Active Travel Annual Progress Report 2021/22

The actions taken to promote active travel journeys

• A very wide ranging communication programme was undertaken to promote awareness of active travel in Torfaen in 2021-2022. These ‘comms’ were through face-to-face meetings, online through Teams/Zoom meetings, social media, website, email, direct mail etc. Torfaen Council social media feeds have been used multiple times targeting all audiences. We also ran town centre engagement points to talk with people on all aspects of active travel and provide information
• The ‘comms’ programme complimented the ATNM consultation and mapping process that was conducted over several months. During this we contacted 180 organisations/schools/public bodies/ groups, RSLs (residential social Landlords) and similar
• Completed and submitted our ATNM to Welsh Government
• We engaged with all Torfaen schools, for Walk and Bike to School national initiatives and a special Public Health Wales Active Travel to School initiative
• We undertook active travel hands-ups surveys at schools and developed new Active Travel School Plans with several schools
• We worked with other providers such as the Torfaen Play Services supporting their young volunteer staff in delivering services to younger children
• We engaged with young people through the Torfaen Youth Forum (16-25 age geoup) and attended events with young people to gather views on Active Travel
• We engaged with a number of mobility and disability groups including the Torfaen Access Forum group and Sight Cymru and with various individuals who responded to the ‘comms’ messages
• There was a greater active travel emphasis in communications to Councillors and residents on SRiC and AT schemes being developed and constructed. Similarly, there was a greater active travel emphasis in Torfaen Highways responses to enquiries from residents and members of the public
• There was a stronger emphasis on AT provision when reviewing new Highways development requests and planning applications
• We continued to deliver National Standards cycle training and the traditional cycling proficiency training which provides young cyclists with the necessary training to be safer and more competent cyclists
• We continued with child pedestrian training.

The actions taken to secure new active travel routes and related facilities and improvements

• Progressed the SRiC scheme at Llantarnam Primary school and constructed a 205m length of walking & cycling route and designed the next section for construction for following year.
• Installed a Toucan crossing outside Woodlands primary school and another Toucan crossing on the main cycle route beside the canal in Pontnewydd.
• Completed the second part of the widening of the short-cut route to 3 local primary schools and Park at Sandybrook, Cwmbran.
• Constructed access improvements on and to the active travel route through a park in Oakfield Cwmbran.
• Designed and installed a number of AT route signage improvements.
• Installed more Dropped Kerbs (DK) on the DK improvement programme on an active travel route along a local distributor main road in Pontnewydd, Cwmbran and on a walk to school route in Coed Eva, Cwmbran.
• Attended consultations and drop-in events to gather feedback on proposed SRiC and AT improvements and routes.
• Started a major new project with a WelTAG study to consider active travel infrastructure improvements on Cwmbran Drive.   
• Continued design work on Oakfield AT network, Edlogan Way phase 2, Cwmbran Drive AT route widening and a new path to Cwmbran stadium.
• Several other feasibility studies undertaken or progressed for active travel route improvements.
• Carried out an active travel audits of all AT existing and proposed future routes in Torfaen to assess future work required to be undertaken.

Costs incurred for new active travel routes and facilities and improvements of existing active travel routes and related facilities carried out in the preceding full financial year

• £724,084

In addition to the above, the following information provides an overview of infrastructure that has been implemented during the previous year

Indicative spending for new active travel routes and facilities and improvements of existing active travel routes and related facilities funded or part funded by third parties.

• £36,000

Length of new routes (walking, cycling, shared use)

• Walking – 75 metres
• Cycling - 0
• Shared Use – 290 metres

Length of improved routes (walking, cycling, shared use)

• Walking – 184 metres
• Cycling – 0
• Shared Use – 0

New and improved active travel facilities

• Installed seating (benches) for resting at several locations along active travel routes