The Scoping Study

A Transport Scoping Study is an initial appraisal consultation with the Local Highway Authority designed to set out background data and to agree the methodology for the Transport Assessment/Transport Statement. The data gathered at this stage will form the basis of the Transport Assessment/Transport Statement.  Each Transport Scoping Study is unique to the specific development proposal and existing site conditions.  Preliminary feasibility work in developing a Transport Scoping Study and Transport Assessment/Transport Statement will require a site visit to observe existing highway conditions and to record critical highway measurements. Photographic and other records are usually made. As part of this preliminary work, information may be gathered (depending on the scale of development) which will include:-

• Existing sustainable transport infrastructure in the vicinity of the site including walking, cycling and public transport provision
• Vehicle speed survey used to determine appropriate forward and junction visibility requirements.  Vehicle speeds are recorded on site using radar or laser vehicle detection devices.  At least 100 vehicle speeds are usually required in each direction
• Traffic survey of vehicle movements on the highway network at key locations and junctions.  Traffic surveys are either manual using enumerators or automatic using video or automatic traffic count (ATC) methods. Traffic surveys usually cover the network peak hour periods for a typical weekday AM and PM and sometimes the weekend peak hour scenario in the case of retail and some leisure developments
• Identify highway development constraints both from on site assessment and using Council records including highway boundary records, limits of adoption and definitive/public rights of way information. All these are usually obtained from the Local Authority and have an administrative charge.  A more detailed assessment would also include a consultation with utility companies (BT, water, gas, electric, cable etc) to identify equipment in the vicinity of the development site.  Utility equipment can be prohibitively expensive to move, or be protected, if affected by a development access or design and early consultation can help to inform the design process.  Obtaining utility information usually incurs administrative charges for the supply of plans and budget costs to divert affected equipment from the utility companies.

The Department for Transport Guidance on Transport Assessment March 2007 sets out specific guidance on the areas to be addressed in a Transport Assessment and following these the Transport Scoping Study pre-planning consultation will include:

• Planning policy context and the type/scale of development
• Provisional means of access, servicing and parking
• Previous land use and historic traffic generation from the development site
• Person trip generations and trip distribution methodologies and/or assumptions
• Catchments or study area for the proposed development
• Identify committed development.  This is development in the vicinity of the site which has an extant planning consent but is not yet built or operational and would have a material impact on local traffic conditions. In some instances it may be the case that current but undetermined planning applications are also asked to be considered as part of the appraisal
• Scope of road accident investigation. Personal Injury Accident records are obtained from the local recording authority and the information usually incurs a fixed administration charge
• Existing traffic flows and network peak hour periods
• Assessment years – year of opening and horizon year(s) including traffic growth factors from the traffic count year to the assessment years, to take account of traffic growth on the highway network.

The above list is not exhaustive and there may be additional issues that are site specific and reflect local conditions, as well as other material considerations.