What is a LCWIP
A LCWIP is a Local Walking and Cycling Implementation Plan. It is a requirement of the Department for Transport (DfT) that every local authority should have a LCWIP in place, which identifies priorities for walking, cycling and wheeling improvements in its area.
In Jan 2021, ward, town and parish councillors were given the opportunity to propose specific local schemes in their area for inclusion in the plan. Close to one hundred schemes were put forward and reviewed as part of a longer list of about three hundred schemes. All the schemes were reviewed, evaluated and scored against a set of bespoke appraisal criteria, which were designed with the input of our key stakeholders. This resulted in our draft LCWIP which underwent a public consultation in 2022. The feeback from this consultation was collated, analysed and used to prepare the final report for consideration by Members.
This final LCWIP was formally adopted in February 2023. It sets out an ambitious vision for improving and expanding active travel infrastructure within Milton Keynes. You can read our LCWIP document here
Why is the Council proposing walking and cycling improvements?
The Government has set targets for local authorities to increase the amount of walking and cycling trips in their areas. Besides Government targets, it is also important that more people walk and cycle more for short journeys around MK for reasons of health, pollution, congestion and carbon reduction. Many people tell us that they would walk and cycle more often if the routes were better and made them feel safer, so we have identified a number of priority corridors where walking and cycling improvements are needed.
Why is the Council asking about these 25 schemes in particular?
The LCWIP identified a large number of potential walking and cycling schemes all over the MKCC area (about 300 altogether), and these were then assessed and their strengths and weaknesses compared to create a priority list. Using measures such as cost, likely level of use, strategic importance and a number of others, alongside engagement with some key stakeholders, a priority list of 25 schemes was identified for further investigation.
Why are there 2 options for each scheme?
We asked our design consultants to develop two options for each of the 25 priority schemes, to show different ways that improvements to the walking and cycling routes could be achieved. However, the options are illustrative and are not detailed designs, and have been developed to seek residents’ views so they can be developed further.
How do I find out more details about the schemes?
You can view all the plans, or for each of the areas, on the Council’s website - or by clicking on the links below:
What does the Council want me to say about them?
Please tell us what you like and don’t like, how you think the proposals could be improved and any other comments that could help us make the designs better.
How long do I have to give my views?
You have until midnight on the 15th October to submit your views, comments, suggestions or concerns to us, using the options in the answer below.
How can I give my views?
You can tell us what you think of the schemes and options in your area, or the ones that you might use, by going to our dedicated survey website Give My View The survey will allow you to give your views on as many or as few schemes as you wish, and although there are some structured questions, you can also type your own remarks. It is important we get your feedback on these improvement ideas so we can refine them and change any bits that aren’t well supported or you think could be improved.
What if I don’t like either of the two options for a scheme I’m interested in?
That’s fine – just tell us what you don’t like about them and why. If there’s anything you do like about either of them, even a minor feature, please tell us that too.
Can I comment on more than one scheme?
Yes, certainly. You can tell us your views on as many schemes as you like. The more you tell us, the more changes and improvements we can make to the proposals.
What stage are these schemes at?
This is an important question! These are very preliminary designs that show what could be feasible. They are certainly not detailed design proposals and there is a great deal of design and work and further consultation needed before they could ever be built. At this stage, these are illustrative drawings for residents to give their initial views on, so we can take these on board for the next stage.
Who is paying for these schemes?
These schemes would be funded in full by Active Travel England, a division of the Department for Transport (DfT) with their funding allocated specifically to schemes of this sort. The funding from DfT is not transferable to other schemes, such as highway maintenance or road safety schemes. No Council funding is being put towards these schemes, and there will be no impact on the number of potholes we fill or any other Council-funded activities for that matter.
Will they be built soon?
No, detailed design and consultation on schemes like these takes about a year from the stage we are at now. However, none of these schemes have secured funding to proceed yet, so it is likely to be even longer before the first of these is built. It is also very unlikely that enough funding will be forthcoming to deliver all of these schemes, so we will have to deliver schemes on the basis of their priority, likely costs and level of public support. However, having schemes that have undergone refinement following an initial consultation will improve our chances of securing funding to take some schemes forward.
What are the next steps for these schemes?
We will consider the views we receive from this exercise and use them to develop improved designs that address them. Once we have developed these more detailed proposals, we will consult you again about what you think of them – and the results of that consultation will determine whether the scheme progresses.
In some cases, if there are widespread concerns about a scheme at this stage that we don't think we can address, we may have to focus on other schemes instead, and we may not do any additional detailed design work for the moment.
Will I get another chance to give my views?
Yes. If the scheme is recommended to proceed, here is another stage where we will present more detailed consultation drawings of the improved schemes to you, that we will develop using the views you give us now. This will be a more formal consultation, with much clearer drawings pointing out all the proposed changes and why we are proposing them.
What if a scheme is not supported at all?
As stated above, if there are widespread concerns about a scheme that we don’t think we can address with an improved design, we may look at a completely different routing altogether. If this isn’t possible either, then we may have to put the scheme on hold and focus on other schemes in the priority list. Enough funding to deliver all the schemes won’t be available anyway and only a few schemes will proceed to delivery at a time in line with funding being released. This will give us more time to work with stakeholders to find solutions to the more challenging schemes.
How can I get regular information on progress?
We will keep the website pages regularly updated with any news, including a report on the outcomes of this consultation and how the schemes will respond to the comments made.