14 Transport and accessibility

14 Transport and accessibility

National policy

14.1 Transport issues should be considered using a vision-led approach to identify transport solutions that deliver well-designed, sustainable places, identifying and pursuing opportunities to promote walking, cycling and public transport use (NPPF paragraph 109).

14.2 Significant development should be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, through limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes, recognising that solutions will vary between urban and rural areas (NPPF, paragraph 110).

14.3 If setting local parking standards, Local Plan policies should take into account accessibility and type of development, availability of public transport, car ownership levels and the need for electric vehicle (EV) charging (NPPF, paragraph 112). 

14.4 Maximum parking standards should only be set where they are necessary for managing the local road network, or for optimising the density of development in city and town centres and other locations that are well served by public transport. In town centres, local authorities should seek to improve the quality of parking so that it is convenient, safe and secure, alongside measures to promote accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists (NPPF, paragraph 113). 

14.5 Local authorities should ensure that in assessing sites that may be allocated for development, sustainable transport modes are prioritised taking account of the vision for the site, type of development and location, safe and suitable access for all users and any significant impacts can be mitigated through a vision-led approach (NPPF, paragraph 115).

Evidence base

• Local Transport Plan 4: Evidence base(in preparation)
  
• Local Transport Plan 4: Vision and Objectives (in preparation)
  
• Revised Parking Standards SPD
  
• Travel Planning Guidance SPD
  

Key issues

• Public transport is inconsistent across Cheshire West and Chester, and transport links between the Chester-Ellesmere Port corridor in the west and the Northwich-Winsford corridor in the east are particularly poor. 
• There is a picture of falling bus services and patronage and high levels of car ownership, meaning congestion, and improving access to public and community transport for those without a car remains an issue. However, we need to acknowledge that car travel will remain the preferred mode of transport in some areas of the borough.
• The Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) is currently being prepared, that will set out the needs, challenges, priorities, and objectives for transport throughout Cheshire West. The working vision of which is for “A fairer and more sustainable transport system which enables a stronger, thriving future for all communities of Cheshire West and Chester by 2040.”
• Reducing carbon emissions from transport and achieving a net zero-carbon transport system by 2045, and making sure our transport networks are able to cope with a rapidly changing environment. 
• Ensuring everyone has access to a real choice of transport mode to travel to employment, education, health, social and leisure activities, supporting active travel and public transport over private motor vehicles.
• Within settlements, it is considered beneficial to maximise opportunities for people to meet their regular day-to-day needs near to where they live and/or work, within a reasonable walking distance of their homes (and/or workplace).
• The challenge will be in adopting a vision-led approach, where all activity is directed at achieving our vision for a fairer and more sustainable transport system which enables a stronger, thriving future. 
• This is opposed to an approach which is based on attempting to predict future demand and provide network capacity to accommodate this demand, ignoring the role which this additional capacity itself plays in shaping this future demand.

Current adopted policy

Suggested policy approach

14.6 We will promote the co-location of new development, community services, and sustainable transport hubs with good access to walking, cycling and public transport, ensuring developments achieve a high level of integrated connectivity. This aligns with the general approach taken by the current Local Plan policies. This would mean updating Local Plan (Part One) policy STRAT 10, as set out below:

14.7 Current Local Plan (Part One) policies STRAT 7 and STRAT 10 and Local Plan (Part Two) policies  EP 1, N 5, T 1, T 2, T 3, T 4, T 5, and DM 37 set out a range of actions, allocations, routes, schemes and local transport infrastructure priorities that are promoted/safeguarded from development. 

14.8 Depending on the spatial strategy option taken forward for the new Local Plan, and subject to carrying out the necessary future transport and movement assessments for clusters of growth, some of the schemes may need to be included, amended or deleted, as listed below: