Access, travel and connections

How well-connected and accessible places are and how easy it is to move around can have a major impact on how welcoming, safe and liveable a place is. Terms such as ‘connectivity’ and ‘permeability’ are often used to describe how well people can move around. In simple terms, successful places are those that are well connected; people can move around the town through its streets, squares, alleyways and paths without coming to a dead end. Safe and user-friendly connections between different spaces and buildings for pedestrians, vehicles, bicycles and public transport are vital to their success.  

In most places there is a ‘hierarchy’ of streets, from dual carriageways to major and minor roads, lanes and alleyways. Streets should be considered as safe and sociable places for people to inhabit and enjoy. Cars often dominate, but in many places there is increasing pressure to address the balance between vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. Indeed, the Active Travel (Wales) Act requires local authorities in Wales to map, plan and improve suitable routes for active travel, primarily walking and cycling, encouraging people to rely less on their cars when making short journeys. This can increase social interaction, revitalise trade, and reduce accidents.

Good public transport networks and safe and convenient pedestrian and cycle paths help to connect people with jobs, services and facilities, whilst reducing problems with parking and traffic congestion. But in some more rural communities transport links may not be economically viable. Think about the journeys people in your community need to make, and how well-connected places, services and facilities are. You can mark bus and train routes and foot and cycle paths on a map.