WCHAR
The WCHAR process is a requirement on all highway schemes with the potential to affect pedestrians, cyclists or equestrians on the motorway and all-purpose trunk road network, including smart motorway schemes where alterations are proposed.
The emphasis is on planning for non-motorised users from the very outset of a scheme, rather than treating their needs as an afterthought once the design is fixed. A Walking, Cycling & Horse-Riding Assessment and Review is carried out during the options or concept stage — before preliminary design work begins — and is then revisited throughout each subsequent design stage, recording how decisions affecting walking, cycling and horse-riding provision have been made and why.
Why WCHAR matters
Non-motorised users are often the most vulnerable people affected by a highway scheme, and their needs can easily be overlooked once a scheme moves into detailed design. WCHAR ensures that:
- Walking, cycling and horse-riding provision is considered from the earliest possible stage
- Design decisions affecting non-motorised users are formally recorded and justified
- Opportunities to improve provision are not lost as a scheme progresses
- Schemes remain compliant with Highways England requirements under DMRB GG142
Our role
MERAKI is able to undertake WCHAR as Lead Assessor, working alongside the design team from the concept stage through to completion, providing an independent and consistent thread of assessment across every stage of the scheme
Our experience
We have undertaken numerous small and large WCHAR’s from simple changes up to major improvements associated with large developments. We are very experienced
