Travel plans for new developments

Travel plans are required in many new developments when planning permission is granted, to encourage sustainable transport.

A travel plan is a long-term management strategy for developments to assist in managing the transport needs of a site through a package of measures.

 

When is a travel plan required?

For all major and some minor developments where there are significant transport impacts:

• all school or nursery developments, regardless of size
• some developments which do not exceed the below thresholds will be asked to provide a travel plan if the development is likely to have significant transport impacts, for example a change of land use

Components of a travel plan

This will be unique to each site, but the following gives an idea of what should be included:

Background

Explaining site, location, numbers of people, measures already in place, current share of travel methods and reason for producing the plan.

Scope of the plan

Identifying the travel elements to address: commuter journeys, business travel, customer access, deliveries, fleet management and / or other issues.

Objectives

Such as reduction in single car users, increase in active modes of travel and public transport use.

Measures / actions

How to achieve the stated objectives, firm timescales for each step and funding for each measure. Contingency funding should be reserved for additional measures should targets not be met.

Management

A designated travel plan co-ordinator will be responsible for implementation but senior management commitment is needed plus consultation with staff, occupants and residents.

Targets

They need to be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound) and include interim targets at year 3 and year 5. Targets may change but this will be in agreement with us. Proposed targets should be included as part of the submission process.

Targets shall be in line with our local implementation plan targets.

Review / monitoring

The plan should be reviewed and monitored annually for at least 5 years.

You need to survey:

• within 6 months of occupation (year one)
• year 3 and year 5 (i.e. 2 and 4 years from the year one survey)

The plan can be amended by our agreement with the Council. Each version should detail how the success of the plan in implementing sustainable transport will be reported to us annually. The travel plan should comply with TfL’s assessment tool, but a ‘pass’ mark does guarantee that we will be accept it.

Surveys should be iTrace compliant and undertaken by an Independent Field Company (IFC) in line with TfL’s guidance.

Promotion

How the plan and measures will be promoted to staff, residents and customers.

Dissemination

A communications strategy of how the benefits, successes and progress will be communicated internally and externally.

Travel planning guidance

• TfL’s travel planning guidance
• our local guidance
• cycle parking guidance
• The Department for Transport’s national guidance
• iTrace

To discuss a travel plan for a new development please contact movegreener@hackney.gov.uk or 020 8356 8470.