Local Street Improvements Programme
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'. This policy aims to plan, design and create safer, healthier and more attractive local environments that encourage more walking, wheeling and riding and increase opportunities to live and work locally.
Further work centred around strong local engagement is currently being planned to develop a Local Street Improvements Programme in more detail alongside a future delivery plan.
Local Street Improvements will be specific areas that aim to promote the following key transport themes:
1. Creating 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. Creating 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. Creating 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.
For further information please see our page on disabled, older and vulnerable people supported in the Local Transport Plan.
Our delivery plan
The council is considering opportunities for Local Street Improvements in other local communities in Surrey.
New zones will likely be distinct neighbourhood areas, bordered by busier roads or natural boundaries like railway lines and rivers. If agreed locally, new zones could become a future Local Street Improvements Programme. Potential Local Street Improvements that reflect each zone's characteristics and context will be explored and agreed with the local community, both urban and rural areas where interventions can contribute towards the council's target for net zero carbon emissions by 2050
Engagement
Engagement with local communities and stakeholder groups will be a fundamental feature in creating Local Street Improvements Programme. A community-based engagement approach will help to develop the most appropriate local proposals, that reflect local needs and wishes.
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. Lighter 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.
Further information
Updates on the development of Local Street Improvements zone proposals will be provided here as more information becomes available.
If you would like more information about the Local Street Improvements Programme or have any questions, please contact us at liveableneighbourhoods@surreycc.gov.uk
