Pre-Planning Application

Traffic Modelling and Travel Plan

Traffic Modelling of the preliminary design of any new junctions or junction upgrades that may be required is carried out in the Transport Assessment using various bespoke software packages such as JUNCTIONS (PICADY & ARCADY), LINSIG and TRANSYT. These software packages are used as a tool to determine the suitability of the junction arrangements and the potential effects of development traffic. Where the assessments suggest that development traffic may have a detrimental impact on the safe and effective operation of the highway, highway improvements or additional mitigation measures may be required to reduce the level of impact of the development.

The Travel Plan or Travel Plan Framework

For developments that will generate significant traffic movements on the transport network, the Transport Assessment should be accompanied by a Travel Plan which will usually aim to minimise the level of single occupancy vehicle trips generated by the development. Travel Plans are an increasingly important tool in the delivery of sustainable development and it is normal for the Travel Plan to be devised in conjunction with the Local Planning Authority. It should be bespoke to the development and its locality, and will work to local and national accessibility standards

The Travel Plan should include an audit of existing arrangements for access by sustainable travel, and include measures and initiatives to promote the use of sustainable travel options. The Travel Plan will set out the role of the Travel Plan Coordinator, who may be the Highway Engineer, who will be required as part of the Travel Plan to be appointed and to remain in post throughout the life of the development.

The Travel Plan will set out the base line survey requirements that should be carried out to determine existing travel patterns for staff and visitors, and will make reference to annual travel surveys that are normally required to monitor the success of the Travel Plan measures, and should include reporting procedures to feedback information to the Local Planning Authority so the Travel Plan can be continually developed and remain relevant as travel patterns may change over time.

A Travel Plan Framework follows the same lines as a Travel Plan but is usually employed where the end users or occupiers of the development are not known at the planning application stage. The measures set out in the Travel Plan Framework are then used to devise the final Travel Plan, which is normally required as a condition of the planning approval, and must be implemented no later than first occupation of the development.