Traffic flow and vehicle use have become increasingly important considerations in the planning of new commercial, industrial and residential developments. At Royal Haskoning, we have extensive experience in the preparation of effective and efficient Travel Plans for a wide range of land uses that have been specifically tailored to the needs of our clients and the local planning authority. Typically, a Travel Plan will set out a range of measures and initiatives that encourage sustainable travel to development sites by reducing car trips and promoting alternative modes of transport. Although we have tended to focus on workplace developments in the past, we have also seen a rise in requests for residential development Travel Plans that address school and commuter traffic flow.
Travel Plans can be a requirement for any major development and are governed by thresholds set by the local authority. These can vary depending on the scale of the development and the potential for reducing car use, but can be applied to office development over 2,500 sq m GFA or residential developments with more than 80 dwellings. The Travel Plan can form part of a planning condition or obligation to ensure that applicants abide by the findings.
We work closely with all parties throughout the entire Travel Plan process, from inception to adoption, and we also offer a monitoring and review service post-implementation.
We will produce an initial site appraisal to determine the scope for sustainable travel and this will be followed up by a questionnaire to determine which modes of transport are currently being used both to and from the site. This will help us to determine which are the most appropriate initiatives that can be implemented to encourage walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing.
A successful Travel Plan can also promote a variety of secondary benefits, such as improvements in health, stress reduction, increased productivity, better timekeeping, lower noise pollution, improved air quality, less parking congestion and easier access for staff, deliveries and visitors. In addition, a Travel Plan can be seen as an alternative to undertaking costly S278 works by keeping infrastructure costs to a minimum.
We can produce Travel Plans at various stages of the planning process for both new and existing developments, and we prepare them in accordance with national and local authority guidance.
Where possible, we will seek approval prior to formal submission so that our client’s financial and timescale objectives are met.