SAINSBURY'S SUPERMARKET LIMITED SAINSBURY'S FOODSTORE LUDLOW, SHROPSHIRE
TRAVEL PLAN
MARCH 2021
SAINSBURY'S SUPERMARKET LIMITED SAINSBURY'S FOODSTORE LUDLOW, SHROPSHIRE
TRAVEL PLAN
MARCH 2021
Project Code: SSLLudlow.1
Prepared by: TW
Approved by: VL
Issue Date: March 2021
Status: Final
Mayer Brown Limited, Lion House, Oriental Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 8AR Telephone 01483 750508 Fax 01483 750437 [email protected] www.mayerbrown.co.uk
Sainsbury's Supermarket Limited Sainsbury's Foodstore Ludlow, Shropshire Travel Plan
List of Contents
Sections
1 Executive Summary ...... 1 2 Background Information ...... 3 3 Accessibility ...... 7 4 Baseline Travel Patterns ...... 12 5 Objectives and Targets ...... 14 6 Measures ...... 17 7 Strategy and Action Plan ...... 21 8 Monitoring and Review ...... 23 9 Commitment ...... 26
Figures
Figure 2.1: Local Site Location ...... 3 Figure 2.2: Site in Relation to the Wider Highway Network ...... 5 Figure 3.1: Ludlow Walking and Cycling Map ...... 8 Figure 3.2: National Cycle Network Route 44 ...... 9
Tables
Table 3.1: Bus Services within the Vicinity of the Store ...... 10 Table 4.1: Modal Split from Colleague Travel Survey, [month, year] ...... 12 Table 5.1: Travel Plan Objectives and Targets ...... 15 Table 7.1: Action Plan ...... 22
Appendices
APPENDIX A: Architects’ Site Layout Drawing
Sainsbury's Supermarket Limited Sainsbury's Foodstore, Ludlow, Shropshire Travel Plan
1 Executive Summary
This Travel Plan has been prepared on behalf of Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Limited to satisfy a planning condition relating to the approved development on land at Dun Cow Farm, Rocks Green, Ludlow. The approved development comprises a new Sainsbury’s Foodstore, including a petrol filling station (PFS) and associated car park.
This Travel Plan will be implemented at the development in order to encourage a reduction in the number of single occupancy car journeys made by colleagues travelling to and from the store and to encourage colleagues and customers to make more sustainable travel choices when travelling to and from the store.
This Travel Plan has been produced in accordance with planning condition 17 of the approved development, planning application reference 14/05573/OUT.
An assessment of the existing site has been undertaken, including a site audit to assess accessibility via various travel modes and the facilities in place before and after the development.
Colleague travel patterns will be assessed through a Colleague Travel Survey following the opening of the store, the results of which will provide baseline travel mode data to inform the development of the Travel Plan.
The objectives of the Travel Plan are detailed in this Plan and following the Colleague Travel Survey targets will be set which focus on a modal shift in colleague travel away from single occupancy car travel.
A range of measures to work towards the objectives and targets are included – both physical and managerial measures to encourage a shift away from single occupancy car usage by colleagues. Such measures have been tailored to meet the needs and requirements of colleagues travelling to the store daily, to ensure maximum participation, and to work towards the success of the Travel Plan and its objectives and targets.
Details of the implementation and management of the Travel Plan and the responsibilities of the nominated Travel Plan Coordinator are outlined as well as an action plan for the duration of the Plan.
A monitoring and review methodology is included to ensure the continued development of the Travel Plan and to support its success for its duration.
This Travel Plan and its commitments are specific to the approved foodstore at Dun Cow Farm, Rocks Green, Ludlow. It will become effective upon the opening of the store.
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Employees of Sainsbury’s are known as colleagues and are referred to in this way throughout this Plan.
Planning History
In March 2017, outline planning consent was granted for the erection of a new foodstore with associated petrol filling station and associated car parking, including access (planning application ref: 14/05573/OUT). A Transport Assessment dated September 2014 was produced by Royal Haskoning DHV in support of the application. In February 2016, a Transport Assessment Addendum also produced by Royal Haskoning DHV was submitted, to provide additional information requested by Highways England, relating to the junction modelling assessments.
Planning permission was granted for the development subject to a number of planning conditions. Condition 17 of the planning consent requires the developer to submit a Travel Plan as follows:
“Prior to the first opening of the food store a Travel Plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved travel plan shall be implemented within one month of the first occupation of the development.
Reason: In order to minimise the use of the private car and promote the use of sustainable modes of transport in accordance with guidance in Planning Policy Guidance Note 13.”
In September 2020, a Reserved Matters application (planning application reference: 20/00840/REM) pursuant to planning application reference 14/05573/OUT, received planning consent, which provided details of the design and external appearance of the development, layout, scale and landscaping of the site.
This Travel Plan has therefore been produced in accordance with planning condition 17.
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2 Background Information
Site Location
The site is located approximately 2km to the north east of Ludlow town centre on land at Dun Cow Farm, Rocks Green, Ludlow. Figure 2.1 illustrates the location of the site in relation to the local highway network.
Site Location
Figure 2.1: Local Site Location
The site is bounded by the A4117 Rocks Green to the south, the A49 to the west, Rocks Green residential development to the north and Duncow Road to the east. Duncow Road provides access to the foodstore and further north the road provides access to the service yard, which is on the western side of the store.
The site is located on Duncow Road, which is currently a single carriageway private road that connects to the Rocks Green residential development. However, the road is intended to be adopted through S278/S38 procedures and become public highway.
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Duncow Road joins the A4117 Rocks Green on the south eastern side of the site. The A4117 Rocks Green is a single carriageway road which runs north east from the A49 North/Henley Road/A49 South/A4117 roundabout junction to the B4364 junction, where the road continues as the A4117 Ludlow Road. From here, the road continues east towards the small settlement Angelbank and Cleehill Village. The section of Rocks Green within the vicinity of the site is subject to a 40mph speed restriction.
Henley Road is a single carriageway road that is subject to a 30mph speed restriction. The road runs west into Ludlow, providing access to the residential areas of Ludlow and the town centre.
The A49 north is a single carriageway road that is subject to 60mph (derestricted). The road runs north west towards Onibury village and Craven Arms town. From here, the road continues north and terminates at the Bayston Hill Roundabout in Shrewsbury. The A49 north provides a link to the A5, which runs along the southern side of Shrewsbury before continuing west to the M54 and north west to Oswestry.
The A49 south is also a single carriageway road that is subject to a 60mph (derestricted) speed limit. This road runs south around the eastern edge of Ludlow towards Woofferton. The A49 south links to the A456 which runs east towards Bewdley and Kidderminster. Figure 2.2 illustrates the location of the site in relation to the wider highway network.
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Site Location
Figure 2.2: Site in Relation to the Wider Highway Network
Existing Site
The existing site for the proposed foodstore is currently occupied by a detached farmhouse and redundant farm buildings. The existing site for the proposed PFS, to the east of Duncow Road, is currently agricultural land which is part of Dun Cow Farm. Access to both sites is currently via the A4117 Rocks Green.
Proposed Development
The development proposals involve the construction of a new Sainsbury’s foodstore including a petrol filling station (PFS) and associated car park. The scheme comprises a store with a net sales area of 1,641 sq.m a three pump PFS with an unmanned kiosk and associated parking facilities. The approved site layout is shown on the architects’ drawing attached as Appendix A to this report.
Access Arrangements
Vehicular
Vehicular access to the foodstore and PFS will be provided via a mini roundabout on Duncow Road to the north of the A4117 Rocks Green. The foodstore will be accessed via the western arm of the mini roundabout and the PFS will be accessed via the eastern arm of the mini roundabout.
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As part of the construction of the site access, the width of the right-hand turn lane onto Rocks Green from Duncow Road will be widened. The service yard access will also be widened to accommodate a pull in area, so that a delivery vehicle can wait to enter the service yard, if it arrives at the same time a vehicle is exiting the service yard. This layout will prevent traffic from backing up onto Duncow Road.
Pedestrian and Cyclist
A footway will be provided into the site on the northern side of the foodstore access, which will tie into the existing footway on the western side of Duncow Road. A pedestrian refuge will be provided on the foodstore access arm of the new site access mini roundabout, in order to assist pedestrians accessing the site. In addition to the above, a new link for pedestrians and cyclists will be provided from the existing signalised toucan crossing on Rocks Green, into the store car park. This will provide a direct route to the site from the south.
Within the site, pedestrian facilities in the form of zebra crossings will be provided to assist pedestrians in accessing the store entrance. A pedestrian walkway will be provided through the centre of the car park from north to south, adjacent to the disabled parking spaces.
Servicing
The service yard will be located on the western side of the store with vehicular access gained via Duncow Road. The service yard access is located north of the new mini roundabout junction to the store and PFS.
Parking Provision
The total car parking provision for the store is 169 spaces and for the PFS is nine spaces.
Customer car parking facilities will be provided at the store in the form of 169 spaces, including 10 disabled and seven parent and child spaces in a surface car park adjacent the store. Four electric car charging parking space will be provided in the car park.
Cycle parking facilities are provided in the form of four Sheffield stands for the parking of eight bicycles which will be located along the southern side of the store. These stands will be covered by the store’s canopy.
A drop off/pick-up point will be provided in the car park close to the lobby area of the store.
Trolley bays will be provided throughout the car park.
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3 Accessibility
As with any new development it is important that it complies with national, regional and local government policies, which focus on encouraging alternative means of travel in order to reduce reliance on the private car.
The proposed development site is accessible by modes of transport other than the private car and therefore there is potential for trips to be made to and from it by such modes – on foot, by bicycle, by bus and by rail.
Accessibility on Foot
Duncow Road has a footway present along the western side of the carriageway, which leads north from the A4117 Rocks Green junction to the Rocks Green residential housing development. The footway is offset from the carriageway by a grass verge. Dropped kerbs and tactile paving are present at crossing points.
At the junction with Rocks Green, an off road cycle lane links to the footway along Duncow Road to become a shared footway/cycleway leading to the signalised toucan crossing on Rocks Green. From this point, the shared footway/cycleway continues on the southern side of Rocks Green, leading south west to the A49 North/Henley Road/A49 South/A4117 roundabout junction. The shared footway/cycleway continues round to the A49 south arm of the roundabout for approximately 50m. The shared footway/cycleway on the eastern side of the A49 terminates at a signalised toucan crossing. The toucan crossing has dropped kerbs and tactile paving facilitating pedestrian and cycle movement across the A49 south arm of the roundabout, providing easy access to Rocks Green and Duncow Road.
At the toucan crossing, the shared footway/cycleway continues north east on the western side of the A49 southern arm of the roundabout into Henley Road. Pedestrian guard railing is present along this section leading to the A49 North/Henley Road/A49 South/A4117 roundabout. The shared footway/cycleway continues west on the southern side on Henley Road for approximately 130m to the Henley Road Cemetery junction. At this point it continues west along Henley Road as a footway and cyclists are required to re-join the mina carriageway. Henley Road provides a footway on both sides of the carriageway from the junction with Weyman Road. This provides access to the local residential areas and Ludlow town centre.
Rocks Green has footways on either side of the carriageway for approximately 150m to the east of Duncow Road. At this point the northern footway terminates and the southern
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footway continues north east beyond Rocks Green as a narrow footway offset by a grass verge.
The pedestrian facilities in the surrounding area are in good condition and regular street lighting is present along the local roads. The site is well connected to the Rocks Green residential development and to nearby residential areas in Ludlow to the west and south west of the site.
Accessibility by Bicycle
The site is approximately a 10-minute cycle ride from the town centre. The map below is taken from the Ludlow Cycling and Walking Map.
Site Location
Figure 3.1: Ludlow Walking and Cycling Map
The roads shown in green including sections of the A49 North/Henley Road/A49 South/A4117 roundabout junction are traffic free cycling and walking routes. The roads shown in yellow are part of the Town Cycle Loop Route, which includes Henley Road. The roads shown in red are on-road advisory cycle routes, which include roads leading to the town centre.
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National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 44 is located approximately 3.1km to the south west of the site. Hamilton Lane is the start of an open section of the route leading north west to Broomfield, beyond which is Onibury, before terminating at Shawbank to the east of Craven Arms. Figure 3.2, taken from Sustrans’ online mapping illustrates NCN Route 44 in Ludlow. The routes highlighted as follows: Yellow routes – Traffic-free routes (NCN/other) Blue routes – On-road routes (NCN/other)
Site Location
Figure 3.2: National Cycle Network Route 44 [Source: Sustrans’ online mapping]
Many of the roads in Ludlow are suitable for on-road cycling that can be used to access the surrounding residential areas. Cycle access to the development will be promoted through: The provision of secure, covered, cycle parking close to the entrance of the foodstore; and Promotion through the Travel Plan
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Public Transport Accessibility
Bus
The nearest bus stops to the site are the ‘Nelson Inn’ north eastbound and south westbound bus stops on the A4117 Rocks Green. These bus stops are served by Diamond Bus bus route 292 and the school bus route 716 that is run by Caradoc Coaches.
To the north of the site, within the Rocks Green residential development, is an additional bus stop. The bus stop is called ‘Rock Green Estate’ and serves the bus route 722 ‘Park & Ride’. This bus route is run by Minsterley Motors.
A summary of the bus services calling at these stops is set out in Table 3.1.
Service AM Peak PM Peak Sunday Route Saturday Frequency No. Frequency Frequency Frequency Kidderminster Every 2 hours from 1 service 1 service - - Ludlow 08:21 to 18:21 292 Ludlow – Every 2 hours from 1 service 1 service - Kidderminster 08:38 to 16:38 Great Sutton – Clee St 1 AM service Margaret – (schooldays only) Ludlow 716 Ludlow – Clee St 1 PM service Margaret – (schooldays only) Great Sutton
Ludlow Town 722 Service via 1 service 1 service Hourly - P&R Park & Ride
Table 3.1: Bus Services within the Vicinity of the Store
Table 3.1 shows that there is a reasonable level of service to and from the surrounding areas of Ludlow and to Kidderminster further afield. The 722 bus route also stops at Ludlow rail station.
Train
Ludlow rail station is approximately 1.7km south west of the site on Station Drive. The station is therefore accessible on foot, by bicycle and by bus. Services are managed by Transport for Wales with direct trains to Shrewsbury and Hereford as well as destinations further afield such as Crewe, Newport, Cardiff and Manchester Piccadilly. The station has cycle parking with space for ten bicycles, which have CCTV coverage. Multi-modal
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journeys involving cycling and public transport can form a viable alternative to the private car.
A summary of the typical services from Ludlow rail station is shown in Table 3.2. Services operate in the opposite directions and at the same frequencies.
Weekday Peak Hour Weekend Hour Route Train Frequency Train Frequency AM PM Saturday Sunday Milford Haven – Johnston (Pembs) – Clarbeston Road – Clunderwen – Carmarthen – Llanelli – Swansea – Skewen 5 – Neath – Baglan – Port Talbot Parkway – services Bridgend – Cardiff Central – Newport (South 6 services per day per day - Wales) – Abergavenny – Hereford – (Every 2 Leominster – Ludlow – Church Stretton – hours) Nantwich – Crewe – Wilmslow – Stockport Manchester Piccadilly Carmarthen – Llanelli – Swansea – Port Talbot Parkway – Bridgend – Cardiff Central 2 - then – Newport (South Wales) - Abergavenny – every Every 2 Hereford – Leominster – Ludlow – Craven hourly - Hourly hours Arms – Chuch Stretton – Shrewsbury – until Crewe – Wilmslow – Stockport - 16:55 Manchester Piccadilly Cardiff Central - – Newport (South Wales) - Abergavenny – Hereford – Leominster – Ludlow – Craven Arms – Chuch Stretton – Shrewsbury – Wem – Whitchurch 1 - - - (Shropshire) – Wrenbury – Nantwich – Crewe – Wilmslow – Stockport – Manchester Piccadilly Table 3.2: Services from Ludlow Rail Station
Table 3.2 shows that there are regular services on to and from Manchester Piccadilly and local destinations such as Hereford, Leominster and Shrewsbury.
Taxi
A pick up point will be provided at the store, adjacent the store frontage. Details of local taxi operators will be displayed in the store.
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4 Baseline Travel Patterns
It is important to establish the travel patterns of colleagues at the time of the introduction of the Travel Plan so that the results can be used to set up specific targets and measures to work towards as part of the Plan. Consequently, the yearly reviews will gauge whether or not these measures have been successful in encouraging colleagues to travel sustainably and whether or not the targets have been met.
However, the store is not yet open and therefore a review of colleague travel patterns is unable to be made. A Colleague Travel Survey will therefore be carried out within one month of the opening of the new store. This will be known as the baseline travel survey and the results will be included in the final version of the Travel Plan within six months of the opening of the new store. The results will be used to inform the future development of the Travel Plan, particularly in relation to the setting of modal split targets.
One of the key findings of the Colleague Travel Survey will be the existing modal split for colleague travel. These results will define the starting point and targets of the Plan and the measures to be introduced in order to encourage sustainable travel. The modal split results will be presented in a table in the format of Table 4.1.
Travel Mode Percentage of Colleagues Walk Bicycle Motorcycle, scooter, moped Bus Rail Taxi Car – single occupancy Car – car sharing Other Total 100% Table 4.1: Modal Split from Colleague Travel Survey, [month, year]
It is noted that one of Sainsbury’s corporate policies is to recruit colleagues from the local area around the store, thus resulting in a greater potential for colleagues to travel by modes other than single occupancy car when travelling to and from work. Following the Colleague Travel Survey the modal split results of colleagues and the origin location of colleagues will be assessed to determine their catchment area and the correlation between the two.
It is important to note that shift patterns for colleagues can determine their travel preferences, for example, if they start work in the early morning or finish work very late
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at night they may not be inclined to walk to and from work due to perceived safety issues. This will be assessed as part of the travel survey. An ongoing assessment will be carried out of colleagues’ perceptions of the type of facilities that would encourage them to use alternative travel modes other than single occupancy car travel in travelling to and from work. The contact details of the Travel Plan Coordinator will be displayed on the notice boards in the event that colleagues wish to discuss specific matters directly. This information will assist in the development of the Travel Plan measures.
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5 Objectives and Targets
Objectives
The objective of the Travel Plan is to implement a long-term change in travel patterns.
The Travel Plan has the following objectives: To reduce the dependence of colleagues on single occupancy private car travel; and To encourage colleagues and customers, where possible to make more sustainable travel choices when travelling to and from the store.
The objectives of the Travel Plan will be achieved through a) Making colleagues aware of the benefits and potential for travel by sustainable modes; and b) introducing a package of physical and managerial measures to encourage sustainable travel to the site.
The objectives of the Travel Plan reflect the national, regional and local transport planning policies to encourage and provide for sustainable travel.
On a much wider basis it is anticipated that by working towards the objectives of the Travel Plan benefits may occur such as health improvements, a reduction in the number of vehicles on the road network surrounding the store, a subsequent reduction in energy consumption and pollution and cost savings benefits.
It is noted that whilst the Travel Plan is aimed at both colleagues and customers, the Travel Plan’s primary objective is shaping colleague travel patterns. It is considered that colleague travel provides more scope for change, due to the following: Colleagues of the store will undertake a higher frequency of trips to the site compared to customers; The level of control/influence that employers have over the behaviour of colleagues; and A car journey is generally preferred by customers undertaking bulk shopping trips.
Targets
The Travel Plan will contain a set of ‘SMART’ (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound) targets which link to the objectives of the Plan. As stated in section 4, the Colleague Travel Survey is currently not able to be undertaken and will be carried out within one month of the opening of the new store. The baseline mode
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split of colleague travel will therefore be included in the final version of the Travel Plan within six months of the store opening.
Main Target
The main aim of the Travel Plan is seeking to reduce the dependence of colleagues on single occupancy private car travel when travelling to and from the store. The main target of the Travel Plan will therefore be: A decrease in the percentage of colleagues travelling by single occupancy private car to and from the store.
The target for the first year of implementation of the Travel Plan will be set following the Colleague Travel Survey.
Sub Targets
In conjunction with the main target a number of sub targets will be set that link to a reduction in single occupancy private car travel by colleagues. These will be: An increase in the percentage of colleagues walking to and from the store; An increase in the percentage of colleagues cycling to and from the store; An increase in the percentage of colleagues travelling by bus to and from the store; An increase in the percentage of colleagues travelling by rail to and from the store (or travelling part of their journey by rail); An increase in the percentage of colleagues car sharing to and from the store.
The objectives and targets for the first year of implementation of the Travel Plan will be set out in a table in the format of Table 5.1 following the Colleague Travel Survey and will be updated at years one, three and five as part of the biennial review.
Modal Split Objectives Year One Travel Mode Baseline Target To reduce the dependence of colleagues on single Single occupancy private car travel; occupancy car To encourage colleagues and customers, where Walking possible, to make more sustainable travel choices Cycling when travelling to and from the store Bus Rail Car sharing Table 5.1: Travel Plan Objectives and Targets
The targets will be reviewed and any additional targets will be set as part of the reviewing process of the Travel Plan. As stated above, the targets will be updated following the
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biennial Colleague Travel Surveys and evaluated at each biennial review to ensure that future targets are realistic but challenging.
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6 Measures
This section outlines the specific physical and managerial measures that will be undertaken to work towards the objectives and targets of the Travel Plan. The implementation of these measures is the core of the Plan and the measures will be designed, as far as possible, to be suitable for review and monitoring. The list, however, is not exhaustive and the Travel Plan Coordinator will be free to investigate other potential initiatives.
The following measures will be updated on the basis of the results of the Colleague Travel Survey and the final version of the targets which will be included in the final version of the Plan within six months of the opening of the new store.
Travel Plan Noticeboards
Colleague
The Travel Plan will be promoted to colleagues on an ongoing basis via a dedicated colleague Travel Plan notice board. Posters will be displayed on the notice board which will contain general information relating to the Plan, information relating to sustainable travel and any current promotions.
Contact details of the Travel Plan Coordinator will be permanently advertised on the colleague Travel Plan notice board which will provide colleagues with the ability to contact the Coordinator to discuss specific matters directly.
Customer
The Travel Plan will also be promoted to customers through a customer travel information board within the store. This will aim to raise the awareness of both the existence of the Travel Plan and its objectives as well as provide information on and encourage sustainable travel. Customers will be provided with local cycle route information, bus timetable information and taxi operator contact details.
Walking Measures
The following measures would aim to encourage walking trips to the site: The Travel Plan noticeboards will be displayed within the store in a place convenient for colleagues and customers. The display boards will show the designated pedestrian routes to the site from nearby residential areas and to local bus stops. These will be implemented upon opening of the store;
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The Travel Plan Coordinator will take note of any comments from colleagues and customers regarding the condition/maintenance of nearby pedestrian routes and will pass on any concerns to Shropshire Council. The health benefits of walking will be promoted on the information boards displayed within the store in areas convenient for colleagues and customers; and Lockers and changing facilities including facilities for the storage of wet clothes and umbrellas, will be provided for colleagues.
Cycling Measures
The following measures would aim to encourage cycling trips to the site: The Travel Plan noticeboards will be displayed within the store in areas convenient for colleagues and customers. The display boards will show the designated cycling routes to the site from nearby residential areas. These will be implemented upon opening of the store; The Travel Plan Coordinator will take note of any comments from colleagues and customers regarding the condition/maintenance of nearby cycle routes and will pass on any concerns to Shropshire Council. Cycle parking facilities will be provided in the form of four Sheffield stands for the parking of eight bicycles, which will be located along the southern side of the store, the majority of which will be covered by the store’s canopy. Lockers and changing facilities, including facilities for the storage of wet clothes and cycle helmets, will be provided for colleagues; The health benefits of cycling will be promoted on the information boards displayed within the store in areas convenient for colleagues and customers; and All Sainsbury’s colleagues are eligible to take part in the Government’s Cycle to Work initiative. Through the provider, Cyclescheme, colleagues are able to obtain bicycles and related equipment tax-free. This salary sacrifice scheme allows colleagues to get upwards of 40% of the cost of a bicycle up to the value of £1,000. Cyclescheme is partnered with 1,500 independent bicycle shops in the UK and Eire. The Travel Plan Coordinator will maintain copies of the Sainsbury’s policies which detail the scheme and via the Travel Plan notice board, colleagues will be provided with information on the scheme and its benefits.
Public Transport Measures: Bus and Train Services
The following measures would aim to encourage public transport trips to the site: Information boards will be displayed within the store in areas convenient for colleagues and customers. The display boards will contain up to date details of bus
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and rail services, including route information and service frequencies as well as ticketing offers (season tickets and ticket types). These will be implemented upon opening of the store; When necessary, the Travel Plan Coordinator will liaise with the local bus operators to ensure that any issues raised by colleagues and customers are communicated, in order to maximise use of local bus services to and from the site; and The Travel Plan Coordinator will investigate the possibility of the local bus operators providing discounted public transport tickets to colleagues. Liaison with bus operators would be undertaken by the Travel Plan Coordinator. Colleagues will be offered the opportunity to apply for interest free season ticket loans where appropriate.
Taxi Measures
Taxis can be an important alternative means of transport for emergency purposes and for trips when other modes of transport may not be available, such as in the early morning or late evening when bus services are far more restricted and walking or cycling may not be preferable. Consequently, the Travel Plan includes the following measures to support travel by taxi: The Travel Plan Coordinator will ensure that the contact details for local taxi operators are clearly displayed within the store for use by colleagues and customers.
Car Sharing Measures
The results of the Colleague Travel Survey will establish the potential for car sharing. The following initiatives are included to promote and encourage car sharing amongst colleagues: Via the colleague Travel Plan notice board the Travel Plan Coordinator will promote to colleagues the website liftshare, which provides a regional car sharing scheme in Shropshire. The free service allows people to find passengers or drivers to share regular or one-off journeys and aims to raise the awareness of green travel issues and promote sustainable travel. The Coordinator will promote the website to help facilitate car sharing among colleagues. For colleagues that do not have access to the internet, the Travel Plan Coordinator will provide colleagues with details of how to register by other methods; Sainsbury’s will provide a guaranteed lift home service to colleagues whose expected lift does not materialise and in the event of an emergency in order to allay certain doubts or fears of colleagues when considering car sharing. Clarification of
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what would be considered as an emergency will be determined and colleagues considering car sharing will be made aware of the limitations of this provision.
Other
Goods Online
Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Limited operates a Goods Online (GOL) service which allows customers to shop online and order their required goods, following which Sainsbury’s will deliver the goods to the customer. Deliveries take place seven days a week; delivery times vary depending on where customers live although customers are able to choose from a selection of delivery options. Customers are able to order online and have their goods delivered, thus helping to reduce the number of vehicular journeys to and from the store. The GOL service will be promoted to customers at the new store via information within the store. Customers will also be kept informed of current offers and when delivery charges change. The Ludlow area is currently covered by the GOL service.
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7 Strategy and Action Plan
Sainsburys Supermarkets Limited will appoint a Travel Plan Coordinator at the store to implement and administer the Travel Plan. Their details will be set out below upon occupation of the new store: Name: Address: Telephone no: Email address:
The appointed Travel Plan Coordinator will be responsible for the administration of the Travel Plan, the implementation of the Plan measures, for ongoing monitoring of the Plan and for the continued review.
Administration of the Travel Plan will involve maintenance of the necessary systems, data and paperwork, consultation and promotion. The duties are permanent and regular updating of the Plan is part of the responsibility of the nominated Travel Plan Coordinator. Any change in the nominated person will be notified to Shropshire Council.
A filing system will be established and maintained for recording all correspondence relating to the Travel Plan, the results of periodic monitoring and the results of each biennial review.
The Travel Plan Coordinator will be responsible for setting up and maintaining a colleague travel folder which will comprise details of all the colleagues, the results of the Colleague Travel Survey, travel information and useful contacts information, such as local bus operators.
In the interests of confidentiality, the Travel Plan Coordinator alone will be responsible for the folder and for the release of information. Non-private colleague information contained within the folder will be released to Shropshire Council on request.
The colleague travel folder will be reviewed annually. New colleagues will be entered into the system on commencement of employment and colleagues leaving employment will be removed from the system.
Action Plan
An action plan setting out the timetable for implementation of the Travel Plan, including monitoring/review process, is set out in Table 7.1.
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Year Month Action / Measure Appointment of Travel Plan Coordinator; Provide colleague changing and storage facilities; Provide cycle parking facilities; Install travel noticeboards with relevant information, 0 Prior to occupation including local walking and cycling routes, public transport information, journey planning, car sharing and local taxi providers; and Investigate public transport discounts that may be available to colleagues.
Undertake baseline colleague travel survey; and Within 1 month of 0 store opening Travel Plan measures underway;
Interim review: Colleague travel survey results analysed, Between 1 and 6 0 months of store final version of targets set, measures reviewed and any opening additional information added to the Travel Plan.
Full Travel Plan with results of Colleague travel survey Within 6 months of 0 and final version of targets submitted to Shropshire opening Council
Following approval of the full Travel Plan by Shropshire Council the Travel Plan will become effective and the five year period of the Travel Plan will commence
Colleague Travel Survey re-issued One year after opening of store 1 First biennial Review Report submitted to Shropshire and biennially Council, including an update on targets and for five years implementation of measures
Table 7.1: Action Plan
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8 Monitoring and Review
In order to assess the effectiveness of the Travel Plan and its measures, and to determine the success in working towards the targets, monitoring will be undertaken at the development and the results will be reported accordingly.
This Travel Plan is a long-term strategy with the aim of encouraging and implementing change in travel patterns.
As previously noted, whilst the Travel Plan is aimed at both colleagues and customers, it provides more scope for change in colleagues travel patterns due to their higher frequency of trips to the site and the level of control/influence that employers have over the behaviour of colleagues.
The main indicator of the success of the Travel Plan in working towards its objectives will be the modal split of colleague travel. The awareness of colleagues of sustainable travel choice is more difficult to monitor, although one indicator will be the general response to the introduction of the Plan, measured by the volume and type of feedback from colleagues, both at the outset and as the strategy evolves.
Information gathered through the monitoring process will be recorded for input to the biennial review. The Travel Plan Coordinator will ensure that the information will be made available to Shropshire Council on request, free of charge.
Travel Surveys
As previously stated, a baseline travel survey will be undertaken within one month of the opening of the store. As well as identifying the modal split of colleague travel to the site, the survey will ask colleagues about their awareness and opinions of sustainable travel modes. It will also request details of their shift patterns.
The results of the survey will be used to set up-to-date modal split targets for the implementation period of the Travel Plan. In order to assess the success of the Plan in working towards the targets, the travel survey will be issued to all colleagues on a biennial basis as follows: Year 1 travel survey – one year after the baseline travel survey; Year 3 travel survey – three years after the baseline travel survey; and Year 5 travel survey – five years after the baseline travel survey.
The results of the travel surveys will be analysed, and the results compiled into a monitoring report.
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If the Travel Plan is meeting or exceeding its targets after five years no further surveys or analysis will be undertaken. If the Travel Plan is not meeting its targets the Travel Plan Coordinator will discuss the way forward with Shropshire Council’s Travel Plan Officer and the monitoring period may continue and/or additional measures implemented.
Monitoring
In addition to the travel surveys, the Travel Plan Coordinator will undertake the following monitoring/maintenance measures. The Travel Plan Coordinator will respond to travel related queries and concerns from colleagues. Any concerns raised by colleagues or customers to the store regarding the condition of pedestrian and cycle routes within and around the site will be noted by the Travel Plan Coordinator and passed to the relevant Shropshire Council officer to encourage improvements/maintenance to the facilities; The Travel Plan Coordinator will periodically review and update the information on the travel information noticeboards to ensure that it is accurate and up to date; The Travel Plan Coordinator will check the condition of the colleagues changing and storage facilities and monitor the use; The Travel Plan Coordinator will ensure that internal pathways and pedestrian routes are kept clean and clear for pedestrian use; The Travel Plan Coordinator will monitor the use of the customer and colleague cycle parking facilities at the retail park. If demand exists, the Travel Plan Coordinator will look into the possibility of increasing the number of cycle parking facilities in order to benefit colleagues and customers and encourage more trips by bicycle; The Travel Plan Coordinator will monitor the take up of any discounts on bus travel tickets for colleagues; The Travel Plan Coordinator will monitor the number of colleagues taking advantage of the guaranteed lift home service; The Travel Plan Coordinator will look into the journeys and gauge whether car sharers would be more suited to sharing with other colleagues, i.e. those living in more similar locations or working more similar shift patterns; and The use of the car park by colleagues will be monitored.
Counts of parking usage will be random and at a variety of times and days of the week. Seasonal variances will also be accounted for. This information will be recorded and
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held for use in future reviews as well as highlighting any immediate need to increase or improve facilities/provision.
Travel Plan Review
An interim review and update of the Travel Plan will be undertaken within six months of the opening of the new store. The Colleague Travel Survey will be undertaken within one month of the occupation of the new store. The results will be included in the final version of the Travel Plan within six months of the opening of the new store. The review will also enable the Travel Plan Coordinator to set the final version of the targets for a shift in modal split of colleague travel and to ensure the Plan measures are appropriate to work towards success in meeting the objectives and targets of the Plan.
In years 1, 3 and 5 during the five-year implementation period of the Travel Plan, a monitoring report will be compiled by the Travel Plan Coordinator, which will set out results of the biennial monitoring, the success of the Plan and identify the potential for future refinement of the detail/measures of the Plan.
The report will be filed for record, with copies issued to Shropshire Council for approval.
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9 Commitment
From the outset, the Travel Plan will be funded by the developer, Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Limited, who will also be responsible for appointing the Travel Plan Coordinator.
The Travel Plan Coordinator will be responsible for the ongoing management of the Plan with assistance from the store management and Sainsbury’s head office.
If necessary, any issues regarding the Travel Plan and its implementation that cannot be dealt with at the store itself will be reported back to Sainsbury’s head office where they will be actioned accordingly.
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APPENDIX A: Architects’ Site Layout Drawing