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What is the Spelthorne Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan?

The Spelthorne Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) is a ten-year investment plan for walking and cycling in the borough. It identifies where we want to prioritise investment and sets out some initial options and ideas for improving walking and cycling across the borough.

LCWIPs are the best practice approach nationally for planning walking and cycling improvements and our process follows . To find out more about LCWIPs, including what they are and the process that we have followed to develop LCWIPs for the county, please see our Plans to improve walking and cycling webpage.

The LCWIP focuses on strategic network connections and aims to create a wider walking and cycling network for the borough. Local neighbourhood and street level interventions are not included within the LCWIP and will be part of separate workstreams that aim to improve walking and cycling provision at smaller scales. For example, we aim to develop 'Liveable Neighbourhood' schemes to increase the comfort, safety and accessibility of walking and cycling on residential roads by recognising the importance of these streets as places for people, and not just their importance for the movement of vehicles. Liveable Neighbourhoods will create attractive local environments that connect residents to the wider LCWIP network and make walking and cycling easier, safer, more enjoyable, convenient and fun for everyone. To find out more about our plans for walking and cycling at the street and neighbourhood scale, please see our Local Transport Plan policies for Planning for Place and for Active Travel and Social Mobility.

If you would like to view the Spelthorne LCWIP report in full, please email surreytransportplan@surreycc.gov.uk to request a copy, or see below for a summary of the report.

Executive summary

The Spelthorne LCWIP's key proposals are cycling routes and Core Walking Zones, which together create a walking and cycling network for the district. These proposals are outlined below.

All cycling routes and Core Walking Zones identified in the LCWIP have been designated as either Phase 1, 2 or 3. This helps to prioritise investment over the LCWIP's ten-year lifespan. Phase 1 routes and zones are those that we aim to implement in the short-term, whilst we aim to implement Phase 2 routes and zones over the medium-term, and Phase 3 routes and zones in the longer term. Prioritisation of the routes and Core Walking Zones is based on a number of factors, including:

• Present and future demand for the route, including local stakeholder input, road traffic collision data and projected usage
• The quality that improvements will deliver compared to the provision that currently exists on the route
• How the route will contribute to increased access for walking and cycling to key destinations such as schools, doctors' surgeries, hospitals, rail and bus stations, high streets, and parks

The full LCWIP report includes network maps that show the locations of all of the cycling routes and Core Walking Zones. It also includes initial concept ideas for the Phase 1 routes and zones and explains and lists the full prioritisation programme of all of the different cycling routes and Core Walking Zones.

The LCWIP has considered the full extent of the borough, with an emphasis on key trip attractors and destinations that will encourage and allow more people to take up walking and cycling as their everyday modes of transport.

Cycling Network

Phase 1 Cycling Routes

Staines to Sunbury: A308 and Kingston Road

This route will provide a cycling connection along one of the borough's busiest roads, connecting Staines and Sunbury. The A308 is a key east to west corridor within Spelthorne and can provide future links to other areas in the borough. The A308 currently sees an average of 30,000 vehicles per day at a speed of 40 miles per hour, making it hostile to people cycling. The proposed improvements would help to address this, improving cycling connectivity to local schools, residential areas and economic centres in the borough.

The proposed improvements include several potential design options for Sunbury Cross roundabout. These will be explored further during feasibility. The approximate length of the proposed route is 6.3 kilometres.

Staines to Laleham: Staines Road and Laleham Road

This corridor will provide a safe cycle route between Staines and Laleham, via the B376 (Laleham Road and Staines Road). The route will link to the existing National Cycle Network route 4, along the Thames, but provide a less isolated, on-carriageway experience. Proposals will greatly improve the current cycle facilities along this route, which are of a poor standard.

The proposed route will serve residential areas in the south of Staines as well as Laleham, improving cycling connectivity to Staines town centre and the railway station for local residents. The approximate length of the proposed corridor is 3 kilometres.

Ashford: Stanwell Road, Church Road, Convent Road and School Road

This route will serve the residential areas around Ashford. The route will incorporate the local high street and improve cycling connectivity to Ashford Hospital, Ashford Railway Station and St James School, allowing more local journeys to be made by bicycle. The approximate length of the proposed corridor is 3.3 kilometres.

Ashford to Laleham: Fordbridge Road and Ashford Road

This corridor will connect Ashford to Laleham via Fordbridge Road and Ashford Road. The route will connect to the Staines to Sunbury corridor (on the A308) at Fordbridge roundabout, providing the potential for further, onward cycle journeys in the borough, such as to Sunbury or Ashford Hospital which are not directly on this route. The approximate length of the proposed corridor is 3.3 kilometres.

Sunbury: Green Street and Nursery Road

This corridor sits within Lower Sunbury and will improve cycle connectivity to local schools, making journeys by bike safer, easier and more attractive. Green Street is a key north-south connector in Sunbury as it links a significant number of primary and secondary schools, leisure facilities and the river Thames. The approximate length of this route is 1.9 kilometres.

Phase 2 and 3 Cycling Routes

• Renfree Way. This route will link Shepperton to Chertsey via Chertsey Bridge, and Shepperton to Walton On-Thames via Walton Bridge. There is a high propensity for cycle trips due to the potential connectivity between urban centres. The route is proposed for improvements as part of the River Thames Scheme.
• Upper Halliford via the A244 and Cadbury Road. The A244 is a key north-west route in the borough, serving not only Spelthorne but connecting Elmbridge and Hounslow. The proposed route will improve cycling connectivity for people travelling between Spelthorne, Hounslow and Elmbridge.
• Laleham Park and Thameside. This corridor sits parallel to the River Thames and forms part of National Cycle Network route 4. It currently records high cycle flows despite needing improvement. This route would primarily serve leisure trips along the Thames but would also benefit a number of commuter destinations.
• Wraysbury Road. This route will create a cycle connection between Staines and the adjacent borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, facilitating cycling trips between the two areas.
• Feltham Hill Road. Thiscorridor will help to connect Ashford and Sunbury, and offers an alternate alignment via residential roads to the A308.
• Shepperton to Sunbury via Fordbridge Road. This corridor links to the Renfree Way route from Chertsey to Shepperton, providing the opportunity for onward cycling to Lower Sunbury.
• Laleham Road. This corridor runs from Laleham to Shepperton via the B376 and connects to the phase one routes from Staines and Ashford, enabling cycle journeys from Laleham, Littleton and Shepperton to other key towns in the borough. It is the main east west corridor below Queen Mary Reservoir.
• Thames Street and Halliford Road. This cyclecorridor runs parallel to the River Thames to link Upper Halliford to Lower Sunbury along Halliford Road and Thames Street, extending towards Hampton on Lower Hampton Road.
• Woodthorpe Road. This route connects Ashford to Staines, offering an alternate route to Fordbridge Road. It will serve Ashford Railway Station and provide a safe cycle facility to the station for the local residential area.
• Staines Road East. This route connects to the A308 and Kingston Road corridor at Sunbury Cross, extending eastwards to connect Sunbury and local residential areas to businesses parks, Kempton Park, Hampton and Bushy Park.
• Thames Path. This route incorporates one of the borough's most popular leisure routes, extending from Staines to Laleham along the River Thames path. The path is part of National Cycle Network route 4.
• Oakington Drive. This corridor was suggested during the early engagement workshops by local stakeholders. It extends east-west across Lower Sunbury, starting in Oakington drive and following the existing off-road path. It will provide an improved cycle connection for local schools and residential areas.
• Brookside Avenue. This corridor was suggested during the early engagement workshops by local stakeholders as an alternate cycle route to the A308 because it runs through calmer residential areas and off-carriageway paths by the River Ash.
• Stanwell Moor Road. This corridor runs along Stanwell Moor Road (the A3044) and will help to create a safe cycling route between Staines and Heathrow. This corridor is also part of the Heathrow LCWIP.

Walking Network

Phase 1 Core Walking Zones

Core Walking Zones are areas where a number of walking trip generators, like shops, schools, town centres and business parks, are located close to each other. These are areas where there is high demand for walking because of the trip generators, and a need to improve infrastructure and access for pedestrians.

Ashford Core Walking Zone

The Ashford Core Walking Zone is centred around Church Road and includes Ashford Railway Station as well as local schools and the surrounding residential area. The commercial area along the high street is one of the busiest in the borough and Church Road currently experiences a high number of pedestrian casualties.

Convent Road Commercial Area Core Walking Zone

The local commercial area around Convent Road extends primarily along the Convent Road and Feltham Road junction, as well as the southern end of Convent Road and the junction with Feltham Hill Road. This Core Walking Zone is centred around both of these areas and serves the surrounding residential area and local schools. The zone also includes Clockhouse Lane which is the only direct link to Bedfont Lakes.

Sunbury Common Core Walking Zone

Commercial activity is located on the service roads around Sunbury Cross roundabout. The roads here are busy with high traffic flows and speeds. This is a barrier for pedestrians. This zone aims to improve walking facilities and the pedestrian environment in the commercial areas and improve access to Sunbury Railway Station and surrounding residential areas. The zone also includes the A244 (Windmill Road) to link to Upper Halliford Railway Station. The A244 currently has a hostile pedestrian environment despite data analysis showing a high demand for short commuter trips here.

Phase 2 and 3 Core Walking Zones [H3]

• Staines. This Core Walking Zone extends around the commercial area at the centre of Staines and includes key destinations like the shopping centre and railway station. Issues and opportunities for pedestrians and cyclists in the extent of the core walking zones will be addressed by the emerging Staines Development Framework.
• Kingston Road. Commercial activity on Kingston Road extends east of Staines Railway Station. The street records high traffic flows and high pedestrian flows, particularly due to the proximity of local schools.
• Stanwell High Street. Stanwell high street inks Stanwell Moor Road to residential areas and the southern perimeter of Heathrow Airport. The area has high population density.
• Clare Road Commercial Area. The local commercial area extends east of Staines Reservoir and north of Ashford Hospital. The area has a high population density and is constrained between the A30, reservoirs, Heathrow Airport and the industrial area. Clare Road is important for linking this area with surrounding schools.
• Sunbury-on-Thames. Commercial activity in Lower Sunbury extends along Thames Street and the southern end of The Avenue. The surrounding area is residential with a high number of schools particularly in the northern part of Lower Sunbury that generate a high number of pedestrian movements and collisions between pedestrians and vehicles particularly on Nursery Road and Green Street. Both of these roads are included within this zone, as well as links to Sunbury Railway Station and Upper Halliford Railway Station via Nursery Road.
• Shepperton. This zone focuses around Shepperton high street, between the railway station and Renfree Way. The pedestrian environment along the high street is of good quality with wide footways and frequent crossing facilities. Shepperton will be directly linked to the via proposed paths.
• Littleton. This zone covers the whole of Littleton which sits between Queen Mary Reservoir, the M3 and Sheep Walk Lakes. The Littleton Core Walking Zone will serve connections to the River Thames Scheme's Sheep Walk creation site.

Next steps

The Spelthorne LCWIP report should be used to support the case for further stages of design, assessment, and stakeholder engagement, and to secure funding to progress improvements for the cycling routes and Core Walking Zones identified by the report. Because the LCWIP is intended to facilitate a long-term approach to developing active travel proposals, over a period of approximately 10 years, all of the corridors identified within the active travel network maps are recommended for further consideration at an appropriate time.

The next stage of implementing the Spelthorne LCWIP will be to further develop the design concepts for the Phase 1 cycling routes and Core Walking Zones into a feasibility level of design and assessment. This will include full public consultation, allowing residents and other local stakeholders to have their say on the individual scheme proposals.

The LCWIP will be reviewed and updated periodically, particularly in response to significant changes in local circumstances such as the publication of new policies or strategies.

If you wish to view the full Spelthorne LCWIP report or receive it in a more accessible format, please email surreytransportplan@surreycc.gov.uk requesting a copy.