What are Local Street Improvements
Local Street Improvements are zones across Surrey where we will be designing and carrying out work to improve local streets and the public realm to make our communities safer, healthier, and more attractive for people to live, work and visit. These improvements also encourage more people to walk, wheel and ride locally promoting active travel and health and wellbeing.
Local Street Improvements are a key part of our Local Transport Plan 4, and they are featured within the Planning for place policy area, referred to as 'Liveable Neighbourhoods'.
Aims of local street improvements
The aims of local street improvements are to:
1. Create a safer environment
Better regulated motor vehicle traffic in residential and school areas will mean reduced collision rates and a safer neighbourhood for all users, especially vulnerable groups and children.
2. Create a healthier environment
Reducing air and noise pollution by promoting active travel modes like walking and cycling will bring long-term benefits to physical and mental health and wellbeing.
3. Create attractive connections to local places
Improving walking and cycling connections to local destinations like town centres, shops, schools, community facilities and green spaces can strengthen community connections and local economies. It also makes walking and cycling easier for local, everyday journeys.
4. Use of local road space
Aligned with the Local Transport Plan's Sustainable Travel Hierarchy, a key aim of Local Street Improvements is to increase priority for pedestrians and wheelchair users throughout the county. This will be achieved through:
- Gradually giving greater priority to the pedestrian phase at traffic lights to enable longer crossing times and more frequent pedestrian phases.
- Making town centres more accessible for pedestrians by widening pavements and improving the quality of pavement surfaces.
- Including design features such as natural surveillance (meaning open areas with good visibility) and CCTV for vulnerable and lone travellers.
- Making streets safer and healthier through better lighting and cleaner air.
Our proposed measures for improvements
Local Street Improvements proposals for each identified neighbourhood zone will fall under one of three different categories of the measures we aim to take. The three categories of measures are outlined below
Category 1: Footway improvement schemes
These measures aim to create a better walking experience to improve accessibility for all road users. simple infrastructure will be implemented in Local Street Improvements zones in this category and a 20 mile per hour speed limit will be proposed on all public highway roads within these zones. Other proposals may include improved walking and cycling links to local bus stops, continuous footways over side road junctions, and greening such as flower beds, grass verges and on-street trees. These proposals are considered the least impactful on those travelling by any modes of transport.
Category 2: Highways and traffic management improvement schemes
The second category of Local Street Improvements measures are more impactful than in category 1. In addition to the features in category 1, category 2 schemes may also include (but are not limited to) traffic calming measures such as speed bumps, parking restrictions, small on-street parks or play areas, on-street and off-street trees and sustainable urban drainage systems like rain gardens.
Category 3: Road traffic and safety schemes
The third category of Local Street Improvements measures involves the most effective and highest impact proposals. These measures aim to improve local road safety and conditions on local streets. These measures will alter current traffic patterns to create a better and safer environment for all road users. Category 3 proposals may include features from categories 1 and 2 as well as other interventions that aim to reduce collisions, emissions and noise pollution.
Engagement and having your say
The Council is considering opportunities for Local Street Improvements in local communities across Surrey.
Community engagement with local stakeholders (Residents, local business etc) will be fundamental in creating local street improvements that support and improve local community and encourage active travel. We recognise that not all communities are the same. We will work with everyone in the community to develop the most appropriate proposals that reflect local needs and wishes.
Having your say
Please have your say on schemes local to you. Your views will help shape proposals for a better community space for all.
If you would like more information about the Local Street Improvements Programme or have any questions, please contact us localstreetimprovements@surreycc.gov.uk
