green Transport Policy
www.belfastcity.gov.uk/transportpolicy Page 1 Index Foreword
Page 4 Introduction
Page 6 This updated Transport prosperity however, there has The publication of our revised of transport related initiatives Background The current Policy outlines our vision for a been a continuing increase in Transport Policy is timely and will addressing the utilisation of our sustainable transport system use of the car, which cannot be feed into the current reviews of assets; the encouragement review of public for Belfast and aims to build sustained. We have concerns the DRD Regional Strategy, the of public transport; promotion Page 8 on what has been achieved about how the city will cope Regional Transportation Strategy of more sustainable transport Role of the administration since our original policy was with the increasing demands and other transport plans as options and a review of business Transport Policy published in 2001. In recent on our transport infrastructure well as proposed initiatives for travel as direct contributions to and the transfer years, we have witnessed and the impact of unsustainable Belfast such as rapid transit and our broader transport objectives. of powers to local many improvements in the transport on the environment city centre traffic management Page 10 city’s transportation system, and our communities. proposals. We hope this policy will support The key messages government present real in our roads, bus and train and promote the development of of the revised services and in our walking The current Review of Public The Transport Policy has been a modern, safe, accessible and Transport Policy opportunities for us to and cycling networks however, Administration and the transfer developed as a framework for integrated transportation system influence and shape the continued development and of powers to local government us to lead by example and help to enhance the connectivity for enhancements are still required. present real opportunities for shape transportation in the city Belfast and its wider regions, Page 12 future development of us to influence and shape the in a sustainable, accessible, which benefits the environment, Strategic objectives Belfast has continued to grow future development of the city and cost-effective way for all supports sustainable and polices the city region. and evolve, becoming a modern region. Whilst responsibility for those who live, work and visit development; and enhances the and successful city that we can transport planning will not be the city. As an organisation, we quality of life of all those who live, all be proud of. The city is a transferred to local councils, will look at how we can address work, visit and do business in Page 26 competitive tourist destination, as civic leader we recognise our own transport implications the city. Councillor Conclusion a desirable place to live and the need to be proactive in through this policy and future William Humphrey work and an attractive place influencing transportation proposals. We will continue Chairman of Development Committee to invest. With growth and initiatives in our city. to pursue the development Belfast City Council
Page 2 Page 3 Introduction
1.1 An improved transport 1.2 1.3 Our Corporate Plan 2008 – 2011 We have identified six strategic It is widely recognised that a This report articulates our expresses a number of key themes in our Corporate Plan system for Belfast, safe, efficient and effective second Transport Policy to messages, which underpin our which guide our key objectives based on sustainable transport system is needed support our civic leadership vision for the city: and priorities: to support and strengthen role and it provides us with principles, is a key priority for the economy, tackle social a coherent view in relation to Better together – working with City leadership – strong, fair, deprivation, and improve the sustainable transport options others to create a shared vision together; us and forms the basis for quality of peoples’ lives in many for the city. Currently, we do and delivering together; Better opportunities for a number of our corporate ways. The consequences not have statutory responsibility Today’s action, tomorrow’s success across the city; of excessive car use and for transport planning and legacy – city investment that Better care for Belfast’s plan strategic themes, in dependency are evident, in provision. The Review of Public improves quality of life now and environment – a clean, green terms of congestion, community Administration has proposed in the future; city now and for the future; particular “better care for severance and poor air quality. the transfer of a number of Value for money – minimising Better support for people Therefore, an improved planning functions but no the rates burden, freeing up and communities; Belfast’s environment – a transport system for Belfast, responsibility for transport. We resources for more delivery on Better services – listening clean, green city now based on sustainable principles, will however, adopt a strong the ground; and and delivering; and is a key priority for us and forms civic and political leadership Better services – continuing to Better value for money – and for the future”. the basis for a number of our role in the promotion of enhance the level of service a can do, accountable, corporate plan strategic themes, sustainable development for offered to the citizen. efficient council. in particular “better care for the city of Belfast to ensure Belfast’s environment – a consistent and integrated a clean, green city now and for approach to land use and the future”. transportation planning.
Page 4 Page 5 Background
The policy was 1.4 1.5 We published our first In 2008, a review was carried established Transport Policy for Belfast in out of the 2001 Transport Policy 2001 following wide ranging and its supporting environmental to provide us with an consultation and an extensive policy package with the main inclusive and consistent research exercise. The Policy purpose of providing us with was established to provide us an up to date transport vision approach to transport with an inclusive and consistent for the city. The scope of the approach to transport Policy was also extended to development and to allow development and to allow us to take account of our revised us to take a proactive take a proactive role in ensuring strategic themes including a that the city continues to commitment to a detailed review role in ensuring that the grow and prosper in a of our internal transport activities sustainable manner. with the objective of formulating city continues to a range of sustainable transport options for both employees and grow and prosper in a fleet vehicles. sustainable manner.
Page 6 Page 7 Role of the Transport Policy
1.6 1.7 1.8 The overall role of The overall role of the revised The Transport Policy is The Policy is also our main Transport Policy is to provide us the key communication instrument for informing internal the revised Transport with an inclusive and consistent document for us, setting out activities and our capital Policy is to provide us with transport vision that can be our transportation vision and programme. There is a need promoted both internally and strategic objectives for the to ensure that ‘sustainable a transport vision that can externally. Accordingly, it will allow city. It outlines our position transport’ is considered as us to take a proactive role to help on key transportation issues part of other wider council be promoted both ensure that the city continues to to external delivery agencies programmes such as grow and prosper in a sustainable and as such, will be used sustainable development, internally and externally. manner and that any regional as part of a consultation and social inclusion, tourism, parks and local transportation policies lobbying tool to influence the and leisure, older people, are developed in line with our development of external policy children and young people, wider objectives on sustainable and proposals, including environment and arterial economic development, the Department for Regional routes and that appropriate environmental responsibility, Development’s review of the resources are allocated for the tourism, leisure, good relations, Regional Development and implementation of the Transport education and health. Transportation Strategies. Policy where appropriate.
Page 8 Page 9 The key messages of the revised Transport Policy
The transportation 1.9 1.10 vision will be The key message of the The transportation vision will An additional strategic revised Transport Policy is: be supported by a number objective relating to Belfast supported by a number of of underlying strategic city centre is also included: objectives, which are based underlying strategic To support and promote on the six strategic themes Belfast city centre, as objectives. the development of a outlined within our Corporate a key connected and modern, safe, accessible Plan 2008 - 2011, including: accessible regional and integrated transportation asset. system to enhance the City leadership; connectivity for Belfast and Better opportunities for Key objectives are set out its wider regions, which success across the city; under each of the above benefits the environment, Better care for Belfast’s seven strategic objectives supports sustainable environment; and have been split into development; and enhances Better support for people external policies (those the quality of life of all those and communities; outside our control) and who live, work, visit and do Better services; and internal policies (those business in the city. Better value for money. within our current activities).
Page 10 Page 11 Strategic objectives and policies
Strategic Objective: City leadership To provide a strong civic leadership role for the promotion of a modern, safe, accessible and integrated transportation system for the city of Belfast and its wider regions.
1.11 Key external policy objectives for Key internal policy objectives the city leadership theme include: for the city leadership theme In line with the Key objectives include: proposed transfer
To adopt a strong and public To seek to influence the To seek to develop effective of local planning functions city leadership role in the development of transportation working relationships In line with the proposed promotion of sustainable policies and proposals which with appropriate delivery transfer of local planning to local councils, we will transport initiatives for the city of improve connectivity and agencies for the delivery functions to local councils, Belfast; encourage a modal shift away of local transportation we will adopt a strong and adopt a strong and public To use our influence as civic from the private car to more schemes to support local public city leadership role in city leadership role in the leader to engage and influence sustainable forms of travel, communities and which the promotion of sustainable key delivery agencies for such as walking, cycling and integrate with a community development for the city of promotion of sustainable the development of a wider public transport; planning approach. Belfast and will ensure a Transport Policy framework To seek to ensure a higher consistent and integrated development for the city of for Belfast, including the city level of emphasis of capital approach to land use and Belfast and will ensure a centre area as well as the expenditure on sustainable transport planning; and wider regions, which is aligned transportation schemes, To ensure that we have consistent and integrated with our wider objectives on ensuring that the priority sufficient resources and sustainable development; is allocated to sustainable skills to enable us to fully approach to land use and environmental responsibility; modes of travel such as address the capacity building tourism; leisure; good relations; walking, cycling and public requirements associated with transport planning. education and health; transport schemes; and the transfer of local planning functions.
Page 12 Page 13 Strategic objectives and policies
Strategic objective: Better opportunities across the city - To support the sustainable economic development of Belfast to ensure the future prosperity of Belfast city and its wider regions, and to facilitate the continued development of its economic and physical regeneration through achievement of sustainable transportation, regeneration, growth and prosperity economic, tourism, leisure, good relations, environmental, educational and health objectives for the city.
1.12 Key external policy objectives Key internal policy objectives for for the ‘better opportunities the ‘better opportunities across the In line with the Key objectives across the city’ theme include: city’ theme include: proposed transfer The sustainable The introduction of We will support and lobby key In line with the proposed transfer of local planning functions delivery agencies for: development of Belfast’s a sustainable freight airports to ensure continued management strategy for of local planning functions to to local authorities, we connectivity to Belfast city Belfast; local authorities, we will ensure The introduction of a that all new developments will ensure that all new sustainable parking strategy centre and a high level of Implementation of a high accessibility by sustainable quality and high profile rapid comply with the relevant regional in Belfast city centre, at and local planning guidance in developments comply with key commercial and retail modes of travel; transit system for Belfast The implementation of and its wider regions; relation to sustainable transport. district centres and along In particular, to ensure the the relevant regional and arterial routes and nodes to a new public transport To support and lobby key interchange at George Best delivery agencies for the needs of pedestrians, cyclists local planning guidance in help manage travel demand and disabled users are fully and help reduce the level of Belfast City Airport; introduction of bus, rail The sustainable and rapid transit based considered as part of the design relation to sustainable commuter-related parking; and assessment process. The introduction of development of Belfast park and ride proposals, transport. port to ensure continued in appropriate locations sustainable transport corridor Additional specific policies and plans that take account of connectivity to Belfast city throughout Belfast and its centre and the strategic wider regions. proposals for Belfast city centre are the need to prioritise access included in Section 1.17. to sustainable modes of road network; and to ensure travel, in advance of the a high level of accessibility provision of new or additional by sustainable modes highway capacity; of travel; Page 14 Page 15 Strategic objectives and policies
Strategic objective: Better care for Belfast’s environment To secure the long term viability of Belfast city and its environment by seeking to ensure that all transportation arising from wider proposals takes into account, and mitigates against, adverse impacts on the environment and the quality of life of local neighbourhoods.
1.13 Key internal policy objectives for the This could ‘better care for Belfast’s environment’ include initiatives Key objectives theme include: to help reduce levels To support, where In line with the proposed transfer appropriate, innovative of functions to local authorities of greenhouse gas initiatives to reduce car and (as part of the Review of Public emissions, implementation vehicle ownership; Administration), to identify and To continue to implement implement, where appropriate, of a fleet replacement green transport initiatives a programme of environmental to minimise the adverse and streetscape improvement programme, investigation environmental impact of schemes as a means of of options to introduce our vehicle fleet and to improving connectivity, mobility promote and help roll out and the quality of life between emerging vehicle successful initiatives to neighbourhoods across Belfast. other organisations. This technology solutions could include initiatives The key objectives for ‘better to help reduce levels of care for Belfast’s environment’ are greenhouse gas emissions, mainly concerned with internal implementation of a fleet policies. With regard to external replacement programme, policies, there is significant overlap investigation of options to with ‘people and communities’ introduce emerging vehicle (Section 1.14) and ‘better value for technology solutions; and money’ (Section 1.15). Page 16 Page 17 Strategic objectives and policies
Strategic objective: Better support for people and communities To support local people and communities by ensuring a community plan approach that integrates transportation to enhance connectivity for local neighbourhoods by making them safer, healthier and more inclusive.
1.14 Key external policy objectives for The implementation the ‘better support for people and Key objectives of high quality communities’ theme include: public realm projects for We will support and lobby key impacts of commuter- pedestrians and cyclists delivery agencies for: related parking on local are fully met within planned Belfast, ensuring that the neighbourhoods; streetscape improvements. needs of pedestrians and The implementation of local road The review and improvement safety, traffic calming and safer of the traffic network in Key objectives for ‘people cyclists are fully met within routes to schools schemes areas where current traffic and communities’ are mainly which provide improvements operations result in severance concerned with external planned streetscape for vulnerable road users such of local neighbourhoods e.g. policies. With regard to internal improvements. as schoolchildren, pedestrians, Middlepath Street / Bridge End policies, there is significant cyclists and disabled users; gyratory, Yorkgate area and overlap with ‘better value for The introduction of new public Shaftesbury Square; money’ (Section 1.15). transport initiatives that include The provision of adequate community transport initiatives; carriage facilities for bicycles The effective integration of on public transport vehicles taxis into the public transport (buses and trains) at all times network; of the day; and The introduction of residents- The implementation of high only parking schemes in areas quality public realm projects where it receives local support for Belfast, ensuring that the to help reduce the negative needs of disabled users,
Page 18 Page 19 Strategic objectives and policies
Strategic objective: Better value for money To seek to ensure that our services and facilities are accessible by sustainable modes of travel, such as walking, cycling and public transport.
1.15 Key external policy objectives Key internal policy objectives for the ‘better value for money’ for the ‘better value for money’ To identify and Key objectives theme include: theme include: implement, where We will support and lobby key between district centres appropriate, a programme delivery agencies for: and between our facilities To continue to develop a To identify and implement, including the continued programme of improved and where appropriate, a of high quality cycle routes The implementation of an implementation of quality bus integrated direction (and programme of high quality integrated quality walking corridors, the introduction destination) signage in Belfast cycle routes through our through our sites including network and quality cycle of new bus services to support the quality walking sites including open spaces, open spaces, parks, leisure network for Belfast, including including routes serving network, particularly for visitors parks, leisure and community the establishment of safe and new developments, orbital and tourists to the city; facilities, which connect into and community facilities, continuous walking corridors services, cross-city services; To identify and implement, the wider National Cycle into the city centre area, district and night-time services, where appropriate, a Network and greenways which connect into the wider centres and between our and the introduction of an programme of high quality and programme for Belfast; and facilities; integrated ticketing system safe walking routes through To identify and implement, National Cycle Network Improvements to and integrated that allows travel between our sites including open where appropriate, the and greenways direction (and destination) different modes i.e. bus, rail spaces, parks, leisure and provision of public transport signage in Belfast to support and rapid transit; and community facilities; information at our sites. programme for Belfast. cycling and walking networks; The introduction (and review) The implementation of improved of parking controls that public transport services into support the delivery of our the city centre and wider areas, key services.
Page 20 Page 21 Strategic objectives and policies
Strategic objective: Better services To promote the positive effects of sustainable travel and to lead by example by implementing sustainable travel initiatives within Belfast city.
1.16 Key external policy objectives Key internal policy objectives Development of specific Cycling initiatives – Car parking – reduction of adequate resources; for the ‘better services’ theme the ‘better services’ theme objectives and targets promotional and information in the number of staff promotional and information include: include: to promote a modal shift events; provision of on- car parking spaces events; monitoring and Key objectives towards more sustainable site facilities, including potentially augmented publishing of annual forms of travel; cycle parking; cycle maps; by the introduction of performance data; To continue to support the To continue to promote the Establishment of a new training and support; cycle parking permit or charging Green vehicle initiatives – Roads Service’s Travelwise annual “Belfast Week of staff role of staff travel purchase schemes; pool bike schemes; use of alternative fuels, fleet Northern Ireland Campaign Walking” and “Belfast Week of plan co-ordinator, who schemes; establishment of Business travel – review replacement programme to promote sustainable travel Cycling” and other initiatives will be responsible for the bike user groups; of the staff travel policy, to ensure compliance and a shift away from reliance in association with key development, implementation, Public transport – promotional corporate membership of with Euro standards, fleet upon the private car; and stakeholders; marketing and monitoring of and information events; travel car clubs, promotion of management practices to To continue to promote, in We will implement a corporate the staff travel plan; information; personalised existing shuttle bus services improve vehicle utilisation association with Translink, the travel plan strategy which will Identification of specific journey planners; ticket and the removal of car- and fuel consumption, positive benefits of travel by bring together policies and policies and proposals which discount deals; based employee perks for exhaust emissions testing. public transport in Belfast and proposals for a workplace travel many include; Car sharing – continued new staff; to ensure that all our events plan for staff travel activities as Walking initiatives – operation of car share Travel plan promotion promote and facilitate travel by well as an operational travel promotional and information scheme; the provision – development of a public transport. plan for fleet activities. These events; provision of on-site of dedicated car sharing supporting marketing and initiatives are likely to include facilities; maps of walking spaces; promotional and communication plan; the the following policies and routes; information events; identification and provision proposals;
Page 22 Page 23 Strategic objectives and policies
Strategic objective: Belfast city centre To support the sustainable economic development of Belfast city centre, as a key connected and accessible regional asset – to seek to provide an urban environment that supports a more dynamic and competitive centre and to improve its presentation and environmental quality as befits a leading European city.
1.17 Key external policy objectives Key internal policy objectives for the ‘Belfast city centre’ theme for the ‘Belfast city centre’ theme The reallocation of Key objectives include: include: existing road space We will support and lobby key provision of cross-city public journey time reliability and To investigate options for the in the city centre delivery agencies for: transport routes to minimise the connectivity across the central introduction of a bicycle rental need for bus layover at Donegall area; service in Belfast city centre for use for environmental The development of a Square and City Hall; Implementation of planned to facilitate short-term use of cohesive and integrated traffic The development of traffic improvements to the main bus bicycles, particularly for tourists improvement schemes as management and public realm management and highway and rail stations in Belfast city and visitors. well as use by pedestrians, strategy for the city centre, which proposals, which adequately centre to enhance integration, improves the urban environment mitigate against any potential accessibility and connectivity; cyclists, buses and rapid and road safety for pedestrians adverse environmental or The implementation of a new and cyclists; increases community severance impacts, public transport interchange at transit – including the connectivity and accessibility to in line with the principles of Gamble Street; public transport services; and sustainable development; The introduction of a sustainable provision of cross-city improves the quality of life for all The provision of a ‘step change’ parking strategy for the city those who live in, work in and visit in the level of public transport centre; public transport routes to the city centre; provision in the city centre An increased level of cycle minimise the need for bus The reallocation of existing road including the introduction of a parking facilities in Belfast city space in the city centre for use high quality rapid transit scheme, centre, which are secure and layover at Donegall for environmental improvement and enhancements to existing weather protected. schemes as well as use by Metro bus services and rail Square and City Hall. pedestrians, cyclists, buses services serving the city centre, and rapid transit – including the which improve public transport Page 24 Page 25 Conclusion
This revised Transport Policy a range of key stakeholder aims to provide us with a bodies from across the city. As responsibility coherent and aspirational vision Progress with implementation for development of transport of the Transport Policy will for local planning across Belfast until 2015. As be monitored, reviewed and responsibility for local planning reported annually. transfers to local councils transfers to local councils over over the coming years, it the coming years, it is essential During development of the that we have a coherent revised Transport Policy, it is essential that we have view in relation to transport to was recommended that we ensure appropriate integration should introduce a formal a coherent view in relation of transportation and land use internal workplace travel plan. to transport to ensure planning in Belfast. As a next step, we will seek to develop a workplace travel appropriate integration of The overall development of the plan in consultation with revised Transport Policy was staff in order to encourage transportation and land informed by contributions from greater uptake of more an interdepartmental steering sustainable forms of transport use planning in Belfast. group within our organisation for both commuting and and through consultation with workplace travel.
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