Strategy behind the Standard
This is to ensure that there is consistent guidance across all cycle schemes which means that a good standard of safety for those who cycle is maintained.
For cycle tracks and off-road routes, drainage requirements are best served by ensuring that the design of the path sheds water away from the centre of the track or path.
Best Practice Guidance to be used by Essex Highways.
For best practice guidance on designing for drainage requirements of cycle schemes, please see LCDS Chapter 7 – Construction.
ECC Recommendations
For off carriageway drainage, the crossfall is to be between 1 and 2.5%.
For on-carriageway drainage, crossfall of 2.5% is preferable.
Acceptable Gulley Characteristics are as follows:
- No gaps between the frame and cover wider than 15mm
- Transverse bars or ‘portcullis’ type bars on the cover, with orientation of slots perpendicular to direction of travel
- Recessed gully frames raised to be flush (tolerance +/- 5mm) with the surface
- Suitable for their location to take public highway loadings
- Open in a manner suitable to be cleansed by a normal gulley cleansing or jetting machine under the EH contract
- A minimum grating size of 300 x 300mm is recommended
How the Standard should be applied
The guidelines stated above should be used when designing any cycle route in Essex. Only in exceptional circumstances should there be a departure from the standards set above. This standard applies to any new cycle route created, and when reviewing an existing cycle route which needs updating, if the benefits are deemed sufficient.
Any areas of ponding on a cycle route that will have an adverse effect on cyclists should be addressed, including where splashing from a carriageway onto an adjacent cycleway occurs.
Additional stone grips or French drains may need to be considered to help achieve this. Drainage should be designed to feed new or existing ponds, develop new wetland habitats or simply soak away, rather than be fed back into existing piped systems. Raised delineators may need regular gaps to allow surface water to drain away.