Transport assessment

Transport Assessments should demonstrate that the transport needs of the development proposed, and the environmental implications, have been planned for.

We are keen to encourage, support and promote high quality sustainable development. We also wish to encourage developments which are less car dependant than they have been in the past. Instead they should be designed to:

• attract more users to public transport
• provide appropriate access for the private car but not be dependant upon the car
• provide cost effective travel choices, particularly for the socially excluded
• improve public transport services to areas with poor access
• encourage economic regeneration without increasing the level of car traffic
• improve and protect the environment

The way that people will travel to and from a development is determined by its size, location and type. To ensure that we can all travel to new sites, all forms of transport need to be catered for and the Transport Assessment should demonstrate this.

The amount of work involved in preparing a Transport Assessment will very much depend on the size, location and type of development. For a small development this could be little more than a letter, but for larger developments this is likely to be a full technical report. Early contact with Highways Development and Adoptions Team is recommended.

The following table sets out the site area, or minimum gross floor area (GFA) above where we would expect a planning application to be supported by a Transport Assessment.

The thresholds for transport assessment developments

For developments with little or no car parking that exceed the above trigger levels, a Transport Assessment will still be required to consider access by means of transport other than the car.