The next step for balancing mobility is to enable people to walk or cycle safely and comfortably within their neighbourhood, and to neighbouring villages and local centres.
Safety and convenience are often the key concerns preventing people from walking or cycling more often. While there are public footpaths and a few off-road cycle lanes that connect some of the neighbourhoods within Ebbsfleet, pedestrians and cyclists face a number of challenges. The cliff edges of the former quarries, major roads, rail lines, embankments, gorges and flooded quarries all block direct footpaths and cycleways, and force people to have to go around them. The limited number of bike lanes also pushes cyclists onto the road or the footpath, and crossings are generally prioritised for drivers, meaning time is wasted for those left waiting at the side of the road.
EDC’s approach to supporting walking and cycling has been drawn together as an ‘Active Travel Plan’, which has been co-developed with key stakeholders and organisations across Ebbsfleet. This plan combines policy, design guidance and investment to deliver integrated walking and cycling networks, high-quality storage, changing and servicing facilities, and a broader communications programme to highlight the opportunity and incentivise people to chose to walk or cycle more frequently as part of their everyday lives.
The plan recognises the need to make cycling more convenient, and builds on the Dutch approach of “civilised cycling”, using more traditional general-use bikes, that don’t require specialist clothing and don’t need the rider to shower at the end of a journey.
Ebbsfleet’s active travel plan
EDC has developed an Active Travel Plan, which provides a comprehensive action plan for delivering walking and cycling facilities, developing facilitative local policies, and supporting residents in choosing to walk and cycle for local trips when they first arrive in Ebbsfleet.
wayfinding / signage programme
Signage is essential when you are out and about, helping you navigate and informing you of local facilities available in the neighbourhood.
Ebbsfleet’s Wayfinding Strategy sets out the plan for a network of signage that promotes walking and cycling. A suite of signage ‘furniture’ will be deployed across Ebbsfleet at key ‘decision points’ within the walking and cycling networks
green corridors programme
EDC has kick-started an investment programme to improve footpaths, cycleways and public realm that enhances connectivity for current residents, helping them to walk and cycle across the city during its construction - over the next 20 years.
city loops
EDC has identified a series of routes that form loops around the Ebbsfleet area that will support exercise and activity. These route will be mapped and signposted to form a network of activity routes of different lengths and experiences, allowing residents and employees to get active by accessing the natural landscape further afield.
cycle hubs programme
The bike storage at Ebbsfleet International is often full, and a feasibility study has identified a viable concept for an adaptable bicycle hub that could grown with demand, and include bicycle storage, servicing, cycling advice, bike shops, cycle hire and charging at the station. EDC will continue to explore the delivery of this hub as well as providing additional cycle parking in the short term. The provision of additional cycle hubs at other key cycling destinations will also be explored.
bike share programme
EDC is working with development partners to establish a bike share system early in the build-out of the Garden City. The aim is to initially provide a network of bike share hubs in the completed villages and at the train stations, which could then grow with the city as new developments and villages are completed, and could form a key element of Ebbsfleet’s ‘mobility as a service’.