TransHub-RTP is an innovative and effective monitoring and management tool to assess the impact over time that new developments have on an authorities transport infrastructure.
Travel planning is now widely recognised as a valuable and effective tool in cutting traffic, especially for workplaces and schools, this being supported by the strong evidence base within iTRACE. Historically, the role of Residential Travel Plans has been less well established, with a lack of robust monitoring data and no standardised approach to evaluating their effects on encouraging sustainable travel. There is now an emerging interest and increasing demand on developers to implement and monitor Travel Plans for new residential developments as part of planning permission for new developments (S106 agreement).
The main intentions of RTPs are to:
- Ensure that residents have access to a full range of local transport facilities, without having to rely on cars
- Influence travel choices for residents journeys at the point of origin
- Reduce the amount of traffic generated by the development to a significantly lower level than it would if there was not a travel plan in place
- Promote healthy lifestyles and welcoming local communities
- Promote permeable urban design for walkers and cyclists
- Address site-specific problems as identified in the site’s Transport Assessment (DfT, 2005)
Both the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL) recognise the benefits of RTP with the DfT’s document ‘Making Residential Travel Plans Work’ stating that ‘residential travel plans offer genuine benefits for developers, for new occupiers and local authorities.’ For London specifically, TfL’s 'Best Practice Guidance' highlights the need for RTPs to help manage the transport impacts that will arise from the strong demand for housing in the next 15-20 years due to an ever increasing population. Furthermore the London Plan highlights the important role RTPs will have in the development of sustainable communities and in supporting policies and objectives (such as high quality/capacity accessible public transport, higher density development in a compact city) and climate change.
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