Congleton Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16 Consultation
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Congleton Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16 Consultation
Submitted Plan
Representation ID: 74
Received: 16/11/2025
Respondent: Congleton Sustainable Travel
Our group (54 members) acknowledges the dedication by volunteers in producing this document for the benefit of Congleton.
We trust that you will consider our suggested tweaks and additions to make the document even more beneficial. If it isn’t mentioned here, then it won’t be on CEC’s radar. Also we think that you should replace softer language (e.g. consider, encourage) with more forceful language to make a stronger document.
Throughout – search and replace
There are many references to walking, or pedestrians, or walking and cycling, or cycling. Wheeling has been omitted so needs adding when any of these references are made.
Replace references to ‘dropped kerbs’ with ‘entry kerbs’. These retain a continuous level pavement/footway, and also enable walkers, wheelers and vehicles to access a driveway or crossing.
Omissions:
Each policy:
Make explicit reference to the Equality Act 2010 when referring to new developments (presidential, business, commercial, industrial and infrastructure), accessibility generally or walking/wheeling/cycling. The Act and data on % with disabilities should go into the evidence base on each page where either or both are mentioned. This to remind CEC of its legal responsibilities.
Evidence base:
The North Congleton Masterplan 2015 (a document detailing connectivity between the town and the many new site allocations on the north side of Congleton) is listed in the evidence base, but not cross referenced anywhere in the document. Suggest it goes into policy/strategy 7 and 8 at the very least. Possibly elsewhere too.
CEC’s Local Transport Vision/Policy/Strategy and Active Travel Policy/Strategy – they need including and cross referencing in relevant sections.
Vision and objectives (p8):
Point 5. Add ‘….adapt to climate change’ and reduce further change.
Point 6. Add ‘Develop an accessible and integrated….shops, services, employment sites, leisure sites, open spaces...’ This to reduce further climate change, and create a more pleasant environment for all.
Strategy (p10):
Strategy 1 should link to policy 7 and 8, and aspiration 8, since these specifically address climate change issues.
Policy 7 walking and cycling strategy (p30):
Intro.
Change ‘how they have considered’ to ‘how they will facilitate…’
Point 1.
Change/add: To encourage facilitate walking….through design of permeable, safe, convenient routes, 20mph or lower speed limits, and provision of secure storage facilities for cycles and other mobility aids.
Point 2.
Consider Ensure the site will be….
Add: Specify firm smooth surfaces for walking, wheeling and cycling routes, along with entry kerbs for accessibility.
Add: Ensure ramps and never steps are used to connect changes in site levels.
Add: Ensure access points for drives and road crossing points have entry kerbs instead of dropped kerbs, to provide a level pavement.
Point 3.
Omit ‘where appropriate’ [because this provides a get-out clause that invites exploitation.]
Add point: Avoid lost potential of permeability/connectivity for walking, wheeling, cycling with neighbouring developments by the purchase of any third party land barrier.
Add point: Specify 20mph (or lower as appropriate) on all residential roads to increase safety for walkers, wheelers and cycle riders. [if not included in point 1]
Policy 8 Sustainable and Public Transport (p33):
Point 1 and point a.
Add an explicit reference to zebra crossings and light-controlled crossings as a means for safe and attractive connections.
Point 1
Add or make a new point: Providing access to bus stops by a firm smooth surfaced path across any grass verges or other unmade ground.
Point 1
Add or make a new point: Providing secure cycle parking incl for non-standard cycles at railway stations, and good public transport connections, with bus stops/shelters/seats on station forecourts for convenience of travellers, particularly with disabilities.
Point 1
Add or make a new point: an explicit reference that developers provide pavements (aka footways) alongside every carriageway and, or frontage to premises.
Point 4:
Change: ‘...development that enable and encourage...’
Change: ‘bike’ to ‘cycle’. [Bikes can be interpreted as motorbikes. Cycle is a better umbrella term for pedalled equipment and includes a variety of styles e.g. trikes.]
Add: ‘...routes and spaces, ensuring firm smooth surfaces for accessibility, in addition to…’
Add to list:
Provision of information about train/bus services, routes, times and live times in accessible forms at the point of service.
Aspiration B (p35):
Add: 20mph or lower speed limits on all residential roads.
Add: All dropped/entry kerb road crossings to be paired with one on the opposite side of the road.
Amend ‘crossing’ . This could just mean the bare minimum of a dropped kerb, or a zebra or a light-controlled pedestrian/cycle crossing. It’s not clear which you aspire to in this list. Better to qualify all with ‘zebra or light-controlled crossing’.
Add: crossing provision at the filter lane on the east side of the Clayton by-pass/Rood Hill traffic lights. [The lights for the filter were replaced with a give-way, making it difficult to cross here on foot].
Add: zebra or light-controlled crossing for Canal Rd to link the bus stop with the hospital
Add: Aspiration to broaden high footfall but narrow pavements on shopping streets where carriageway widths permit e.g. Mill Street, Lawton St.
Add: Aspiration to make further shopping streets more people-centric by vehicle restrictions e.g. Mill St, Swan Bank, High St – to reduce the volume of through vehicles and force them onto the roads built to take it i.e. Park Lane, Mountbatten Way, Clayton Bypass, Rood Hill.
Add: Designate the riverside path in Congleton town park (between the two bridges) as a cycle route (people already cycle along here).
Add: Improve access to Astbury Mere Country Park/National Cycle Network 573 by widening Newcastle Rd pavements slightly, removing the acceleration lane and adding a long narrow refuge – highlighted in red below.
Policy 11 Education development (p42)
Point 4.
Add: Sufficient on-site cycle parking for staff and children, and ‘sufficient on-site car parking….’
Policy 16 Housing for an ageing population (p53)
Add: Retained or developed dwellings need covered parking for mobility scooters, standard and non-standard cycles.
Glossary (p68):
Add an entry/definition: Accessibility
Our group (54 members) acknowledges the dedication by volunteers in producing this document for the benefit of Congleton.
We trust that you will consider our suggested tweaks and additions to make the document even more beneficial. If it isn’t mentioned here, then it won’t be on CEC’s radar. Also we think that you should replace softer language (e.g. consider, encourage) with more forceful language to make a stronger document.
Throughout – search and replace
There are many references to walking, or pedestrians, or walking and cycling, or cycling. Wheeling has been omitted so needs adding when any of these references are made.
Replace references to ‘dropped kerbs’ with ‘entry kerbs’. These retain a continuous level pavement/footway, and also enable walkers, wheelers and vehicles to access a driveway or crossing.
Omissions:
Each policy:
Make explicit reference to the Equality Act 2010 when referring to new developments (presidential, business, commercial, industrial and infrastructure), accessibility generally or walking/wheeling/cycling. The Act and data on % with disabilities should go into the evidence base on each page where either or both are mentioned. This to remind CEC of its legal responsibilities.
Evidence base:
The North Congleton Masterplan 2015 (a document detailing connectivity between the town and the many new site allocations on the north side of Congleton) is listed in the evidence base, but not cross referenced anywhere in the document. Suggest it goes into policy/strategy 7 and 8 at the very least. Possibly elsewhere too.
CEC’s Local Transport Vision/Policy/Strategy and Active Travel Policy/Strategy – they need including and cross referencing in relevant sections.
Vision and objectives (p8):
Point 5. Add ‘….adapt to climate change’ and reduce further change.
Point 6. Add ‘Develop an accessible and integrated….shops, services, employment sites, leisure sites, open spaces...’ This to reduce further climate change, and create a more pleasant environment for all.
Strategy (p10):
Strategy 1 should link to policy 7 and 8, and aspiration 8, since these specifically address climate change issues.
Policy 7 walking and cycling strategy (p30):
Intro.
Change ‘how they have considered’ to ‘how they will facilitate…’
Point 1.
Change/add: To encourage facilitate walking….through design of permeable, safe, convenient routes, 20mph or lower speed limits, and provision of secure storage facilities for cycles and other mobility aids.
Point 2.
Consider Ensure the site will be….
Add: Specify firm smooth surfaces for walking, wheeling and cycling routes, along with entry kerbs for accessibility.
Add: Ensure ramps and never steps are used to connect changes in site levels.
Add: Ensure access points for drives and road crossing points have entry kerbs instead of dropped kerbs, to provide a level pavement.
Point 3.
Omit ‘where appropriate’ [because this provides a get-out clause that invites exploitation.]
Add point: Avoid lost potential of permeability/connectivity for walking, wheeling, cycling with neighbouring developments by the purchase of any third party land barrier.
Add point: Specify 20mph (or lower as appropriate) on all residential roads to increase safety for walkers, wheelers and cycle riders. [if not included in point 1]
Policy 8 Sustainable and Public Transport (p33):
Point 1 and point a.
Add an explicit reference to zebra crossings and light-controlled crossings as a means for safe and attractive connections.
Point 1
Add or make a new point: Providing access to bus stops by a firm smooth surfaced path across any grass verges or other unmade ground.
Point 1
Add or make a new point: Providing secure cycle parking incl for non-standard cycles at railway stations, and good public transport connections, with bus stops/shelters/seats on station forecourts for convenience of travellers, particularly with disabilities.
Point 1
Add or make a new point: an explicit reference that developers provide pavements (aka footways) alongside every carriageway and, or frontage to premises.
Point 4:
Change: ‘...development that enable and encourage...’
Change: ‘bike’ to ‘cycle’. [Bikes can be interpreted as motorbikes. Cycle is a better umbrella term for pedalled equipment and includes a variety of styles e.g. trikes.]
Add: ‘...routes and spaces, ensuring firm smooth surfaces for accessibility, in addition to…’
Add to list:
Provision of information about train/bus services, routes, times and live times in accessible forms at the point of service.
Aspiration B (p35):
Add: 20mph or lower speed limits on all residential roads.
Add: All dropped/entry kerb road crossings to be paired with one on the opposite side of the road.
Amend ‘crossing’ . This could just mean the bare minimum of a dropped kerb, or a zebra or a light-controlled pedestrian/cycle crossing. It’s not clear which you aspire to in this list. Better to qualify all with ‘zebra or light-controlled crossing’.
Add: crossing provision at the filter lane on the east side of the Clayton by-pass/Rood Hill traffic lights. [The lights for the filter were replaced with a give-way, making it difficult to cross here on foot].
Add: zebra or light-controlled crossing for Canal Rd to link the bus stop with the hospital
Add: Aspiration to broaden high footfall but narrow pavements on shopping streets where carriageway widths permit e.g. Mill Street, Lawton St.
Add: Aspiration to make further shopping streets more people-centric by vehicle restrictions e.g. Mill St, Swan Bank, High St – to reduce the volume of through vehicles and force them onto the roads built to take it i.e. Park Lane, Mountbatten Way, Clayton Bypass, Rood Hill.
Add: Designate the riverside path in Congleton town park (between the two bridges) as a cycle route (people already cycle along here).
Add: Improve access to Astbury Mere Country Park/National Cycle Network 573 by widening Newcastle Rd pavements slightly, removing the acceleration lane and adding a long narrow refuge – highlighted in red below.
Policy 11 Education development (p42)
Point 4.
Add: Sufficient on-site cycle parking for staff and children, and ‘sufficient on-site car parking….’
Policy 16 Housing for an ageing population (p53)
Add: Retained or developed dwellings need covered parking for mobility scooters, standard and non-standard cycles.
Glossary (p68):
Add an entry/definition: Accessibility
