Draft Core Strategy (incorporating Preferred Options) October 2010
Draft Core Strategy (incorporating Preferred Options)
Generic District Wide Modal Shift
10.8 These District wide measures are aimed at reducing single car occupancy, the need to travel or encouraging the use of more sustainable travel or alternative fuels where travel is necessary. They include:
a. Improving transport choice through raising awareness and encouraging travel to work and school by public transport, cycling and walking. This can be achieved through the provision of Travel Information Packs that include:
- Car share schemes – details of benefits and how to join;
- Local bus information – timetable & maps of nearest routes and interchanges (including interchange with rail) and details connecting local bus, and longer distance travel such as express coach and trains;
- Maps showing local footpaths and cycle ways, bus stops, and location of facilities such as health, education, shops, employment, churches, recreation & leisure;
- Details of cycle training, cycle/equipment sales & repairs, cycle clubs and health benefits;
- Information on the health benefits of walking.
The information required to produce these Information Packs is available either on line or through SCC (Transporting Somerset or ‘Moving Somerset Forward’). The requirement to provide Travel Information Packs should apply to all new residential and employment developments.
b. Encouraging the use of electric cars through the provision of an external 13 amp charging point adjacent to each parking space and within the curtilage of the site. Similarly garages within the development should also include a 13-amp socket to enable vehicle charging. The requirement to provide charging points for electric cars should apply to all residential and employment developments
c. A Green Travel Voucher for use on sustainable transport to an agreed amount per dwelling to be made available to each set of occupants repeated to a maximum of three tenures per unit offered at the first occupation of each tenure and continually for 5 years following the first occupation of each unit. Similarly for employment sites a Green Travel Voucher should be provided for each employee at commencement of employment. In respect of public transport the vouchers should be arranged through Transporting Somerset (the public transport section at SCC), should be non-operator specific and should be available for exchange for passes for one year’s travel on local bus routes, including Demand Responsive Routes within a 10 mile radius of site, but to or from a destination in Somerset (to encourage interchange). The requirement to provide Green Travel Vouchers should apply to all new residential and employment developments
d. Encouragement to work from home applying to all residential development through improved design and by enabling easier access to Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). These should include:
- Designed-in specific work area (e.g. space for desk, computer, phone);
- Broadband connections.
e. Improved public transport connections should be made by developments in Market Towns, Rural Centres and villages increasing accessibility through enhancements to either existing conventional bus routes, existing Demand Responsive Transport Schemes or the provision of new services and new bus stops, bus timetables and bus shelters. The developer should provide funding for these commensurate with the size of the site to enable good on-going connections with the public transport network. The requirement for direct contributions to public transport should apply to residential developments of 10 dwellings or more and employment sites with a floor space greater than 1000 sqm and the appropriate level of contributions will be sought through planning obligations. (see Policies SS6-SS8)
f. Further travel planning measures over and above those delivered in the above list of promoted measures, commensurate with the size and location of the site and in relation to land use site thresholds set out in the tables in the Travel Plan Policy TA2.
g. Ensuring that sustainable travel habits are established from the start. This means that sustainable transport measures need to be in place and operational at first occupancy.
Policy TA1 Low Carbon Travel
All new residential and employment developments in South Somerset should:
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Provide Travel Information Packs
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Provide for the charging of electric vehicles with an external 13-amp charging point adjacent to each parking space and within the curtilage of the site. Garages within the development should also include a 13-amp socket.
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Provide a Green Travel Voucher for each occupier/employee for 1 year for use on sustainable transport
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Include Travel Plans (commensurate with Policy TA2)
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Ensure that sustainable transport measures are in place and operational concurrent with first occupancy.
Additionally, developments of all new residential dwellings should:
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Enable ease of working from home by providing a designed in specific work area with Broadband connections.
Residential developments of 10 dwellings or more and employment sites with a floor space greater than 1000 sq m should also:
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Deliver improved public transport connections increasing accessibility through enhancements to either existing conventional bus routes or existing Demand Responsive Transport schemes or the provision of new services and new bus stops, bus timetables and bus shelters commensurate with the scale of the development that enable good on-going connections with the public transport network. The developer will be required to enter into a planning obligation in accordance with Policy SS7 to ensure provision of such facilities, which shall be provided prior to first occupation of the new development.
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