2006-2011 LTP Annex 2

Introduction

Obtaining community commitment is essential to achieving the objectives of this Strategy and, in particular to achieving the changes in travel habits that it envisages. Promotional activities offer an opportunity to achieve these changes; indeed, they are an essential part of the overall strategy.

Objective

The main objective of this strategy is to reduce the impact of the car on the environment by promoting and encouraging different ways of travelling.

The Strategy

Introduction

We are particularly targeting the journey to school, the journey to work and travel for work. Trips to school or work account for a significant number of journeys each day. Many school trips are relatively short and could be made on foot or by bicycle. The number of car trips to work could also be reduced by car sharing or using public transport, walking and cycling.

We will work towards the above objective by using Travel Plans and the Safer Routes to Schools initiative, supporting both by the TravelWise campaign.  We will also continue to seek examples of good practice and keep abreast of current research such as the ‘Smarter Choices’ report.

Actions contained within the Countryside Access and Rights of Way Improvement Plan will support this strategy by encouraging use of the public rights of way network.

Travel Plans

A reduction in road traffic will be sought by:

• Implementing measures from the latest Green Transport Plan for County Council staff to continue to set an example to others;
• Promoting the development and implementation of Travel Plans for major traffic generators such as schools, colleges, universities, District Councils, major employers (employing over 50 people), hospitals, major out of town retail developments and leisure facilities; and,
• Requiring the development and implementation of Travel Plans for new non-residential development proposals that would be major traffic generators or attractors.

Transport Plan for the County Council

We are implementing our second Green Transport Plan for the County Council to continue to set an example to other organisations and to gain experience of the practical difficulties organisations will face in implementing a plan in order that we can advise them how to overcome them.

The Plan contains either firm proposals or proposals for further investigation for the journey to work, employee conditions of service, business travel and the Council’s vehicle fleet.  The objectives of the Plan are:

• To reduce the number of journeys to work by car;
• To reduce the use of all forms of motorised transport for County Council business;
• To increase the use of low emission and clean fuel vehicles in the Council fleet; and
• To implement a Travel Plan that will be embraced by staff.

Target

To implement all measures in the 2004 Plan by 2009 and renew the Plan at that stage.

Travel Plans for Existing Major Employers and New Developments

Interest in the issue to date has been expressed by District Councils and the local Health Authority.  It is proposed to focus initially on these public sector organisations.  Other significant traffic generators will also be targeted, including retail, leisure and tourist sites.  At present, the County Council only has powers to compel existing employers to implement sustainable transport initiatives when they apply for planning permission. However, we will continue to promote travel plans to all organisations as a means of reducing car usage. We will offer advice and encouragement to those organisations expressing an interest in drawing up a travel plan, and will liaise with them and with public transport operators to maximise the effectiveness of their plans. The knowledge gained in implementing our own Green Transport Plan will help us to understand the problems other employers will face.

They should consider the traffic implications of journeys by staff to and from work, business travel, travel by visitors, people’s safety and security when travelling by various modes, deliveries, travel by contractors and the use of fleet vehicles.

Each Travel Plan must comply with our Practice Note for Developers in Warwickshire. Our Practice Note specifies:

• The Target - Car/employee ratio of 58 to 65% for new developments. Existing developments, where the above cannot be applied, must achieve a 10% reduction in the car/employee ratio over that which existed before the development took place.
• The Contribution - £4.50 per day for each employee car by which the target is missed, plus a further 10% of the contribution is added for administration charges.
• Monitoring Requirements - The occupier must carry out monitoring within one month of the occupation date and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th anniversaries of that date. The occupier must have the information audited and supply it to WCC.
• Provisions for speculative developments - Target, contribution and monitoring apply separately to each occupier and must be included in S106. Preliminary plan required for planning application.

School Travel Plans & Safer Routes to Schools

More details concerning travel to school are given in the Safer Routes to School/School Travel Plans Strategy.

School Travel Plans & Safer Routes to Schools are designed to reduce car use for the school journey, thereby reducing traffic congestion and pollution, especially in urban areas. As well as benefiting from a safer journey to school, children will benefit from improvements in health and independence as a result of reduced dependence on cars for the journey to school.

Those that complete a Travel Plan can apply to the DfT to receive funding to implement some of their Travel Plan proposals.

We will enter into partnerships with schools to deliver these programmes. School Travel Plans can only be implemented when an active partnership exists.  The Safer Routes to Schools initiative is likely to be more successful when applied to schools that are active partners. 

The Safer Routes to Schools initiative is a key element of Warwickshire’s Road Safety Strategy, plays an important role in the Cycling and Walking Strategies and is included in the County Council’s developers’ design guide “Transport and Roads for Developments: The Warwickshire Guide 2001.” 

The School Transport Advisory Group (STAG) suggests a national target for 2010 to reduce the level of car use to that recorded in the mid 1980's (16%). School journey data for this date is not available for Warwickshire, but the 1999 survey indicates that current levels of car usage are above national levels (37% compared to 29% nationally). Using STAG’s target as a guide and bearing in mind the need to reverse the current upward trend in car trips, the following targets have been set.

Target

To maintain the proportion of car (sole passenger) journeys to school at 2005/06 levels (15%).

TravelWise

The main aims of the Warwickshire TravelWise campaign are:

• To raise the awareness of the environmental, economic and social benefits of travelling by foot, bicycle, motorcycle and public transport;
• To encourage socially responsible car use;
• To promote more sustainable modes of travel and lifestyles which require less travel; and
• To increase the number of walkers, cyclists, motorcyclists, public transport users and car sharers.