FOI request detail

FOI Request - London Cycling Design Standards - Continuous footways

Request ID: FOI-2454-2425
Date published: 24 December 2024

You asked
Dear Sir / Madam, Noting the doubling of serious injuries, both overall and for cyclists, over the period 2020-2022 against the previous three years associated with Ewell Road cycleway in Kingston upon Thames, see attached accident reports, I am writing to request the following information. 1) The documentary basis for the statement in Chapter 3 of the London Cycling Design Standards that continuous footways should be considered experimental in the UK 2) Details of the process in place for TfL to collect London wide accident data on cycleway schemes involving experimental continuous footways. 3) The experimental protocols required for such schemes funded by TfL. 4) The criteria against which success or failure of such schemes should be judged to receive funding. 5) The process for ensuring that such schemes funded by TfL do not contain features that have not undergone of road track testing, specifically the use of concrete sinusoidal ramps with lower PSV friction coefficients than asphalt across the face of SRET junction faces to the continuous footways. 6) The expected actions taken to be taken by Boroughs if experimental schemes result in an increase in the KSI data. Kind regards

We answered

TfL Ref: FOI-2454-2425

 

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 31 October 2024 asking for information about the London Cycling Design Standards (LCDS).  

 

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require.

 

The Ewell Road cycle scheme has been designed and constructed by the Royal Borough of Kingston, on a road for which they are the Highway Authority.

 

Specifically you asked for:

 

  1. The documentary basis for the statement in Chapter 3 of the London Cycling Design Standards that continuous footways should be considered experimental in the UK

 

At the time Chapter 3 of the LCDS was written, these features were less common and therefore considered experimental. 

 

  1. Details of the process in place for TfL to collect London wide accident data on cycleway schemes involving experimental continuous footways.

 

TfL does not use continuous footways on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN), nor do we hold data on the location of continuous footways across London. TfL review the impact of our Cycleway schemes more broadly and would consider all design features in any assessment. This scheme is on a borough road and therefore it is the borough responsibility to monitor the impact of the highway changes. Please contact Kingston Council directly with your enquiry - https://www.kingston.gov.uk/foi 

 

  1. The experimental protocols required for such schemes funded by TfL.

 

Experimental traffic schemes are implemented under section 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. TfL has issued Guidance to help any London Borough wishing to use this approach, available here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/guidance-for-delivery-using-temporary-and-experimental-schemes-october-2022.pdf

 

However, a Road Traffic Order is not required to support the installation of a continuous footway.

 

  1. The criteria against which success or failure of such schemes should be judged to receive funding.

 

Ewell Road cycle scheme has been developed by the borough, using TfL funding. The borough is responsible for the design, delivery and operation of the scheme, as well as public consultation and decision making. TfL will fund cycle schemes that meet the Cycle Quality Criteria and the LCDS, as far as practically possible. To ensure this, TfL undertakes design check(s) in the design development stage, and then a site visit after construction to discuss with borough officers how the scheme is working. 

 

The criteria against which an improvement to the highway is considered a success, is defined by the relevant highway authority. 

 

  1. The process for ensuring that such schemes funded by TfL do not contain features that have not undergone of road track testing, specifically the use of concrete sinusoidal ramps with lower PSV friction coefficients than asphalt across the face of SRET junction faces to the continuous footways.

 

Manufacturers are responsible for the testing of their products. TfL would not normally review the materials specification on a scheme proposed on the borough road network. TfL’s design check(s) would identify any features which are not compliant with our design guidance as far as practically possible. The TfL design check(s) did not raise any conditional matters with the borough’s continuous footway design.

 

  1. The expected actions taken to be taken by Boroughs if experimental schemes result in an increase in the KSI data.

 

The Council has taken a risk-based approach in the construction of these side road treatments including best practice reviews, pilot implementation, 'before and after' studies along with the usual road safety audits and design reviews. The Council had made amendments where necessary in response to feedback and site observations and will continue to monitor their performance including review of collision statistics. Please contact Kingston Council directly with your enquiry. 

 

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access the links provided for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

 

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Mary Abidakun

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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