HITRANS Thurso Active Travel Masterplan

6th July 2020

The opportunity to contribute to Thurso's Active Travel Masterplan by letting the team know what you think would improve walking/cycling routes in Thurso and help to identify problematic areas and barriers, this can be done through the projects webpage at the link below.

https://thursoactivetravelmap.commonplace.is/

Earlier information about the project

In 2010 HITRANS commissioned an active travel audit for Thurso, which looked at existing provision for walking and cycling and suggested a number of routes connecting different parts of

the town and out to Scrabster. At that time, 59% of journeys for work and study were less than 2km, meaning they could be comfortably made on foot or by bike.

As ten years have passed since the original audit, HITRANS have now asked the consultant Arup to look again at the original routes identified, and to work with local people to identify improvements

that could be made to encourage more people to walk and cycle more often for their everyday journeys around town.

The new report will form a masterplan for making improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure and creating places where people can walk and cycle safely in a pleasant environment. HITRANS will then work with Highland Council and other local partners to deliver

the actions and priorities identified in the Masterplan.

Who is being approached to provide input?

A targeted group of stakeholders have been selected by HITRANS and Sustrans to provide input. There is no formal public consultation exercise planned for the time being, this will take place as part of the later stages in the project.

What information will be asked for?

Arup will arrange virtual site audits with each of the stakeholders. The aim of site audits are to gain an understanding of the way the town functions and to find out where existing active travel infrastructure exists, works well, or needs improving.

Land use and topography play important roles in influencing how an area is used and this can be deciphered from maps to some degree. However, the real detail comes from people who know the

town first hand.

This workshop format allows for a discussion of any barriers and constraints for active travel users within Thurso, as well as examples of where things work well.

What are the stages of project?

There are five main stages in the project. The information collected as part of this exercise will be reviewed and analysed to assist in forming an active travel masterplan for the town of Thurso. This

research forms stage 3.

1. Collecting existing baseline information and carrying out a desktop review to look at previous site audits, active travel projects and strategies for Thurso;

2. Carrying out a virtual site audit within Thurso, focusing on targeted locations informed by the desktop review stage;

3. Approaching selected stakeholders to provide your own insights and information and holding virtual site audits to discuss targeted locations within Thurso;

4. Action sifting and active travel masterplan development;

5. Consultation with wider stakeholder group, including public consultation (possibility this will be virtual); and

6. Final reporting of active travel masterplan with ‘easy wins' identified.