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PAN 57 Planning for Transport

POLICY DEVELOPMENT

18. Analysis is a crucial aspect in being able to influence the type of journeys people take and how they make them. In developing their policies planning authorities should have regard to the following mechanisms and factors.

Accessibility Analysis

19. Good accessibility will be achieved where many people are linked to opportunities by regular, reliable and affordable travel. Accessibility analysis² is a useful technique in assessing development as it focuses on individual people rather than on different transport modes. It can be used as an alternative or alongside other techniques. It allows the quantitative consideration of links between transport and other issues and helps to ensure that the most efficient resource allocation is made. The science of logistics incorporates accessibility analysis for freight movements. Further information on the implementation of personal accessibility analysis (approaches, features, uses and examples) is given in annex A.

Location Policy³

20. Location policy involves starting the process by identifying locations for development that conform to planning policy generally. That will usually greatly assist in selecting transport-sustainable locations. Some locations, at key nodes on the public transport network, have a potential for higher density development of significant travel generating proposals and a potential for mixed use development with an emphasis on high quality design and innovation. These locations should encourage modal shift by providing good linkages to rail, walking and cycling networks and with vehicular considerations, including parking, having a less significant role.

21. Planning authorities should give greater recognition to the potential of sites where accessibility can be improved by developer or public funding. Advantages can be gained by different interest groups including greater accessibility for employees and service industries, a reduction in congestion and the stabilisation of traffic growth creating good conditions for further investment.

22. Assessment of such locations should be based on comparative analyses of accessibility together with an assessment of other land uses and local plan policies. During the assessment process planning authorities must be aware of the realities of local economic and social conditions as they relate to the development. Key locations designated in development plans should aim to be destinations in their own right, with a sense of place created through an emphasis on quality. Urban design is a crucial aspect of this⁴. Designation of such locations will identify opportunities and give confidence to stakeholders.

Mode Share Targets (MSTs) ⁵

23. Depending on the intrinsic accessibility of a location or general area, and on the sustainable transport objectives of the authority, an assessment can be made of desirable mode shares for transport movements to and from that location or area. In order to meet the objectives of that assessment, mode share targets can be set. The Transport Assessment process should then establish ways to accommodate or mitigate the impacts of less sustainable transport modes in order to meet the mode share targets. Further information in provided in annex B.

24. Mode share targets are applicable to new development, change of use proposals and extensions to existing developments. They are to be set for:

• Any development for which a travel plan is required.
• Any large new re/development area where there is a planning brief or master plan.

25. ‘No-net-detriment’ is a useful aim in setting mode share targets. No-net-detriment means no net increase in travel time or risk of accident as a result of the development.

Parking Standards

26. Car parking policies should support the overall locational policies in the development plan. The availability of car parking has a major influence on the choice of transport. Parking policies must be handled sensitively and adapted to particular local circumstances.

27. Councils are required to develop their own set of maximum parking standards that have regard to national ceiling values given in SPP17. This will enable local flexibility by ensuring that standards are developed to individual circumstances within an area. The process of developing standards should include the preparation of a Parking Standards Report that will be incorporated into development plans and the local transport strategy. The Parking Standards Report would set out the method by which the standards have been derived, including consultation exercises undertaken.

28. The method for deriving the standards should consider local characteristics, including:

• Accessibility analysis, particularly by non-car modes;
• Economic development factors, in terms of levels of activity;
• Levels and targets for walking and cycling;
• Levels of car ownership, use and movement patterns;
• Need for traffic restraint;
• Levels of pollution;
• Potential over-spill impacts;
• Neighbouring authorities standards;
• Availability of alternative parking (on and off street); and
• Potential for shared use of spaces.

29. For implementation at a local level a zonal approach is recommended. Measures that can influence parking can include:

• A maximum number of parking spaces being provided, underpinned where appropriate by a minimum to avoid undesirable off-site overspill parking;
• On site parking charges / permits to discourage long term parking;
• Priority given to essential users on-site;
• Short stay and late night / shift work parking located closer to the building;
• Encouragement of car-sharing by using a database and preferential parking spaces;
• Establishment of a car pool.
• Complementary restrictions, i.e. on-street restrictions in the surrounding area.

30. Monitoring of usage and effects is important after implementation. This should take account of experience, evolving objectives and changing patterns of characteristics. A review of standards should be undertaken at intervals no greater than 5 years.

Design

31. The design of transport proposals should be fully considered in terms of safety and convenience for all users. Proposals should be specifically tailored to local circumstances, aspirations and priorities in order to bring a wide range of social and community benefits and improve quality of life.

32. The Dutch Home Zones (Woonerfen) are a leading example of the use of design measures to integrate transport and land use⁶. While formal Home Zones are more suited to regeneration projects, the general design principles are also relevant to the design of new housing layouts. Local authorities can assist in such initiatives with the production of design guides, local design statements and development briefs.

Associated Regulatory Mechanisms

33. Transport aspects of land use planning will also need to have regard to:

• Air quality regimes: the National Air Quality Strategy; the statutory air quality objectives; and designated air quality management areas;
• Noise quality regimes: the noise impact of new transport infrastructure on existing land uses and any noise constraints that existing transport infrastructure impose on new development should be taken into account in development control decisions supported by general policies in development plans.
• Water quality regimes: SEPA have lead responsibility for sustainable urban drainage (SUDs) techniques. These should be used for handling run-off from built development including transport infrastructure in such a way as to protect the quality of watercourses and the aquatic environment. Land use aspects should be reflected in development plans.
• Road traffic reduction targets and safety concerns for all transport users.
• Landscape quality: land use and transport planning should take into account impacts on landscape and use of the countryside. Policy on Green Belt is set out in SODD Circular 24/1985 and on Agricultural Land in SODD Circular 18/1987.

Commitments

34. Schemes in committed programmes and/or those at an advanced stage of preparation where work is expected to commence within the plan period should be included in the local plan proposals maps. This will include schemes upon which the development strategy depends even if the method of funding is uncertain at the outset. Other schemes should merit only a description in the text, the level of detail dependent on the degree of commitment.

Blight

35. The effects of blight should be removed by abandoning safeguarding for schemes where proposals are now unlikely to be taken forward. This is especially important for proposals, such as new road construction or road widening, which affect large numbers of existing properties. Clearly, any significant development proposals which were dependent on the road proposal will have to be reviewed and alternative transport arrangements made.

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