North Fife Cycling Key Points Active Travel Meeting 5th March 2018 Tony Turvey (contact) tturvey1@gmail.com Local website www.cycle-north-fife.net Facebook Page Cycle North Fife North Fife Cycling Group

Cycling Scotland Annual Monitoring Report 2016 Cycle Paths Taybridgehead Ward A high level of Cycling Commuting in Fife and above the Scottish average 4.6% short journeys Cycling Scotland Annual Monitoring Report 2016

North Fife Survey Summer 2017 n = 360+ Key Issue Safer Cycling Our group put out an online survey last summer. Two thirds of the respondents lived in North Fife and one third visited and cycled in the area. The highest concern overall was the need for safer cycling Safer Cycling

Safer Cycling Separate cycling paths can provide the highest level of safety and, with other road engineering options, can be critical to create safe routes around schools and alternatives to busy roads. However, the local geography, plus limits on available funding for new paths, suggest that this needs to be supplemented by more attention focusing on creating safer roads through driver behaviour change. This may also work well across the whole network of minor roads in North Fife. Examples of behaviour change include – Bringing the current Fife Police ‘close pass’ project into this area regularly http://www.scotland.police.uk/whats-happening/news/2017/may/opclosepass-changing-behaviour Extending 20 mph zones in villages and towns http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20243/20mph_for_edinburgh/1024/about_20mph_for_edinburgh/1 Looking at legal changes such as ‘presumed liability’ that promote safer roads for all in many European countries http://roadshare.co.uk.websitebuilder.prositehosting.co.uk/why-presumed-liability

An Off Road Alternative An Off Road Alternative Wormit & Newport Nature Trail Upgrade existing path (mainly old rail track) Providing links with New housing zone Primary Schools Wormit & Newport Sports Hub GP Surgery and Pharmacy Connection to Sustrans NCN1 & 777 Commuting routes to Dundee & Tayport Wormit & Newport Nature Trail upgrade needed Upgrade existing path (mainly old rail track) by improving access ramps along the path and links onto Newport-Tay Road Bridge commuting routes to Dundee & Tayport Providing links with New housing zone Primary Schools Wormit & Newport Sports Hub GP Surgery and Pharmacy Connection to Sustrans NCN1 & 777 An Off Road Alternative Wormit & Newport Nature Trail Feasibility study For walkers, cycling and families An Off Road Alternative Wormit & Newport Nature Trail Feasibility study needed For walkers, cycling and families

Safer Cycling Pot Holes With busy Sustrans national and local routes running through North Fife that are well used by cyclists – both commuting and visitors – the dangers of accidents due to potholes needs to be reduced by a more flexible approach to maintaining these routes to follow up the inspection visit earlier this year by Councillors, Fife Council Roads and Sustrans staff.

Safer Cycling Close Passes ‘Close Passes’ by vehicles are scary for cyclists and risk accidents. The Close Pass project being rolled out across Scotland (including Fife) aims to educate drivers on the safe distance and speed for over taking cyclists. Results from the West Midlands where the project started are very positive

So for safer cycling and roads for all, traffic calming around cyclists across the whole network is needed and ‘presumed liability’ laws can help create this without slowing traffic when there are no cyclists around. North Fife 2017 data from ‘Strava’ software shows that people are cycling on roads and trails throughout the area

National Route NCN 1 Cycling Path Provides a segregated route along much of its route but has gaps that need improving – especially linking Leuchars to Kinshaldy /Tentsmuir

Yellow - key routes – Developments are needed To link up centres to form a safer network Schools Commuting and Health loop Rail, Army and Campus Rail, Army and Campus Family Trails 777 Tay Loop Tour Tourist Trails Flat commuter road links Rail, Army and Campus

Red – Main Roads – here safer crossing points / separate Cycle paths are needed to avoid short sections of busy roads and also link towns for commuters.

Children Cycling Build on Bikeability Training & Play on Pedals with – Children’s Cycling – Kirsteen Torrance (Active Fife) & others Events – Rotary Clubs CycloFun & MTB Festival Newburgh Trails and Tentsmuir Forest – Fife Coast & Countryside Trust For both locals and visitors, there are lots of opportunities to promote a wide range of children and family cycling activities in North Fife

Cycling & Health 60% people want to cycle more ‘Cycling commuting was associated with a lower risk of CVD, cancer and all cause mortality’ with better health gains than walking. Celis-Moralis et al 2017 Cyclestart (Fife Council supported), North Fife Cycling (Cycling UK) , and other groups in North Fife provide a range of ways to encourage people to get cycling Small amounts of regular cycling commuting – studied in a large community sample over 10 years 20% lower rate of Diabetes Type 2 Rasmussen et al 2016. My estimate NHS savings > funding needed for £10 per person for cycling

Trails, Forests, Countryside and Minor Roads networks Tourism Benefits Cycling - economic benefit to Scotland £350m Cycling Tourism - £280m (2017 study for Cycling Scotland) North Fife, St Andrews & East Neuk Existing Tourism infrastructure Trails, Forests, Countryside and Minor Roads networks For Fife, Local, and Visiting Touring Cyclists & Families Similar areas marketing for cycling eg Highland Perthshire, Borders (MTB) South Ayrshire A lot more can be done to promote cycling activities in North Fife, bringing in tourism income to local businesses

- £5-£7 café stop per person on a part day trip Local Cycling eg Sustrans 777 Tay Estuary Loop - £5-£7 café stop per person on a part day trip Taycoasters beginners ride to Crepe Shack on Coastal Route NCN 1

Attracting Incoming Tourism A range of ways to increase visits Information – websites and paper maps www.cycle-north-fife.net Variety of safe routes - esp. East Neuk and Cupar links Off Road Trails and family cycling options Bike and eBike hire. Events Accommodation pro cycling – eg Premier Inn and ‘bikes in room’ policy Rail access – carrying bikes limited Marketing whole North East Fife for return visits. Range of options – short taster hour to long distance visitors

One Example Route 44 miles Could be a 1 or 2 day tour St Andrews North Flat - paths and woods South – hills and views Historic Ceres and Cupar Tay estuary views and hills Café stops – multiple Rail stations – 2 on route

Key Points for Improving Cycling in North Fife Safer Routes – separate paths are needed at key points around schools, busy road crossing points especially for commuters. Driver Behaviour change for traffic calming measures need to be developed so the whole network of roads can be confidently used by cyclists where paths are not feasible. Key cycling routes such as Sustrans 777 and NCN1 need to be well maintained - including flexible criteria for the repair of potholes. Wormit to Newport Nature Trail route upgrade – improvements to the existing trail can provide a great cycling off road link through this ribbon community linking key village locations and commuting into Dundee. Improve linking routes and junctions so the whole network of roads in North Fife can be used by both locals and visitors safely to promote the health and wellbeing of all. Off road trails, Improved signposting of paths and popular local events help to promote children & family cycling with all the gains that come from that. Health gains for all - improving commuting has been shown to make significant health improvements. The lower NHS costs are a benefit that flows from investing in cycling for all. Tourism income for local businesses can be increased by building on the existing tourist resources and learning from other areas in Scotland already targeting cycling for visitors.

North Fife Cycling Further Information Chairperson Tony Turvey (contact) tturvey1@gmail.com Local website www.cycle-north-fife.net Facebook Page - Cycle North Fife Chairperson Tony Turvey (contact) tturvey1@gmail.com Local website www.cycle-north-fife.net Facebook Page - Cycle North Fife A Cycling UK supported community group