Post-planning Travel Plans–cost-effective implementation
Travel Plans are in the suite of documents needed for planning applications where a Transport Assessment is produced. Senior Travel Planner, Anna Mahoney, has worked with property developers creating, costing and implementing Travel Plans for a decade. Here, she explains how Motion helps fulfil post-planning Travel Plan obligations in the most cost-efficient way.
The National Planning Policy Framework describes a Travel Plan as “a long-term management strategy for an organisation or site that seeks to deliver sustainable transport objectives.” Accordingly, Travel Plans include a range of long-term measures to encourage and promote the use of more sustainable modes of transport such as walking, wheeling, cycling, bus and train travel. Securing approval of your scheme with an associated Travel Plan, or acquiring a site with an approved Travel Plan, leads to the need to implement that plan, as required by a planning condition or a Section 106 Agreement.
Once a scheme has been approved, the challenge for the developer will be practical implementation of the Travel Plan. Motion provides pragmatic advice to clients about their post-planning commitments and obligations and will deliver the essential, critical elements of the Travel Plan in a timely, cost-effective manner, balancing the commercial needs of the developer with the requirements of the local planning authority.
Post-planning delivery
Through the provision of information and financial incentives, post-planning delivery ensures that changing modes of transport is made easier for site occupants and encourages adoption of new travel behaviours.
Motion can supply bespoke branded travel information packs which include details of local amenities, walking and cycling routes, community transport, rail and bus service information and, in some instances, even isochrone maps. A complete package of administrative support will be provided for travel voucher schemes. Vouchers provide reimbursement for expenditure towards sustainable travel items, such as purchasing a bike or investing in a bus or train season ticket.
Depending on the requirements of the local planning authority, we will advise clients on the data collection and reporting processes they are obliged to follow. This can include vehicular and multi-modal traffic counts, car parking and cycle parking surveys or travel questionnaires. Through close working relationships with professional survey companies and by utilising in-house survey design expertise, Motion provides scheme-specific monitoring programmes. Securing planning authority sign-off of the Travel Plan will ultimately be achieved by expert presentation of the monitoring data.
Talk to Motion
With a deep understanding of the needs of all parties involved, Motion is adept at working with developers to help meet and deliver optimal, cost-effective outcomes for their travel planning obligations. If you require travel planning assistance for your next scheme, whether for a planning application, discharging conditions or meeting Section 106 obligations, contact Anna Mahoney today on 01483 531300 or email amahoney@motion.co.uk
Travel planning expertise at a glance:
Motion provides travel planning support at all stages of the planning application and post-planning process for residential, commercial and industrial developments. Our full range of services include:
During the application process
- Local authority liaison
- Co-ordination with Transport Assessment production
- Data analysis
- Report preparation
- Promotion of active travel infrastructure
Post-planning delivery
- Travel information provision
- Travel voucher administration
- Commissioning and designing Travel Plan monitoring travel surveys
- Impact monitoring
- Implementation reporting
