LAND NORTH OF STOKE ROAD, HOO ST WERBURGH, MEDWAY CLIENT: DEAN LEWIS ESTATES

Transcription

1 LAND NORTH OF STOKE ROAD, HOO ST WERBURGH, MEDWAY CLIENT: DEAN LEWIS ESTATES

2 P17052 Land North of Stoke Road, Hoo St. Werburgh, Medway Document Control Job Number P17052 Document Version Final File Reference N:\Projects 2017\P Stoke Street, Hoo St Werburgh, Medway\7.Reports\TP - FINAL Date January 2018 Client Dean Lewis Estates Ltd Name Position Written By Donna Gutteridge Senior Transport Planner Checked & Approved By David Stoddart Associate

3 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION Purpose of Report Scope of Report TRAVEL PLAN POLICY, GUIDANCE & OBJECTIVES Introduction National Planning Policy Framework Improving Local Transport (2012) Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon: Making Sustainable Local Transport Happen (2011) Door to Door: A strategy for improving sustainable transport integration (2013) Medway Local Transport Plan ( ) Medway Local Plan 2003 (Saved Policies) Manual for Streets Objectives Summary EXISTING SITUATION Site Description Local Highway Network DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL Development Description Access Strategy Additional Access for Pedestrians and Cyclists Parking Summary ACCESS BY SUSTAINABLE MODES Introduction to Sustainable Modes of Transport Access on Foot Access by Cycle Access by Public Transport Summary TARGETS Introduction Trip Generation Person Trip Rates Modal Shift Targets MEASURES Introduction Reducing the Need to Travel

4 7.3 Welcome Packs Other Methods of Awareness Raising and Marketing Measures to Encourage Walking Measures to Promote Cycling Measures to Encourage Public Transport Measures to Reduce Single Occupancy Car Trips MANAGEMENT, MONITORING AND REVIEW Management Appointment of a Co-ordinator Monitoring and Review APPENDICES AVAILABLE IN TRANSPORT STATEMENT 2

5 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of Report This report has been prepared in support of Dean Lewis Estates Ltd s (DLE) proposal for a residential development comprising up to 65 dwellings located on land to the north of Stoke Road, Hoo St Werburgh, Medway This is an Outline planning application for demolition of all buildings and structures and development of previously developed land and undeveloped land for residential development (all matters reserved save for means of access) This report should not be seen as a definitive document but as the first stage of the (TP) process which will continue and evolve over time with input from the house builder that will ultimately develop the site, future residents of the site and Medway Council (MC). This TP represents a commitment by DLE to ensure that the proposed development is accessible by sustainable modes of transport and every effort will be made to ensure that opportunities to encourage the use of these sustainable modes, particularly walking, cycling and public transport, will be promoted The document has been prepared in accordance with the Government s National Planning Policy Framework (2012) (NPPF) and Travel plans, transport assessments and statements in decisiontaking (March 2014) This document has been prepared alongside a Transport Statement (TS) for the development proposal. As many highway and transportation details are pertinent to both documents, there is some repetition between the two and several of the TS Appendices are referenced in this document Reasonable checks have been carried out on any third party information used in the preparation of this report but, nonetheless, PRIME Transport Planning accepts no liability for the accuracy or otherwise of this data Third party rights are excluded for the use of information contained within this report. 1.2 Scope of Report Following this introduction, the remainder of this report is structured as follows: Section 2 describes the relevant local and national TP policy and guidance and presents the objectives of this TP; Section 3 describes the existing situation in terms of the site and local highway network; Section 4 details the development proposal including the access strategy and parking arrangements; 3

6 Section 5 details access to the site by sustainable modes of travel which includes walking, cycling and public transport; Section 6 discusses the targets of this TP; Section 7 describes the measures to be employed to achieve the targets set; and Section 8 discusses the management of the TP and describes how it will be monitored and reviewed. 4

7 2 TRAVEL PLAN POLICY, GUIDANCE & OBJECTIVES 2.1 Introduction In recent years, national and local transport policy in relation to new developments has moved away from focusing on physical highway improvements to accommodate vehicular traffic towards measures aimed at encouraging the use of more sustainable modes, particularly walking, cycling and public transport. One of the key tools to achieving this is by the adoption of TPs. This section details the TP policies and objectives that are relevant to this development. 2.2 National Planning Policy Framework The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published in March 2012 and sets out the Government s current planning policies for England Section 4 of the NPPF, Promoting Sustainable Transport, outlines the important role that transport policies have to play in facilitating sustainable development. It states that: The transport system needs to be balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes, giving people a real choice about how they travel The document emphasises the need for developments to offer a choice of sustainable modes of transport which support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and reduce congestion and provide safe and suitable access for all Paragraph 35 of the NPPF states that plans for new development should: protect and exploit opportunities for the use of sustainable transport modes for the movement of goods or people. Therefore, developments should be located and designed where practical to: give priority to pedestrian and cycle movements, and have access to high quality public transport facilities; create safe and secure layouts which minimise conflicts between traffic and cyclists or pedestrians, avoiding street clutter and where appropriate establishing home zones; and consider the needs of people with disabilities by all modes of transport Paragraph 36 continues stating that a key tool to facilitate the above will be a, and that all developments which generate significant amounts of movement should be required to provide a. 5

8 2.2.6 The NPPF calls for a balance of land uses which will encourage people to minimise their journey lengths for employment, shopping, leisure, education and other activities With regards to making decisions related to new development, Paragraph 32 of the NPPF states that such decisions should consider whether: the opportunities for sustainable transport modes have been taken up depending on the nature and location of the site, to reduce the need for major transport infrastructure; safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all people; and improvements can be undertaken within the transport network that cost effectively limit the significant impacts of the development. Development should only be prevented or refused on transport grounds where the residual cumulative impacts of development are severe. 2.3 Improving Local Transport (2012) This Government policy attempts to address the issue of making walking, cycling and public transport more attractive as 55% of car journeys are under 5 miles which could be made by these sustainable modes of transport The Government provides funding to local transport authorities to help them to develop their transport services. For bus services it aims to make them more punctual, inter-connected, green and accessible and for cycling it aims to encourage more people to cycle more safely and more often. 2.4 Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon: Making Sustainable Local Transport Happen (2011) This Transport White Paper, prepared by the Department for Transport (DfT), states its vision for a transport system that is an engine for economic growth, but one that is also greener and safer and improves quality of life in our communities It believes that we can build the balanced, dynamic low carbon economy that is essential for our future prosperity by improving sustainable transport links and investing in new projects that promote green growth but importantly states that investment on its own is not enough we also need to help people to make transport choices that are good for society as a whole The paper makes the pertinent point that two thirds of journeys are under five miles many of these could be easily cycled, walked or undertaken by public transport but practical alternatives to private car use must be made more attractive. Their research suggests that a: substantial proportion of car drivers would be willing to drive less, particularly for shorter trips. 6

9 2.4.4 It recognises that sustainable modes of travel are not viable alternatives to private car travel for all journeys, particularly those in rural areas or long distance trips. Greener car technologies will develop over the long term but sustainable travel initiatives are available now, and will continue to have benefits for congestion and wealth. It states that short, local journeys are where the greatest opportunities for encouraging sustainable travel lie In terms of how sustainable transport choices can be encouraged, the White Paper believes that it is at the local level that most can be done to enable people to make more sustainable transport choices. At this level it can be a mix of smaller-scale transport schemes and citizens acting together which can facilitate the effective delivery of local transport solutions that are developed for the places they serve, tailored for the specific needs and behaviour patterns of individual communities. 2.5 Door to Door: A strategy for improving sustainable transport integration (2013) This document, prepared by the DfT, is part of the Improving Local Transport Policy and outlines the Government s goal for more journeys to be made by sustainable transport which it sees as being essential for reducing transport related carbon emissions It goes one step further than the afore mentioned Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon by stating that sustainable transport modes must be made more attractive not just for part of the journey, but for the entire door-to-door journey. It then states that it must be as convenient or straightforward to make a door-to-door journey by public transport, by bike or on foot, or by combining these different means, as by private transport, so the focus needs to be on the whole journey This strategy focuses on four core areas which need to be addressed so that people can be confident in choosing sustainable transport as follows: accurate, accessible and reliable information about the different transport options for their journeys; convenient and affordable tickets, for an entire journey; regular straightforward connections at all stages of the journey and between different modes of transport; and safe, comfortable transport facilities. 2.6 Medway Local Transport Plan ( ) Medway Local Transport Plan ( ) sets out the transport strategy for Medway between 2011 and 2026, embracing the wider aspirations for Medway to be a centre of learning, culture, tourism and enterprise at the heart of the Thames Gateway. 7

10 2.6.2 It forms part of Medway Council s policy framework documents and is a statutory function of Medway Council. The plan sets out the strategic policy for sustainable transport in Medway between 2011 and The Medway LTP sets out a number of goals for transport for Medway including: ensuring highway infrastructure is maintained to the highest possible standard within the available resources; efficiently managing and improving Medway s local highway network to ensure reliability of journey times; ensuring public transport becomes a realistic alternative choice to the private car; contributing to better health by encouraging walking and cycling and by improving access to key services; and ensuring that people can move around safely in Medway. 2.7 Medway Local Plan 2003 (Saved Policies) The local plan is a document which forms part of the Development Plan and sets out what Medway Council plan to do with land in the Borough and how they will control development. Chapter 8 of the Local Plan deals with Transport setting out the following policies: Policy T1: Impact of Development sets out how the impact of development will be assessed stating that proposals will be permitted provided that: (i) the highway network has adequate capacity to cater for the traffic which will be generated by the development, taking into account alternative modes to the private car; (ii) the development will not significantly add to the risk of road traffic accidents; (iii) the development will not generate significant H.G.V. movements on residential roads; and (iv) the development will not result in traffic movements at unsociable hours in residential roads that would be likely to cause loss of residential amenity Policy T2: Access to the Highway deals with access to the highway stating that formation of a new access, or an intensification in the use of an existing access, will only be permitted where: (i) the access is not detrimental to the safety of vehicle occupants, cyclists and pedestrians; or (ii) can, alternatively, be improved to a standard acceptable to the council as Highway Authority Policy T3: Provision for Pedestrians deals with provision for pedestrians stating that: 8

11 `Development proposals shall provide attractive and safe pedestrian access. In all cases, they should maintain or improve pedestrian routes related to the site. `New pedestrian routes should closely follow pedestrians preferred routes, should be designed to provide an attractive and safe pedestrian environment, and ensure they are accessible by people with disabilities wherever possible Policy T4: Cycle Facilities deals with the provision for cyclists stating that: Major trip attracting development proposals should make provision for cycle facilities related to the site. This may include, where appropriate, the Strategic Cycle Network, cycle priority measures and new or enhanced cycle routes that relate to cyclists preferred routes. Secure cycle parking and associated facilities will be sought in accordance with the council s adopted cycle parking standards. Provision at public transport interchanges, buildings open to the general public (especially public institutions, leisure, educational and health facilities) and in Chatham town centre, District Centres and Local Centres will be particularly sought. Policy T5: Bus Preference Measures promotes the use of bus preference measures within Medway as follows: `Within the bus corridors identified on the Proposals Map, preference measures to aid bus access, particularly on Park and Ride routes, will be developed. Such measures may include: (i) dedicated bus lanes, including contra flow lanes where appropriate; (ii) priority to buses at junctions; (iii) priority within traffic management schemes; (iv) enhanced waiting and access facilities and information systems for passengers, including people with disabilities Policy T6: Provision for Public Transport states that: `Where of sufficient scale, new developments will be expected to make provision for access by public transport (for example, bus, rail or light rail). The provision of facilities, such as safe and attractive passenger waiting areas, seating, information systems, signed safe and attractive pedestrian access routes and facilities for people with disabilities, related to the scale of the development will be sought by negotiation Policy T11: Development Funded Transport Improvements discusses development funded transport improvements and how legal agreements with developers will be sought to secure: 9

12 `(i) off site improvements to transport infrastructure (which may include rail freight, public transport, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure) and/or public transport services, the need for which arises from the proposed development; and (ii) improved accessibility by all modes of transport Policy T12: Traffic Management states that: `In localities or on routes where traffic volumes or perceived dangers significantly interfere with movement by pedestrians or cyclists, and /or damage the wider environment, the Council will consider the need for traffic management/calming measures in consultation with local residents and businesses, the emergency services, public transport operators and others requiring essential vehicular access. Road layouts within new developments will need to be designed with appropriate traffic management measures to help limit vehicle speeds and improve safety for all road users. Care will be needed in the design of traffic management measures so that they are appropriate to their surroundings, particularly in Conservation Areas Policy T13: Vehicle Parking Standards Development proposals will be expected to make vehicle parking provision in accordance with the adopted standard. Provision for people with disabilities will be required to be made on site, consistent with the provisions of policy T Policy T14: s outlines the Council s requirements for s for all developments which require a Transport Assessment. 2.8 Manual for Streets Manual for Streets (MfS) was published on behalf of the DfT and Communities and Local Government in March 2007 and provides advice for the design of residential streets in England and Wales The focus of MfS is to demonstrate the: benefits that flow from good design and assigns a higher priority to pedestrians and cyclists, setting out an approach to residential streets that recognises their role in creating places that work for all members of the community. MfS refocuses on the place function of residential streets, giving clear guidance on how to achieve well-designed streets and spaces that serve the community in a range of ways (MfS page 7) The guidance addresses many common design principles and discusses detailed design issues, often presenting recommended design criteria. Some of the key principles of MfS include: 10

13 The need to shift from focusing on designing for motor vehicles to designing streets around the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users which in turn enhances safety; Good design can help to create and strengthen a sense of place and community; Creating streets that are permeable and offer good quality connections to main destinations for all road users; Inclusive design that recognises the needs of people of all ages and abilities; and Cost-effective construction often by avoiding over-designing In September 2010 a companion document Manual for Streets 2 wider application of the principles (MfS2) was published. This document expands on some of the design principles of MfS and provides examples of places where designs based on these principles have been implemented. 2.9 Objectives From consideration of national and local transport policy it is clear that TPs have an important role in reducing congestion, minimising the environmental impact of travel and in supporting healthy living. Clearly providing funding alone is insufficient to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport; any funding should be accompanied by encouragement to use these modes and promotion of their benefits In-line with the above-mentioned policy and guidance, DLE feels that the TP should have the following objectives: Enable residents of the site and visitors to it to make sustainable travel choices that benefit themselves, their community and the environment; Design the development in such a way that it is accessible to all people regardless of any disability or impairment in order to enhance social inclusion; Raise awareness of the benefits of sustainable transport modes in terms of the benefits to individuals, local communities and the environment; Ensure that sustainable travel modes offer convenient options for door-to-door travel; and Ensure that sustainable travel choices are encouraged in the short term and continue to be used in the long term Summary This section has outlined national and local transport policies and guidance which are applicable to TPs and the development site. The objectives of the TP have also been stated. How the site aims to conform to and complement these policies and guidance, and how all parties involved can achieve these objectives, will be discussed in the following sections of this report, where relevant. 11

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15 3 EXISTING SITUATION 3.1 Site Description The application site currently part developed part undeveloped in mixed use as a caravan storage/paddock facility. It is located to the east of the centre of the village of Hoo St Werburgh along Stoke Road. Stoke Road forms the southern boundary of the site, this highway frontage being circa 180m in length. Open countryside/farmland form the northern and eastern boundaries and a caravan/ trailer storage facility (Vidgeon A D) forms the western boundary on Whitehouse farm Hoo St Werburgh itself is a large village in Medway located circa 8km to the north-east of Chatham and some 14km to the south-east of Gravesend. The location of the site in the context of Hoo St Werburgh and the local highway network is illustrated in Figure 1 in Appendix A of the TS Image 3.1 below shows the various Public Rights of Way (PRoW) in the vicinity of the site, this being an extract of MC s online mapping system with footpaths being highlighted in green. This shows that PRoW RS112 passes through the Street Farm development that lies to the west of the proposed development, providing a connection from Stoke Road to the south to Peninsula Way to the north. PRoW RS112 also provides connections to RS98 and RS99 which provides a connection between Ropers Lane to the east and Bell s Lane to the west. Image 3.1: Extract from MC s Online Mapping System Depicting the Public Rights of Way Source: 13

16 3.2 Local Highway Network As mentioned above, Stoke Road forms the southern boundary of the site. It provides a connection between the centre of Hoo St Werburgh to the west and Ropers Lane to the east. Ropers Lane then provides a connection to Peninsula Way to the north which provides connections to Strood and the M2 to the south-east Adjacent to the site, Stoke Road is circa 6m in width with footways being provided on both sides of the road. The footway in the southern verge provide for pedestrian access to the centre of the village with the footway in the northern verge being narrow and discontinuous. Adjacent to the site Stoke Road is also the subject of a 30mph speed limit with street lighting also being provided. 14

17 4 DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL 4.1 Development Description As mentioned above, DLE is seeking outline planning permission for up to 65 dwellings on land to the north of Stoke Road which is located to the east of the village of Hoo St Werburgh. The nature of the application will mean that all matters will be reserved except for access A Development Framework Plan has been produced by FPCR and forms part of the supporting documentation for the planning application. The Development Framework Plan shows that the site is proposed to be accessed via a single priority controlled junction located onto Stoke Road It is proposed to provide a pedestrian connection to PRoW RS112 which passes through the Street Farm site that lies to the west of the proposed development, this PRoW provides connections to PRoW RS98 and RS99 which provides a connection between Ropers Lane to the east and Bell s Lane to the west. There is also the opportunity to provide connections within the development to link the proposed development with other schemes to the west, thus helping the site to integrate with surrounding residential areas. 4.2 Access Strategy Given the upper number of dwellings proposed as part of this scheme a, single access will be appropriate to serve the site, this being in the form of a priority controlled junction to be located on Stoke Road. The access has been based on guidance contained within MfS and provides for a 5.5m wide carriageway, 2 x 2m footway and 6m corner radii The dimensions suggested above will also ensure an allowance is made for the largest vehicles expected to regularly access the site, such as refuse collection vehicles, to do so in a safe manner without disruption to other road users and without over-designing (i.e. a wider carriageway or greater corner radii). 6m corner radii are generally considered to be pedestrian friendly without making turning movements difficult for vehicles In order to ensure that the proposed vehicular access is a safe design, the visibility splays have been calculated based on the stopping sight distance (SSD) for vehicles. Further details on this and other technical aspects of the access arrangement are provided in Section 4 of the TS The proposed access arrangement is illustrated in Drawing P D contained with Appendix B of the TS The design speed of the access road will be 20mph. While the internal road layout would be subject to any future detailed Reserved Matters application, it would be expected that it will be based on MfS design guidance meaning that the layout will focus on the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and 15

18 public transport users, create a sense of place and community, create permeable streets offering good quality connections and will recognise the needs of people of all ages and abilities. 4.3 Additional Access for Pedestrians and Cyclists Aside from being able to use the abovementioned vehicular access, which will include dropped kerbs at the crossing desire line to aid crossing for wheelchair and buggy users, an additional pedestrian/cycle connection will be provided to link into the residential development that lies to the west of the proposed development, allowing for a more direct connection for pedestrians/cyclists to Stoke Road from the western end of the site Additional pedestrian connections will also be provided to the PRoW RS112 that passes through the Street Farm site to the west of the proposed development. PRoW RS112 also provides a connection to PRoW RS98 and RS99. The complementary utilisation of the network of PRoW allows for direct, largely traffic-free pedestrian connections to Peninsula Way as well as Bell s Lane and the centre of the village of Hoo Provision of such accesses will enhance the site s permeability and connectivity by sustainable modes of travel. They will also help the site to integrate with the surrounding areas and is therefore compliant with the various goals of the LTP document and the various saved policies defined within the Medway Local Plan. 4.4 Parking Where the final housing mix is not known and subject to future submissions, calculations relating to detailed parking provision have not been undertaken. Reserved Matters applications will be expected to provide sufficient parking to comply with the relevant standards at the time of submission. 4.5 Summary As described in this section, the proposed vehicular and pedestrian accesses will conform to national and local policy guidance. The design of the access road will conform to the standards in MfS. As such the design will also conform to and complement several local and national policies The design reflects the MfS principles of inclusive design, shifting from focusing on designing for motor vehicles to designing streets around the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, controlling speeds, not overdesigning and creating permeable streets. These principles in turn help the site to conform to NPPF guidance including paragraph 35 in terms of giving priority to pedestrian and cycle movements, creating safe and secure layouts which minimise conflicts between traffic and cyclists or pedestrians and considers the needs of people with disabilities by all modes of transport. 16

19 5 ACCESS BY SUSTAINABLE MODES 5.1 Introduction to Sustainable Modes of Transport National and local transport planning policy centres on the importance of sustainable development meaning that new developments should be located in areas where realistic alternatives to car travel exist or can be implemented. These alternatives are walking, cycling and public transport. This section of the report will describe how accessible the site is by these sustainable modes of transport. 5.2 Access on Foot The site is located adjacent to existing residential areas and close to the centre of the village of Hoo St. Werburgh. This location provides access to the existing footways that can be found particularly in the southern verge of Stoke Road. This footway provides a continuous route to the various facilities that exist in the centre of the village and beyond Research has indicated that acceptable walking distances depend on a number of factors, including the quality of the development, the type of amenity offered, the surrounding area, and other local facilities. The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) document entitled Providing for Journeys on Foot (2000) suggests walking distances which are relevant to this application. These distances are shown in Table 5.1. Table 5.1: Suggested Acceptable Walking Distances Criteria Town Centres Commuting/School/ Elsewhere/Local (m) Sightseeing (m) Services (m) Desirable Acceptable Preferred Maximum Source: CIHT Document Providing for Journeys on Foot (2000) In order to highlight the site s accessibility on foot, an indicative walking isochrone has been produced using the Geographic Information System (GIS) software Visography TRACC. Figure 2 in Appendix A of the TS represents the site s walking catchment with the CIHT s Preferred Maximum distances of 1200m and 2000m for local service and commuting/school trips illustrated Shown within the figure is a selection of local schools, places of employment, amenities and bus stops. The village centre is also indicated as a point on the plan however this spans a large area and includes all of the facilities that would be expected within a village centre including supermarkets, hairdressers, a pharmacy, pubs and restaurants In order to provide an accurate representation of the future highway and PRoW network, the site s proposed vehicular access has been manually added to the network used for the isochrone. The accessibility distance is based on an origin/destination point in the approximate centre of the developed portion of the site. 17

20 5.2.6 Table 5.2 below summarises the distance and the typical time it would take to walk from the centre of the site to the local amenities and centres of employment and education identified in Figure 2 of Appendix A of the TS via the road and/or PRoW network. It provides a comparison against those distances recommended in the CIHT s Providing for Journeys on Foot. The time it takes is based on a walking speed of 4.8kph which corresponds with the TRACC default, which itself is based on advice in the DfT document Transport Connectivity Travel Time Indicators: Guidance Notes. Table 5.2: Distance and Walking Time Taken from Site to Local Amenities Employment/ Education/ Amenity Distance from Site (m) Preferred Max Walk Distance (m) Walk Time (mm:ss) Holy Family RC Church :56 Village Centre / :35 Hoo Village Institute :21 The Chequers PH :51 Neighbourhood Centre / :07 Library :34 General Store :54 Recreation Ground :03 St Werburgh Church :19 Allotment & Playing Fields :25 The Elms Medical Centre :21 Bowls Club :00 Walter Brice Day Centre :14 Village Hall :19 HSW Primary School :10 The Hundred of Hoo Academy :04 Swimming Baths :22 Deangate Ridge Rec Ground :56 Hoo Marina / :15 Deangate Ridge Golf Club / :20 The Windmill PH :38 Kingsnorth Industrial Estate :20 Bus Stops opp Kingsnorth Close :10 adj Kingsnorth Close :16 adj Five Bell s :50 opp Five Bell s : The results in Table 5.2 show that many of the local amenities are within the preferred maximum walking distance of 1200m. These include the village centre, Hoo Village Institute, the library and The Chequers public house. Hoo St Werburgh Primary School and The Hundred of Hoo Academy are within the preferred maximum distance for school trips (2,000m). A number of other amenities are within a 2000m walk including a general store, recreational facilities, medical centre, village hall and swimming baths. Employment opportunities are likely to exist in the village centre but also at Hoo Marina which includes a small industrial estate at a 2099m walking distance and at Kingsnorth Industrial Estate a circa 32-minute walk away, both of which may still be accessible via walking for some future residents of the site. 18

21 5.2.8 Given the evidence presented in Figure 2 of Appendix A of the TS and Table 5.2, walking can be considered to be a realistic and viable method of travel indicating that the site s location is accessible via this sustainable mode. 5.3 Access by Cycle It is widely recognised that cycling can offer an attractive alternative to short car trips, particularly those under 5km, but also as part of longer journeys by public transport The DfT s Local Transport Note 2/08 Cycle Infrastructure Design states that: The road is the most basic (and important) cycling facility available, and the preferred way of providing for cyclists is to create conditions on the carriageway where cyclists are content to use it, particularly in urban areas A cycling isochrone showing the site s catchment has also been produced using TRACC and is shown as Figure 3 in Appendix A of the TS. The figure illustrates 2000m, 5000m and 8000m catchment ranges which equate to 10, 25 and 40-minute journey times respectively which are based on the somewhat conservative or leisurely cycle speed of 12kph. Anecdotally, commuting cyclists are generally thought to travel at speeds between 15-20kph so a greater catchment may be more realistic. The cycling distances and times to a selection of key local centres of education, employment and amenities, as well as neighbouring settlements, are shown in Table 5.3, although the cycle times detailed in the table are based on a cycling speed of 16kph which corresponds with the TRACC default, which the software developer has based on DfT advice. It should be noted that some of the cycle distances differ from the walking distances as cycling along PRoWs is typically not allowed unless designated as cycleways, bridleways or byways. 19

22 Table 5.3: Distance and Cycling Time Taken from Site to Local Centres of Employment, Education, Amenities and Neighbouring Settlements Employment/ Education/ Amenity/ Settlement Distance from Site (m) Cycle Time (mm:ss) Holy Family RC Church :11 Village Centre :11 Hoo Village Institute :54 The Chequers PH :58 Library :10 General Store :53 St Werburgh Church :54 Allotment & Playing Fields :23 The Elms Medical Centre :01 Walter Brice Day Centre :22 Bowls Club :01 Recreation Ground :32 Village Hall :08 Neighbourhood Centre :05 HSW Primary School :22 The Hundred of Hoo Academy :40 Swimming Baths :08 Deangate Ridge Rec Ground :19 Hoo Marina :54 Deangate Ridge Golf Club :55 The Windmill PH :07 Kingsnorth Industrial Estate :43 Chattenden :36 High Halstow :04 Lower Upnor :38 Wainscott :11 Medway City Estate :52 Strood : Figure 3 in Appendix A of the TS and Table 5.3 above illustrate that the majority of the local amenities mentioned in the Access on Foot section above are within the 2000m catchment of the site with Hoo Marina and industrial estate, the Kingsnorth Industrial Estate and the associated amenities in the neighbouring settlements of Chattenden, High Halstow and Lower Upnor being within the 5000m catchment. Outside of the 5000m catchment but within a 30-minute cycle time are the Medway City Estate employment area and the settlement of Wainscott and Strood. Connection can be made to national rail services in Strood The catchment plan and Table 5.3 suggest that cycling will be a viable mode of travel for access to a range of local amenities and places of employment and education Clearly the site location and the surrounding infrastructure will mean that travel on foot and by cycle will be realistic and convenient modes of travel for some future residents of the site. The potential numbers of walking and cycling trips that the site will generate will be discussed in 20

23 Section 6 of this report, but clearly the scale of the site is not such that it will disadvantage existing pedestrians and cyclists, moreover, the access enhancements to the existing PRoW network in the vicinity of the site should be of benefit to existing residents The proposed site access point and dedicated pedestrian accesses will complement the existing infrastructure and provide convenient routes that will follow natural desire lines for future residents of the site. Clearly the site location and the surrounding infrastructure will mean that travel on foot and by cycle will be realistic and convenient modes of travel for future residents of the site. 5.4 Access by Public Transport The CIHT document, Planning for Public Transport in Development recommends that developments should ideally be located within 400m of a bus stop. There is a set of bus stops that can accessed from the site on Bell s Lane opposite and adjacent to Kingsnorth Close. Table 5.2 shows that these bus stops are located slightly greater than this ideal 400m distance from the site but are close to an 8-minute walk time and should therefore be seen as being accessible for future residents of the site Facilities at these stops include shelters, timetable information, seating and a raised boarding area to ease access for wheelchair and buggy users Table 5.4 below summarises the services that can be accessed via the set of bus stops on Main Road. A copy of the timetable information for all the services referenced at the time of writing are available on request or can be found via Table 5.4: Summary of Key Bus Services accessed Main Road Weekday Period Weekend Bus Route Service Inter AM PM Sat Sun Peak 1 Strood Hoo St Werburgh 1/day 0 0 6/7/9/10 Hoo School to Isle of Grain 1/day each service /193 Chatham to Grain 3/hr 3/hr 3/hr 3/hr 3/hr 692 Lower Stoke to Rochester Grammar Schools 1/day Kingsnorth-Hoo-Finsbury- Strood-London 1/day Kingsnorth-Allhallows- Hoo-Strood 1/day Kingsnorth-Hoo-Strood- London 1/day The 191/193 operated by Arriva is the main service in Hoo St Werburgh and provides a 20-minute frequency service throughout the week linking the village to Chatham, Rochester, Strood, Wainscott, High Halstow and Allhallows. School services to the Isle of Grain and Rochester can also be accessed via the bus stops on Main Road together with a number of commuter coach services to London. 21

24 5.4.5 The NPPF, at paragraph 35, states that developments should be promoted in locations where they have access to high quality public transport facilities, also emphasises at paragraph 29, that high quality in a rural location will not be the same as in urban locations. It is our opinion that the existing bus service provision in Hoo St Werburgh is appropriate and reasonable for the size of development proposed. The development, by providing good quality footway connections to the abovementioned bus stops, does exploit opportunities for the use of sustainable transport modes (paragraph 35 NPPF) To demonstrate the accessibility of bus services, an isochrone has been produced using TRACC and is shown at Figure 4 in Appendix A of the TS which highlights the destinations served by the regular daily bus services in Hoo St Werburgh. The calculation involved in producing the catchment plan includes only direct services to destinations within one hour s journey time. A greater range of destinations will be available if passengers make connections to other bus services. The isochrone was produced for the typical commuter hours of using the National Public Transport Data Repository (NPTDR) dataset from the third quarter of 2017 for a typical Monday Figure 4 in Appendix A within the TS demonstrates that the bus services adjacent to the site provide convenient connections to a number of destinations, including Strood and Rochester which can be reached within a minute journey time; Chatham and Grain in a minute journey time; Bexley within a minute journey time, Canary Wharf and City of London within a minute journey time and Central London, including Victoria Station, which can be reached within a minute journey time. Connection can also be made to national rail services in Strood and Rochester. Bus travel may therefore be a viable mode of transport and provides a reasonable choice for a number of residents of the site Strood and Rochester train stations provide access to High Speed 1 (HS1) services with two Londonbound services per hour calling at Gravesend, Ebbsfleet International, Stratford International and London St Pancras International taking between minutes to reach the final destination. Both stations also provide services to Gillingham, Ramsgate and Faversham with Strood offering services to Tonbridge and Maidstone and Rochester offering services to London Victoria and Dover Priory. 5.5 Summary This section of the report has demonstrated that the site is in a sustainable location where a range of local amenities and centres of employment and education are within nationally recognised acceptable walking and cycling distances. The local bus services provide connections to some of the main urban centres. In addition, there are bus services providing access for local schools and also longer distance coach services providing commuter options to London. This makes bus/ coach travel a viable option for some of the residents of the site A key theme of national and local transport planning policy is that development should be located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be 22

25 maximised. As detailed in Section 2 of this report, the NPPF states that the transport system needs to be balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes, giving people a real choice about how they travel and developments should provide safe and suitable access for all. It can be concluded that the proposed development accords to this NPPF guidance as well as the principles of Paragraph 35 in terms of exploiting opportunities for sustainable travel and it is located and designed to give priority to pedestrian, cycle and public transport movements. Furthermore, the production of a TP is seen by the NPPF as being a key tool to facilitate the guidance in Paragraph 36. It is felt that, in relation to Paragraph 32 of the NPPF, the opportunities for sustainable transport modes have been taken up It has been demonstrated that the site location, design and proposed improvements for pedestrians will complement the goals of the Medway LTP3 as well as Saved Policies T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 of the Medway Local Plan. 23

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27 6 TARGETS 6.1 Introduction In order for TP measures to be successfully adopted, it is important to set achievable but still somewhat challenging targets that can be monitored and reviewed at regular intervals. It is difficult to set targets at this stage as they need to be based on the actual travel characteristics of the site which will not be known until a baseline travel survey has been arranged following full occupation of the site, or an agreeable level of occupation with MC. It is expected that the house builder behind the future Reserved Matters application will arrange this baseline survey. However, as DLE have a commitment to sustainable travel and the TP process, some initial targets can be set based on the estimated trip generation of the site and existing transport modal split for the Hoo St Werburgh area. 6.2 Trip Generation As per the Land to the south of Stoke Road (MC/16/2837) TA, the trip rates have been extracted from Land to the West of Main Road Hoo (MC/14/3405) TA, the application of which was by Taylor Wimpey. The full details of the trip generation assessment are contained within the TS Paragraph 6.9 of the Taylor Wimpey TA states that MC provided trip rates locally derived from Toad Hall Crescent off Main Road Chattenden for comparison purposes. The associated trip rates were higher than the TRICS derived trip rates that were under consideration and were therefore chosen in order to provide a robust assessment. The same trips rates will be used in this assessment The vehicular trip rates derived from Toad Hall Crescent and the associated trip generation for the 65 dwellings proposed are shown in Table 6.1. Table 6.1: Locally Derived Trip Rates and Associated Trip Generation Average Trip Rates Average Trip Generation Time Arrivals Departures Totals Arrivals Departures Totals 08:00-09: :00-18: As the above table shows, the site is likely to generate in the region of 42 two-way trips in the AM peak and 49 in the PM peak. It should be noted that no allowance has been made for any future reduction in car travel based on any potential increased use of sustainable modes of travel, therefore the trip generation figures can be described as being robust for assessment purposes. 25

28 6.3 Person Trip Rates The number of non-car trips likely to be generated by the site has been forecast using 2011 Census Method of Travel to Work (MTW) data. The super output areas Medway 003C and 003D have been selected as they are the two most local output areas and include the site location with the trip ends for each method of travel downloaded from Nomis ( Several of the transport mode categories have been manually removed from the data for reasons including the observed census trips being very low (e.g. taxi), it being unrealistic that they will be used by residents of the site as the initial mode of transport (i.e. train and underground) or they will not generate a trip (i.e. not in employment and working from home) As the vehicular trips were calculated using local trip rates, factors have been derived between them and the census car driver trips (1,345). The factors equate to 3.1% for the AM peak and 3.6% for the PM peak. They have then been applied to the other census modes to forecast the likely number of multimodal trips generated by the site. A summary of these multimodal trips is shown in Table 6.2 and the original census data from Nomis is included in Appendix D in the TS. Table 6.2: Forecast Multimodal Person Trips Method of Travel to Work Medway 003C Medway 003D Sum AM Trips PM Trips AM Mode % PM Mode % Bus, minibus or coach % 4.8% Motorcycle/scooter/moped % 1.6% Driving a car or van , % 79.0% Passenger in a car or van % 6.5% Bicycle % 1.6% On foot % 6.5% All Modes 1, , % 100.0% Factors 3.1% 3.6% Based on the results in Table 6.2, the site is forecast to generate 52 and 62 total people trips in the AM and PM peaks respectively. Following driving a car being the most frequent method of travel likely to be used by residents of the site, equating to 80%, walking trips will account for 4 trips in both peaks, equating to 8% of trips in the AM and 7% of trips in the PM. This will be followed by car passenger trips which will account for 3 and 4 trips equating to 6% and 6.5% of trips in the AM and PM respectively. The remaining 6-8% will be made up of public transport passengers, motorcyclists and cyclists. 26

29 6.4 Modal Shift Targets In line with national travel plan guidance, targets should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound). At this stage in the TP process, the most suitable way to set targets will be to suggest a reduction in car or van driver trips with an increase in trips on foot, bike, bus, and as a passenger in a car or van trips It is generally accepted that a reduction in car or van driver trips of between 5 to 10% is both realistic and challenging and DLE feel that this 5 to 10% should be split across the non-car driver modes of transport mentioned above based on their existing proportions. These modes are considered to be sustainable Table 6.3 displays the initial targets for the AM and PM peak, utilising the forecast modal splits shown in Table 6.2 as the base situation. The green font represents a percentage increase with the red font representing a percentage decrease. It is considered that these initial targets should be achievable within five years of full occupation of the site. These are presented as the targets for 5 years post development, presuming full occupation of the site. Table 6.3: Modal Split Targets for Five Years Post Full Occupation User Class Mode % AM Peak PM Peak 5% 10% 5% 10% Bus, minibus or coach 4.5% 5.6% 6.8% 5.6% 6.8% Motorcycle/scooter/moped 1.8% 2.3% 2.8% 2.3% 2.8% Driving a car or van 79.9% 74.9% 69.9% 74.9% 69.9% Passenger in a car or van 5.8% 7.2% 8.6% 7.2% 8.6% Bicycle 1.0% 1.2% 1.4% 1.2% 1.4% On foot 7.0% 8.8% 10.5% 8.8% 10.5% Total People 100% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Table 6.3 presents the AM and PM peak targets for the reduction on single occupancy car use. The 10% targets show 10.5% of total trips could be made on foot, 8.6% as a passenger in a car, 6.8% via bus and 1.4% via bicycle; with the reduction in driving a car or van to 69.9%. The most viable forms of sustainable journeys for future residents therefore appear to be focused on the ability to walk to local amenities, or accessing local urban centres via existing bus services It is hoped that the TP co-ordinator, to be discussed in the next section, will arrange a repeat travel survey after this five-year timescale to assess whether the targets have been achieved, then new targets can be established. Timescales can also be set for further surveys and targets We recommend that the initial targets are adjusted based on the baseline travel survey as this will provide more accurate, up-to-date and site-specific travel patterns rather than using 2011 census data. 27