One of the Agency's top priorities is sustainable rural transport. We have interests in protecting the countryside and conserving the resource that the countryside offers. We also aim to ensure a prosperous countryside through local community action...

National Policy

The Countryside Agency's Transport Policy - Transport in Tomorrow's Countryside - included 10 principles for transport, some of which directly relate to the Quiet Lanes work:

 

  • Principle seven stated: People should feel safe and secure when travelling by any mode in the countryside.
  • Principle nine stated: People should be able to choose modes, or a combination of modes, for their journeys that will vary according to the particular circumstances of their journey, rather than finding that one mode is always the preferred or only choice.
  • Principle ten stated: Networks should be established that provide for access to a good range of services and provide for people to reach and travel around the countryside with ease, by public transport and non-motorised modes. People must feel safe and secure when travelling and local communities must be empowered to make decisions and invest in new transport solutions to improve travel choice in their area. There is a strong demand for multi-user routes; up to 17,000 km of off-road routes were either planned or being created of variable standards; advice and information is needed covering all stages of route development with on-road links; there is a lack of financial support for off-road, multi-user routes; and on Quiet Lanes, which showed: it is an effective, long - term, way of managing the minor-road network; it is possible within existing highway policy frameworks.   

There are practical issues to address: 

  • personal rights of access
  • extensive local consultation
  • the application of associated traffic calming
  • the need for enforcement 

WHAT HAVE QUIET LANES GOT TO DO WITH GOVERNMENT TRANSPORT POLICY?
Section 268 of the Transport Act 2000 gives legal status to the term Quiet Lane. It enables local traffic authorities to designate roads for which they are responsible as Quiet Lanes. There is no constraint on the use of this power, except that the appropriate national authority may give guidance as to its use, to which local traffic authorities must have regard.

The Department for Transport (DFT), issued a consultation document in the Autumn 2001 to seek views from interested organisations about the information which should be contained in the regulations for Quiet Lanes.

Local authorities also have to prepare Local Transport Plans (LTP) which were proposed in the Transport White Paper: A new Deal for Transport Better for Everyone in 1998. The LTP is a five year plan which is reviewed annually and is aimed at providing greater certainty of future funding for local authorities but is also aimed at providing a more strategic approach to delivering transport and in delivering integrated solutions by encouraging public transport, cycling and walking. Quiet Lanes projects can contribute towards a local authority target for developing integrated transport systems.

Quiet Lanes may help to broaden travel choices by making easier journeys on local lanes by any mode of transport, i.e. giving people the choice to leave their cars at home. Quiet Lanes could be part of a network linking people's homes to places such as schools, work, centres, rail stations and bus stops, as well as the local countryside. This would help to achieve integrated sustainable transport strategies and contribute to the National Cycling Strategy (Sustrans) and Walking Strategy.

Since 1998 many policies and programmes have been established by the Government in order to achieve its vision of an integrated transport policy. These programmes have established a greater platform for transport in rural areas and a higher profile for non-motorised forms of transport, including in November 2000 the right by Local Authorities to designate Quiet Lanes. Below is a brief summary of the main reports that have been produced: 

Transport White Paper 
A new deal for transport: better for everyone Published by DETR - Document reference: Cm 3950.
Published in July 1998 this White Paper set out an agenda to improve the transport framework and transport planning. Its key objectives were to look at sustainable transport and an integrated transport network. It recognised the need for improved public transport but also the need to improve facilities for walkers, cyclists and access for the disabled. This document also saw the introduction of the New Local Transport Plan (LTP) for delivering integrated transport locally. 

Local Transport Plans
Guidance published by DETR in March 2000
LTPs were submitted to Government by Local Authorities in July 2000 with funding allocations announced on 14 December 2000. LTPs are five year plans aiming to provide integrated transport devised at local level which include partnerships with the community. These plans contain objectives to improve safety, promote accessibility, contribute to an efficient economy, promote integration and to protect the environment. They also look an analysis of problems and opportunities, long term strategies to tackle problems, targets and performance indicators and costing for a 5 year implementation programme. These plans aim to increase priority for cycling, walking and environmental and safety measures. 

10 Year Transport Plan
Transport 2010 - The 10 Year Plan - published by DETR July 2000
This plan aims to provide investment and infrastructure to help deliver the policies set out in previous documents. It aim is to deliver Government priorities on reducing congestion, a wider choice of quicker, safer, more reliable travel by road, rail, and other forms of transport. This Plan also sets out proposals for relaxing rules to achieve greater flexibility in meeting rural needs.

Tomorrows Roads Safer for Everyone - July 2000
This is the Government's road safety strategy and casualty reduction targets for 2010. Among the proposals are the development of a new hierarchy of roads for rural areas defined by the roads function and quality. Some of the features of the hierarchy are normal speed limits in villages of 30mph and lower speed limits on country lanes where needed. 

Transport Act - November 2000
This Act saw the development of greater powers for Local Authorities and gives legal status to quiet lanes. Local authorities will be able to designate roads as quiet lanes, they will be able to make orders affecting the way they are used and provide for speed reduction measures in them. Local authorities have been given new powers to require bus companies to provide and display information about their services, in rural areas these powers may be used to ensure integrated transport is available in villages, or displayed in post offices.

Rural White Paper - November 2000
Our Countryside: the future Published by DETR - document reference Cm4909 
The Rural White Paper also includes a section on Quiet Lanes and encouraging walking and cycling. It discusses the need for flexible local transport, better co-ordination of services and a stronger role for local communities in identifying their needs. 

WHO ARE NATUAL ENGLAND WORKING WITH ON THIS PROJECT?
The Quiet Lanes demonstration areas are partnership projects between Natural England, local Highway Authority, DETR, TRL and Ajt Environmental Consultants. We have also been working with local users and the organisations to which they belong in the demonstration areas and with user group national level staff. The organisations involved are:

  • Cyclists Touring Club (CTC) 
  • Sustrans
  • British Horse Society
  • British Driving Society (Carriage Driving)
  • Ramblers Association 
  • London Walking Forum
  • RADAR
  • DDA Ramblers Group
  • Highways Agency
  • Transport 2000
  • London Cycling Campaign
  • ILAM
  • CSS
  • Sport England
  • National & One Make Motorcycle
  • British Motorcycle Federation (BMF) Club
  • Land Access & Recreational Association (LARA)
  • British Motorsport Association
  • Camping & Caravan Club
  • Caravan Club 
  • National Trust
  • YHA  

These organisations have been represented at local meetings in Norfolk and Kent helping with the development of their networks. User Organisations have also attended National Level update meetings and have been helping to develop the Quiet Lanes User Code.