Rural design guide

Document Status

Current

Supplement

Core Supplement

Abstract

Provides guidance on the planning and design of routes for walking, wheeling and cycling, as will as associated facilities in rural areas of England. Covers: rural active travel in context; scheme development process; design principles and audit processes; geometric requirements; active travel routes along busy roads; quiet mixed traffic lanes and streets; motor-free traffic routes; transitions; crossings and junctions; features in the rural landscape; traffic signs and wayfinding; integration with new developments and major infrastructure; detailing, construction and maintenance.

History

Document type: guidance. First published: 14 July 2026.

Subjects

Publisher History

Active Travel England is a government executive agency which is responsible for active travel in England, promoting the use of walking, wheeling and cycling when making everyday journeys to get from place to place.


Information

NBS

NBS has produced specification systems and information products for construction industry professionals for more than 40 years. The National Building Specification is the recognised UK national standard and is used by over 5,000 organisations. NBS is part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd.

Accuris

We connect trusted knowledge to customers' workflows – mitigating risk, increasing efficiency and accelerating innovation For more than 60 years, leading R&D and engineering-intensive organizations have relied on us to achieve on-time, on-budget delivery of complex projects and new products. We deliver an unparalleled combination of technical content and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to surface answers from the vast universe of technical knowledge, both inside and outside the organization. In a single interface, we connect the dots between information scattered across many different sources, allowing technical professionals to make better, more informed decisions faster.