School transport
We are required to make suitable travel arrangements free of charge for eligible children as necessary to attend school as set out in the Education Act 1996, amended by part 6 of the Education Inspections Act 2006.
Free transport for pupils is provided in accordance with our Home to School/College Transport Policy.
A contribution will be requested where development will require additional or enhanced home to school transport provision.
Public transport
We acknowledge the role local bus services and supporting bus and highway infrastructure have in delivering connectivity between:
- new development
- urban centres
- major employment sites
- other prominent generators of local trips
Our position is aligned with national and local policy.
The National Planning Policy Framework steers development towards promoting its connectivity with sustainable transport to contribute towards wider sustainability.
It also promotes the integration of planning and sustainable transport in order to provide attractive alternatives to travelling by car to access:
- employment
- education
- health facilities
- leisure
- amenities
- health objectives
The idea behind this is to provide people with a real choice about how they travel.
We request provision and/or improvements to local bus services in association with new development in alignment with the policies in the Warwickshire Local Transport Plan 2011-26. This includes promoting public transport connectivity between new development and local amenities.
As specified in the Warwickshire Local Transport Plan 2011-26 all occupiers within a new development should be no further than 400 metres away from the nearest bus stop. The policy in the plan is related to connectivity between new development and local bus services.
We ensure that during the planning stage the local bus service provision has every chance of achieving success. This means attracting a sufficient level of patronage so that the provision will not require subsidy from us to continue operation after the expiry of the developer contribution lifespan. Further details can be found in the Warwickshire Design Guide (to be published shortly).
Pedestrian routes
Minimum standards for pedestrian routes are set out in the Warwickshire Design Guide (to be published shortly). The layout and design of footways should aim to provide convenient, appealing and safe routes for pedestrians.
Cycling
New developments must provide a choice of sustainable transport modes, in line with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Developers will be expected to ensure that new developments are connected to the local cycle network by safe, convenient and attractive cycle routes. This includes routes to:
- town centres
- rail stations
- educational establishments
Retail and employment sites will need to ensure that there is good cycle access and suitable connections to the local cycle network.
We have developed cycle network plans for all main urban areas in Warwickshire, which show the existing cycle network and identify future routes required to serve key development sites. Developers will be expected to make an appropriate contribution towards the delivery of the new cycling infrastructure to connect development sites to key local destinations and / or the existing cycle network.
This may be provided through a Section 278 (s278) agreement or a Section 106 (s106) contribution, depending on the scale and nature of the cycling infrastructure required.
Cycling infrastructure should be provided at an early stage in the occupation of the site, to avoid dependency on the car for local journeys and to promote sustainable travel for residents. This will be preferably prior to occupation, and should be reflected in the trigger points for s106 payment.
Find out more about considerations for cycling in Warwickshire’s Cycling Strategy as set out in the Local Transport Plan.