Movement and connectivity

Creating a network

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

^p36. When creating a network of paths and streets, remember that these are some of the most permanent features of our built environment. The street network needs to cater for different modes of transport and different users.

^p37. Designers are always keen to promote sustainable transport choices. Through design, we can encourage people to make more active and sustainable transport choices. There is often a misconception that the best way to prioritise walking and cycling is by restricting the movement of cars, using cul-de-sacs for example. However, this commonly results in a more engineered, car dominant environment. It is also land inefficient and causes confusion and frustration. Connected environments work best for all users and all modes of transport. In designing, when we refer to all users, we mean everyone who could live, work, or visit the development. This includes people with disabilities, parents, carers, pregnant women, children and older people.

^p38. Prioritising walking and cycling should be addressed as part of the design of the streets rather than simply reducing the connectivity of the development. By avoiding cul-de-sacs, you will provide people choice of movement. By offering options for movement, traffic gets dispersed. Think about different users’ experience as they travel through the site (e.g. blank façades or rear boundaries in the public realm do not provide an attractive experience from a pedestrian point of view). Think about who your users are and how they are likely to use the space throughout the day.

Primary Streets: main routes, avenues and boulevards

Goal:A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Role: Main streets adopt the role of accommodating strategic trips in addition to more local movement, focusing activity on those streets that contain town, village and neighbourhood centres. This helps support the viability and vitality of existing and proposed centres by creating passing trade.

Type of Journey: Main streets should be thought of as true mixed priority routes, performing a number of roles that include accommodating through traffic and local trips as well as pedestrians and cyclists.

Character: Main streets should be the focus of public life in each neighbourhood. They should be rich, engaging and vibrant places where no one mode of transport is allowed to dominate and all users are made aware, through the local context, of how to behave and what to expect.

Frontage: Main streets should be lined with building frontage of a sufficient scale and continuity to reflect appropriately to the existing context, reflect its civic importance and provide an appropriate level of enclosure.

Public Transport: Bus stops and the alignment of the routes that serve them should be focused on the network of Main Streets, providing neighbourhoods with access to the public transport network by serving key nodes and junctions, local centres and other community infrastructure.

Parking: On-street parking should be allowed in designated bays.

Tree Planting: Street tree planting is required by National Planning Policy Framework. Tall growing full canopied trees should be planted on main and secondary streets, sufficient space should be allowed for these. Trees and planting. within highway adoptable areas should also confirm to Oxfordshire County Council Highways requirements. Trees and shrubs planting should take into account existing constraints such as service easements and be designed in tandem with proposed services including lighting.

Other Design Requirements: Cycling routes and parking should be incorporated into the street design, with the form of cycle facilities responding to local context.Generally, on-carriageway formal cycle lanes are encouraged. Facilities to aid pedestrian crossing should be designed-in. This may include formal signalised crossings or central medians that aid informal crossing movements.

Secondary street: Secondary routes and local streets

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Role: Access streets should connect to the wider network at either end, but do not necessarily have to form a gridded vehicular network. These street types are likely to have lower levels of connectivity for vehicles. The layout of development should accommodate further connections for pedestrians and cyclists to encourage a permeable, and walkable network.

Type of Journey: Access streets should only be used by traffic with a local origin and/or destination.

Character: Tree planting should be included in secondary streets, these could be of a smaller scale than for primary streets, as appropriate to the height of buildings. As these streets will be lightly used by vehicular traffic pedestrians should feel comfortable moving freely across the street. In some instances, the use of shared surface treatments may be appropriate. The design of the street should limit vehicular speeds to 20 mph, without the need for excessive traffic calming measures.

Frontage: Access Streets should be lined with building frontage of a sufficient scale to provide an appropriate level of enclosure responding to the context.

Public Transport: Bus services should not use access streets other than in exceptional circumstances.

Parking: On-street parking should be allowed unless there is a local reason why this may not be appropriate.

Other Design Requirements: Cyclists should be accommodated on carriageway.

Tertiary streets: mews, lanes, courtyards and other

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Tertiary streets provide access to homes, not for use by through traffic. Type of Journey: The lowest order of street should only be used by traffic with a local origin and/or destination.

Character: Tertiary streets should also include trees. This lowest order street should be designed so that drivers feel like guests in an environment that clearly articulates that pedestrians are prioritised. This street type is least likely to rely on standard highway engineering solutions, such as signage, to inform drivers about context. Techniques such are shared surfaces can be used to convey this message. The design of the street should limit vehicular speeds to 10 mph without the need for active traffic calming measures.

Frontage: The informal nature of these streets can be reflected in the adjacent development with varying building line, massing and orientation. The scale of development should provide an appropriate level of enclosure and reflect the intimate nature of these street types.

Public Transport: Bus services should not use the lowest order of streets.

Parking: On-street parking should be allowed unless there is a reason why this is not appropriate. Opportunities for casual parking that may block the carriageway should be designed out to avoid a street scene that is dominated by parked cars.

Figure 8:

Develop a clear movement strategy and street hierarchy (major example)

Primary Streets: main routes, avenues and boulevards

Goal:A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Role: Main streets adopt the role of accommodating strategic trips in addition to more local movement, focusing activity on those streets that contain town, village and neighbourhood centres. This helps support the viability and vitality of existing and proposed centres by creating passing trade.

Type of Journey: Main streets should be thought of as true mixed priority routes, performing a number of roles that include accommodating through traffic and local trips as well as pedestrians and cyclists.

Character: Main streets should be the focus of public life in each neighbourhood. They should be rich, engaging and vibrant places where no one mode of transport is allowed to dominate and all users are made aware, through the local context, of how to behave and what to expect.

Frontage: Main streets should be lined with building frontage of a sufficient scale and continuity to reflect appropriately to the existing context, reflect its civic importance and provide an appropriate level of enclosure.

Public Transport: Bus stops and the alignment of the routes that serve them should be focused on the network of Main Streets, providing neighbourhoods with access to the public transport network by serving key nodes and junctions, local centres and other community infrastructure.

Parking: On-street parking should be allowed in designated bays.

Tree Planting: The opportunity to integrate trees within main streets should be taken wherever reasonable and appropriate. Trees and shrubs should not be planted over the route of sewers and furthermore tree planting should not impede access required for the maintenance of sewers.

Other Design Requirements: Cycling routes and parking should be incorporated into the street design, with the form of cycle facilities responding to local context. Generally, on-carriageway formal cycle lanes are encouraged. Facilities to aid pedestrian crossing should be designed-in. This may include formal signalised crossings or central medians that aid informal crossing movements.

Secondary street: Secondary routes and local streets

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Role: Access streets should connect to the wider network at either end, but do not necessarily have to form a gridded vehicular network. These street types are likely to have lower levels of connectivity for vehicles. The layout of development should accommodate further connections for pedestrians and cyclists to encourage a permeable, and walkable network.

Type of Journey: Access streets should only be used by traffic with a local origin and/or destination.

Character: As these streets will be lightly used by vehicular traffic pedestrians should feel comfortable moving freely across the street. In some instances, the use of shared surface treatments may be appropriate. The design of the street should limit vehicular speeds to 20 mph, without the need for excessive traffic calming measures.

Frontage: Access Streets should be lined with building frontage of a sufficient scale to provide an appropriate level of enclosure responding to the context.

Public Transport: Bus services should not use access streets other than in exceptional circumstances.

Parking: On-street parking should be allowed unless there is a local reason why this may not be appropriate.

Other Design Requirements: Cyclists should be accommodated on carriageway.

Tertiary streets: mews, lanes, courtyards and other

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Tertiary streets provide access to homes, not for use by through traffic.

Type of Journey: The lowest order of street should only be used by traffic with a local origin and/or destination.

Character: This lowest order street should be designed so that drivers feel like guests in an environment that clearly articulates that pedestrians are prioritised. This street type is least likely to rely on standard highway engineering solutions, such as signage, to inform drivers about context. Techniques such are shared surfaces can be used to convey this message. The design of the street should limit vehicular speeds to 10 mph without the need for active traffic calming measures.

Frontage: The informal nature of these streets can be reflected in the adjacent development with varying building line, massing and orientation. The scale of development should provide an appropriate level of enclosure and reflect the intimate nature of these street types.

Public Transport: Bus services should not use the lowest order of streets.Parking: On-street parking should be allowed unless there is a reason why this is not appropriate. Opportunities for casual parking that may block the carriageway should be designed out to avoid a street scene that is dominated by parked cars.

Figure 8a:

Develop a clear movement strategy and street hierarchy (minor example)

Figure 9:

A disconnected network provides little choice and often results in longer routes between desired locations

Figure 10:

A connected network provides multiple choices and often results in shorter routes between desired locations

Identifying street patterns

Organic / historic street pattern

Semi-formal street pattern

Formal street pattern

Other street patterns

Figure 11: Street patterns

Working with street patterns

Locate site

Identify existing street pattern

Design street pattern within the site

Ensure development retains character and permeability

Figure 12: Providing a network of connected streets

Steps

Inform your design:

Identify the travel characteristics of the existing site, including pedestrian and cyclist movements and infrastructure;

Locate existing public transport provision, including provision/frequency of services, location of bus stops/train stations, park-and-ride facilities;

Identify the classification of the highway network in the vicinity of the site.

Communicate your design:

Provide a Transport Statement and accompanying plan;

Prepare a Transport Assessment following an appropriate scale of transport survey in relation to the scale of development;

To see whether your proposal requires a Transport Statement or Transport Assessment check the thresholds found in Appendix 1 of Oxfordshire County Council’s Transport for New Developments, Transport Assessments and Travel Plans (2014).

Support your design:

Manual for Streets 1 (DfT, 2007)

Manual for Streets 2 (ICHT, 2010)

Oxfordshire Streets Design Guide (Sep 2021)

Building for a Healthy Life (2020)

Designing Shared Space, (Landscape Institute, technical Information Note, 2019)

Local Transport Note 1/20 Cycle infrastructure design (Department for Transport, 2020)

Oxfordshire County Council Transport for New Developments: Transport Assessments and Travel Plans March (2014)

SUSTRANS, Walking and cycling infrastructure design guidance

Sight Line: Designing better streets for people with low vision (DC, CABE 2010)

Traditional tree lined street (Nuneham Courtenay)

Provide routes and infrastructure for cycling and pedestrians

Shared surface and tree planted boulevard (Didcot)

Ensure the scheme:

has a network of streets or paths/integrated cycleways that connect with each other; creating an attractive choice of routes for all users and all modes of transport (20-minute neighbourhood); prioritising the needs of pedestrians, people with disabilities, cyclists, equestrians and public transport users over the needs of motorists within the network;
has a clear and logical order of street, (often referred to as a ‘street hierarchy’) that use a range of street types. These can be identified by their differing features including their width, enclosure, frontage, parking arrangements, how connected they are to each other, range of uses, landscaping and materials;
connects to existing streets, cycle and walking paths (including public rights of way), creating direct, safe (consider surveillance, sight lines, lighting) and attractive links for all users whilst avoiding ‘cul-de-sac’ layouts. Where applicable avoid single point of access (particularly for large developments);
provides links to neighbouring allocated land that could be developed in the future making them an integral part of the street network and hierarchy;
provides direct pedestrian and cycle links to local services and facilities that are convenient and follow natural desire lines, and uses the features identified in the opportunities plan to create visually interesting and attractive routes;
maintains priority for pedestrians and cyclists, designing people-friendly spaces;
locates facilities and services within a short walking distance of homes (800 m) and provides easy access for existing and new residents;
provides bus stops within a five-minute walk (400m) of homes, is preferably 600m from a primary school and 1500m from a secondary school, and where possible, close to local services and facilities;**
includes wherever possible accessible wayfinding/signposting to be installed to promote movement on foot/bike/active travel.

Note: All design principles are applicable to all scales of development unless otherwise specified; *minor applications, **major applications

Creating a network

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Primary Streets: main routes, avenues and boulevards

Goal:A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Secondary street: Secondary routes and local streets

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Tertiary streets: mews, lanes, courtyards and other

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Figure 8: Develop a clear movement strategy and street hierarchy (major example)

Primary Streets: main routes, avenues and boulevards

Goal:A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Secondary street: Secondary routes and local streets

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Tertiary streets: mews, lanes, courtyards and other

Goal: A place that is easy to get to and move through for all users

Figure 8a: Develop a clear movement strategy and street hierarchy (minor example)

Figure 9: A disconnected network provides little choice and often results in longer routes between desired locations

Figure 10: A connected network provides multiple choices and often results in shorter routes between desired locations

Figure 11: Street patterns

Figure 12: Providing a network of connected streets

Steps

Inform your design:

Communicate your design:

Support your design:

Design principles - Movement and connectivity

Figure 8:

Develop a clear movement strategy and street hierarchy (major example)

Figure 8a:

Develop a clear movement strategy and street hierarchy (minor example)

Figure 9:

A disconnected network provides little choice and often results in longer routes between desired locations

Figure 10:

A connected network provides multiple choices and often results in shorter routes between desired locations