Developing the Network Plan

The development of this Network Plan involved considerable partnership working. Stakeholder workshops were held with the Cumbria and Lakes Local Access Forum, Westmorland and Furness Council, Cumberland Council, Sustrans, National Trust, Forestry England and United Utilities to understand their priorities and support for routes identified in the Network Plan.

We also engaged with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and attended the Cumberland Council’s Lakes to Sea Community Panel.

Public Engagement

Public and stakeholder engagement underpins this Network Plan. During the project, three stages of engagement were undertaken:

  • Public engagement through an online interactive map
  • Targeted engagement with the cycling community and local access forums.
  • Multiple stakeholder workshops with key landowners across the LDNP.

Public engagement included the below online interactive map which allowed participants to identify the location of new routes and route improvements relating to active travel. The interactive map was launched on the 15th July 2024 and closed on the 15th September 2024. Over 250 comments and suggestions were received suggesting new active travel routes and improvements.

We received comments from a wide range of people who walk, cycle or wheel with a variety of needs and preferences. It can be challenging to prioritise, as there are so many improvements that could be made, all of which would encourage Active Travel, but limited resources to deliver these changes.

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Public Engagement Map

Our next steps will be to evaluate comments already received, have discussions with major stakeholders and look at prioritising the proposals received. We will keep you updated via this web page.

Prioritisation Framework

The Network Plan process involved the prioritisation of routes and route improvements to create a programme of cycling, walking and wheeling schemes.

To achieve the outcome of a higher proportion of people travelling actively, the prioritisation framework was developed to focus on where the biggest increases would occur, and the greatest benefits would be achieved. The development of the prioritisation framework considered routes that…

  • Link to settlements (including those outside the national park) so the maximum number of people benefit.
  • Link and connect nearby National Landscapes - North Pennies, Arnside and Silverdale and the Solway Coast.
  • Link to Yorkshire Dales National Park.
  • Would be of a standard that people who currently don’t walk, wheel or cycle very regularly could be encouraged to use, gaining the health and wellbeing benefits of more regular exercise.
  • Link tourism sites, employment sites, or public transport hubs to facilitate active travel and replace private vehicle travel for commuting, education or tourism and enable people without cars to reach work, training or leisure opportunities.
  • Are as accessible as possible to people with a range of disabilities. The landscape and topography mean this can be challenging but our policy continues to be to always use the least restrictive option as set out in By All Reasonable Means, Natural England/Sensory Trust.

Consequently, a prioritisation framework was produced to ensure consistency when prioritising walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure improvements. The framework included the following criteria:

  • Alignment with policy objectives - how well new routes deliver actions in existing strategies.
  • Effectiveness - based on the potential number of walking or cycling trips that might use the route.
  • Deliverability - the deliverability of new routes including engineering constraints, land ownership and level of support.
  • Connectivity - how well the route links to key hubs.
  • Carbon reduction potential – how much carbon the new route or route improvement is likely to save.
  • Funding - future funding opportunities to develop and maintain routes.
  • Accessibility - how inclusive and accessible the new route would be to users.
  • Health and wellbeing benefits – potential of the route to improve health and wellbeing outcomes.

Each route and route improvement was assessed individually, and organised into four categories: strategic corridors, secondary links, local routes and routes into the LDNP.

The design of the routes will depend on the location, user profile and numbers, landowner permissions and environmental constraints. We await the Rural Design Guidance from Active Travel England, and will consider in more detail, but in summary routes and improvements could include a range of types and surfaces including:

  1. Full LTN1/20 compliant surfaced trails.
  2. Crushed stone surfaced trails and improved bridleways.
  3. Footpaths with improved accessibility.
  4. Minor roads dedicated as quiet lanes with suitable interventions following the principles of the soon to be published ATE Rural Guidance.
  5. Use of existing roads with compliant low traffic volumes and speeds as signed or promoted routes.
  6. Use of existing footpaths and forest trails where already compliant as waymarked and promoted routes.

Of the many projects put forward as part of the consultation and stakeholder discussion we will only have resources to deliver a relatively small number. We therefore have to prioritise the identified routes.

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Wheelchair user on the Keswick to Threlkeld Trail

Next section: Developing Active Travel Routes

This section summarises how new active travel routes will be integrated with public transport, signage, seating and other facilities

Cyclists on the Keswick to Threlkeld trail

Back to the Active Travel Network Plan

The Active Travel Network Plan outlines new walking, cycling and wheeling routes and priority areas for improvement to achieve the objectives of promoting active travel and creating safe, accessible and sustainable infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users and horse riders.