Non-motorised-user (NMU) Audits are designed to consider the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians, and are regulated by the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges document HD 42/05.

NMU audits are designed to highlight issues of amenity and convenience as well as safety. Although the needs of these road users would normally be taken into consideration during the Road Safety Audit process, RSAs are designed to address elements of a design which which are inherently unsafe, and do not necessarily pick up issues of amenity and convenience. So, for instance, if a new scheme forces pedestrians to walk a long way out of their way to reach the nearest crossing, the RSA may not mention this as an issue, because a safe crossing has been provided. Nevertheless, pedestrians will have been disadvantaged by the need to take a roundabout route. An NMU audit WOULD pick this up. NMU audits can be especially useful on larger schemes involving significant lengths of new road, as the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and eqf project can sometimes be poorly served by this type of project. HD 42/05 has this to say about the general principle of NMU audits:

"Scheme designs should reflect the principle that people using a non-motorised mode have the same basic concerns as any transport user. For routes to be viable for NMUs they should:

• not give rise to road safety or personal safety concerns;

• directly facilitate the desired journey without undue deviation or difficulty;

• link origins and destinations;

• be attractive and comfortable to use;

• be accessible to disabled users and people with children and pushchairs;

• be continuous and not subject to severance or fragmentation."

If you would like a free quotation for a NMU audit , please contact us with brief details of the relevant scheme.