Sustrans, worked with public sector partners in Luton – firstly, to develop a new cycle route through the area and secondly to encourage people to be more active – thereby supporting healthy lifestyles.

Sustrans, in partnership with the public sector developed a cycle route in Luton, which links to a national network. A key element of the project has been community engagement – first to help plan the route and then to help promote the route and encourage usage.

The second aspect of engagement, involved Luton’s Active Travel Manager working at the community level to encourage usage of the cycle route through the development of cycle groups.

The case study places a strong emphasis on the community engagement aspect of the project. Here the case study describes how the Active Travel Manager engaged members of the community (including Asian women) and identifies role models and also champions to carry forward activity once the Active Travel Manager had moved on.

The case study goes on to identify the key success criteria for encouraging community participation including:

Survey work was also carried out post project to evaluate whether the impacts made had endured.

As a result of the strong community engagement aspect of the cycle route project – 64% of people surveyed felt they were now more active, also 45% of people said they were walking more.

Local communities in Luton

Other than the funding used to create the cycle track resources used include the partnership networks of Sustrans including Sports England – who supplied the Active Travel Manager who worked closely with the community to increase usage of the cycle route. The project also worked closely with local residents and cyclists to plan the rout of the cycle track.

Sustrans
info@sustrans.org.uk

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case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Community development, Quality of life