North Yorkshire Council

Executive Members

28 April 2023

Travel Plan Monitoring Fee

Report of the Assistant Director – Highways and Transportation

1.0 PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1        To seek the approval of the Corporate Director of Environment, in consultation with the Executive Member for Highways and Transportation, for:

i.        The publication of new guidance for developers relating to the Travel Plan review and monitoring process to be used in all relevant planning applications received after the 1 May 2023.

ii.       Introduction of a Local Highway Authority charging schedule for Travel Plan Monitoring, to be utilised in Local Highway Authority planning recommendations, for the consideration of the Local Planning Authority to attach to planning recommendations as part of Section 106 agreements made under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990), to be applicable from the 1 May 2023.    

2.0 BACKGROUND

2.1       Travel Plans are long-term management strategies for integrating proposals for sustainable travel into the planning process. They are based on evidence of the anticipated transport impacts of development and set measures to promote and encourage sustainable travel (such as promoting walking and cycling). They should not, however, be used as an excuse for unfairly penalising drivers and cutting provision for cars in a way that is unsustainable and could have negative impacts on the surrounding streets.

2.2       Travel Plans should where possible, be considered in parallel to development proposals and readily integrated into the design and occupation of the new site rather than retrofitted after occupation.

2.3       Where there may be more effective or sustainable outcomes, and in order to mitigate the impact of the proposed development, consideration may be given to travel planning over a wider area.

2.4       Travel Plans, Transport Assessments and Statements can positively contribute to:

· encouraging sustainable travel;

· lessening traffic generation and its detrimental impacts;

· reducing carbon emissions and climate impacts;

· creating accessible, connected, inclusive communities;

· improving health outcomes and quality of life;

· improving road safety; and

· reducing the need for new development to increase existing road capacity or provide new roads.

2.5       They support national planning policy which sets out that planning should actively manage patterns of growth in order to make the fullest possible use of public transport, walking and cycling, and focus significant development in locations which are or can be made sustainable.

2.6       Government policy on parking is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. Travel Plans, Assessments and Statements can also be important tools to improve the quality of town centre parking (and where, necessary to improve the vitality of town centres, the quantity too).

2.7       Local planning authorities must make a judgement as to whether a proposed development would generate significant amounts of movement on a case by case basis (ie significance may be a lower threshold where road capacity is already stretched or a higher threshold for a development which proposes no car parking in an area of high public transport accessibility). This is done in partnership with the Local Highway Authority, as statutory consultee to the planning process.

2.8       In determining whether a Travel Plan will be needed for a proposed development the local planning authorities should take into account the following considerations:

· the Travel Plan policies (if any) of the Local Plan;

· the scale of the proposed development and its potential for additional trip generation (smaller applications with limited impacts may not need a Travel Plan);

· existing intensity of transport use and the availability of public transport;

· proximity to nearby environmental designations or sensitive areas.

2.9       The Local Highway Authority is a statutory consultee to the planning process and

offers its recommendations to the Local Planning Authority.  The Travel Plan is an important document in permitting the Local Highway Authority to understand movement around a site.  Whether the Travel Plan is implemented correctly has the potential to impact upon the wider highway network and the highway being adopted under the application, so it is important that resource is available to the Local Highway Authority to ensure this work can be undertaken and the implementation of the Travel Plan can be supported by the Local Highway Authority.

3.0       North Yorkshire Context

3.1       Historically, Travel Plans associated with development in North Yorkshire were reviewed technically alongside the Transport Assessment, by the Local Highway Authority Transport and Development Team.

3.2       Over the last few years, the focus on sustainable travel has significantly increased. The introduction of LTN1/20 and shift towards using a “Decide and Provide” approach, from a “predict and provide” approach with regards to trip rates, (which means, in brief, that developments should be positively seeking to contain car trips to a decided number on the network, as opposed to mitigating the projected impacts of the development meaning trip rates are free to rise exponentially as long as highway provision can be made to accommodate them) means that the Local Highway Authority must seek clear and robust intentions from developers as to how sustainable travel is considered as part of the development planning process.

3.3       The weight of the Travel Plan then has heightened, because this is the document that sets out how people will use the highway network and move around and from the site.

3.4       The council has responded to this heightened approach to sustainable travel planning by introducing travel plan auditing and monitoring into the role of the Sustainable Travel Officers in the Road Safety and Travel Awareness Team. This has meant that a more focussed approach can be taken to the assessment and review of travel plans accordingly.

3.5       To ensure the team has a consistent and clear approach to travel plans, guidance relating to the production of travel plans has been developed. The Sustainable Travel Officers, working alongside the development management team, will use the guidance to ensure that travel plans are deliverable and ambitious. It is anticipated that the guidance can be introduced following the decision of this committee.

3.6       A copy of the guidance, which is split into distinct Residential and Business documents given the difference in approach required, is available in Appendix A.

4.0       Charging

4.1       Travel plan contributions are secured under a planning obligation under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act (1990).

4.2       The Local Highway Authority makes recommendation to the Local Planning Authority in its statutory response to the planning application when it is considered that a fee is required to undertake the monitoring work associated with the plan, to cover the reasonable costs to the authority. 

4.3       Historically, the Development Management Team has recommended monitoring fees on a case-by-case basis, typically to the value of £5k per development, through s106 agreement.

4.4       As the work surrounding travel plans has developed, it has become increasingly clear that a “one size fits all” approach to cover the costs to the council needs a revision.

4.5       In order to understand the national and regional context surrounding charges, comparator data has been sourced from other similar local authority areas. This data is presented in Table One below.

Authority	Contribution required for Travel Plan Monitoring
Darlington Borough Council	£2850 (Officer time at £570 p.a.)
Cumbria County Council	£6600 (Officer time at £1320 p.a.)
Leeds City Council	Up to 100 units or employees = £3375 (£675 p.a.) £1.35 per unit or employee thereafter up to a maximum of £27,012 (£5402 p.a)
Hampshire County Council	Modest (Planning app fees <£11k) = £5000 Major (Planning app fees >£11k) = £15,000

Table One: Costs demonstrated by neighbouring and comparator Councils.

4.6       As is demonstrated there is little consistency both regionally and with comparator councils in terms of how costs are applied.

4.7       The value of the monitoring fee is there to cover the costs incurred to the authority for undertaking the associated work. It is therefore proposed to introduce a scale of charges for recommendation to be secured through 106 agreements, which is proportionate to the size of the development and therefore reflective of the work that is required to audit and monitor the associated plan.

4.8       In terms of applying fees that cover the costs of monitoring travel plans, it would be reliant upon a fixed advanced fee, given the nature of section 106 agreement. Options considered for charging are demonstrated below:

Option	Officer comment
A fixed fee per development	This would not reflect the differences in resource required to monitor the development dependent upon its scale. There would be a disparity in the proportion of payment required associated with smaller sites than larger ones and fees would not necessarily be reflective of the time dedicated to each specific site.
A scale of charges based on planning application fees.	Planning application fees are related to the scale of development so this would permit a differential in the cost based on the size of the development. It would not necessarily however permit the fee to be reflective of the time spent monitoring travel plans, which is broadly related to the number of people either occupying or using the site.
A scale of charges based on number of residential units/number of employees within the site	Preferred option – this permits charges to be align comfortably with the work required associated with the plan. on-going survey work is used to gauge travel behaviour so this best suits the resource required for monitoring plans.

4.9 The proposed scale of charges for North Yorkshire Council is duly included in Table two below:

Development	Contribution required for Travel Plan Monitoring
Residential, up to 150 properties	£2,500
Residential, 150 – 250 properties	£5,000
Residential 250 properties plus	£10,000
Business up to 100 employees	£5,000
Business 100 – 1000 employees	£10,000
Business 1000 employees plus	£15,000

Table Two – Proposed Scale of Charges for Travel Plan Monitoring

4.10     Business charges are proposed to be higher than residential because travel plans are more complex and involve a larger amount of engagement and data to monitor

4.11     The proposed fees have been arrived at based on the understanding of the resource required to undertake this work. The scale of fees is broadly in line with time charge for dealing with applications and is reflective of the differences in time required by officers to appropriately monitor travel plans, depending on the occupiers and/or the use of the site. 

5.0       Equalities

5.1       An equalities impact assessment is included as Appendix B to this report.

5.2       There are no equality issues arising from the introduction of the fees and charges.

6.0       Finance

6.1 The value of 106 contributions received for travel plan monitoring over the last four years is detailed below in table three. These funds have been used to employ a Sustainable Travel Officer and for associated monitoring costs.

Year	Total value of 106 agreement payments associated with travel plans (£)
2019-2020	£10,000
2020-2021	£22,500
2021-2022	£40,000
2022 – 2023	£40,000

Table Three: Contributions received for travel plan monitoring purposes.

6.2       There is however £145k identified across all previous years, where conditions have been stipulated but the trigger for the exchange of funds has not been reached, (because, for example, development has not begun or trigger points for monitoring have not been reached).

6.3 The number of applications dealt with by the Highways Development Management Team, which could potentially require Travel Plans to be administered, over the same period is demonstrated below in Table Four

2023/2022	2021/2022	2020/2021	2019/2020
200	245	242	245

Table Four:  Applications dealt with by Highways Development Management

6.4       It is expected that by introducing guidance that developers understand the stipulations and requirements locally in North Yorkshire to suit the demographics and accessibility in the Authority area.

6.5       Publishing a scale of associated fees to be included in agreements concerning Travel Plan monitoring then ensures that rates are transparent at the point of application preparation and that the income to support this critical work can be more confidently relied upon and forecast into future activity to fund the resources required to support the role.

6.6       The council incurs cost from monitoring the plans. The council has used past 106 contributions to employ a dedicated Sustainable Travel Officer and for associated monitoring costs over the past two years. It is identified that additional resource is required given the workload of the team, and to coordinate associated activity, for example traffic counts, surveys and questionnaires and proactive work with Developer’s representatives to ensure plans are robust and their impacts can and are demonstrated into the future.

6.7 Costs have been calculated based on the income received in previous years and the understanding of the resource required to monitor Travel Plans, based on two years of practice.  It is anticipated that 1.5 full time equivalent roles are required.  The scale of charges is designed to be proportionate to the officer time required to monitor the size of the development.

6.8       It is anticipated that, based on the number of planning applications dealt with in any given year and the income historically received that approximately £100k per annum will be achieved through the introduction of the charges. This would be managed through the Road Safety and Travel Awareness Budget and would permit 1.5 FTE roles to monitor plans and the resource for activities associated with plan monitoring, where required.

6.9       Future income is not easy to forecast, given that 106 agreements can be entered into several years following the planning consent, so the value of monitoring fees, whilst related to the volume of planning applications over a period, is not however directly associated to the number of planning applications processed in a given year. It will therefore be necessary to review the charges after two years of operation to ensure that resource is covered and the scale of charges is appropriate.

7.0       Legal

7.1       Paragraph 113 of the National Planning Policy Framework sets out that all developments that will generate significant amounts of transport movement should be required to provide a Travel Plan.

7.2 Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) can be used to enter into an agreement with a landowner/developer and the Local Planning Authority to secure a planning obligation which amongst other things can include financial contributions for monitoring fees in connection with the delivery of a Travel Plan.

8.0       Climate Change

8.1       A Climate Change Impact assessment is included in Appendix C of this report.

8.2       The impact of the introduction of travel plan guidance and revised monitoring charges would have a positive impact on climate change. It will see the focus on effective travel planning heighten and will ensure that plans are produced to a good quality, meaning sustainable travel is considered and delivered and that the vehicular trip rates associated with new development are as low as possible.

9.0       Recommendation

9.1        That the Corporate Director of Environment, in consultation with the Executive Member for Highways and Transportation, agree to the introduction of the proposed Travel Plan Guidance and the associated scale of monitoring costs, to be included in planning recommendations for 106 agreements under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) from the 1 May 2023.

BARRIE MASON

Assistant Director – Highways and Transportation

Author of Report: E Mellalieu, C Greatorex

Background Documents: None

Travel Plan Guidance for Developers (Business Developments)

Contents

1 Introduction

2 Overview

3 Benefits of a Travel Plan

4 Content of a Travel Plan

5 Initiatives to consider

6 Example NYC Checklist

1. Introduction - What is a Travel Plan & when is it required?

The Department for Transport defines a Travel Plan as being a long-term management strategy for integrating proposals for sustainable travel into the planning process. They are based on evidence of the anticipated transport impacts of development and set measures to promote and encourage sustainable travel such as promoting walking and cycling.

A Travel Plan is a policy statement that states how an organisation will encourage and promote the use of more sustainable travel – the use of walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing – as an alternative to single-occupant car journey.  They can be used by businesses, schools and residential developers to state which methods will be used to promote sustainable travel options to and from the site as well as during the working day, identifying how efforts will be made to reduce single car occupancy journeys.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states, “All developments that will generate significant amounts of movement should be required to provide a travel plan”.

A Travel Plan is therefore likely to be required as a condition or obligation as part of planning consent for a new development or relevant change to an extant permission. North Yorkshire Council (NYC) as the Local Highway Authority (LHA) will review Travel Plans that are submitted as part of any planning application and will advise on their suitability and make recommendations to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) where necessary. 

Where a Travel Plan has been submitted and the planning application consented, the developer will be required to pay a Travel Plan Monitoring Fee to NYC as part of a Section 106 agreement.  This contribution will be derived from a Scale of Charges and secured to enable NYC Officers to work with the nominated Travel Plan Coordinator for the development, ensuring that proposed actions & initiatives are being implemented over the whole duration of the Travel Plan.

The submission of a Business Travel Plan will be required as part of the supporting documentation for planning applications exceeding the following trigger point;

- Employment site with anticipated staff numbers of 30 or more.

2. Overview

The aim of this guidance is to provide developers with an outline of what North Yorkshire Council (NYC) expect to see in a Travel Plan.

Checklists have been produced which are used by NYC Officers to review and assess the suitability of the Travel Plan.  A sample checklist is included within this guidance.

The Travel Plan should be clear, concise, and written in a way so members of the public can understand it.  As a minimum, Travel Plans should include:

· Reference to consideration of National & Local Policies. 

· Clear identification of the travel and transport issues that the plan will seek to mitigate

· A designated Travel Plan Champion/Co-ordinator

· A comprehensive site audit including isochrone maps of walking and cycling distances from site, details of on-site and off-site infrastructure including footpaths, cycle paths/routes & public transport services

· Reference and commitment to surveys and relating SMART targets, which should ideally be set over a 5 year period.

· A range of initiatives to increase active and sustainable travel that will be implemented before and after occupation.

· An Action Plan (in table form) which lists the initiatives, how they will be promoted, who will be responsible for the delivery, timescales and how they will be monitored.

3. Benefits of a Travel Plan

Depending on the size of the development, it is now a usual requirement from the Planning Authority for a developer to submit a satisfactory Travel Plan.  However, a Travel Plan can also benefit the company in other ways as follows;

• Encourage active travel for journeys

• Improve staff health and reduce absenteeism

• Assist with recruitment and retention by making staff journeys to work easier and cheaper

• Improve staff punctuality by reducing staff time spent travelling & any potential congestion delays

• Help meet corporate social responsibility and environmental targets

• Enable a planning application for a new site or for new accommodation on the current site as you’ll have a travel plan ready to submit

• Ease demand for parking which in turn will save money on the cost of providing and maintaining parking spaces

• Reduce mileage claims and other business travel costs

• Solve problems caused by traffic congestion on and around your site

• Enable more customers to access your site

• Provide a better experience for customers travelling to your site

4.         Contents of a Travel Plan

Travel Plans can vary in format but overall, they should contain the following fundamental sections;

Introduction

This covers the key information, contacts for the site, and provides background information and context. This would include information about:

· Employer’s existing environmental policy

· Why they’re introducing a travel plan, how will the company benefit

· Site Details – location and accessibility

· Employee Information – staff numbers, part time/full time

· Opening/ Closing Times of site (if applicable)

· How your Travel Plan fits into the wider transport plans and strategies

· Working Group – who will coordinate and take responsibility of the Travel Plan

Site Audit

A site audit provides a comprehensive overview of the site in question and will delve deeper into the provision that is currently there in respect of on-site and off-site infrastructure.

Include information about the local area, surrounding highway network, speed limits, footpaths, cycle paths etc.

A site audit is an opportunity to outline what provision is available for all sustainable transport modes and where there is potential for improvements to be made.  It is good practice to include maps and pictures to evidence the provision.

Survey details

In order to identify travel patterns at the onset and to assist with setting targets, a Baseline Survey will need to be carried out. Therefore the Travel Plan should include details of when & how this will be done.  NYC do require the baseline survey to be done 6 months after completion or at 50% occupancy, whichever comes soonest.

This survey will identify how staff currently travel to work and will not only provide data to monitor against, but it will also identify where to focus initiatives.  It is advisable that only questions that are necessary and useful for the purposes of travel should be included.  Suggested questions could be, but not limited to:

· Main mode of travel

· Work patterns

· Home postcode

· What would encourage the use of other modes

· Distance / time it takes to get to work

Targets

Targets in a travel plan need to be robust enough to encourage behaviour change, but realistic in regards to current behaviours and the results of the travel survey. The majority of travel plan objectives focus on reducing single car occupancy and increasing active travel, however this may vary depending on the site and situation.

Targets will complement the SMART objectives and should be presented as a percentage over a short, medium and long-term period. For example:

	Targets
	Baseline	Short Term (Year 1)	Medium Term (Year 3)	Long Term (Year 5)
To increase the number of Active Travel trips	xx%	xx%	xx%	xx%
Increase Public Transport use	xx%	xx%	xx%	xx%
To reduce the number of single occupancy car trips to work	xx%	xx%	xx%	xx%

Action Plan

This is the section where you outline what you plan to do to achieve the targets outlined in the previous section. Usually arranged by mode, the Action Plan will be in table form and will list all the initiatives and state who is responsible, any cost involved, target date/frequency, how they will be monitored and how they link to the objectives.  It is important that the action plan is clear yet detailed in order for this to be monitored.  You can also add in any actions to raise awareness of the travel plan, any promotional activities, consultation activities or any that are in consultation with other stakeholders.

Monitoring

In this section you will detail how monitoring will be carried out and the timescales involved.

Efficient monitoring will allow you to see how effective the measures have been and if the initiatives/promotions have resulted in any behaviour change amongst staff.

Monitoring should take place at the same time each year for a comparable data set and the results should be shared with NYCC Officers (and the Planning Authority if necessary).  Monitoring should be done in a neutral month, one that will give you an average of travel patterns and not in a month where there naturally tends to be more or less traffic.

Monitoring can be undertaken through a survey, similar to the baseline with some supplementary questions or additional methods such as cycle counts or automated traffic counts for instance.   Outline how frequently the travel plan and survey will be reviewed and by what method.

5.         Initiatives to consider.

Encouraging staff to walk or cycle to work will benefit their own health and well-being, as well as relieving pressures on the public transport network and roads.  However, it is recognised that not all locations are suitable for promoting walking or cycling so in these instances, focus should be on reducing single car journeys by way of car sharing or use of public transport.

It is recommended that a minimum of 2 initiatives are used to promote each mode of sustainable travel but the more that can be offered the better.  Some suggestions are as follows;

Walking

- Provide maps of walking routes within and around the development (2km is considered to be an acceptable walking distance)

- Open up short cuts for pedestrian access across a site

- Provide showers and changing rooms

- Provide lockers for keeping a change of clothes

- Provide drying room/facilities

- Provision of umbrellas for staff who walk to work and/or provide umbrellas in reception area for staff use to encourage them to walk during the working day

- Provide personal alarms for staff

- Improve footpath connections to site e.g. lighting and surfacing improvements

- Consider setting up a walking group

- Ensure footpaths within the site encourage walking, e.g level, well lit

Cycling

- Provide maps showing cycle routes to / from the development, (5km is considered an acceptable cycling distance)

- Improve cycle connections to the site

- Provide showers & changing rooms / lockers for keeping a change of clothes /drying room facilities

- Provide sufficient secure, covered & well-lit cycle parking, preferably in a prominent place

- Provide pool bikes

- Offer financial incentives such as a cycle mileage allowance

- Provide insurance cover for those cycling on work business

- Offer the Cycle to Work Scheme to enable staff to purchase bikes and accessories through salary sacrifice scheme for savings to be made

- Secure discounts at cycle shops for staff

- Provide high-vis clothing and/or have wet weather clothing available (these could be branded)

- Establish a Bike Users Group

- Develop a bike buddy scheme

- Hold bike maintenance workshops

- Arrange cycle training for staff

- Have an emergency tool box/repair kit available on site

- Arrange cycle security marking

- Organise social cycle rides outside of working hours

- Promote national events such as bike to work week

- Organise a bike to work day or event

Public Transport

- Provide relevant bus and train timetables on websites / noticeboards

- Contact public transport companies to secure taster tickets/discounts for staff

- Post public transport information on the website as part of the visitor directions to the site

- Encourage public transport use for business travel, e.g to meetings etc.

- Subsidise public transport passes / Provide an interest free loan for sustainable transport purchases e.g. season bus pass or Park and Ride tickets

- Provide a company bus that links with existing public transport services e.g. a shuttle bus between work and railway station

- Allow flexible working to fit round public transport times

- Contact bus companies to discuss creating/upgrading stops near to development

- Sign up staff to ‘Traveline’ website to assist with public transport journey planning

Car Sharing

- Set up a car share database for the site and ensure staff are aware of ‘Liftshare’ website

- Allocate priority parking spaces for car sharers

- Provide a guaranteed ride home for car sharers in case of an emergency

- Organise postcode coffee clubs for potential sharers to get to know each other

- Have regular incentives for car sharers e.g. free prize draws, car wash events

- Allow flexible working regimes to allow car sharers’ shifts to coincide

General Promotions & Initiatives

- Provide staff with a Personalised Journey Plan so they know their travel options

- Promote the health benefits of walking & cycling

- Allow homeworking (where appropriate) & provide sufficient/appropriate technology to enable this

- Introduce a car parking management system with incentives to encourage staff to choose sustainable travel options, e.g. priority spaces for car sharers, cash incentives for people willing to give up permits.

- Include the Travel Plan in all marketing publicity for the development

- Issue welcome packs for all new staff which contain information about sustainable travel options

- Continual promotion of the Travel Plan to staff, e.g. by way of newsletters, in staff meetings etc.

- Prepare a “how to get here guide” for staff/visitors/customers promoting sustainable transport choices tailored to your site

- Organise a car free day event

- Introduce a travel plan working group

- Provide a dedicated travel plan notice board or web page

- Promote National Sustainable Transport weeks and / or events

- Consider the use of pool cars or a hire car agreement to reduce the need for staff to bring their own cars to work.

- Provide a canteen/shop on site to discourage staff from making additional journeys in lunch breaks

6.         Example NYC Checklist

Developer Travel Plan Audit Checklist Form (Business Developments) - NYC Officers

Development Name:

Type of development:

Date submitted to NYC:

Date of review:

Reviewed by:

Planning Reference:

DM File reference:

Approved / Rejected

Checklist

General / Administration	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Is the TP written in a way that the public can understand the conclusions?	☐	☐	☐
Has consideration been given to relevant national & local policy?	☐	☐	☐
Will there be a Travel Plan Co-ordinator (TPC) or a nominated person responsible for the Travel Plan & it’s maintenance?	☐	☐	☐
Is there a timetable for completion of the travel plan?	☐	☐	☐
Will funding been allocated to the Travel Plan?	☐	☐	☐
Comments  (include section refs if applicable)
Site Audit – The Travel Plan should provide detailed information regarding the site & surrounding area, however, this can be confirmed by using Google Maps & by looking at the plans.	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Overview of the provision of on and off site infrastructure including speed limits, road widths, footpaths, cycle paths, street light provision etc.  NOTE – although full details should be provided in the Transport Assessment (TA), a brief summary needs to be in the Travel Plan as staff/members of the public cannot be expected to read a TA.	☐	☐	☐
Site plan included which clearly shows all access points, both for vehicles and pedestrians/cyclists.	☐	☐	☐
Isochrone maps provided showing what can be reached in a suitable walking and cycling distance eg: 2km walking and 5km cycling	☐	☐	☐
Is the site easily accessible for walkers and cyclists so that all of the desire lines across the site are possible without detour? i.e. pedestrian & cycle routes shorter than those for vehicles.	☐	☐	☐
Is the connection to key locations convenient and suitable for walkers? E.g. logical, safe, well lit, even paths etc.	☐	☐	☐
Is the connection to key locations convenient and suitable for cyclists? E.g. logical, safe, well lit, direct cycle routes or designated cycle paths.	☐	☐	☐
Are there clear, safe, well-lit connections to the nearest public transport routes?	☐	☐	☐
Is there any mention of plans to improve walking/cycling routes?	☐	☐	☐
Does the site join up with existing streets, paths and adjacent areas with no major barriers?	☐	☐	☐
Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Action Plan – the Travel Plan should include an Action Plan which outlines all the initiatives the developer intends to run that would encourage active and sustainable travel and discourage single occupancy car use. Whilst describing the initiative in the Travel Plan is OK, it also needs to be in a table format and arranged by mode outlining the initiatives, who's responsible, timeframe, monitoring, how it meets objectives and any cost involved. A minimum of 2 initiatives covering all modes should be included.
Walking Initiatives	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
At least 2 actions to promote walking	☐	☐	☐
Any proposed footpaths within the development will be designed to encourage walking. e.g. level, safe, well lit, well signed etc.	☐	☐	☐
Will the health benefits of walking be promoted?	☐	☐	☐
Walking groups or buddy schemes.	☐	☐	☐
Map highlighting local walking routes provided to staff	☐	☐	☐
Personal alarms for staff when walking	☐	☐	☐
Participation in walking challenges	☐	☐	☐
Umbrellas for staff.	☐	☐	☐
Is there promotion of national events such as Walk to Work Week?	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Cycling Initiatives	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
At least 2 actions to promote cycling.	☐	☐	☐
Will the health benefits of cycling be promoted?	☐	☐	☐
Is there secure, sheltered cycle parking in a prominent location for staff and visitors?	☐	☐	☐
Map highlighting local cycling routes provided to staff.	☐	☐	☐
Features within suitable buildings that would encourage cycling; e.g. changing rooms, lockers, showers?	☐	☐	☐
Will there be promotion of national events such as Bike to Work Week?	☐	☐	☐
Financial assistance/incentives, e.g. voucher towards the purchase or loan of a bicycle and/or cycle equipment for staff, Partnership with local cycle shops.	☐	☐	☐
Cycle competitions	☐	☐	☐
Offer of cycle training provided to staff.	☐	☐	☐
Provision of a cycle tool box with pump to assist with on-site repairs.	☐	☐	☐
Is there an appropriate mileage allowance or financial incentive for work related bicycle use?	☐	☐	☐
Employer signed up to Cycle2Work scheme	☐	☒	☐
Bike User Group / Buddy scheme.	☐	☐	☐
Any other measures such as Dr Bike sessions, cycle marking etc	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Public Transport Initiatives	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Will timetables and information about services be easily accessible?  e.g. included in welcome packs, timetables displayed in a visible location, access to free travel apps promoted.	☐	☐	☐
Is the development within easy walking distance of stops/stations? (Maximum 400m for bus; 800m for rail)	☐	☐	☐
Are stops prominently and conveniently located & with shelters to encourage people to wait in bad weather.	☐	☐	☐
Is the development connected to key destinations by excellent public transport or there are confirmed plans for this?	☐	☐	☐
Do bus/train services coincide with working hours/shift patterns?	☐	☐	☐
Does the development have clear potential to improve public transport, benefiting existing developments as well as the new one.	☐	☒	☐
Is there evidence that public transport operators have been consulted?	☐	☐	☐
Taster tickets/provision of incentives to use public transport.	☐	☐	☐
Priority over other traffic provided?	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Car Sharing/EV Initiatives	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Will car sharing be actively promoted?	☐	☐	☐
Is there a car-share database or other means to encourage car sharing?  National databases such as ‘Liftshare’ are recommended.	☐	☐	☐
Does the car park layout incorporate spaces for car sharers in an attractive & visible location?	☐	☐	☐
Will there be an emergency lift home scheme in place for car sharers?	☐	☐	☐
Electric vehicle charge points provided and in a suitable location	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
General Promotions	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Personalised Journey Plans (PJPs) provided to staff.	☐	☐	☐
Welcome Pack issued to all staff which includes: · benefits of active travel · what provision is available · information on discounts, local cycle shops/repairs/clubs · local walking and cycling routes · public transport information including times, bus stop location and ticketing · car share schemes	☐	☐	☐
Are there positive attempts to promote national travel events & initiatives?	☐	☐	☐
Are there reminders of the need to reduce unnecessary car use? E.g regular newsletters or staff awareness sessions.	☐	☐	☐
Noticeboards highlighting local walking and cycling routes, benefits of active travel etc.	☐	☐	☐
Are efforts made to avoid any extra travelling, e.g. canteen or shop on site?	☐	☐	☐
Space to sit outside in breaks etc	☐	☐	☐
Is maximum possible use made of flexible working in order to reduce the need to travel?	☐	☐	☐
Is maximum possible use made of information technology in order to reduce the need to travel?	☐	☐	☐
Is there a goods inwards/outwards delivery policy that discourages wasteful journeys?	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Surveys & Monitoring	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Is there a timescale for Baseline survey & confirmation that results will be shared with NYC?  (NYC agree that the baseline survey can be done within 6 months of first occupation or when development reached 50% occupancy, whichever comes soonest.)	☐	☐	☐
Is there mention of communication & submission of interim reports etc to the Highway Authority?	☐	☐	☐
Example survey questions provided.	☐	☐	☐
Reference to follow up surveys	☐	☐	☐
Reference made to how surveys will be delivered e.g. paper, online, face to face, combination?	☐	☐	☐
SMART Targets set	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Conclusions & Reminders	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Are there any suggestions for developer-funded improvements or conditions to be applied.	☐	☐	☐
Additional overall comments (include section references if applicable)

Travel Plan Guidance for Developers (Residential Developments)

Contents

1 Introduction

2 Overview

3 Benefits of a Travel Plan

4 Content of a Travel Plan

5 Initiatives to consider

6 Example NYC Checklist

1 Introduction - What is a Travel Plan & when is it required?

The Department for Transport defines a Travel Plan as being a long-term management strategy for integrating proposals for sustainable travel into the planning process. They are based on evidence of the anticipated transport impacts of development and set measures to promote and encourage sustainable travel such as promoting walking and cycling.

A Travel Plan is a policy statement that states how an organisation will encourage and promote the use of more sustainable travel – the use of walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing – as an alternative to single-occupant car journey.  They can be used by businesses, schools and residential developers to state which methods will be used to promote sustainable travel options to and from the site as well as during the working day, identifying how efforts will be made to reduce single car occupancy journeys.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states, “All developments that will generate significant amounts of movement should be required to provide a travel plan”.

A Travel Plan is therefore likely to be required as a condition or obligation as part of planning consent for a new development or relevant change to an extant permission. North Yorkshire Council (NYC) as the Local Highway Authority (LHA) will review Travel Plans that are submitted as part of any planning application and will advise on their suitability and make recommendations to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) where necessary. 

Where a Travel Plan has been submitted and the planning application consented, the developer will be required to pay a Travel Plan Monitoring Fee to NYC as part of a Section 106 agreement.  This contribution will be derived from a Scale of Charges and secured to enable NYC Officers to work with the nominated Travel Plan Coordinator for the development, ensuring that proposed actions & initiatives are being implemented over the whole duration of the Travel Plan.

The submission of a Residential Travel Plan will be required as part of the supporting documentation for planning applications exceeding the following trigger point;

- Residential site with 75 or more dwellings.

2.         Overview

The aim of this guidance is to provide developers with an outline of what North Yorkshire Council (NYC) expect to see in a Travel Plan.

Checklists have been produced which are used by NYC Officers to review and assess the suitability of the Travel Plan.  A sample checklist is included within this guidance.

The Travel Plan should be clear, concise and written in a way so members of the public can understand it.  As a minimum, Travel Plans should include:

· Reference to consideration of National & Local Policies. 

· Clear identification of the travel and transport issues that the plan will seek to mitigate

· A designated Travel Plan Champion/Co-ordinator

· A comprehensive site audit including isochrone maps of walking and cycling distances from site, details of on-site and off-site infrastructure including footpaths, cycle paths/routes & public transport services

· Reference and commitment to surveys and relating SMART targets, which should ideally be set over a 5 year period.

· A range of initiatives to increase active and sustainable travel that will be implemented before and after occupation.

· An Action Plan (in table form) which lists the initiatives, how they will be promoted, who will be responsible for the delivery, timescales and how they will be monitored.

3. Benefits of a Travel Plan

Depending on the size of the development, the Local Planning Authority generally require a developer to submit a satisfactory Travel Plan.  However, a Travel Plan can also benefit the residential site in other ways as follows;

• Encourage active travel for journeys

• Improve the health of residents

• Allow residents to make informed choices about different modes of travel

• Provide potential cost savings for residents

• Reduce parking issues

• Reduce congestion in the surrounding area

4. Contents of a Travel Plan

Travel Plans can vary in format but overall they should contain the following fundamental sections;

Introduction

This covers the key information, contacts for the site, and provides background information and context. This would include information about:

· The size of the development

· Site details – location in relation to surrounding towns and villages

· Why a travel plan is being provided for the site and how it will benefit residents

· How your Travel Plan fits into the wider transport plans and strategies

· Who will coordinate and take responsibility of the Travel Plan

Site Audit

A site audit provides a comprehensive overview of the site in question and will delve deeper in to the provision that is currently there in respect of on-site and off-site infrastructure.

Include information about the local area, surrounding highway network, speed limits, footpaths, cycle paths etc.

A site audit is an opportunity to outline what provision is available for all sustainable transport modes and where there is potential for improvements to be made.  It is good practice to include maps and pictures to evidence the provision.

Survey details

In order to identify travel patterns at the onset and to assist with setting targets, a Baseline Survey will need to be carried out. Therefore, the Travel Plan should include details of when & how this will be done.  NYC require the Baseline Survey to be done 6 months after the first occupation or at 50% occupancy, whichever comes soonest.

This survey will identify how staff currently travel to work and will not only provide data to monitor against, but it will also identify where to focus initiatives.  It is advisable that only questions that are necessary and useful for the purposes of travel should be included.  Suggested questions could be, but not limited to:

· Main mode of travel for work/school/leisure

· Work patterns (where applicable)

· What would encourage the use of different modes of travel?

· Any barriers that prevent walking/cycling/public transport/car sharing etc

Targets

Targets in a travel plan need to be robust enough to encourage behaviour change, but realistic in regard to current behaviours and the results of the travel survey. The majority of travel plan objectives focus on reducing single car occupancy and increasing active travel, however this may vary depending on the site and situation.

Targets will complement the SMART objectives and should be presented as a percentage over a short, medium and long-term period. For example:

	Targets
	Baseline	Short Term (Year 1)	Medium Term (Year 3)	Long Term (Year 5)
To increase the number of Active Travel trips	xx%	xx%	xx%	xx%
Increase Public Transport use	xx%	xx%	xx%	xx%
To reduce the number of single occupancy car trips to work	xx%	xx%	xx%	xx%

Action Plan

This is the section where you outline what you plan to do to achieve the targets outlined in the previous section. Usually arranged by mode, the Action Plan will be in table form and will list all the initiatives and state who is responsible, any cost involved, target date/frequency, how they will be monitored and how they link to the objectives.  It is important that the action plan is clear yet detailed in order for this to be monitored.  You can also add in any actions to raise awareness of the travel plan, any promotional activities, consultation activities or any that are in consultation with other stakeholders.

Monitoring

In this section you will detail how monitoring will be carried out and the timescales involved.

Efficient monitoring will allow you to see how effective the measures have been and if the initiatives/promotions have resulted in any behaviour change amongst residents.

Monitoring should take place at the same time each year to enable a comparable data set and the results should be shared with NYC Officers (and the Planning Authority if necessary).  Monitoring should be done in a neutral month, defined by the DfT as being March through to November (excluding August) which will help derive average travel patterns and avoid the months that naturally tend to generate to be more or less traffic.

It is recommended that surveys on a daily level avoid Mondays and Fridays plus weekends which are often less typical with staff working from home etc

Monitoring at Residential Sites should be undertaken through automated (or manual) traffic counts along with a survey, similar to the baseline with some supplementary questions if necessary.  Outline how frequently the travel plan and survey will be reviewed and by what method.

5. Initiatives to consider.

Encouraging residents to walk or cycle to work or for leisure purposes will benefit their own health and well-being, as well as relieving pressures on the public transport network and roads.  However, it is recognised that not all locations are suitable for promoting walking or cycling so in these instances, focus should be on reducing single car journeys by way of car sharing or use of public transport.

It is recommended that a minimum of 2 initiatives are used to promote each mode of sustainable travel but the more that can be offered the better.  Some suggestions are as follows;

Walking

- Provide maps to residents showing walking routes around the development (2km is considered to be an acceptable walking distance)

- Open up short cuts for pedestrian access across a site

- Provide personal alarms for residents

- Improve footpath connections to site e.g. lighting and surfacing improvements

- Consider setting up a walking group or walking buddy scheme

- Ensure footpaths within the site encourage walking, e.g level, well lit

- Liaise with local schools to look at arranging walking buses for children

- Promote events such as walk to school week

Cycling

- Provide maps to residents showing cycle routes to / from the development, (5km is considered an acceptable cycling distance)

- Improve cycle connections to the site

- Ensure all dwellings have secure cycle parking

- Promote the Cycle to Work Scheme to those residents who may have employers that could offer the scheme

- Secure discounts at cycle shops for residents

- Establish a Bike Users Group

- Develop a bike buddy scheme

- Hold bike maintenance workshops

- Arrange cycle training for residents

- Have an emergency tool box/repair kit available on site

- Arrange cycle security marking

- Promote national events such as bike to work week

Public Transport

- Provide relevant bus and train timetables on welcome packs/websites / noticeboards

- Contact public transport companies to secure taster tickets/discounts for residents

- Contact bus companies to discuss creating/upgrading stops near to development

- Sign up residents up to ‘Traveline’ website to assist with public transport journey planning

Car Sharing

- Set up a car share database for the site and ensure residents are aware of ‘Liftshare’ website

- Organise social events for potential sharers to get to know each other

- Offer incentives for car sharers e.g. free prize draws, car wash events

General Promotions & Initiatives

- Provide residents with a Personalised Journey Plan so they know their travel options

- Promote the health benefits of walking & cycling

- Encourage homeworking (where appropriate) & provide sufficient/appropriate technology to enable this

- Encourage the use of technology for things such as internet food shopping etc

- Include the Travel Plan in all marketing publicity for the development

- Issue welcome packs for all new residents which contain information about sustainable travel options

- Continual promotion of the Travel Plan to residents, e.g. by way of newsletters, social media communications etc

- Set up a Residents Travel Plan Steering Group

- Provide a dedicated travel plan notice board or web page

- Promote National Sustainable Transport weeks and / or events

6. Example of an NYC Travel Plan Checklist

Developer Travel Plan Audit Checklist Form (Residential Developments) - NYC Officers

Development Name:

Type of development:

Date submitted to NYC:

Date of review:

Reviewed by:

Planning Reference:

DM File Reference:

Approved / Rejected

Checklist

General / Administration	Yes	No	N/A
Is the TP written in a way that the public can understand the conclusions?	☐	☐	☐
Has consideration been given to relevant national & local policy?	☐	☐	☐
Will there be a Travel Plan Co-ordinator (TPC) or a nominated person responsible for the Travel Plan & it’s maintenance?	☐	☐	☐
Is there a timetable for completion of the travel plan?	☐	☐	☐
Will funding been allocated to the Travel Plan?	☐	☐	☐
Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Site Audit – The Travel Plan should provide detailed information regarding the site & surrounding area, however, this can be confirmed by using Google Maps & by looking at the plans.	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Overview of the provision of on and off site infrastructure including speed limits, road widths, footpaths, cycle paths, street light provision etc.  NOTE – although full details should be provided in the Transport Assessment (TA), a brief summary needs to be in the Travel Plan as staff/members of the public cannot be expected to read a TA.	☐	☐	☐
Site plan included which clearly shows all access points, both for vehicles and pedestrians/cyclists.	☐	☐	☐
Isochrone maps provided showing what can be reached in a suitable walking and cycling distance eg: 2km walking and 5km cycling	☐	☐	☐
Is the site easily accessible for walkers and cyclists so that all of the desire lines across the site are possible without detour? i.e. are pedestrian and cycle routes shorter than those for vehicles?	☐	☐	☐
Is the connection to key locations convenient and suitable for walkers? E.g. logical, safe, well lit, even paths etc.	☐	☐	☐
Is the connection to key locations convenient and suitable for cyclists? E.g. logical, safe, well lit, direct cycle routes or designated cycle paths.	☐	☐	☐
Are there clear, safe, well-lit connections to the nearest public transport routes?	☐	☐	☐
Is there any mention of plans to improve walking/cycling routes?	☐	☐	☐
Does the site join up with existing streets, paths and adjacent areas with no major barriers?	☐	☐	☐
Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Action Plan – the Travel Plan should include an Action Plan which outlines all the initiatives the developer intends to run that would encourage active and sustainable travel and discourage single occupancy car use. Whilst describing the initiative in the Travel Plan is OK, it also needs to be in a table format and arranged by mode outlining the initiatives, who's responsible, timeframe, monitoring, how it meets objectives and any cost involved. A minimum of 2 initiatives covering all modes should be included.
Walking Initiatives	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
At least 2 actions to promote walking	☐	☐	☐
Any proposed footpaths within the development will be designed to encourage walking. e.g. level, safe, well lit etc.	☐	☐	☐
Will the health benefits of walking be promoted?	☐	☐	☐
Walking groups or buddy schemes.	☐	☐	☐
Map highlighting local walking routes provided to residents	☐	☐	☐
Liaision with local schools to look at the possibility of walking buses	☐	☐	☐
Is there promotion of national events such as Walk to Work Week?	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Cycling Initiatives	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
At least 2 actions to promote cycling.	☐	☐	☐
Will the health benefits of cycling be promoted?	☐	☐	☐
Do dwellings have secure parking for cycles, e.g. garages or outbuildings?	☐	☐	☐
Is there secure, sheltered cycle parking for those residents who do not have the above?	☐	☐	☐
Map highlighting local cycling routes provided to residents	☐	☐	☐
Will there be promotion of national events such as Bike to Work Week?	☐	☐	☐
Is there financial assistance eg: voucher towards the purchase or loan of a bicycle and/or cycle equipment for residents. Partnership with local cycle shops.	☐	☐	☐
Cycle competitions.	☐	☐	☐
Offer of cycle training provided to residents.	☐	☐	☐
Provision of a cycle toolbox with pump to assist with on-site repairs while the marketing / sales suite is on-site.	☐	☐	☐
Bike user group or buddy scheme	☐	☐	☐
Any other measures such as Dr Bike sessions, cycle marking etc.	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Public Transport Initiatives	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Will timetables and information about services be easily accessible?  e.g. included in welcome packs, timetables displayed in a visible location, access to free travel apps promoted.	☐	☐	☐
Is the development within easy walking distance of stops/stations? (Maximum 400m for bus; 800m for rail)	☐	☐	☐
Are stops prominently and conveniently located & with shelters to encourage people to wait in bad weather.	☐	☐	☐
Is the development connected to key destinations by excellent public transport or there are confirmed plans for this?	☐	☐	☐
Does the development have clear potential to improve public transport, benefiting residents of existing settlements as well as those living in the new homes themselves?	☐	☐	☐
Taster tickets/provision of incentives to use public transport.	☐	☐	☐
Is there evidence that public transport operators have been consulted?	☐	☐	☐
Priority over other traffic provided?	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Car Sharing/EV Initiatives	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Will car sharing be actively promoted?	☐	☐	☐
Is there a car-share database or other means to encourage car sharing?  National databases such as ‘Liftshare’ are recommended.	☐	☐	☐
Electric vehicle charge points provided and in a suitable location	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
General Promotions	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Personalised Journey Plans (PJPs) provided to residents	☐	☐	☐
Welcome Pack issued to all residents which includes: · benefits of active travel · what provision is available · information on discounts, local cycle shops/repairs/clubs · local walking and cycling routes · public transport information including times, bus stop location and ticketing · car share schemes	☐	☐	☐
Are there positive attempts to promote national travel events & initiatives?	☐	☐	☐
Are there reminders of the need to reduce unnecessary car use?  E.g. newsletters etc.	☐	☐	☐
Encouragement to use internet shopping, home delivery, work from home etc to reduce car travel.	☐	☐	☐
Face to face engagement with residents eg: door knocking, travel events?	☐	☐	☐
Space to sit outside, children to play etc.  e.g communal areas, play area	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Surveys & Monitoring	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Is there a timescale for Baseline survey & confirmation that results will be shared with NYC?  (NYC agree that the baseline survey can be done within 6 months of first occupation or when development reached 50% occupancy, whichever comes soonest.)	☐	☐	☐
Is there mention of communication & submission of interim reports etc to the Highway Authority?	☐	☐	☐
Example survey questions provided.	☐	☐	☐
Reference to follow up surveys.	☐	☐	☐
Reference made to how surveys will be delivered e.g.: paper, online, face to face, combination?	☐	☐	☐
Confirmation that traffic counts will be done alongside surveys (these provide more accurate results if survey responses are low)	☐	☐	☐
SMART Targets set	☐	☐	☐
Additional Comments (include section refs if applicable)
Conclusions & Reminders	Yes	No	N/A	Comments
Are there any suggestions for developer-funded improvements or conditions to be applied.	☐	☐	☐
Additional overall comments (include section references if applicable)

Equality impact assessment screening form

Initial equality impact assessment screening form This form records an equality screening process to determine the relevance of equality to a proposal, and a decision whether or not a full EIA would be appropriate or proportionate.
Directorate	Environment Directorate
Service area	Highways and Transportation
Proposal being screened	Introduction of travel plan guidance and monitoring charges
Officer(s) carrying out screening	Emily Mellalieu Stephen Lilgert
What are you proposing to do?	Introduce Travel Plan Guidance and associated monitoring charges
Why are you proposing this? What are the desired outcomes?	To ensure developers have a robust guidance document which enables them to design development considering travel in line with legislation and best practice guidance.
Does the proposal involve a significant commitment or removal of resources? Please give details.	There is no financial implication arising from the publication of the report. It will ensure the appropriate charges are recommended to the Local Planning Authority associated with the resource required to monitor travel plans.
Impact on people with any of the following protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010, or NYCC’s additional agreed characteristic As part of this assessment, please consider the following questions: · To what extent is this service used by particular groups of people with protected characteristics? · Does the proposal relate to functions that previous consultation has identified as important? · Do different groups have different needs or experiences in the area the proposal relates to? If for any characteristic it is considered that there is likely to be a significant adverse impact or you have ticked ‘Don’t know/no info available’, then a full EIA should be carried out where this is proportionate. You are advised to speak to your Equality rep for advice if you are in any doubt.
Protected characteristic		Yes		No		Don’t know/No info available
Age				No
Disability				No
Sex (Gender)				No
Race				No
Sexual orientation				No
Gender reassignment				No
Religion or belief				No
Pregnancy or maternity				No
Marriage or civil partnership				No
NYCC additional characteristic
People in rural areas				No
People on a low income				No
Carer (unpaid family or friend)				No
Does the proposal relate to an area where there are known inequalities/probable impacts (e.g. disabled people’s access to public transport)? Please give details.		No.
Will the proposal have a significant effect on how other organisations operate? (e.g. partners, funding criteria, etc.). Do any of these organisations support people with protected characteristics? Please explain why you have reached this conclusion.		No
Decision (Please tick one option)		EIA not relevant or proportionate:	X		Continue to full EIA:
Reason for decision		Travel Plan Guidance and Charging would not have any particular impact on any protected characteristics. Travel plan guidance seeks to ensure travel from new developments is appropriately considered, that where possible sustainable transport is provided and the impacts result in reduced trip rates associated with development. As such, accessibility and travel will be improved by the introduction of the proposals, for all, including those with protected characteristics.
Signed (Assistant Director or equivalent)		Barrie Mason
Date		19/04/24

Climate change impact assessment                                                                                                                                             

The purpose of this assessment is to help us understand the likely impacts of our decisions on the environment of North Yorkshire and on our aspiration to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030, or as close to that date as possible. The intention is to mitigate negative effects and identify projects which will have positive effects.

This document should be completed in consultation with the supporting guidance. The final document will be published as part of the decision making process and should be written in Plain English.

If you have any additional queries which are not covered by the guidance please email climatechange@northyorks.gov.uk

Title of proposal	Introduction of Travel Plan guidance and proposed scale of charges for travel plan monitoring
Brief description of proposal	As above
Directorate	Environment
Service area	Network Strategy
Lead officer	Emily Mellalieu
Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the impact assessment
Date impact assessment started	04/04/2023

Options appraisal

Were any other options considered in trying to achieve the aim of this project? If so, please give brief details and explain why alternative options were not progressed.

No alternatives were considered. At present there is no NY guidance associated with Travel Planning. Through the introduction of guidance and a transparent scale of charges it is expected that the process can be made more robust and the results of the plans will be more rigorous.

What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs?

Please explain briefly why this will be the result, detailing estimated savings or costs where this is possible.

The proposal is cost neutral, it concerns the publication of guidance and the introduction of standard charges for inclusion in 106 agreement. The outcome should be an increase in income for the authority as the conditions are applied to planning applications more consistently.

How will this proposal impact on the environment? N.B. There may be short term negative impact and longer term positive impact. Please include all potential impacts over the lifetime of a project and provide an explanation.		Positive impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant)	No impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant)	Negative impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant)	Explain why will it have this effect and over what timescale? Where possible/relevant please include: · Changes over and above business as usual · Evidence or measurement of effect · Figures for CO2e · Links to relevant documents	Explain how you plan to mitigate any negative impacts.	Explain how you plan to improve any positive outcomes as far as possible.
Minimise greenhouse gas emissions e.g. reducing emissions from travel, increasing energy efficiencies etc.	Emissions from travel	X			Travel plans seek to reduce the vehicular trip rate from development, working with sustainable options. By introducing robust guidance it is expected that the outcomes of travel plans demonstrate a positive reduction in the trips that would have otherwise been generated.		The plans will be monitoring and 106 agreements will include charges to allow this. This will ensure ambitions are adhered to.
	Emissions from construction		X
	Emissions from running of buildings		X
	Other		X
Minimise waste: Reduce, reuse, recycle and compost e.g. reducing use of single use plastic			X
Reduce water consumption			X
Minimise pollution (including air, land, water, light and noise)		X			Sustainable travel modes will be prioritised in the guidance meaning reliance on vehicles is reduced.		As above, it is intended that plans are rigorously monitored.
Ensure resilience to the effects of climate change e.g. reducing flood risk, mitigating effects of drier, hotter summers			X
Enhance conservation and wildlife			X
Safeguard the distinctive characteristics, features and special qualities of North Yorkshire’s landscape			X
Other (please state below)			X

Are there any recognised good practice environmental standards in relation to this proposal? If so, please detail how this proposal meets those standards.

 the proposal is in line with the National Planning Policy Framework and guidance documents such as LTN 1/20 which seek to encourage delivery of sustainable travel such as cycling.

Summary Summarise the findings of your impact assessment, including impacts, the recommendation in relation to addressing impacts, including any legal advice, and next steps. This summary should be used as part of the report to the decision maker.

The impact of the proposal would have a positive impact on climate change. It will see the focus on effective travel planning heighten and will ensure that plans are produced to a good quality, meaning sustainable travel is considered and delivered and that the vehicular trip rates associated with new development are as low as possible. It will also mean that income is sought to permit the council’s costs of monitoring the plans to be recovered through 106 planning obligations, meaning the impacts can be measured.

Sign off section

This climate change impact assessment was completed by:

Name	Emily Mellalieu
Job title	Development Management Team Leader
Service area	H&T -Network Strategy
Directorate	Environment
Signature	E Mellalieu
Completion date	04/04/23

Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature): Barrie Mason

Date: 19/04/2023