5. Conclusion
5. Conclusion
This HIA has methodologically worked through consideration of health and wellbeing impacts, it has identified where there are potential issues, but also opportunities, and it will help shape the further development and revision of the LTP and HIA to maximise benefits to health and wellbeing across diverse local populations and geographic areas. The nature of the positive impacts described is as follows:
- Improving public transport services and giving people the ability to use public transport services with confidence will have a variety of health benefits: Improving connections to services/opportunities will enable people to participate in activities with both physical and mental wellbeing benefits and will reduce emissions and improve air quality as people are encouraged out of their private cars directly improving air quality with positive impacts on respiratory health. The walk to / from the bus stop or train station will also help build in incidental activity into everyday life, and this type of light exercise can be of particular benefit for people with long-term health conditions and other impairments. While these benefits will be felt across the county, they are likely to be especially pronounced in urban areas such as Hastings and Eastbourne, where trips are more likely to be shorter, and where air quality is poorer.
- Increased access to services and opportunities also help to keep people independent for longer, maintain social and support networks, combating isolation and loneliness, and can improve access to better food choices and the direct health benefits of this, especially for growing children. Improving the accessibility of public transport is particularly important for disabled people, especially as part of any interchange. These interventions will be especially important in the rural areas of Rother.
- New and improved infrastructure and initiatives to support active travel will help to make walking, wheeling, and cycling natural choices for short, local journeys. This will have direct positive impacts on people’s health from the increased physical activity involved (including both physical health - especially cardiovascular and musculoskeletal - and mental health and wellbeing) as well as having an impact on reducing congestion and associated alleviation of noise and stress. This is especially needed in areas such as Hastings and Rother, where the current health status of residents is particularly poor.
- Supporting the take up and use of electric vehicles, as well as increasing the use of sustainable fuels will reduce emissions/improve air quality and therefore have a positive impact on respiratory health especially. Increased use of electric vehicles will reduce noise and therefore have a beneficial impact on stress created by noise. This may help with alleviating some of the air pollution issues in the county, particularly in towns with dedicated Air Quality Management Areas, such as Lewes. It is noted that currently, electric vehicles, are typically more expensive than many diesel and petrol models, and therefore, less affordable.
- The focus on ensuring sustainable economic growth and on ensuring access to education and employment opportunities by means other than the private car, also means positive impacts on opportunities and reducing deprivation. Restrictions in accessing education can directly affect economic prosperity but also indirectly impact health outcomes by way of learning about benefits and importance of health.
It is also important to recognise that in order to maximise the potential of LTP4 to ensure good health and ensure that the benefit of better health is available to all, there is also a need to:
- Ensure that improved access to public transport is accompanied by ways to ensure financial accessibility (e.g. as cheaper public transport tickets for disadvantaged/ vulnerable individuals) so that people can afford to use these services and benefit from the improved connections (to services, to social networks) that they offer.
- Ensure that streets/public spaces are designed carefully with additional levels of stakeholder engagement to identify specific constraints and mitigatory solutions, so that interventions designed to improve walking, wheeling and cycling do not adversely affect othersand can be used by everyone (e.g. walking and cycling infrastructure designed to also include people who use powered/unpowered wheelchairs, mobility scooters, frames & walking sticks).
- Ensure that consideration has been given to the affordability of electric vehicles. As part of this, the move to electric vehicles and sustainable fuels to achieve decarbonisation should not wholly replace, efforts to achieve a shift from private car travel to public transport and active travel, so that congestion, noise, and road safety benefits for health can also be realised. Encouraging modal shift in combination with provision of loans and grants will help facilitate the uptake of more sustainable methods of travel such as electric vehicles.
- Undertake a comprehensive assessment of vulnerable people to understand how infrastructure changes will affect individuals. Ensure that vulnerable, disadvantaged, and older people are not ‘left behind’ when integrating technology with transport services – this may mean targeted awareness sessions as well as on-site assistance to prevent digital exclusion.
- Identify paths, locations, and routes ideal for improving habitat connectivity to reduce associated air and noise pollution implications.
- Incorporate green infrastructure, vegetation and trees as part of placemaking schemes to reduce air pollution, noise and associated health effects.
- Include measures to improve Rights of Way and pedestrian routes such as dropped kerbs, accessible gates and segregation from vehicles, subject to the availability of funding.
- Improve cycle parking at transport interchanges to improve public perception of safety and security, as well as to promote active travel as a primary form of transport.
- Mitigate noise impacts from major highway and road schemes through consideration of implications on a location-specific basis.
- Retain and expand the quantum of Blue Badge parking and parent and child parking.
- Introduce better lighting and surveillance as part of placemaking, and safe public transport protocol to ensure personal safety and reduce crime.