Case studies

A walking and cycling path was constructed to replace an unofficial footpath that ran adjacent to the A259 between Newhaven and Seaford, the replacement of the original unofficial infrastructure with a new shared use path has seen dramatic increases in its usage.

What does the local community think?

The additional use highlighted by the statistics below shows how the local community benefited, they wouldn't be using the route unless it made a difference to their lives:

• Children have begun to use the path for their journeys to school, whereas no journeys were recorded on the previously available route

• The number of children using the route outside of school hours has also increased, from just 7 trips per day to 66 trips

• Increase in usage was observed from 17,000 trips in 2004 to 63,000 in 2005

• The proportion of people who could have used a car but chose to cycle or walk instead increased from 24% to 38%

• The proportion of people who used the new shared route because it was safe almost quadrupled from 13% to 48%

• 59% of users believe that the new route has helped them to increase their level of physical activity