s a big challenge with a huge price tag but what it breaks down to is a series of small projects like this.

The new path at Ledaig represents so much of the work Sustrans does. Not only high-quality, traffic-free paths; but also communities, landowners, schools, local politicians, residents and central government coming together. It’s taken more than 10 years and Sustrans has been there through it all, helping to bring people together and make things happen.

Creating a national asset for all

We often talk about Sustrans’ vision, strategy and ambitions. The numbers are quite staggering: 16,575 miles of the National Cycle Network and 750-million trips a year, over 6-million on the Caledonia Way alone.

But what is really rewarding is coming somewhere like Ledaig and seeing these paths in action. Watching children cycle to school, talking to residents and locals - the people who actually use the infrastructure we help fund and build – reminds us that this isn’t about numbers or even just transport, it’s about creating places to be. Places to be human. It’s about people on bikes, people walking, people with mobility scooters, people with dogs, all coming together and sharing the space.

The Network is a national asset but it’s also about local communities, just like North Connel and Benderloch, who use these paths on a regular basis for daily journeys and commuting. It links these communities to something far bigger and I think in our increasingly divided times that’s really something worth celebrating: a UK-wide Network that is open to all, joining us all together.

Sign up to our Sustrans enewsletter to keep up-to-date with our future plans, projects and news

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Monday, 1 April 2019

Helping jobseekers get on their bikes in Nottingham and Derby

Our Sustrans jobseekers project works to remove travel barriers to employment and training opportunities for people looking for work in Derby and Nottingham.

Our Sustrans jobseekers project works to remove travel barriers to employment and training opportunities for people looking for work in Derby and Nottingham. Barriers people face include cost, time and not knowing how to access timetables and travel information. Matt Easter, our England Director for the Midlands and East, discusses how the project is changing lives, one person at a time.

What was the problem?

When I’m asked about my work at Sustrans, one of the questions that always comes up is why should we care so passionately about cycling and walking? Of course, there are many reasons such as improving our environment or helping people to lead healthier lives. However, in Nottingham and Derby, we’re adding another reason to that list - we’re helping people back into work.

It’s often forgotten in the debate around skills and employment that our entire economy is dependent on transport one way or another. Without a means of travelling, most people wouldn’t be able to earn a living and lack of travel options is one of the big barriers to accessing employment and training.

In the East Midlands, unemployment runs higher than the national average. Many jobseekers have told us they can’t afford bus and taxi fares, don’t have a car and either can’t cycle or don’t have access to a bike. Given these challenges, Nottingham and Derby are proving ideal locations to deliver a project which helps tackle transport poverty.

What do we do?

Last year, we were commissioned by Nottingham City Council and Derby City Council to help address these issues. Their funding, via The Access fund, now in its last year, builds on previous projects which helped jobseekers such as the previous Nottingham gets 2 work scheme.

Whether unemployed, looking for new work or seeking access to training our new project team are here to offer support tailored to a person’s needs. They work with clients individually to develop a bespoke personal travel plan. For many clients, a PTP could be the first time they’ve engaged in wider active travel and sustainable travel themes and this opens up a range of walking, cycling and public transport options.

For those who want to get on their bike, we’ve delivered a number of reconditioned bikes to our clients free of charge. We also offer a range of support and training activities including maintenance courses, how to build a bike, cycle training, led rides and Dr Bike services.

What have been the outcomes?

One by one, the project is bringing people together - it’s brought us together with a range of partners, too! It has been a great example of collaboration and we’ve really benefited from working with Cycle Derby, Life Cycle Derby, Nottingham Bikeworks and RideWise. The project is dependent on a multi-agency approach, with each partner contributing to helping the jobseekers we work with.

This inspirational project is funded until March 2020, so we’re only halfway through but it’s already made a big impact. So far we’ve:

Spoken to more than 900 people in Nottingham and Derby who are looking for employment, a new job or access to training and apprenticeships.
Helped more than 200 people with a bespoke personal travel plan specific to their needs
Provided a range of cycle services to more than 150 people
Handed out 80 free reconditioned bikes to jobseekers

We were originally set a range of performance goals based on a three year period and we were nearly a year late starting. Despite this, the project is meeting its targets and making a real difference for jobseekers in the two cities.

Lots of people who’ve accessed our services have told us that the support we have given them has been transformative. Many clients who’ve benefitted from a reconditioned bike and cycle training say it’s given them new skills and helped them get around in a practical way. Others say it’s helped them to keep fit and allowed them to get to appointments on time.

There’s also examples of this scheme enabling many people to turn adversity into a positive by embracing active travel after years of car dependency. One client told us that the bike we’d provided them with has given them new skills for life and a low-cost means to get around all year around. For others, it’s given them the confidence boost they needed after losing a job and their car.

Could we be doing more?

This project is helping people into work and training while enabling them to make healthy travel choices. In the longer-term, this project will be having a positive impact on local health budgets and is reducing out of work benefit payments.

I’ve been involved in numerous projects and worked with some great people during my time at Sustrans, but this project really stands out. I’m incredibly proud of our team in Nottingham and Derby, but I can’t help feeling that we could be doing so much more.

Projects associated with ‘behaviour change’ are often judged by participant numbers or health impacts difficult to quantify over a longer period. This project works, because it is targeted at a particularly disadvantaged group of people and success is all about the long term change in each person’s travel behaviour. We could be having this impact by developing similar projects in other parts of the country. We’d be able to replicate the benefits on a much bigger scale with bigger returns. We could take the model from Nottingham and Derby and improve it based on what we’ve learned so that it can be developed as a key component of our city and town based programmes across the country.

Our jobseekers project has also been effective as we’ve really honed our ability to work in partnership with other organisations who have a similar focus on getting people back to work. These include; 20 20 Journey 2 Work program, Derby County Community Trust, The Refugee Forum and JC+ in Nottingham. This ability to utilise Sustrans’ pioneering engagement expertise, alongside our local knowledge, enables us to attract excellent local partners and means projects can be really rooted in local need, with participants also encouraged to shape our work further.

This transformative project has delivered impressive results in a short space of time. Thanks to our dedicated team, and our partners, there are hundreds of people who are looking forward to a better future in work and training, with hope and confidence. For me that makes Sustrans’ work so worthwhile and reminds me why we need to continue to make it easier for everyone to walk and cycles

Find out more about Bike It Jobseekers

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Views from the classroom: Why we want a ban on cars on the roads outside schools

“Since we started closing the street to cars, we have seen a huge difference in the environment around the school gates.”

“We would love to make the road closure outside the school permanent – not just to increase safety but also improve the air quality for our children.“

Cycling, scooting and walking has many health and environmental benefits. Despite this, 42% of primary school children are driven to school, while congestion and idling car engines pollute the air outside schools across the UK.

Our recent YouGov poll revealed that nearly two thirds (63%) of teachers want to ban cars on the road outside their school, with a further 26% agreeing that school street closures are an effective measure for bringing down levels of air pollution.

So how can teachers get involved and close their streets to motor vehicles? We caught up with teachers and head teachers across the UK to find out how they have closed their streets to cars for this year’s Big Pedal challenge and why it matters.

Claire Lippiett, Tyn-Y-Wern Primary School, Caerphilly

"We have 242 children attend the main school and also have a small nursery, so you can imagine the chaos that ensues when everyone travels in during the morning and leaves in the afternoon.

"The side street the school is situated on is very small and narrow so cars struggle to turn around as there isn’t enough space. To top it all off, traffic races up and down the main road that connects to the side street and means it can be dangerous for pupils when crossing the road.

“Since we started closing the street to cars, we have seen a huge difference in the environment around the school gates. It’s much less congested, calmer and feels more welcoming. Caerphilly Council has set up a permanent traffic order, where access to the road that leads up to the school is coned off and monitored by a School Crossing Patroller. This works really well.”

Julie Edgecombe, Murrayburn Primary School, Edinburgh

“We want to create a safer and more relaxed atmosphere outside the school. That’s why we’re working hard to discourage parents from driving straight up to the gates at the start and end of the day.

“Our Cycling Officer Kerr and road safety contact at Edinburgh Council have been absolutely brilliant at pushing the application forward for a car-free day. It all went really smoothly and with their help, the tender was approved in good time.

“We hope the one-day street closure raises awareness of the hazards caused by drivers parking on yellow zigzag lines and highlights how easy it can be to park further away and walk, scoot or cycle for the remainder of the journey.

Donna Berry, St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, Southampton

“I think that taking part in the Big Pedal and one-day street closure run by Sustrans, will be a powerful way of showing parents what’s possible when cars are removed from the environment. We hope it will also get them thinking about where they can park other than the road outside of the school.

“We would love to make the road closure outside the school permanent – not just to increase safety but also improve the air quality for our children. We are pushing for a six-week street closure trial in the summer, led by the local council and supported by Sustrans, and hope this will enable us to slowly make the change to a car-free environment.

Claudine Richardson, St Richard Reynolds Catholic College, Twickenham

“At the moment, almost half of our primary school children are driven to school which is something we would like to discourage. This is because the catchment area for the primary years is relatively small, meaning that the children could potentially walk, cycle or scoot the school journey.

“We know this isn’t achievable for everyone but want to encourage parents and pupils to travel actively to school where possible. I think it’s a combination of factors that put parents off. There is a lack of cycling infrastructure in the local area, safety fears when walking and cycling on busy main roads and the fact that many parents are so time poor in the morning. This makes jumping in the car seem like the ideal and often the only way to travel.

“Being based in a very residential area and so close to the station means that a more permanent street closure may be difficult. This is because we need to balance the needs of the local community with that of the school and ensure we maintain a happy relationship. We’d love to trial the street closure scheme at different times of year and then go from there based on residents’ feedback.”

Find out more about the Big Pedal - the UK’s largest inter-school cycling and scooting challenge.

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