Guidance on Travel Plans for
New Development
East Sussex County Council
September 2008
Travel plan guidance
East Sussex County Council
Contents
1. About this guidance .................................................................... 2
Layout of this guidance.......................................................................................................... 2
What is a Travel Plan?........................................................................................................... 2
Use of this guidance .............................................................................................................. 3
Status of this guidance .......................................................................................................... 4
Contact information ............................................................................................................... 4
2. Policy background ...................................................................... 6
Policy sources ....................................................................................................................... 6
National and regional policies................................................................................................ 6
Local policies ......................................................................................................................... 7
Adjacent authorities ............................................................................................................... 7
Travel Plans and Transport Assessments /Transport Statements and Travel Plan
Statements ............................................................................................................................ 7
3. Travel Plans for new developments............................................ 8
When is a travel plan required? ............................................................................................. 8
Pre-application discussions ................................................................................................. 12
Contacting the County Council ............................................................................................ 13
Assessing Travel Plans ....................................................................................................... 13
Securing Travel Plans.......................................................................................................... 14
Monitoring Travel Plans....................................................................................................... 16
Monitoring fees (SAM)......................................................................................................... 17
Auditing fees........................................................................................................................ 18
Post-monitoring procedures................................................................................................. 18
4. Producing a Travel Plan ........................................................... 20
Travel Plan document structure........................................................................................... 20
Possible Travel Plan measures ........................................................................................... 25
Travel Plan Statements ....................................................................................................... 26
Appendix A: Policy background.................................................... 28
Appendix B: Monitoring and auditing fees .................................... 36
Appendix C: Example s106 clauses to secure Travel Plans ........ 37
Appendix D: Frequently asked questions ..................................... 39
Guidance on Travel Plans for New Development
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East Sussex County Council
1
About this guidance
Layout of this guidance
1.1
This guidance seeks a consistent approach to Travel Plan
implementation across the County. While this guidance is particularly
for new development proposals, existing sites may find it useful in
producing their own voluntary Travel Plans. It outlines the relevant
policy background (Section 2) and sets out the County Council’s
procedure for assessing, securing and monitoring Travel Plans through
the planning process (Section 3). It also includes a recommended
structure for producing a Travel Plan and advice on possible Travel
Plan measures (Section 4). Appendix A provides further details on the
policy background while Appendix B sets out typical fees for monitoring
and auditing, Appendix C includes example s106 agreement clauses
and Appendix D gives answers to frequently asked questions.
What is a Travel Plan?
1.2
A Travel Plan is seen by the government as a long-term strategy for
managing access to a development. They focus on promoting access
by sustainable modes and are subject to regular review in order to
react to changing travel patterns or workforce/residents’ characteristics.
An effective Travel Plan can be a useful tool in reducing traffic
congestion, increasing accessibility to services, jobs and education,
reducing energy consumption and air pollution and encouraging
healthier lifestyles. Travel Plans can either be secured by the planning
process as a requirement of planning permission or developed
voluntarily by organisations wishing to make their existing sites more
sustainable.
1.3
Planning applications for all significant development proposals will
require a Transport Assessment (TAs) or a Transport Statement (TS),
in accordance with the development size thresholds recommended in
government guidance (Guidance on Transport Assessment which
accompanies PPG 13). Travel Plans are therefore required if TAs are
required as the two documents should be closely linked and
interdependent. East Sussex County Council will also seek to ensure
that the concepts and principles of a Travel Plan are included as part of
smaller scale development proposals in a Travel Plan Statement. A
form of Travel Plan will therefore be required for most new
developments in East Sussex.
1.4
TAs/TSs assess the transport impacts and define the requirements for
new on and off-site infrastructure associated with the development
proposal. This may take the form of the provision of road, public
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East Sussex County Council
transport and pedestrian access, on-site car parking and/or associated
proposals e.g. enhanced public transport services, all to help minimise
adverse transport impacts. Such requirements are sometimes referred
to as “hard” measures.
1.5
TAs/TSs also define the aims and structure of associated Travel Plans.
The measures proposed by Travel Plans to modify travel behaviour
and attitudes are known as “soft” measures in this context. The
government has also referred to these measures as “Smarter Choices”.
Such measures include car-sharing schemes, flexible working hours,
the provision of IT systems for staff home-working and/or discounted
public transport fares. Travel Plans can add significant value to the
mitigation measures resulting from TAs.
1.6
Travel Plans are usually categorised by development type and different
packages of Travel Plan measures will be required for different types
and scales of development. The main Travel Plan types are:
•
residential
•
workplace
•
institutional eg school, hospital
•
visitor attraction eg
entertainment stadia.
•
zonal travel plans that cover a range of land uses e.g. a
development combining residential, leisure, office, and retail
sectors.
retail/leisure
including
sports
and
Non-residential Travel Plans are destination-based, generally to reduce
car use to a specific destination such as a workplace, school, hospital
or visitor attraction. The majority of trips therefore tend to have a
common journey purpose. Residential Travel Plans are origin-based,
focusing on the single origin (home) where journeys are made to many
and varied places for a variety of reasons.
1.7
Travel Plans are usually site-specific but can be established on an
area-wide basis such as with Zonal Travel Plans. Where an area-wide
Travel Plan exists, site-specific Travel Plans should act as daughter
Travel Plans and develop under the umbrella of the overarching Zonal
Travel Plan.
Use of this guidance
1.8
This guidance is intended for use by developers (and their consultants)
as well as service providers applying for planning permission in East
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East Sussex County Council
Sussex. It is also aimed at other relevant local authority practitioners in
East Sussex including town planners, transport planners, travel
planners, highway engineers and public transport officers, air quality
specialists, together with departmental managers and members
involved in development control. It may also be of interest to public
transport operators.
1.9
The primary focus of this guidance is Travel Plans/Travel Plan
Statements secured through the planning process but organisations
wishing to develop Travel Plans voluntarily may also find this guidance
useful.
Status of this guidance
1.10
All new development is subject to the statutory planning process as
administered by local planning authorities. East Sussex County Council
determines planning applications for waste and minerals as well as
service development. The County Council also has a role as Highway
Authority and has an advisory role as a statutory consultee in the
planning process in respect of highways and transport matters
(Development Control).
1.11
One of the aims of ESCC as the Highway Authority is to ensure that
the transport impact of development is mitigated. The use of Travel
Plans is an important and useful way to achieve such mitigation. This
guidance explains how the County Council secures Travel Plans
through the planning process. It is consistent with and supplements
relevant policies in the draft Regional Spatial Strategy i.e. the draft
South East Plan (including the Sussex coast sub-regional strategy and
in the statutory Local Transport Plan (LTP2) 2006-2011 (see Section 2
and Appendix A). Local planning authorities are encouraged to use the
Local Development Framework (LDF) process to formally adopt this
guidance in Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) at
District/Borough level.
1.12
Prior to publication of this guidance, a consultation exercise was
undertaken among the Districts/Boroughs as Local Planning Authorities
and their comments are reflected in the document.
1.13
This guidance will be reviewed periodically in light of new local and
national policy and where experience and use of the guidance requires
amendments to practice.
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Contact information
1.14
For further information about this guidance, please contact:
Transport Development Control
East Sussex County Council
County Hall
St. Anne’s Crescent
Lewes
BN7 1UE
Tel: 01273 482254
[email protected]
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2
Policy background
Policy sources
2.1
Appendix A provides a full summary of the policy background to Travel
Plans. This Section sets out below the relevant policy sources.
National and regional policies
2.2
Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 (PPG 13): Transport (DETR, March
2001)
PPG 13 sets out national policy on transport. It advises that TAs and
Travel Plans should be submitted alongside planning applications for
all developments expected to have significant transport implications.
2.3
Guidance on Transport Assessment (CLG/DfT, March 2007)
Guidance on Transport Assessment (GTA) accompanies PPG 13 and
supersedes the IHT guidelines on TAs. For detailed guidance on
securing travel plans through the planning system, GTA refers to the
DfT’s web site at www.dft.gov.uk. Guidance includes:
2.4
•
Using the planning process to secure travel plans: best practice
guidance for local authorities, developers and occupiers
(ODPM/DfT, July 2002); revised document expected 2007/2008
•
Making residential travel plans work: guidelines for new
development (DfT, June 2007).
•
Employer Travel Plan Toolkit (ETSU, 2001)
Other relevant guidance includes:
•
Full Guidance on Local Transport Plans: Second edition (DfT,
December 2004)
•
Circular 5/05: Planning Obligations (ODPM, 18 July 2005) and
Planning Obligations: Practice Guidance (CLG, August 2006)
East Sussex County Council will normally use s106 agreements
to secure Travel Plans.
•
Circular 11/95: Use of Conditions in Planning Permissions (DoE,
20 July 1995). Planning conditions are another way of legally
securing Travel Plans
•
Draft South East Plan (SEERA, 31 March 2006)
At regional level, the policy context for Travel Plans is provided
by RPG9 which is part of the statutory development plan. The
advice contained in RPG9 is also included in the draft South
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East Sussex County Council
East Plan submitted to Government by the South East of
England Regional Assembly (SEERA) on 31 March 2006.
Local policies
2.5
Local Policies include
•
East Sussex and Brighton & Hove Structure Plan 1991-2011
(December 1999)
•
The Local Transport Plan 2 (LTP2) for East Sussex 2006 - 2011
•
Local Development Frameworks
Adjacent authorities
2.6
Guidance on Travel Plans provided by authorities adjacent to East
Sussex County Council is as follows:
•
Brighton and Hove Council:
Guidance for the production of workplace Travel Plans – with
examples, 3rd Draft – April 2007
•
Surrey County Council:
Travel Plans Good Practice Guide for organisations submitting
Planning Applications
•
West Sussex County Council:
Business Travel Plans Info Pack
School Travel Plan Resource and Information Pack
Draft Development Travel Plan Policy
•
Kent County Council:
A Guide to Travel Plans in Kent
Guidance for Planning Officers -January 2008
Travel Plans and Transport Assessments /Transport Statements
and Travel Plan Statements
2.7
In summary, Travel Plans are normally required if TAs are required (A
Travel Plan Statement may alternatively be required with a Transport
Statement). As explained in Section 1, Travel Plans are subsidiary to
but a necessary complement to TAs. The TA process is an iterative
one and the two documents should be closely linked and
interdependent within that process. In providing this guidance, the
County Council wishes to minimise complexity and obstacles whilst
maximising the delivery of high quality sustainable development.
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3
Travel Plans for new developments
When is a travel plan required?
3.1
As explained in Section 1 of this guidance, Travel Plans or Travel Plan
Statements will be required for most new development in East Sussex.
All new development is subject to the statutory planning process as
administered by local planning authorities. East Sussex County Council
as the Highway Authority has an advisory role in this process in respect
of highways and transport matters. As transport is the relevant policy
context for Travel Plans, the County Council seeks a consistent
approach to Travel Plan implementation across the County.
3.2
A consent for new development to take place may be granted in
response to a planning application. Applications may need to be
accompanied by supplementary documents. In the highways and
transport context, the most important supplementary document is a
Transport Assessment/Transport Statement (TA/TS).
These are
required for all significant new development proposals, as suggested
by the development size thresholds recommended in government
guidance (Guidance on Transport Assessment). These governmentbased thresholds are set out in Table 3.1 overleaf and will be
interpreted as general guidance by the authorities. Each application is
considered on its merits and please note that ESCC is currently
formulating local TA guidance in this respect.
3.3
The format and content of a TA/TS should be determined and agreed
with East Sussex County Council prior to the submission of a planning
application to avoid confusion and delay, ideally at a scoping meeting
(see para 3.6). The County Council believes Travel Plans/Travel Plan
Statement can add significant value to the mitigation measures
resulting from TAs/TSs.
3.4
In the case of extensions, the Transport Assessment/Transport
Statement and Travel Plan (Statement) should apply to the whole
development (extant plus extension) where appropriate. Most
extensions would not be self-contained but affect the management and
use of the whole site.
3.5
The overall planning process involved is summarised in Figure 3.1
overleaf.
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Table 3.1 Thresholds for TAs and Travel Plans
(based on size or scale of land use)
Land use
Threshold
above which
a TA and
Travel Plan
is required
gross floor area
unless stated
otherwise
A1 Food retail
A1 Non-food retail
A2 Financial and professional
services
A3 Restaurants and cafes
A4 Drinking establishments
A5 Hot food takeaway
B1 Business
B2 General industry
B8 Storage or distribution
C1 Hotels
C2 Residential institutions - hospitals,
nursing homes
C2 Residential institutions –
residential education
C2 Residential institutions –
institutional hostels
C3 Dwelling houses
D1 Non-residential institutions
D2 Assembly and leisure
Others
Threshold
above which
a TS and
Travel Plan
Statement is
required
gross floor area
unless stated
otherwise
800 m2
1500 m2
250 m2
800 m2
2500 m2
1000 m2
2500 m2
600 m2
500 m2
2500 m2
4000 m2
5000 m2
100 bedrooms
300 m2
300 m2
250 m2
1500 m2
2500 m2
3000 m2
75 bedrooms
50 beds
30 beds
150 students
50 students
400 residents
250 residents
80 units
1000 m2
1500 m2
based on preapplication
discussions
50 units
500 m2
500 m2
based on preapplication
discussions
Notes: The thresholds reflect those published in Appendix B of
Guidance on Transport Assessments (CLG/DfT, March 2007) however
these are subject to variation on completion of ESCC local TA
guidance. A Travel Plan Statement will be required for smaller scale
developments in accordance with the thresholds in GTA for Transport
Statements. The detailed descriptions of land use types are also set
out in the above Appendix.
Furthermore the above Appendix refers to other situations in which a
Transport Assessment/Travel Plan might be needed, based on
considerations other than size and scale:
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TA and Travel Plan may be required for
• Development not in conformity with the adopted development
plan
• Development that is likely to increase accidents or conflicts
between motorised and non-motorised road users, particularly
the vulnerable
• development proposed in a location within or adjacent to an Air
Quality Management Area (AQMA)
• development generating 30 or more two-way vehicle
movements in any hour
• development generating 100 or more two-way vehicle
movements per day
• development proposing 100 or more parking spaces
• development generating significant freight or HGV movements
per day, or significant abnormal loads per year
• development proposed in a location where the local transport
infrastructure is inadequate eg substandard roads, poor
pedestrian/cyclist facilities and inadequate public transport
provisions
The requirements for these TAs and Travel Plans will be agreed at preapplication or scoping stage and in accordance with ESCC local guidance.
Please ensure you contact the Development Control (Transport) section of
East Sussex County Council for guidance on Travel Plan requirements if
your development falls into one of these scenarios.
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Figure 3.1 The planning process
National policy:
PPG 13 (Transport), Circulars 11/95 (conditions) and 05/05
(obligations)
Guidance on Full Local Transport Plans
Guidance on Transport Assessment
Using the planning process to secure travel plans
Regional planning guidance
Local Development Framework
Supplementary Planning Documents
Regional and Local
Transport Plans
Pre-application discussions
Parking standards
Is a Transport Assessment required?
Yes
No
Agree format of Transport Assessment
Agree format of Travel Plan: full or interim
Prepare Transport Assessment
Prepare Travel Plan
Prepare Transport
Statement Travel Plan
statement if required
Planning application submitted
Transport Assessment submitted
Travel Plan submitted
Assess Transport Assessment
Assess Travel Plan
Assess planning application
Agree conditions and obligations
Determine planning application
Finalise and Implement Travel Plan
Regular Monitoring and Review of Travel Plan
East Sussex County Council
Pre-application discussions
3.6
Pre-application discussions about TA/TSs are the preferred approach
for also defining the content and format of Travel Plans/Travel Plan
Statements. For larger and more complex applications these
discussions may include Planning Officers and other authorities to
ensure a development team approach.
3.7
Pre–application discussions concerning Travel Plans should therefore
address:
•
the proposed contents and structure of the Travel Plan
•
whether the Travel Plan has final or interim status, the latter
sometimes being appropriate in cases including outline
applications, speculative and housing developments where the
end-user is currently unknown
•
which targets or indicators will be set to measure the
performance of the development
•
whether such targets rely on implementing specific measures in
addition to the infrastructure proposals defined by the TA
•
the appointment of a Travel Plan coordinator by the developer to
implement the Travel Plan and promote the implemented
measures
•
the proposed ways of monitoring Travel Plan performance
against any targets set
•
the proposed avenues for funding the implementation of
initiatives detailed in the Travel Plan
•
whether the authorities require the monitoring process to be
backed up by legal agreements that could impose sanctions in
the case of non-compliance with targets.
A more detailed consideration of the appropriate form of Travel Plans is
set out in Section 4.
3.8
The authorities will base their conduct and input at the pre-application
stage on this document and related guidance. It is therefore important
that developers also seek to follow such guidance to help streamline
the pre-application process.
3.9
It may be necessary to bring evidence of discussions and proposed
agreements with other transport providers, especially public transport
operators, if their services and facilities form an integral part of the
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TA/Travel Plan measures (eg the provision of new rail stations, public
transport services, discounted fares). If such proposals are substantial
and critical to the success of the development, then ESCC is likely to
propose involving these providers in the pre-application discussions
directly.
3.10
Applicants should appreciate that the pre-application discussion
process increases clarity and certainty in the planning process. The
process is considered an important dialogue rather than an opportunity
for authorities to impose obstacles to be overcome by developers. The
discussions are therefore of benefit to both the authorities and the
developer.
3.11
TAs should ensure that development-related infrastructure and
associated services are appropriate in type, quality and scale; Travel
Plans should seek to make best use of that infrastructure by managing
some elements of travel behaviour to the mutual benefit of society at
large and the site’s occupants and visitors.
3.12
There are therefore numerous potential benefits of the TA/Travel Plan
approach, varying according to circumstances, including:
•
safe and effective site accessibility for all by all modes of
transport
•
improved health and welfare through healthier travel choices.
•
reduced energy consumption
•
improved local air quality
•
better management of car parking pressures
•
the opportunity to switch investment from parking and road
infrastructure to production and the environment, as appropriate
•
reduced road congestion
•
capacity to expand on smaller sites
Contacting the County Council
3.13
For the first point of contact at the East Sussex County Council when
setting up pre-application discussions about TAs and Travel Plans see
Section 1, paragraph 1.14.
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Assessing Travel Plans
3.14
ESCC is able to check/offer guidance on Travel Plans prior to
submission in line with normal pre-application discussions. When a
planning application is formally submitted, the authorities will formally
assess the TA/TS and Travel Plan proposals. They will check for
compliance with the approaches agreed in the pre-application period
and for a demonstration of good practice as set out in government and
related guidance in respect of safety, effectiveness and environmental
awareness (i.e. that the development will be as sustainable as can
realistically be expected).
3.15
At no stage will a Travel Plan be regarded as a means of making a
development acceptable if it is unacceptable in respect of any other
relevant policies (see Section 2 for the principal sources and location of
such over-arching policies).
3.16
In assessing the Travel Plan particular attention will be paid to Travel
Plan targets to ensure that these are SMART: that is Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed.
3.17
Where the achievement of targets is clearly dependent on the actions
of third parties, evidence of either robust existing agreements or of the
form of proposed agreements will be required. If such an agreement is
not possible it will be the responsibility of the developer to find
alternatives as necessary to meet the Travel Plan targets they have
stated.
3.18
Research indicates that a combination of Travel Plan measures is most
likely to be effective; no one measure is likely to achieve all the
potential benefits.
Securing Travel Plans
3.19
The weight given to a TA/Travel Plan will be determined by the County
Council not only by assessing their sustainability credentials but also
the degree to which such potential benefits can be legally secured.
3.20
The government considers that planning obligations (s106 agreements
made under the powers of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990)
offer more flexibility than planning conditions. Such obligations are
negotiated with the developer whereas conditions are generally
imposed unilaterally.
3.21
Conditions must meet the acceptability tests set out in Circular 11/95:
The Use of Conditions in Planning Permissions (see Section
2/Appendix A). Planning obligations should meet the criteria in Circular
5/05: Planning Obligations and have regard for the associated
government guidance (Planning Obligations: Practice Guidance) and
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that issued by the County Surveyors’ Society: CSS Transport-related
Planning Obligations Guidance (2007).
3.22
Government guidance suggests that positively worded covenants such
as “the developer shall submit a draft travel plan to the council for its
approval” may not be effective as obligations but may be effective as
part of a condition. Government guidance offers advice on effective
forms of words for conditions and obligations relating to Travel Plans in
Appendices F, G and H of Using the planning process to secure travel
plans. Example obligations for s106 agreements recently agreed by
ESCC are included in Appendix D
3.23
Given the above, the government has identified three possible
approaches to securing Travel Plans:
•
a “minimalist” approach whereby a Travel Plan is required as a
standard condition as part of the overall practice of the authority
(usually for smaller developments that require a Transport
Statement and Travel Plan Statement.)
•
a “measures” approach which specifies implementing specific
measures possibly backed up by remedies/sanctions if targets
or outcomes are not achieved
•
an “outcomes” approach that specifies outcomes or targets that
can be subject to sanctions if not met.
3.24
East Sussex County Council will usually take an outcomes approach
secured by legal agreement to ensure all measures and initiatives are
delivering the Travel Plan targets and what it set out to do.
3.25
Travel Plans are intended to complement TAs and therefore East
Sussex County Council may advise against granting a planning
consent if a Travel Plan that follows the published guidance and
practice is not submitted with an application deemed to require a
Transport Assessment/Transport Statement.
3.25
The County Council will also be able to use legally imposed sanctions
based on targets if agreed Travel Plans targets are not met. Travel
Plans will be monitored and reviewed. It considers that such
circumstances would be rare as it is not good practice to recommend
granting of planning consents without a degree of confidence that
targets and end measures are achievable.
3.26
The County Council therefore:
•
supports the government’s “minimalist” approach in relation to
smaller developments with a known end-user, with the Travel
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Plan (Statement) secured by a planning condition and designed
primarily to increase awareness of sustainable travel options
•
supports the government’s “measures” approach for say office
schemes with known end-users, larger residential schemes,
hospitals and schools, with the Travel Plan generally secured by
a s106 agreement and relying primarily on the effectiveness of
car parking controls and other “hard” measures, backed up by
“soft” Travel Plan measures and accompanied by targets
developed in the TA (incorporating Travel Plan measures)
•
supports the use of agreed legal sanctions where, the reviewing
and monitoring of the Travel Plan demonstrates that targets are
not being met.
Monitoring Travel Plans
3.27
It follows from the above that the County Council considers it
necessary to monitor the performance of the Travel Plan when a
development is operational.
3.28
A baseline travel survey must be carried out at occupation/operation of
the site. It is recognised that an appropriate time for a baseline survey
will vary between development types e.g. schools should have parent
and pupil travel data very early on, whereas
for residential
developments it may be more appropriate to conduct a resident survey
upon, say, 50% occupation.
A comprehensive baseline survey will inform the implementation of the
Travel Plan and assist in determining site specific measures to reduce
car use.
3.28
Multi-modal travel surveys should then be carried out annually for five
years following occupation/operation. The standard survey requirement
in East Sussex is for a Level 2 TRICS survey (known in this context as
SAM: Standard Assessment Methodology). This collects data on:
•
on-site car parking supply and usage
•
inbound and outbound movements by all travel modes on a
typical day
•
car occupancy
•
development details including Travel Plan measures.
A non-standard approach to monitoring may be negotiated in special
cases.
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The TRICS website can be found at: www.trics.org.
Monitoring fees (SAM)
3.29
The survey cost must be borne by the applicant and the data will be fed
into the national TRICS database. The cost of SAM is detailed in
Appendix B. The survey work will generally be undertaken by the
TRICS managers (currently JMP Consulting, acting on behalf of the
TRICS database owners). This ensures independence, objectivity,
consistency and high quality. This monitoring data to be submitted to
East Sussex County Council will be used to check the performance of
the Travel Plan. The developer should agree the content and cost with
JMP. This may vary depending on the size and layout of the
development.
Auditing fees
3.30
In addition to the SAM fee, the County Council will also impose an
auditing fee to cover the cost of administering the whole Travel Plan
process, including pre-application discussions and assessment of the
survey results. These fees are set out in Appendix B and are
compatible with those in adjacent authority areas (as are SAM costs. A
timetable for assessing the Travel Plan as part of the planning
application and completing the legal s106 agreement can be agreed
during pre-application discussions.
Post-monitoring procedures
3.31
If the assessment and monitoring of the Travel Plan demonstrates that
the agreed Travel Plan targets have not been met the sanctions
agreed, as part of the Travel Plan will be enforced.
3.32
The need to impose previously agreed sanctions will be based
primarily on the SAM survey results relying on its objectivity and
independence.
3.33
Sanctions, if imposed, could take a number of forms, including:
•
payments to the local authorities to implement previously agreed
additional measures to mitigate development impacts (e.g. a
new/improved bus service)
•
specified works designed to remedy failure to achieve agreed
outcomes (eg a reduction in car parking spaces/increased or
upgrade cycle parking)
•
payments to the local authorities to implement measures
designed to achieve an agreed outcome (eg a Controlled
Parking Zone around the development)
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•
changes in site operations in order to meet previously agreed
outcomes (eg preventing occupation of part of the development
until specific Travel Plan measures have been carried out,
reallocating car parking spaces to car sharers, further
promotional activities).
3.34
The level of any sanction will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis
and will be proportionate to the scale of development. East Sussex
County Council will normally require that an amount equivalent to 50%
of the Local Sustainable Accessibility Improvement Contribution for the
development (see the County Council’s SPG “A new approach to
developer contributions”) be committed as a bond or similar. In
determining sanctions we will also take into account the likely cost to
Local Authorities (including any necessary legal and design fees etc) of
implementing measures to achieve failed targets.
3.35
As stated above, the County Council will seek to ensure that most new
development will be controlled from the outset so as to preclude the
need for potential action involving sanctions.
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4
Producing a Travel Plan
Travel Plan document structure
4.1
This Section aims to help developers produce Travel Plans to
accompany planning applications.
It sets out the Council’s
requirements based on guidance referred to in Section 2. Travel Plan
Statement requirements are set out at the end of this section.
4.2
Developers should customise their Travel Plan to address the issues
associated with the particular circumstances of the site and proposed
use. Transport assessments (TAs) are important in determining the
purpose of a Travel Plan in relation to a particular planning application
and will identify how the Travel Plan can help address the impact of the
proposed development. The relationship between the TA and Travel
Plan is therefore an iterative one, with expected outcomes from the
Travel Plan feeding back to the TA.
4.3
The required structure for the Travel Plan is set out below, including
section headings and advice on information to include.
Section 1: Executive Summary
4.4
The Executive Summary should summarise the key features of the
Travel Plan. It should also demonstrate the applicant’s commitment to
the Plan at a senior management/Board level where applicable and
give details of any partnership working to achieve Travel Plan aims.
Section 2: Travel Plan status and timescales
4.5
This Section should state whether the Travel Plan is a final or interim
version.
If interim (usually requested for outline applications,
speculative developments, housing developments or any other
proposal where the end users are not yet known), it should set out
when the full details of the plan will be worked up. It should also
specify when the applicant will pay the County Council its auditing fee.
Section 3: Background
4.6
This Section should describe the proposed development, including:
•
site location (on a map)
•
development type and scale
•
proposed activities
•
employees
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East Sussex County Council
•
visitor/customer profiles
•
student profiles
•
resident profiles
•
if applicable, nature of existing development to be extended.
Section 4: Site travel opportunities
4.7
This Section should provide a summary of the travel opportunities and
likely modal split associated with the site, including:
•
existing access provision by all modes
•
“hard” transport measures associated with the development, as
defined by the TA e.g. on-site car parking provision, dedicated
car share spaces, secure cycle parking, bus access, pedestrian
provision in immediate vicinity of site etc
•
transport shortcomings and/or opportunities to maximise
sustainability identified by the TA that the Travel Plan may be
able to address
•
scope for Travel Plan measures.
Section 5: Objectives
4.8
This Section should state what the Travel Plan aims to achieve. The
objectives should be derived from the TA (as above) and reflect the
broader aspirations of national, regional and local policies as set out in
PPG 13, the South East Plan, the Local Transport Plan and local
development plans. Example objectives are:
•
to reduce the impact and frequency of car travel
•
to increase the accessibility of the site to a wide range of
people
•
to improve the health and wellbeing of staff/residents
•
to reduce any transport impacts of the development on the
local community.
Section 6: Targets
4.9
This Section should set out the Travel Plan targets, if applicable.
These should be clearly worded as measurements of the objectives
and be compatible with the outcomes forecast by the TA/TS, assuming
Guidance on Travel Plans for New Development
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East Sussex County Council
implementation of the Travel Plan. Targets need to take account of
individual site characteristics as well as policy and what is achieved on
other similar sites, both locally and elsewhere. The County Council
notes the following Government findings in respect of Travel Plan
impacts nationally:
•
“Modal shifts of 30% or more are a possibility; 10% to 20% is
now clearly evident in the UK.” (Source: Using the planning
process to secure travel plans – Best practice guidance for
local authorities, developers and occupiers, ODPM/DfT, July
2002).
The setting of targets must be transparent, realistic and justified.
Timed actions such as “introduce a car share scheme by January
2009” should be set out in Section 7 under the package of measures
proposed; they should not be considered as targets.
4.10
Targets should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic
and Timed). The following table headings give a preferred structure for
setting out targets.
Objective
Target
Timescale
Note
Timescales for achieving targets will vary according to the nature of the
development proposed.
Section 7: Travel Plan measures
4.12
This Section should describe a package of measures that will be
implemented to meet the objectives and targets. When describing
measures, it is important to state which target they relate to and to
specify the action (by whom eg Travel Plan Co-ordinator or Facilities
Manager and by when) as suggested by the table headings below:
Target
4.13
Measure
By
By
whom when
Expected
cost
A list of possible Travel Plan measures is given in paragraph 4.24
below. Different packages of measures will be required for different
land uses and scales of development. The measures should include a
balance of “carrots and sticks” and be flexible over time for example if,
users/occupiers change.
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East Sussex County Council
Section 8: Travel Plan Co-ordinator details
4.14
This Section should confirm the appointment of a The Travel Plan coordinator whose full details and contact information should be provided
to the County Council, before the development is first occupied (or
otherwise agreed) and should be updated with any changes of
personnel.
4.15
The Travel Plan Co-ordinator will be responsible for implementing,
progressing, promoting and monitoring the Travel Plan and their
appointment is critical to the success of the Travel Plan. They will be
the main contact for site users and County Council officers. On sites
with more than one occupier, it is preferable for one Co-ordinator to
represent all occupiers.
Section 9: Marketing and promotion
4.16
This Section should demonstrate awareness that all of the Travel Plan
measures must be communicated to site users in an engaging way. It
should provide an outline of the ways in which the Travel Plan
measures will initially be marketed and promoted to all site users.
Promotion may need to continuously evolve so that the initial take up of
measures does not dwindle over time or that the (planned-for) gradual
build-up of impacts is achieved, as specified by such targets.
4.17
Promotion should begin at the first point of contact with the Travel Plan.
For example, a Travel Information Pack should be provided for:
4.18
•
prospective and actual homebuyers as part of the marketing and
sale of homes; or
•
for staff, parents and pupils as part of recruitment, enrolment
and induction processes in the case of workplaces and
educational establishments.
Other marketing and promotion techniques include:
• use of site notice boards, company/site intranet
•
staff travel club
•
staff magazines and other in-house publications
•
promotional events with competitions and prizes
•
promotional materials and ticket sales (for sites with large
numbers of customers/visitors).
ESCC are able to provide advice on promotions as part of its travel
choice brand.
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East Sussex County Council
Section 10: Monitoring
4.19
This Section should state that the Travel Plan will be monitored by a
SAM survey per annum for the first 5 years of operation/occupation
(see paragraph 3.29 for further information on SAM) and that regular
staff/resident surveys will be carried out to ensure the right measures
are being promoted and implemented.
4.20
Monitoring of the Travel Plan over time allows its effectiveness - as
measured against targets by defined indicators - to be assessed,
reviewed and modified in the light of actual performance. Defined
indicators might include:
4.21
•
vehicle trip reduction
•
single occupancy vehicle trip reduction
•
increase in modal share or change in modal split (or degree of
modal shift)
•
amount and occupancy of car parking on site
•
amount of car parking (resulting from the development) in
surrounding areas.
SAM monitoring data should be supplied to the County Council as set
out in Section 3, para 3.27 of this guidance.
Section 11: On-going management and review
4.22
This Section should outline how the Travel Plan will be resourced and
managed in the longer term, beyond the initial start-up period. It
should explain:
•
funding allocated: what funding and who by (a bond/surety is
likely to be required for contingencies, including where works
are the subject of a staged arrangement with triggers e.g. where
sanctions/remedial measures have been identified for nonachievement of Travel Plan targets)
•
on-going management: including responsibility for monitoring,
post-monitoring and sanctions (if applicable)
•
contingencies: how the Travel Plan will continue if the occupier
changes
•
for residential sites: handover arrangements from the developer
to a management or residents’ group.
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East Sussex County Council
4.23
The on-going management strategy should outline how the Travel Plan
will be brought back on track should it not meet its objectives and
targets. Remedial measures/sanctions (as set out in Section 3, para
3.31) may be deemed necessary by the authorities.
Possible Travel Plan measures
4.24
“Soft measures” are techniques for influencing people’s travel
behaviour towards more sustainable options. Travel Plans will require
different packages of these for different land uses and scales of
development. A list of possible Travel Plan measures is given overleaf:
Promotion of practices/facilities that reduce the need to
travel
flexible working hours for staff including compressed working week
provision of IT systems for staff home-working
teleconferencing
local recruitment policy for staff
notice boards for travel information, including timetables, car sharing
etc
personalised travel planning for staff, residents and pupils
on-site facilities for eating, shopping etc
storage for shopping, deliveries etc
Reducing car use
car parking charges and management, including allocation of parking
spaces in a structured manner e.g. a rota (only 4 days out of 5),
assessment of need (based on distance from site or need to drive for
work or caring responsibilities), preferential parking space allocation
for car sharers
promotion of car sharing e.g. use of lift share or travelchoice car
share database, car sharing matching facility, guaranteed
emergency ride home for car sharers, priority parking for sharers, car
sharer coffee mornings
car club: set up or join an existing or planned service, for use by
residents (e.g. www.carplus.org.uk).
pool cars for staff
highly efficient petrol or diesel or alternative fuel fleet vehicles e.g.
electric, electric hybrid, LPG or bio-diesel fuels
promoting the choice of alternative fuel vehicles purchased by staff
or residents e.g. electric moped or car charging points
financial incentives e.g. for not driving, for giving up a parking space
Park and Ride: parking in existing public car park on urban fringe,
then catching a bus/cycling/walking to site (private shuttle buses
should only be used where the needs of the site users cannot be met
by a developer contribution to improve existing transport services)
Increasing walking and cycling
changing and showering facilities
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East Sussex County Council
lockers for storing outdoor clothing equipment for pedestrians and
cyclists
pool bicycles
bicycle user group
discount vouchers for use at cycle shops
financial incentives e.g. favourable loans for staff to purchase
bicycles, mileage allowances
electric bikes
cycle training/induction scheme for staff/pupils
cycling events
cycle maintenance
Walking Buses for schools/ “Buddy” walking and cycling/cycle trains
Increasing the use of public transport
promotion of pedestrian routes connecting with bus stops and rail
stations
negotiating with operators to achieve service/route improvements
favourable loans for season ticket purchase for staff
discount/taster vouchers for staff and residents using public transport
discounted season tickets
emergency ride home system for staff using public transport
private shuttle bus/ works bus to fill gaps in public transport services
for staff and pupils
access to public transport information, timetable, boarding points via
site notice boards or internet/intranet for staff, residents, pupils and
visitors
pupil escorts on public buses to improve child safety
Provision for powered two-wheelers
lockers for storing motorcycle/moped clothing and helmets
safe rider training for motorcyclists
4.25
“Hard” measures such as on- and off-site car parking provision and
control, public transport infrastructure and associated proposals, safe
pedestrian/cycle access and secure parking for bicycles and powered
two wheelers should all be output by the TA, although a Travel Plan
may refer to a need to change or enhance such measures to achieve
targets.
Travel Plan Statements
4.26
A Travel Plan Statement should follow the principles of a full Travel
Plan. As a minimum it is normally expected to include the following:
• A description the site, its existing and proposed use, the number
of residents, employees, visitors
• An assessment of the site’s travel opportunities
• Objectives of the Travel Plan Statement, usually derived from
analysis included in the Transport Statement
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• Explanation on the proposed package of Travel Plan measures
e.g. a new footway, car park controls, taster bus tickets for
residents/employees, discounts for cycling equipment,
provision of staff showers on site, links to a local car share club
etc.
• A commitment to marketing and promoting the measures,
sustainable travel facilities in the local area though for example,
welcome packs, web sites, advertising on site
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East Sussex County Council
Appendix A: Policy background
National and regional policies
A.1
At national level, the following documents provide the policy context for
Travel Plans:
Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 (PPG 13): Transport (DETR, March
2001)
PPG 13 sets out national policy on transport. Its objectives are to
integrate planning and transport to:
•
promote more sustainable transport choices for both people and
for moving freight
•
promote accessibility to jobs, shopping, leisure facilities and
services by public transport, walking and cycling
•
reduce the need to travel, especially by car.
By shaping the pattern of development and influencing the location,
scale, density, design and mix of land uses, planning can help to
achieve these objectives.
PPG 13 advises that TAs and Travel Plans should be submitted
alongside planning applications for all developments expected to have
significant transport implications.
Guidance on Transport Assessment (CLG/DfT, March 2007)
Guidance on Transport Assessment (GTA) accompanies PPG 13. It
provides guidance on determining whether an assessment may be
required and, if so, what the level and scope of that assessment should
be including contents and preparation. In respect of Travel Plans it
reiterates PPG 13 and notes that local authorities can help facilitate the
development of effective Travel Plans by ensuring that measures in
support of them are incorporated in local planning policies, including
the Local Development Framework (LDF) and Local Transport Plan
(LTP) (see below), and clarified through supplementary planning
advice.
For detailed guidance on securing travel plans through the planning
system, GTA refers to the DfT’s web site at www.dft.gov.uk. Guidance
includes:
•
Using the planning process to secure travel plans: best practice
guidance for local authorities, developers and occupiers
(ODPM/DfT, July 2002); revised document expected 2007/2008
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East Sussex County Council
•
Making residential travel plans work: guidelines for new
development (DfT, September 2005).
Full Guidance on Local Transport Plans: Second edition (DfT,
December 2004)
National guidance on producing LTPs (for authorities outside London)
is set out in Full Guidance on Local Transport Plans: Second edition.
LTPs have a central role in coordinating and improving local transport
provision and are produced by the lead Local Transport Authorities (in
this case, East Sussex County Council). The purpose of the LTP is to
set out how the local transport strategy translates to a policy
implementation programme, and a set of targets and objectives, over a
particular period (currently the period 2006 – 2011). LTP policies and
priorities are expected to be consistent with those set out in the
Regional Transport Strategy (RTS).
Circular 5/05: Planning Obligations (ODPM, 18 July 2005) and
Planning Obligations: Practice Guidance (CLG, August 2006)
Planning obligations (s106 agreements made under the powers of the
Town and Country Planning Act 1990) are one way of legally securing
Travel Plans. Government policy on planning obligations is set out in
Circular 5/05 and accompanying guidance. Circular 05/05 requires that
planning obligations should be:
•
necessary
•
relevant to planning
•
directly related to the proposed development
•
fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the proposed
development
•
reasonable in all other respects.
These tests are key to securing planning obligations although it should
be noted that the Courts have taken a broader interpretation than that
of government (eg in what is directly related to the development).
Circular 11/95: Use of Conditions in Planning Permissions (DoE, 20
July 1995)
Planning conditions are another way of legally securing Travel Plans
although planning conditions cannot apply to off-site locations whereas
obligations can.
Obligations are negotiated with the developer
whereas conditions are generally imposed unilaterally. Government
policy on the use of planning conditions is set out in Circular 11/95.
The Circular requires that planning conditions should only be imposed
where they are:
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•
necessary
•
relevant to planning
•
relevant to the development to be permitted
•
enforceable
•
precise
•
reasonable in all other respects.
Circular 11/95 also takes account of court decisions and includes
“model” conditions.
A.2
At regional level, the policy context for Travel Plans is provided by the
RPG9 (Regional Transport Strategy) and draft South East Plan and the
Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) submitted to Government by the
South East of England Regional Assembly (SEERA) on 31 March
2006. RPG9 is part of the statutory development plan. The draft South
East Plan is the draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), outlining the
regional planning framework. It is a full revision of Regional Planning
Guidance 9 (RPG9, the current RSS for the South East) to cover the
period to 2026. The modifications are expected to be published in
summer 2008 and the final version should be published in the following
winter. Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, Local
Development Frameworks (LDFs) and Waste and Minerals
Development Frameworks will when adopted replace local plans.
A.3
The Communications and Transport chapter of the draft RSS forms the
Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) for the South East. In setting out
the long-term regional framework for the development of the transport
system in the region, the RTS provides the context within which other
relevant regional strategies, including those of the South East England
Development Agency (SEEDA), the Highways Agency and the rail
industry, should be developed. It also provides the context within
which Local Transport Authorities should produce their LTPs. On the
subject of Travel Plans, the RTS states:
•
Policy T8: Travel Plans and Advice
“All major travel generating developments must have a travel
plan agreed and implemented by 2011.
Local authorities should ensure that their Local Development
Documents and Local Transport Plans identify those categories
of major travel generating developments, both existing and
proposed, for which travel plans should be developed.
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East Sussex County Council
Local Transport Authorities should also consider piloting the
concept of transport planning advice centres for regional hubs in
their Local Transport Plans.”
Also of relevance, the RTS states:
•
Policy T5: Mobility Management
“The policies and proposals set out in Local Development
Documents and Local Transport Plans will seek to achieve a
rebalancing of the transport system in favour of non-car modes
and will be based on an integrated package of measures drawn
from the following:
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
viii
ix
x
xi
xii
xiii
A comprehensive travel planning advice service
The allocation and management of highway space used
by individual modes of travel
The scale of provision and management (including
pricing) of car parking both off and on-street
An increase in bus priority
Improvements in the extent and quality of pedestrian and
cycle routes
Charging initiatives
Intelligent transport systems including the use of systems
to convey information to transport users
Incentives for car sharing
Local services and e-services to reduce the need to travel
Changes in ways of working that alter the extent and
balance of future demand for movement
Improvements to intra- and inter-regional rail services
Demand responsive transport and other innovative
solutions that increase accessibility
Measures that increase accessibility to rail stations.
Plans will need to reflect the fact that low delivery from any one
of these elements will require a compensatory increase in
delivery from one or more of the others.”
Local policies
A.5
On a more local level the East Sussex and Brighton and Hove
Structure Plan established the planning policy framework that more
detailed Local Plans had to conform to. East Sussex County Council
had a joint responsibility with Brighton & Hove City Council to produce
the East Sussex and Brighton & Hove Structure Plan 1991-2011,
adopted in December 1999.
A.6
Under the new planning system, Structure Plans are proposed to be
abolished and are being replaced mainly by RSSs, but, most of the
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East Sussex County Council
adopted East Sussex and Brighton & Hove Structure Plan has been
“saved” under the changeover arrangements of the 2004 Act. It
continues to be part of the development plan until the final version of
the South East Plan is published in 2008.
A.7
The County Council considers that one important part of the Structure
Plan is the framework it establishes for an integrated Transport and
Environment Strategy. This aims to:
•
reduce the need to travel, particularly by car
•
limit road improvements and aim to put longer distance traffic on
safer, purpose-built roads
•
provide better journeys by bus, cycling and walking, especially in
towns
•
improve the county’s railway network and services.
More detailed advice on some aspects of planning policy can be found
in the County Council’s Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to
the Structure Plan:
A.8
•
A new approach to developer contributions (October 2003)
•
Parking standards at development (February 2002).
The Local Transport Plan 2 (LTP2) for East Sussex 2006 - 2011 also
aims to deliver the national and local government shared priorities for
transport – tackling congestion, delivering accessibility, safer roads,
better air quality and other quality of life issues – and to tackle the
challenges facing the County over the next five years, thereby
achieving the long-term vision and objectives for East Sussex. The
long-term vision has been translated into six objectives:
•
improve access to services by providing greater travel choices
and influencing land use decisions
•
manage demand and reduce the need to travel by private car
•
improve road safety and reduce fear of crime in communities
•
reduce congestion and improve the efficiency of the transport
network
•
•
protect, promote and enhance the environment
improve maintenance and management of the transport
network.
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East Sussex County Council
A.9
In respect of Travel Plans, LTP2 sets out the Council’s travel planning
strategy, branded with the tool “TravelChoice”. TravelChoice gives
people better information about services, marketing travel options and
providing a service for a particular group or location such as a
workplace or school. LTP2 acknowledges there is a growing body of
evidence that so-called “soft” or “smart” initiatives, in conjunction with
demand management measures can be cost-effective in encouraging
modal shift and achieving reductions in short motorised trips. The RTS
policies on Travel Plans and Mobility Management (see above) have
influenced the development of the strategy.
The East Sussex Sustainable School Travel Strategy 2007-2011
published in August 2007 has strong links with LTP2 and has been
produced in accordance with the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
It brings together the various strands of service delivery relating to
school transport into a single document and signposts future work that
will be undertaken to develop it further.
As part of its travel planning strategy, the County Council:
• will continue to seek new development-related Travel Plans
through the planning process
• is working with a number of employers across the county to
encourage the development and highlight the benefits of
voluntary Travel Plans and, reflecting the RTS policy on Travel
Plans, will target all other major travel generating organisations
in the county to encourage them to develop and operate their
own Travel Plans
• is working with schools in the county to develop their Travel
Plans and identify measures which encourage more use of
alternatives to the car for school journeys
• has made car sharing a key component of the delivery of the
strategy, reflecting the RTS policy on Mobility Management.
Specifically, Travel Plans contribute to meeting a number of LTP2
Targets including those relating to reducing the rate of traffic growth
and complementary ones aimed at increasing accessibility to and the
attractiveness of using alternative sustainable non-car modes
A.10 Local Development Frameworks (LDF)
Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, local planning
authorities are responsible for producing LDFs, including Local
Development Documents (LDDs). The County Council recommends
that its local planning authorities use the LDF process to formally adopt
this guidance in Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) at
District/Borough level.
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Appendix B: Monitoring and auditing fees
Monitoring fees (SAM)
B.1
The cost of SAM is typically £3,000 at present. The developer should
agree the content and cost with JMP Consulting, acting as manager on
behalf of the TRICS database owners.
Auditing fees
B.2
Auditing fees are set out below in Table B.1.
Table C.1 Auditing fees
Land use
£4,500
2
A1 Food retail
A1 Non-food retail
A2 Financial and professional services
A3 Restaurants and cafes
A4 Drinking establishments
A5 Hot food takeaway
B1 Business
B2 General industry
B8 Storage or distribution
C1 Hotels
800 m or over*
1500 m2 or over*
2500 m2 or over*
2500 m2 or over*
600 m2 or over*
500 m2 or over*
2500 m2 or over*
4000 m2 or over*
5000 m2 or over*
100 bedrooms or
over*
50 beds or over*
£6,000
1200 m2 or over
2250 m2 or over
3750 m2 or over
3750 m2 or over
900 m2 or over
750 m2 or over
3750 m2 or over
6000 m2 or over
7500 m2 or over
150 bedrooms or
over
75 beds or over
C2 Residential institutions - hospitals,
nursing homes
C2 Residential institutions – residential
150 students or
225 students or
education
over*
over
C2 Residential institutions – institutional
400 residents or 600 residents or
hostels
over*
over
C3 Dwelling houses
80 units or over* 120 units or over
D1 Non-residential institutions
1000 m2 or over* 1500 m2 or over
D2 Assembly and leisure
1500 m2 or over* 2250 m2 or over
* or less than this if a Travel Plan is required for a smaller development (see
paragraph 3.2)
Notes
Where an application is for a mixed development, the development type that exceeds
the relevant threshold by the greatest percentage will be the basis of the fee. For
example, a development with 1000 m2 food retail (25% over threshold) and 4500 m2
non-food retail (100% over threshold) would incur a fee of £6,000. The maximum fee
payable is £6,000.
Cheques should be made payable to East Sussex County Council and sent to
Development Control Transport (see Section 1).
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East Sussex County Council
Appendix C: Example s106 clauses to secure
Travel Plans
C.1
Prior to the first Occupation of any part of the Development to prepare
and submit to the County Council a draft version of the Travel Plan
(“the Draft Travel Plan”) such plan to be based on and consistent with
the analysis contained in the Transport Assessment produced to the
County Council and dated [
] (“the Transport Assessment”)
C.2
Not to Occupy or cause or allow to be Occupied any part of the
Development until the Draft Travel Plan has been approved in writing
by the County Council
C.3
To prepare for the implementation of the Revised Travel Plan by using
best endeavours to achieve compliance with the Draft Travel Plan.
C.4
Following conclusion of the first six (6) months of Occupation of the
Development to prepare and not later than the conclusion of the first
eight (8) months of Occupation of the Development submit to the
County Council a revised Travel Plan (“the Revised Travel Plan”) which
will:C.4.1 be based on the Draft Travel Plan; and
C.4.2 take account of a staff/student survey undertaken at the time of
preparation of the Revised Travel Plan; and
C.4.3 set modal share targets to achieve year-on-year reductions in
car use journeys to and from the Development (“the Travel Plan
Objectives”); and
C.4.4 identify measures and initiatives to achieve the Travel Plan
Objectives; and
C.4.5 include methodologies for the measurement and monitoring of
the Revised Travel Plan
C.5
To use best endeavours to achieve the Travel Plan Objectives from the
date of approval in writing by the County Council of the Revised Travel
Plan.
C.6
To measure in accordance with the methodology(ies) detailed in the
Revised Travel Plan the extent to which the Travel Plan Objectives
have been achieved at the end of each twelve (12) month period from
the date of approval in writing by the County Council of the Revised
Travel Plan for a period of five (5) years from the date of the first
measurement exercise.
C.7
To produce to the County Council a report on the extent to which the
Travel Plan Objectives are being achieved immediately following each
of the measurement exercises described at paragraph 6 of this
Schedule.
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C.8
To implement forthwith further suitable measures and initiatives (such
measures and initiatives to be subject to the prior written approval of
the County Council) to achieve the Travel Plan Objectives if the
monitoring referred to in paragraph 6 of this Schedule reveals the
Travel Plan Objectives are not being achieved in full
C.9
If:C.9.1 the Owners fail to produce the Revised Travel Plan to the
County Council within eight (8) months of first Occupation of the
Development; or
C.9.2 on the next monitoring following the implementation of the
measures and initiatives referred to in paragraph 8 of this
Schedule it transpires that the Travel Plan Objectives are not
being achieved in full
on each occasion the Owners shall pay to the County Council all direct
and indirect costs on a full indemnity basis of such measures the
County Council deem necessary to ensure the Travel Plan Objectives
are achieved and for the avoidance of doubt these shall include (but
shall not be limited to) the costs and fees of any independent
consultant and the administrative expenses of the County Council’s
Officers based upon such officers’ hourly rates of charge for the
additional time incurred in identifying and implementing the measures
deemed necessary to ensure the Travel Plan Objectives are achieved.
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East Sussex County Council
Appendix D: Frequently asked questions
Introduction
D.1
This concluding section addresses questions that are often posed
about Travel Plans. The responses are generalised and will not
necessarily represent the County Council’s formal position in specific
cases.
Questions
Aren’t Travel Plans simply another obstacle standing in the way of
economic and social development?
D.2
The local authorities have a duty to facilitate social and economic
development in East Sussex as set out in land use, economic, social
and environmental policies outlined by central government and
interpreted in more detail locally.
D.3
It is paramount that any such development is as sustainable as
possible.
D.4
The County Council supports Travel Plans because they help
maximise sustainability by promoting more sustainable travel choices
at a personal level. This is not something that is generally fully
addressed by Transport Assessments, although there is no reason in
principle why that should not be the case. However, the government
considers that an approach based on two specialised documents (a
Transport Assessment and a Travel Plan) has the potential to be most
effective.
D.5
The developer resources involved in Travel Plan development and
implementation should be proportionate to the overall impact of the
development, as indicated in this guidance, and so will reflect
development scale, type and location. This guidance specifically
discourages unnecessary post-opening monitoring and any associated
legal process.
D.6
The County Council therefore considers that a Travel Plan is an
important and appropriate element in the sustainable development
process.
I don’t know the end-user of this development; how can I devise a
suitable Travel Plan?
D.7
This is a widely recognised issue associated with so-called speculative
development. Producing a detailed Travel Plan to suit unknown
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occupants is likely to be a waste of resources and may even
discourage suitable occupiers.
D.8
For this reason, this guidance promotes the idea of interim Travel
Plans, possibly with several implementation stages, together with a
framework and timetable for a final Travel Plan prepared soon after the
development is occupied. The Transport Assessment should have set
out the sustainable approach to parking provision, public transport
access and access by sustainable modes in any event.
D.9
It is also recognised that occupiers may change over time. Travel Plan
measures should therefore be site-specific as far as possible (and thus
common to all occupiers) but allow for additional survey-based
measures based on the travel characteristics of specific occupiers.
The latter may of course change with a new occupier.
D.10 The advantage of setting out as much of the Travel Plan as possible in
advance of occupation is that it helps minimise subsequent
disagreement and is likely to be more effective in encouraging
sustainable travel choices from the outset. The possibility of there
being multiple occupiers and/or phased development does not change
any of the above in principle.
I want to extend my premises; do I need a Travel Plan?
D.11 This situation may relate to a development with an extant Travel Plan
or one without.
D.12 Being in possession of a consent that did not require a Travel Plan
does not rule out the need for one in future if a new consent is needed
for further development or a change of use.
D.13 Any such Travel Plan should generally apply to the whole development
(extant plus extension) as it is assumed that most extensions would not
be self-contained but affect the management and use of the whole site.
D.14 The County Council would normally encourage further investment in
existing sites (subject to location, impact etc) as this is far preferable to
the possibility of exporting desirable economic activity elsewhere,
possibly outside the County altogether. In fact, this question is an
excellent example of a case where a Travel Plan may be extremely
useful to the applicant.
It could help make an existing site
accommodate more economic activity by limiting the amount of land
needed for car parking. Research tends to show that Travel Plans
originating in this way are often the most effective. The applicant
would therefore benefit from more productive use of the site and would
avoid all the disruption and costs associated with moving to a new site,
including the possibility of needing to recruit a new workforce.
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This is a rural area; how can people manage without using a car?
D.15 The County Council does not base its Travel Plan guidance on trying to
eliminate car use when this is unavoidable.
However it does
encourage people to consider the alternatives to car use where
circumstances allow; Travel Plans should help increase such
opportunities.
D.16 It is fully recognised that East Sussex is largely rural in nature and that
much of this rural land deserves protection from unsuitable
development. However, the authorities also encourage appropriate
economic development in certain rural areas to make the rural
economy more robust whilst seeking to minimise adverse impacts.
D.17 Lower density development, as in rural areas, tends to increase typical
travel distances and reduces the customer base for public transport,
rendering it mostly uneconomic, even if partly subsidised. In these
circumstances, car use is often the only answer, especially for
employees.
D.18 However, the total volume of car traffic and the land required for car
parking can be reduced by encouraging car-sharing, for example
and/or providing pedestrian routes from appropriate car parking areas.
D.19 Where car traffic is unavoidable, measures can be put in place to
reduce traffic speeds and to improve the safety of nearby pedestrians.
However, the primary source of such measures will be the Transport
Assessment.
D.20 Development that relies heavily on passing trade (eg farm shops) can
have low net impacts on the rural environment, provided they are
suitably located and on a main road and are not so attractive that they
attract large numbers of customers from outside the area, thus adding
to traffic growth locally. In such instances, any Travel Plan would
usually be more of a marketing strategy than an attempt to influence
customer travel behaviour.
D.21 The above are all examples of how aspects of rural development can
be made more acceptable without fundamentally damaging the scope
for desirable development. A package of measures in the Transport
Assessment and Travel Plan can help achieve this aim.
How will phased development be monitored?
D.22 This guidance seeks to minimise the resource implications for the
developer of a Travel Plan once a development is operational.
D.23 In the case of large scale development with several well-defined
phases, the County Council may request additional surveys to ensure
pre-defined targets for the later stages remain realistic or need
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redefining, or require further measures to ensure compliance. Any
such additional requirements should be based on a survey of a
completed first phase. If the first phase is operating as planned with
the Travel Plan in place and subsequent phases have predictable
outcomes on this basis then it is possible no further surveys will be
required.
D.24 If subsequent phases are significantly different in travel terms from the
first phase (eg a different land use or type of development) then
additional surveys may be required for monitoring purposes.
I’ve just moved in; what do I need to do about the Travel Plan?
D.25 The requirements of a Travel Plan will be attached to the planning
consent for the development by agreement (or condition) and pass with
the title to the property or lease to new occupiers. This should
automatically have become evident during searches or made evident
during negotiations and taken into account before the decision to
occupy the development was made.
D.26 In the unlikely event that no such information emerged and that the
new occupier has discovered Travel Plan requirements unexpectedly
by some other means then the authorities will explain the Travel Plan
obligations in general and may direct the new occupier to the relevant
officers/service providers for further advice on how best to meet the
requirements. At no stage will ignorance in this respect be considered
a mitigating factor such that Travel Plan requirements are waived.
D.27 In more normal circumstances, a new occupier unfamiliar with Travel
Plan-related matters but aware there are obligations to be met will be
able to seek advice and a degree of technical support directly from the
County Council (see contact information in Section 1).
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