Vintry & Mercer Hotel at 19-21 Garlick Hill London EC4 Travel Plan
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Vintry & Mercer Hotel at 19-21 Garlick Hill London EC4 Travel Plan August 2019 Vintry & Mercer Hotel, 19-21 Garlick Hill Hotel Travel Plan Contents 1.0 Travel Plan: Background 1.1 Development Details 1.2 Setting the scene 2.0 Policy 2.1 National 2.2 Regional 2.3 Local 3.0 Site Assessment 4.0 Travel Survey 5.0 Objectives 6.0 Targets 7.0 Travel Plan Management 8.0 Measures 9.0 Monitoring & Review 10.0 Securing & Enforcement 11.0 Travel Plan Funding 12.0 Action Plan 13.0 Final Comments Appendices Appendix A – Location Plan, Site Layout Plan Appendix B – PTAL Assessment Appendix C - Local Public Transport/Bus Services & Local Cycle Routes/Facilities Appendix D – Travel Survey results & questionnaire Transport Planning Consultants Limited 2 of 32 Vintry & Mercer Hotel, 19-21 Garlick Hill Hotel Travel Plan 1.0 TRAVEL PLAN: BACKGROUND 1.1 Development details This Travel Plan has been prepared to discharge the planning condition application in respect of the existing and previously approved 95-bedroom hotel (class C1) at 19-21 Garlick Hill in the City of London. The development provides a new 5-star boutique hotel with all the facilities accorded to that level of accommodation and is known as the Vintner & Mercer Hotel. A Travel Plan for the hotel is required as the number of staff exceeds the 20 employee threshold set out in TfL guidance. Since there are more than 20 staff proposed (even though there are less than 100 beds) a Strategic–level Full Travel Plan is required, which requires it to use the TRICS methodology for the travel survey. This Travel Plan has been prepared by Colin Miles of Transport Planning Consultants Limited (TPC, telephone no. 01708 343425, e-mail: [email protected] ) on behalf of FR Holdings trading as Vintry & Mercer and is submitted to discharge the obligations of the planning application ref: 14/00973/FULMAJ and fulfils the requirements set out in Schedule 3 of the draft Section 106 agreement. This Draft Travel Plan is therefore submitted in the full knowledge that it will need to be reviewed by the Council’s Travel Plan officer and also considered by FR Holdings trading as Vintry & Mercer to decide who the permanent named Travel Plan Co-ordinator will be, their contact details, information in respect of the likely date of occupation and any staff welcome/induction pack that may be prepared. 1.2 Setting the scene The site is located on Garlick Hill/Skinners Lane, just to the north side of Upper Thames Street. Upper Thames Street is a major traffic route (A3211) and part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) or “Red Route”. Only some of the surrounding streets currently provide two- way circulation around the site but the access to the front entrance can be reached by car/taxi using Queen Street, the one-way west-bound Skinners Lane and Garlick Hill (one-way southbound for cars/two-way for cycles). The site is located in the south-eastern quadrant of the Central London Congestion Charge Zone which operates between 0700-1800 hours Monday to Friday, charging a minimum of £11.50 per day to drivers passing in or through it except at weekends and public holidays. See Appendix A for location and site layout plans. The roads adjacent to the site: Little Trinity Lane, Garlick Hill and Skinners Lane are located within a controlled parking zone from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 7am to 11am Saturdays (excluding Bank & Public Holidays) with loading/unloading for a maximum of 40 minutes (unless a loading restriction is indicated at the kerbside). Upper Thames Street itself is subject to TfL Red Route no stopping at any time restrictions. Parking opportunities are therefore very limited to prevent long term occupation of any available space on street in the locality. The site is very well positioned for a wide range of tourist attractions via the local highway network by taxi and the available public transport infrastructure. Transport Planning Consultants Limited 3 of 32 Vintry & Mercer Hotel, 19-21 Garlick Hill Hotel Travel Plan The hotel will be car-free so no car parking is available at the site but there is a short section of parking bays on Little Trinity Lane available for Blue Badge holders (disabled drivers) and Doctors, Monday to Friday for up to 4 hours, no return within 1 hour, with no limit for Saturday or Sunday. A minimum of 8 cycle spaces overall were required (6 for staff and 2 for visitors) and are provided in the basement store. See Appendix A for proposed layout. 2.0 POLICY 2.1 National Policy - National Planning Policy Framework February 2109 - Chapter 9. Promoting sustainable transport The relevant planning national planning policies on transport are found in the latest NPPF, as follows: 102. Transport issues should be considered from the earliest stages of plan-making and development proposals, so that: a) the potential impacts of development on transport networks can be addressed; b) opportunities from existing or proposed transport infrastructure, and changing transport technology and usage, are realised – for example in relation to the scale, location or density of development that can be accommodated; c) opportunities to promote walking, cycling and public transport use are identified and pursued; d) the environmental impacts of traffic and transport infrastructure can be identified, assessed and taken into account – including appropriate opportunities for avoiding and mitigating any adverse effects, and for net environmental gains; and e) patterns of movement, streets, parking and other transport considerations are integral to the design of schemes, and contribute to making high quality places. Considering development proposals 108. In assessing sites that may be allocated for development in plans, or specific applications for development, it should be ensured that: a) appropriate opportunities to promote sustainable transport modes can be – or have been – taken up, given the type of development and its location; b) safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all users; and c) any significant impacts from the development on the transport network (in terms of capacity and congestion), or on highway safety, can be cost effectively mitigated to an acceptable degree. 109. Development should only be prevented or refused on highways grounds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would be severe. 110. Within this context, applications for development should: a) give priority first to pedestrian and cycle movements, both within the scheme and with neighbouring areas; and second – so far as possible – to facilitating access to high quality public transport, with layouts that maximise the catchment area for bus or other public transport services, and appropriate facilities that encourage public transport use; b) address the needs of people with disabilities and reduced mobility in relation to all modes of transport; c) create places that are safe, secure and attractive – which minimise the scope for conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, avoid unnecessary street clutter, and respond to local character and design standards; d) allow for the efficient delivery of goods, and access by service and emergency vehicles; and e) be designed to enable charging of plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles in safe, accessible and convenient locations. Transport Planning Consultants Limited 4 of 32 Vintry & Mercer Hotel, 19-21 Garlick Hill Hotel Travel Plan 111. All developments that will generate significant amounts of movement should be required to provide a travel plan, and the application should be supported by a transport statement or transport assessment so that the likely impacts of the proposal can be assessed. 2.2 Regional Policy - The Draft New London Plan (December 2017) Both the ‘London Plan’ and the ‘Mayor’s Transport Strategy’ develop the national policy approach in putting emphasis on achieving a sustainable city. Policy T4 A. Development Plans and development proposals should reflect and be integrated with current and planned transport access, capacity and connectivity. B. Transport assessments should be submitted with development proposals to ensure that any impacts on the capacity of the transport network (including impacts on pedestrians and the cycle network), at the local, network-wide and strategic level, are fully assessed. Transport assessments should focus on embedding the Healthy Streets Approach within, and in the vicinity of, new development. Travel plans, parking design and management plans, construction logistics plans and delivery and servicing plans will be required in accordance with relevant Transport for London guidance. C. Where appropriate, mitigation, either through direct provision of public transport, walking and cycling facilities and highways improvements or through financial contributions, will be required to address any adverse transport impacts that are identified. D. Where the ability to absorb increased travel demand through active travel modes has been exhausted, existing public transport capacity is insufficient to allow for the travel generated by proposed developments, and no firm plans and funding exist for an increase in capacity to cater for the increased demand, planning permission may be contingent on the provision of necessary public transport and active travel infrastructure. E. The cumulative impacts of development on public transport and the road network capacity including walking and cycling, as well as associated effects on public health, should be taken into account and mitigated. F. Development proposals should not increase road danger. 10.4.1 It is important that the impacts and opportunities which arise as a result of development proposals are identified and assessed so that appropriate mitigations and opportunities are secured through the planning process. Transport assessments are therefore necessary to ensure that planning applications can be reviewed and assessed for their specific impacts and for their compatibility with the Healthy Streets Approach.