Gradients in active travel routes
Avoiding gradients as much as possible is crucial for creating comfortable and inclusive active travel routes.
It may not always be possible to avoid gradients due to topography but it is an important factor to consider when designing new active travel routes. Avoiding steep gradients will make routes more comfortable and will encourage people to walk, wheel and cycle. The directness of routes may need to be balanced with avoiding steep gradients.
Where steeper gradients are unavoidable, resting places should be provided.
Pedestrian environments
A high-quality pedestrian environment avoids steep gradients and steps whenever possible, facilitating accessibility for people in wheelchairs and those with mobility issues.
To ensure inclusive environments, pedestrian environments should maintain gradients below 1 in 20, with level landings for resting every 500 millimetres of elevation.
Steeper slopes should be limited to short distances and not exceed 1 in 10 to ensure accessibility for individuals with mobility impairments.
Cycleways and footways
Excessive crossfall (including for drainage) exceeding 2.5% can cause a bicycle wheel to slide and can cause problems for wheelchair users and people who have a mobility impairment.
Gradients on cycleways and footways should ideally be under 3% and no more than 5%. Sharp gradients exceeding 12.5% on features such as speed bumps are considered a defect in the Active Travel England route check tool.
Walking and wheeling surfaces should avoid steep longitudinal gradients (at and over 8% if under 1 metre, or over 5% if 1 metre or more) as these ramps could cause a wheelchair to tip into the carriageway.
Cycle Infrastructure Design (LTN 1/20) and Inclusive Mobility provide additional guidance on gradients.
