Transport

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To ensure people can reach facilities they need by appropriate transport modes, encouraging walking and public transport use and reducing the use of private cars for shorter journeys.

Read the background on Transport

Question 4.1

Objective

To encourage and enable the use of public transport.

Importance:

Question

Will the development be within an existing public transport corridor?

Targets and Justification

Best: Yes, excess capacity already exists which can accommodate users of the development
Good: Yes, sufficient capacity to accommodate users of development can be brought on-stream during the build process
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.2

Objective

To promote the use of virtual communications as an alternative to transport where possible to help reduce the need to travel.

Importance:

Question

Will the developer install infrastructure in homes and commercial / industrial buildings to promote the use of virtual communications where possible to help reduce the need to travel?

Targets and Justification

Best: Fibre Network throughout or Where there is not broadband service provider: all buildings in development are able to access high speed internet via satellite broadband (accessible to residents via wi-fi network)
Good: Ducting in place to allow self-installation or Where there is no broadband service provider: satellite broadband installed in all accessible communal buildings, and commercial and industrial buildings
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.3

Objective

To ensure the availability of frequent and convenient public transport links to train, tram or bus.

Importance:

Question

What will be the furthest distance any occupiers will have to walk via a safe route to access public transport (train, tram or bus) which offers a regular link to a local centre or key service centre?

Targets and Justification

Best: 500m
Good: 1000m
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.4

Objective

To encourage more frequent use of public transport during the entire year, by having waiting areas which are considered safe and out of the weather.

Importance:

Question

What provision will be made for a comfortable/safe bus, tram or train shelters or waiting rooms?

Targets and Justification

Best: Comfortable, lit waiting areas in key locations with access to information. Where crime or the fear of crime is an issue these are covered by the use of CCTV
Good: Shelters are provided
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.5

Objective

To reduce levels of car parking available as an incentive to use public transport and other methods of mobility and communication.

Importance:

Question

How will car parking standards compare with local authority requirements?

Targets and Justification

Best: As good practice plus provision of alternate transport such as community buses, car clubs, car pooling spaces, car share infrastructure
Good: Less than LA Max with parking restraint measures (limited on-site spaces, limited garage space, cycle parking space in dwellings and on-street)
Minimum: Between local authority minimum and maximum standards

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.6

Objective

To provided flexible space which can accommodate other uses outside the areas of peak parking demand.

Importance:

Question

What % of car parks will be designed to be for flexible use? (e.g. play space, market space, when not being used for parking)

Targets and Justification

Best: > 20%
Good: 10–20%
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.7

Objective

To reduce the impact of heavy goods vehicles loading on public highways.

Importance:

Question

Will provision be made for off road HGV/delivery vehicle loading space for retail, commercial and industrial units?

Targets and Justification

Best: Yes, for more than 80% of cases
Good: Yes for 60 – 80% of units requiring HGV servicing
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.8

Objective

To promote walking and cycling as a real alternative to the use of private cars for shorter journeys, whilst reducing the risk of traffic accidents and the fear of crime.

Importance:

Question

Will there be a network of safe bike routes near to and overlooked by roads and pavements and the provision of secure and prominent bicycle storage at local facilities

Targets and Justification

Best: Site wide network with direct links to neighbouring routes
Good: Key facilities served by cycle routes, and secure storage provided at this locations
Minimum: Routes provided on road side

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.9

Objective

To reduce the requirement to travel by car to essential facilities by having facilities accessible by other means.

Importance:

Question

Which of the following will be available to all dwellings, located on key pedestrian and / cycle routes focused around public transport nodes?

Shop selling food and fresh groceries including markets
Post box or postal facility
Childrens’ Playground/ amenity area
Bank or cash point machine
Pharmacy
Primary School
Medical Centre or doctor’s surgery
Leisure facilities
Local meeting place/ community centre
Public House
Public access places (including parks and open green communal spaces, village greens, coastal areas, AONBs and SSIs, and woodlands)
Places of religious worship (including Parish halls)
Childcare facilities (nursery/ crèche)

Targets and Justification

Best: A, B and C, plus any five of the remaining facilities
Good: A, B and C
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Large developments.

Question 4.10

Objective

To ensure vehicle speeds are appropriate to all road users.

Importance:

Question

Will there be a traffic management plan in place which encourages the safe passage of vehicles through the development at an appropriate speed and without rat runs? Note this could include passive design measures (e.g. Road narrowing, surface treatments etc)

Targets and Justification

Best: Design strategies for entire site
Good: Design strategies for major routes
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.11

Objective

To enable residents to use and enjoy space around homes whilst maintaining vehicular access.

Importance:

Question

Will the development have residential / mixed use streets (excluding primary and public transport routes) designed for pedestrian priority (e.g. home zone concept)

Targets and Justification

Best: Yes – focus on both road traffic accident reduction and provision of amenity space (see http://www.homezones.org/concept.html)
Good: Yes – focus on road traffic accident reduction
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Medium and Large developments.

Question 4.12

Objective

To reduce residents dependency on private car ownership and use.

Importance:

Question

What steps have been taken to reduce residents’ dependency on cars.

Targets and Justification

Best: Minimum, plus: Car club established with management plan and identified and allocated funding to financially support club over first three years
Good: Feasibility studies conducted to establish whether the new development makes it possible for the new and surrounding community to establish a viable car club, with some appropriate facilities (building, dedicated parking spaces, garaging) provided within
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Policy Links

RSS

QE3: Creating a high quality built environment for all;
QE4: Spaces;
T1: Developing accessibility and mobility within the Region to support the RSS;
T2: Reducing the need to travel;
T3: Walking & Cycling;
T4: Promoting travel awareness;
T5: Public Transport;
T6: Strategic Park & Ride;
T7: Car Parking Standards & Management;
T8: Demand Management;
T10: Freight;
UR1: Implementing Urban Renaissance;
UR4: Social Infrastructure.

RHS

Chapter 4;
Chapter 7;
PPG 13.

Development sizes

The checklist has been split into three different versions for different sizes of development:

Small: Up to 10 dwellings
Medium: 11 - 999 dwellings
Up to 999 dwellings (mixed use)
Large: 1,000 - 5,999 dwellings
1,000 - 5,999 dwellings (mixed)

If the development is for more than 6,000 houses, we recommend a bespoke checklist should be produced by the developer and local authority.

The set of questions for smaller developments is contained within the set of questions for larger developments.