Transport

When is transport infrastructure required?

Development proposals will need to include the provision of necessary transport infrastructure to meet the needs of the development. Where the local highway network cannot absorb additional traffic then planning permission may be refused unless the council can be satisfied that necessary improvements will be completed in order to serve the development.

Before buying a site or making a planning application we recommend that developers discuss the precise requirements with the Planning Applications Team or Kent Highway Services.

What is a Transport Assessment?

If the development is acceptable in all other respects, the developer will be required to provide, pay for, or contribute towards, the necessary improvements to the transport system. A Transport Assessment (TA) will be required where a new development is likely to have significant transport implications. 

A Transport Assessment (TA) sets out transport issues relating to a proposed development. The scope and detail of a TA will vary depending on the site location, scale and nature of the development, but should address the following issues:

1. Reducing the need to travel especially by car
2. Promote accessibility by public transport, cycling and walking
3. Dealing with remaining car journeys to and from the site
4. Mitigation measures – physical highway measures or public transport, walking and cycling solutions

What is a Transport Statement?

In some cases, the transport issues arising out of development proposals may not require a full Transport Assessment (TA). In these instances, it has become common practice to produce a simplified report in the form of a Transport Statement (TS).

A Transport Statement is required when the proposed development is expected to generate relatively low numbers of trips or traffic flows, with minor transport impacts. A transport statement will need to set out:

• How accessible the development is by all modes of transport;
• Whether the site access can accommodate any predicted level of traffic; and
• What measures can be undertaken to encourage travel by walking, cycling and public transport

What is a Travel Plan?

Developers will be expected to include methods to reduce car dependence and single car occupancy as part of their development and to encourage travel by walking, cycling and public transport. This will be set out within a Travel Plan or for small developments a Travel Plan Statement. It may include compensatory measures to be provided by the developer if objectives are not met.

Travel Plans are an important tool for promoting sustainable travel e.g. walking, cycling, public transport, and help reduce single occupancy car use. They also encourage effective use of current transport networks and support their enhancement.

Travel Plans are used to secure the provision of sustainable travel choices, both to new developments and to extensions of existing sites, whatever their use.  It is possible that a Travel Plan may allow otherwise harmful transport impacts to be sufficiently reduced for planning permission to be granted.

When is a Travel Plan required?

Travel Plans should be submitted alongside planning applications which are likely to have significant transport implications, including those for:

• Major developments
• Smaller developments:
• In or near an air quality management area
• New and expanded school facilities
• If the transport network cannot accommodate additional traffic
• If the development exceeds the minimum threshold for the requirement of a travel plan

What should be included in a Travel Plan?

How is a Travel Plan monitored?

Following implementation of the Travel Plan regular monitoring of the targets and indicators will be required. Compensatory measures will need to be provided by the developer if targets are not met, which may include financial contributions for transport infrastructure improvements.

A robust monitoring and review strategy must be incorporated within the Travel Plan and agreed with the District Council and Kent Highway Services. A baseline situation needs to be set, against which monitoring results will be judged.

A Travel Plan may be monitored for an agreed period up to and including the lifetime of the development. A one-off monitoring fee may be payable for major developments, to be agreed by the developer and payable to the District Council. This is to meet the cost of ongoing administration, monitoring and support for the Travel Plan over the agreed monitoring period.

How are transport improvements provided?

In addition to Travel Plan targets, additional transport improvements may be required. These can be delivered either by the developer or by Kent County Council with a financial contribution from the developer, and may include the following measures:

• Provision or improvement of road network
• Traffic calming
• Public transport improvement
• Cycle/walking network provision or improvement
• Promoting or establishing car share schemes
• Enhancing train/bus interchanges and the links to them
• Marketing alternative transport modes
• Shared parking provision in town centres

What is the need for transport infrastructure?

National Transport Objectives:

1. Promote more sustainable transport choices
2. Promote accessibility to jobs, shopping, leisure facilities and services by public transport, walking and cycling
3. Reduce the need to travel, especially by car

(As set out in Planning Policy Guidance 13: Transport: 2001)

Transport is a critical factor in the council’s aspirations for sustainable economic regeneration. Thanet is a compact, highly urbanised district, with a relatively low level of car ownership and a high proportion of low-income groups and older people. This group has been disadvantaged, as the car has become increasingly necessary to access a range of goods and services.

A reliable and efficient transport system is therefore essential to:

• support continued economic growth
• generate a more diverse local economy
• provide the Thanet’s citizens with convenient day-to-day access to services and jobs

Thanet District Council’s objectives for transport are:

1. To promote safe and efficient transport systems, supporting sustainable economic regeneration and enabling Thanet citizens to conveniently access services and facilities
2. To introduce effective traffic management to safeguard Thanet’s environment and quality of life
3. To guide location of new development and infrastructure in order to reduce the need to travel, promote use of environmentally friendly means of travel, and reduce reliance on private cars, especially for local journeys
4. To support development promoting sustainable travel
5. To secure the provision of satisfactory transport infrastructure to meet existing and future patterns of movement
6. To promote high standards of road safety, accident reduction and safe convenient movement of pedestrians and cyclists.

What is our transport policy?

The South East Plan’s vision is for:

• a high quality transport system
• continued economic growth
• improved quality of life for all

The Sustainable Community Strategy’s vision of East Kent is for:

The aim of Policy TR3 of the Thanet Local Plan is to:

• provide for necessary and relevant transport infrastructure, based on an assessment of:
• the development’s impact on the capacity and safety of the transport network
• any social and economic impacts arising from the proposal

Next page:  Affordable Housing

• Aim of the guide and What is required? 
• When are planning obligations required?
• Transport      
• Affordable Housing 
• Leisure and Recreation
• Education
• Adult Social Services
• What about economic viability

Development Services

E-mail: planning.services@
thanet.gov.uk

Tel: 01843 577150

or 01843 577127