PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

LAND BETWEEN PARK & RIDE AND MEOLE BRACE RETAIL PARK, ,

FRAMEWORK RESIDENTIAL TRAVEL PLAN

DECEMBER 2020

Proposed Residential Development

Land between Meole Brace Park & Ride and Meole Brace Retail Park

Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Framework Residential Travel Plan

Connect Consultants, 78 Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol BS37 6AG t:01454 320 220 f:01454 320 099 e:[email protected] Contents

1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 1 1.1 Background ...... 1 1.2 Development Proposals ...... 1 1.3 Site Location and Description ...... 1 1.4 Travel Plan Background ...... 3 1.5 Objectives ...... 4 1.6 References ...... 4 1.7 Implementation ...... 5 1.8 Travel Plan Structure ...... 5 2.0 SITE TRANSPORT CONTEXT ...... 6 2.1 Introduction ...... 6 2.2 Access by Foot ...... 6 2.3 Access by Cycle ...... 9 2.1 Access by Bus ...... 11 2.2 Access by Rail ...... 13 2.3 Access by Car ...... 14 2.4 Access to Facilities ...... 14 2.5 Accessibility Summary ...... 17 2.6 Initial Travel Patterns ...... 17 2.7 Census Review and Targets ...... 18 3.0 TRAVEL PLAN ADMINISTRATION ...... 21 3.1 Introduction ...... 21 3.2 Duties ...... 21 4.0 TRAVEL PLAN MEASURES ...... 22 4.1 Introduction ...... 22 4.2 Residential Travel Plan Measures ...... 22 5.0 PLAN MONITORING AND REVIEW ...... 24 5.1 Introduction ...... 24 5.2 Monitoring ...... 24 5.3 Process and Review ...... 24 6.0 ACTION PLAN ...... 25

Connect Consultants, 78 Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol BS37 6AG t:01454 320 220 f:01454 320 099 e:[email protected] List of Tables

Table 2-1 – Local Facilities Summary 8 Table 2-2 – Bus Stop and Route Details 13 Table 2-3 – NTS 0614 Trips to School; Summary Table 16 Table 2-4 – Accessibility Distance Summary 17 Table 2-5 – Initial Travel Mode Targets 20 Table 6-1 – Residential Travel Plan Action Plan 25

List of Figures

Figure 1-1 – Site location in strategic context 2 Figure 1-2 – Site location in local context 3 Figure 2-1 – 800m and 2km walking catchments 7 Figure 2-2 – Local Footpaths 9 Figure 2-3 – 5km Cycle Catchment 10 Figure 2-4 – Cycle Route Map 11 Figure 2-5 – Bus stop locations near to the proposal site 12 Figure 2-6 – 2011 Census Data for Travel to Work 19

Connect Consultants, 78 Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol BS37 6AG t:01454 320 220 f:01454 320 099 e:[email protected] Proposed Residential Development Land at Hereford Road, Shrewsbury Framework Residential Travel Plan

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background 1.1.1 Connect Consultants Limited is a firm of transport planning and highway design consultants that have been instructed by Mercian Developments to provide transport and highways advice in support of a planning application for a residential development on land at Hereford Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 1.1.2 The planning application seeks outline permission for up to 150 houses; the proposal includes a new signal-controlled site access junction on Hereford Road, which will be considered within the planning application as a matter of detail. 1.1.3 This Residential Travel Plan has been produced as a Framework Travel Plan (FTP) for the entire site. In the future, a Full Travel Plan will be produced based on this FTP.

1.2 Development Proposals 1.2.1 The proposal site is approximately 5.5 hectares. 1.2.2 The proposed development includes the following: • Outline application for up to 150 residential homes. • Construction of a new signal-controlled junction on the A5112 Hereford Road, to provide access to the proposed development and the existing Meole Brace Park and Ride site.

1.2.3 The exact mix and scale of development, as well the details of site layout and parking provision, will be determined through subsequent reserved matters applications. 1.2.4 In order to maximise the use of sustainable travel options, the development will be subject to a site-wide Residential Travel Plan to promote non-car travel through a range of measures and initiatives.

1.3 Site Location and Description 1.3.1 The site is located on the east side of the A5112 Hereford Road, on the southern side of Shrewsbury, c.2.3km southeast of the town centre. 1.3.2 The site comprises an undeveloped parcel of land, of approximately 5.5 hectares, between the Meole Brace Park and Ride site and the Meole Brace Retail Park. 1.3.3 The A5112 Hereford Road forms the site’s western boundary; the Meole Brace Retail Park lies immediately north, forming the site’s northern boundary; the Meole Brace Park and Ride site lies immediately to the south, forming the southern boundary; and the western boundary is defined by a railway line. 1.3.4 The site is located to the north of the A5 trunk road, c.300m northeast of the Bayston Hill roundabout at the junction of the A5, A49, and A5112, known locally as the ‘Dobbies Roundabout’. 1.3.5 The location of the site, in the strategic context of major roads and urban areas, is presented at Figure 1-1 below.

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Figure 1-1 – Site location in strategic context

1.3.6 The land to the west of the site, on the western side of the A5112 Hereford Road, is predominantly residential development. 1.3.7 Meole Brace Retail Park lies to the north of the site, and the Montgomery Waters Meadow football stadium is on the east side of the railway line, c.500m northeast of the site. 1.3.8 The land on the east side of the railway line and south of the A5 is predominantly agricultural land. 1.3.9 The location of the site in the local context is presented at Figure 1-2 below.

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Figure 1-2 – Site location in local context

Image source: Google Earth. N.B All Locations, Areas and Distances approximate.

1.4 Travel Plan Background 1.4.1 Travel Plans are strategies for managing multimodal access to a site or development that focus on maximising the potential for travel by sustainable transport modes. The document Delivering Travel Plans through the Planning Process1 has been reviewed with reference to the development of this FTP. 1.4.2 The benefits of Travel Plans for residential developments include the following:- • Reduced need for car use with benefits in terms of reduced traffic movements and associated congestion, air pollution and traffic accidents. • Improved accessibility and travel choice to local facilities. • Improved public transport provision for people in nearby developments derived from economies of scale. • Increased scope for child-friendly housing layouts, with fewer roads, vehicle movements and parking areas. • Improved access by the wider community to residential development by sustainable modes of transport.

1 Delivering Travel Plans through the Planning Process, Department for Transport, April 2009

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• The demonstration of good practice provides an educational tool to help change perceptions about the convenience and benefits of non-car travel.

1.5 Objectives 1.5.1 This FTP provides the overarching strategy for reducing the dependence on travel by private car for both residents and visitors of the site. The primary objectives of the strategy are to help and encourage residents and visitors, and to achieve the following:- • Increase awareness and encourage use of sustainable transport modes of transport, e.g. walking and cycling. • Increase the use of public transport. • Introduce a package of management measures that will help to facilitate residential travel by sustainable modes of transport. • Reduce trips by car, particularly single occupancy single purpose car trips.

1.5.2 Secondary objectives are to achieve the following:- • Minimise the associated impact of traffic from the development through minimising noise and pollution. • Reduce the adverse effects on health associated with increased car use. • Reduce air pollution and the consumption of fossil fuels. • Increase the attractiveness and hence the proportion of journeys made to and from the site by sustainable modes of transport such as walking, cycling and public transport. • Create a pleasant environment and maximise road safety within the development by minimising the movement of cars. • Promote social inclusion by widening the travel options available for non-car owning households. • Reduce the cost of travel to residents and employees by promoting alternatives that are both cheaper and more environmentally friendly. • Promote walking and cycling as a health benefit to residents and employees.

1.6 References 1.6.1 This FTP has been prepared by reference to the following documents:- • ‘The Essential Guide to Travel Planning’, Ian Taylor, The Department for Transport, March 2008. • ‘Making Residential Travel Plans Work: Guidelines for New Development’, Department for Transport, June 2007. • ‘A Guide on Travel Plans for Developers’, Transport Energy, September 2006. • ‘Guidance for the Preparation of Travel Plans In support of Planning Applications’, Nottinghamshire County Council, September 2010.

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1.6.2 This FTP has been prepared with due regard to the Government’s National Planning Practice Guidance note ‘Travel Plans, Transport Assessments, and Statements in Decision-Taking’. The guidance note provides advice on when travel plans, transport assessment and transport statements are required and what they should contain. 1.6.3 Under the heading ‘What are Travel Plans?’ the guidance indicates the following: “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.”

1.6.4 Under the heading ‘How do Travel Plans, Transport Assessment and Statements relate to each other?’ the guidance goes on to say the following: “The primary purpose of a Travel Plan is to identify opportunities for the effective promotion and delivery of sustainable transport initiatives e.g. walking, cycling, public transport and tele-commuting, in connection with both proposed and existing developments and through this to thereby reduce the demand for travel by less sustainable modes. As noted above, though, they should not be used as way of unfairly penalising drivers.”

1.7 Implementation 1.7.1 By definition, the travel patterns of people will change when they move house or relocate, so it is an ideal opportunity for them to review their car use. Logically, it is more difficult to change travel behaviour once regular travel patterns have been established, hence it is important that as many as possible, if not all, of the Travel Plan measures are in place as early as possible. 1.7.2 The Travel Plan will have a five-year lifetime from the time of 50% occupation of the residential units.

1.8 Travel Plan Structure 1.8.1 This FTP is divided into five further sections. The purpose and content of each section is highlighted below:- • Section 2 – describes the site location, local facilities and provides a review of the local transport facilities. • Section 3 – details the administration of the travel plan. • Section 4 – describes the Travel Plan measures. • Section 5 – described how the Travel Plan will be monitored and reviewed. • Section 6 – sets out the Action Plan for implementing the Travel Plan.

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2.0 SITE TRANSPORT CONTEXT

2.1 Introduction 2.1.1 This section of the report considers the accessibility of the site in terms of a range of transport modes. 2.1.2 It includes details of local facilities residents may access on a regular basis and a review of 2011 Census data from the local area.

2.2 Access by Foot 2.2.1 The Department for Transport’s (DfT) document titled ‘Manual for Streets’ dated 2007 provides guidance in relation to walk distances. Section 4.4 gives the following advice:- “Walkable neighbourhoods are typically characterised by having a range of facilities within 10 minutes’ (up to about 800 m) walking distance of residential areas which residents may access comfortably on foot”. 2.2.2 Paragraph 6.3.1 of Manual for Streets identifies that a 20 minute walk time (equivalent to a 1.6km walk) is acceptable, subject to an attractive walking environment. 2.2.3 Table 3.2 of The Institute of Highways and Transportation (IHT) guidance document titled ‘Providing for Journeys on Foot’ identifies a maximum walk distance of 2.0km for commuter, school and sightseeing walk trips, 800m for town centre walk trips and 1.2km for trips elsewhere. 2.2.4 The actual distance that people will be prepared to walk will vary depending on the trip purpose and other factors such as terrain and the presence of facilities such as road crossings. 2.2.5 For trips to the proposed local centre shops and facilities, the maximum walk distance is likely to be closer to 800m due to the fact that shoppers will likely be carrying goods on their return journey. 2.2.6 For work-based trips to the local centre and business/commercial units, people are likely to be prepared to walk the full 2km referred to in ‘Providing for Journeys on Foot’. 2.2.7 Based on a maximum walk distance of 800m for shoppers and 2km for employees, the walk isochrones from the centre of the site are shown at Figure 2-1 below.

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Figure 2-1 – 800m and 2km walking catchments

2.2.8 Figure 2-1 shows that the Meole Brace Park and Ride site and much of the Meole Brace Retail Park is within 800m of the proposal site. The residential area to the west of the site is also within the 800m walk catchment. 2.2.9 The 2km walk catchment includes a larger part of the southern suburbs of Shrewsbury, including Meole Brace Primary School and Nursery and Meole Brace School Science College. 2.2.10 The site itself is currently accessible on foot via the Park and Ride access road, through the Meole Brace Retail Park. The access road via the retail park will be stopped up as part of the proposed development, however, a pedestrian and cycle connection will be retained in its place. 2.2.11 The proposed new junction on the A5112 Hereford will include signal-controlled pedestrian crossings, and the new access road will include footways on both sides, facilitating walking trips by the future residents. 2.2.12 The Meole Brace area provides a range of facilities and amenities within walking distance of the proposal site. Table 2-1 lists a number of key local destinations along with their approximate walk distance from the proposal site.

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Table 2-1 – Local Facilities Summary Walk distance from the centre Destination Type of the proposal site Meole Brace Retail Park Adjacent to the proposal site Retail

Meole Brace Park & Ride Adjacent to the proposal site Transport

Dobbies Garden Centre 600m Retail Meole Brace Primary School 700m Education and Nursery Montgomery Waters Meadow 700m Leisure Stadium Meole Brace Golf Course 900m Leisure

Bannatyne Health Club 900m Leisure Meole Brace School Science 1.3km Education College Baystone Hill Quarry 1.5km Employment

Marysville Medical Practice 1.8km Healthcare

The Priory School 1.8km Education Nuffield (Private) Shrewsbury 1.9km Healthcare Hospital Royal Shrewsbury Hospital 3.5km Healthcare

2.2.13 With a number of key local facilities and destinations within walking distance, and with the proposed pedestrian infrastructure, walking will be a realistic and viable travel choice for future residents of the proposed development. 2.2.14 As shown in Figure 2-2 below, there are a number of footpaths and rights of way within the vicinity of the proposal site. These will provide a range of walking routes to the local area for the future occupants of the proposed development.

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Figure 2-2 – Local Footpaths

Image Source: Shropshire County Council Interactive Map

N.B. The proposal site is denoted by a blue star.

2.3 Access by Cycle 2.3.1 Sustrans indicate in their ‘Travel Behaviour Research Baseline Survey – 2004’ under the subheading ‘measuring the potential for change’ that cycling offers an alternative to car travel, and particularly for trips of less than 6km. This research is supported by the 2017 National Travel Survey (NTS), which identified average cycling journey lengths of 5.5km. 2.3.2 For the purposes of this assessment, it has been assumed that cycling has the potential to replace short car trips, particularly for journeys of less than 5km in length. 2.3.3 Based on a distance of 5km by road to the centre of the site, the cycle catchment area is shown in Figure 2-3. 2.3.4 Figure 2-3 shows that the majority of Shrewsbury is within the cycling catchment area, including the town centre. The villages of Bayston Hill and Condover also lie within the cycling catchment. As such, the site is within cycling distance of a variety of local facilities and destinations.

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Figure 2-3 – 5km Cycle Catchment

Map source: Bing Maps / Ordnance Survey

2.3.5 Figure 2-4 shows the local and national cycle routes in the Shrewsbury area, which provide longer-distance options for journeys by bike. 2.3.6 The National Cycle Route (NCR) 81 passes directly through the centre of Shrewsbury and is c.2.5 km north of the proposal site by cycle. NCR 81 connects Shrewsbury with Telford and Birmingham to the east, and Wales to the west. 2.3.7 NCR 44 and the National Byway (NB) are located c.1.7 km northwest of the proposal site. NCR 44 connects Shrewsbury to Wales and the South west of . 2.3.8 The Local Cycle Route is located c.2.7 km northeast of the proposal site by cycle. The local cycle route covers the eastern side of Shrewsbury, but other cycle paths are available throughout Shrewsbury, including along Hereford road, opposite the proposal site. 2.3.9 Cycle ingress and egress from the site will be from the new signalised access junction from the A5112 Hereford Road. 2.3.10 Considering the presence of nearby NCRs and the generally gentle topography, there are good opportunities for future residents of the proposed development to travel to local facilities via cycle.

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Figure 2-4 – Cycle Route Map

Image source: Openstreetmap.org

2.1 Access by Bus 2.1.1 The publication ‘Planning for Public Transport in Developments’ produced by the Institution of Highways and Transportation (IHT) specifies that new developments should be located within 400m of the nearest bus stop. 2.1.2 Figure 2-5 below shows the location of bus stops near to the application site.

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Figure 2-5 – Bus stop locations near to the proposal site

Image Source; Google Earth N.B. All Locations, Areas and Distances Approximate.

2.1.3 The nearest bus stops to the site are located directly adjacent to the western boundary of the proposal site, on both sides of the A5112 Hereford Road. 2.1.4 The bus stop on the southbound side of the A5112 Hereford Road benefits from a shelter with seating, timetables and a lay-by. The bus stop on the northbound side of the A5112 Hereford Road has a flag-and-pole with timetables. 2.1.5 The Meole Brace Park and Ride is located immediately adjacent to the southern boundary of the proposal site, which provides bus services to the town centre area. 2.1.6 Table 2-2 below provides details of the bus routes that serve the bus stops closest to the proposal site.

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Table 2-2 – Bus Stop and Route Details

Approximate Peak Frequency Service Stop Name Bus Route Monday-Friday Saturday Meole Brace Bayston Hill – Moneybrook Meole Estate – 27 3 Per Hour 3 Per Hour Way Jct (Nth & Shrewsbury Sth) Bus Station

Shrewsbury Meole Brace Bus Station – 435 Moneybrook 1 Per Hour 1 Per 2 Hours Ludlow, Lower Way Jct (Nth) Galdeford

Shrewsbury Meole Brace Bus Station – 435 Moneybrook 1 Per Hour 1 Per 2 Hours Ludlow, Lower Way Jct (Sth) Galdeford

Meole Brace Circular – Moneybrook Shrewsbury 544 1 Per Hour 1 Per Hour Way Jct (Nth & Bus Station to Sth) Lyth Hill

Circular – Meole Brace Meole Brace GRN Park & Ride to 3 Per Hour 3 Per Hour Park & Ride Shrewsbury High Street

2.1.7 The routes detailed above, particularly the Meole Brace Park & Ride service, enable regular access to and Shrewsbury Town Centre, allowing future residents to travel to further locations by bus. 2.1.8 Single fares for Park & Ride users to walk to the Park & Ride site are higher than for drivers to the site, however regular users of the Park & Ride service, such as future residents of the proposed development who will likely use the Park & Ride service to travel to work, are likely to buy season tickets which are the same price for all Park & Ride users. 2.1.9 Considering the proximity of bus stops and the adjacent Meole Brace Park & Ride, bus travel is a realistic and viable method of travel for future residents of the proposed development.

2.2 Access by Rail 2.2.1 The closest train station to the proposal site is Shrewsbury Station, located in the town centre, approximately 3km north of the site. 2.2.2 Shrewsbury Station is served by rail services with destinations including Birmingham, Manchester, London Euston, Carmarthen, Swansea, and Holyhead.

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2.2.3 This provides future residents with the option of longer-distance travel by train, with the possibility of travelling by bus or cycle to Shrewsbury Station.

2.3 Access by Car

The A5112 Hereford Road 2.3.1 Existing vehicular access to the site is from Meole Brace Retail Park, via its roundabout junction with the A5112 Hereford Road. The proposed development includes the construction of a new signal-controlled access junction directly onto the A5112 Hereford Road, approximately mid-way along the site’s western boundary. 2.3.2 The A5112 Hereford Road is a two-lane dual carriageway, with a kerbed central reserve. It is subject to a 40mph speed limit in the vicinity of the proposal site. It runs approximately north-south along the proposal site’s western boundary, connecting to the A5 and A49 at the Dobbies Roundabout c.250m south of the site. 2.3.3 Hereford Road connects with the Meole Brace Retail Park roundabout c.200m north of the site, and to the signal-controlled ‘hamburger layout’ Meole Brace Roundabout c.600m north of the site. 2.3.4 Pulley Lane connects to the western side of Hereford Road, forming a priority-controlled (give-way) junction adjacent to the southwest corner of the proposal site. This junction allows all traffic movements except the right-turn on to Hereford Road. 2.3.5 Moneybrook Way connects to the western side of Hereford Road c.180m north of Pulley Lane. The junction is priority-controlled, at which only the left-turn movement is permitted on to Hereford Road, and at which only buses are permitted to turn left into Moneybrook Way. 2.3.6 A bus stop layby is located on the eastern side of Hereford Road, roughly opposite the Moneybrook Way junction. 2.3.7 The A5112 Hereford Road is street-lit with footways on both sides of the carriageway in the vicinity of the proposal site.

The A49 Hereford Road 2.3.8 The A49 forms part of the SRN, under the authority of HE. It extends south of Dobbies roundabout, under the name Hereford Road. 2.3.9 The A49 continues south towards Hereford and Ross on Wye.

The A5 The A5 is also part of the SRN, connecting to the A49 and the A5112 at Dobbies Roundabout. It forms an arc around the southern side of Shrewsbury, extending northeast towards Oswestry and North Wales, and eastwards towards the M54 at Telford.

2.4 Access to Facilities 2.4.1 This section considers the proposal site’s accessibility to key services and facilities, in comparison to the national averages. 2.4.2 The Department for Transport (DfT) publish annual estimates of travel times from where people live to key local services including primary schools, secondary schools, GPs, hospitals, food stores, town centres and employment centres. These are known as the Journey Time Statistics (JTS) series, the latest set were recorded in 2015 (published in July 2017).

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2.4.3 The statistics are published at national, regional, local authority and small area (Lower Super Output Area) level, for the eight key local services presented above, and for the following three modes of transport; public transport / walking, cycle and car. 2.4.4 The 2015 JTS “cycle time” has been converted to ‘average accessibility distance’ using the assumption that the average cycle speed is 16 km/h (the most common cycle speed input to the program used when calculating the JTS). 2.4.5 The average accessibility distance has been calculated by multiplying the average minimum cycle time (in minutes) presented at Table JTS0101 by 16 (km) and dividing by 60 (1 hour) to give the average distance.

Access to Employment 2.4.6 The national average accessibility distance to the nearest employment centre (one which provides 100-499 jobs) is 2.4 km. 2.4.7 The key employment destinations close to the proposal site include the following (note: it is unknown how many staff are employed at these locations):- • Meole Brace Retail Park (adjacent to the proposal site) • Bayston Hill Quarry (approximately 1.5km from the site boundary) • Sweet Lake Industrial Estate (approximately 2.5km from the site boundary)

2.4.8 All of the above employment destinations are located closer than, or approximately equal to, the national average accessibility distance; therefore, future residents of the proposed development will benefit from being closer to their nearest employment centre than the average resident of England.

Access to Education 2.4.9 The statutory maximum walking distance for primary school pupils to their school is two miles (3.2km); for secondary school pupils, the statutory distance is three miles (4.8km). 2.4.10 Data from the National Travel Survey2 (NTS) shows that the proportion of primary pupils who walk to school decreases sharply as trip lengths exceed one mile (1.6km). This is shown in Table 2-3, which is a summary of NTS Table 0614, “trips to school by main mode, trip length and age”.

2 Table 0614 ‘trips to school by main mode, trip length and age’, National Travel Survey, 2015. The 2015 dataset is the latest release with Table 0614 included.

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Table 2-3 – NTS 0614 Trips to School; Summary Table Age 1-2 2-5 5+ <1 mile Group Mode \ Distance miles miles miles (%) (%) (%) (%)

Walk 78 26 - 0

Bicycle 2 1 - 0

Car/van 20 65 80 84 10 years 10

- Bus 0 6 18 13 5

Other 0 1 1 3

Walk 87 57 8 -

Bicycle 3 5 2 0

Car/van 8 26 42 22 16 years 16

- Bus 2 11 44 62 11 Other - 1 5 16

2.4.11 The JTS average accessibility distance to the nearest primary school is 2.3 km, and to the nearest secondary school the JTS average accessibility distance is 3.7 km. 2.4.12 The closest primary school to the proposal site is Meole Brace Primary School & Nursery, c.700m walk distance from the centre of the proposal site. 2.4.13 The closest primary school is therefore within both the national average distance and the statutory maximum walking distance for children of primary school age. As shown in Table 2-3, 82% of journeys made by 5-10 year olds to schools less than one mile away are made by non-car modes. 2.4.14 The closest secondary school is Meole Brace School Science College. It is approximately 1.3km from the centre of the proposal site, which is within the statutory walking distance for children over the age of eight, and shorter than the average accessibility distance. As shown in Table 2-3, for school journeys of two-to-five miles being undertaken by 11-16 year olds, 54% are undertaken using non-car modes.

Access to Other Facilities 2.4.15 The 2015 JST average accessibility distance to the nearest town centre is 4.6km. The centre of Shrewsbury, which contains a variety of retail attractions in addition to a range of restaurants and other facilities, is closer than the national average at c.3.1km from the proposal site. 2.4.16 The 2015 JST average accessibility distance to the nearest food store is 2.4km. The Sainsbury’s Superstore within Meole Brace Retail Park is located adjacent to the proposed site and is therefore clser than the national average distance. Meole Brace Retail Park also contains an M&S food store.

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2.4.17 The 2015 JST average accessibility distance to the nearest GP surgery is 2.6km; the Marysville Medical Practice is 1.8km from the centre of the site, and the Radbrook Green Surgery is c.2.6km from the centre of the site; both are within than the national average distance. 2.4.18 The 2015 JST average accessibility distance to the nearest hospital is 9.2km; Shrewsbury Hospital is c.1.9km from the site, again, closer than the national average distance. 2.4.19 Table 2-4 summarises the relevant accessibility distances set out above.

Table 2-4 – Accessibility Distance Summary

Destination / Distance from 2015 JTS Destination Name Purpose Proposal Site Employment 2.4km c.1.5km Bayston Hill Quarry (100 – 499 Jobs) Meole Brace Primary School & Primary School 2.3km c.700m Nursery Secondary Meole Brace School Science 3.7km c.1.3km School College Hospital 9.2km c.3.5km Royal Shrewsbury Hospital

GP Surgery 2.6km c.1.8km Marysville Medical Practice

Town Centre 4.6km c.3.1km Shrewsbury Town Centre Adjacent to the Sainsbury’s within Meole Brace Foodstore 2.4km proposal site Retail Park Montgomery Waters Meadow Leisure Facilities 9.8km* c.1.1km Stadium

2.5 Accessibility Summary 2.5.1 The development site is accessible by non-car travel modes, facilitated by existing walking and cycling infrastructure within the surrounding area, as well as the proposed new infrastructure which will be delivered with the proposed development. The site is served by two nearby bus stops, as well as the adjacent Meole Brace Park and Ride site. Shrewsbury Station offers the option of rail travel to future residents. 2.5.2 There is a range of services and facilities within walking and cycling distance, and many key destinations closer than the national average distances. 2.5.3 Overall, non-car travel from the proposed development is a realistic and viable option for future residents.

2.6 Initial Travel Patterns 2.6.1 In order to establish the initial travel patterns of the future residents, a comprehensive residential travel survey will be conducted within three months of 50% total occupancy of the residential dwellings.

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2.6.2 One of the key outputs of the surveys will be the modal split for travel in particular the journey to work by residents. A list of subjects that will be surveyed have been provided below: • Name, work location, and gender. • Mode of travel, travel distance and travel time. • Why they travel by the mode they do, and as appropriate, what measures might help them to switch to a more sustainable travel mode.

2.6.3 Once the questionnaires have been completed and the results analysed, the modal split information for the development will be summarised within the Full Travel Plan.

2.7 Census Review and Targets

Census Review 2.7.1 The preliminary review of the modal proportions of resident and employee work trips is based on 2011 census data for the Middle Super Output Area (MSOA) in which the development site situated. 2.7.2 The development site is within the MSOA Shropshire 023, located adjacent to the boundary with MSOA Shropshire 022. Therefore, both 022 and 023 have been combined to represent the likely characteristics of the proposed development. 2.7.3 It shows the potential travel to work habits of the future residents of the proposed dwellings as well as the basis on which the Travel Plan targets for the commercial element of the development will be set. 2.7.4 The census data shows 71% of work trips are made by private car, either as drivers or passengers, while 5% utilise public transport. 2.7.5 The census data also shows 23% of residents travelling to work by either foot or cycle. 2.7.6 The results are provided at Figure 2-6.

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Figure 2-6 – 2011 Census Data for Travel to Work

Targets 2.7.7 The Travel Plan targets should be SMART, i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound. 2.7.8 The initial target of the Residential Travel Plan will be to achieve a modal split of methods of travel to work in line with the average local figures at Figure 2-6 above, and to then reduce the proportion of residents travelling to work by single occupancy single purpose private car journeys by 10%, absolute, within five years of the Travel Plan being adopted. 2.7.9 The targets of the travel plan will be reviewed yearly, and will take into consideration the modal split established from the yearly travel surveys, as well as the biennial traffic counts. Should the targets require changing, this will first be agreed with . 2.7.10 Initial targets for individual mode shares have been set, as shown in Table 2-5, however, the minimisation of single occupancy, single purpose, private car journeys, with an associated transfer to any non-single occupancy, single purpose car mode of transport (inclusive of car sharing) will contribute towards achieving the main objective of the Travel Plans.

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Table 2-5 – Initial Travel Mode Targets Mode of Travel Target – Initial Target – 5 Years

Car driver alone 65% 60% (-10%)

Car passengers 6% 7% (+2%)

Public transport 5% 6% (+2%)

Cycle 6% 7% (+2%)

Walk 17% 18% (+4%)

Other 2% 2%

Total 100% 100%

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3.0 TRAVEL PLAN ADMINISTRATION

3.1 Introduction 3.1.1 The measures contained within this FTP will act as a guide for the measures in the Full Travel Plan. 3.1.2 At their discretion, the developer will appoint a site-wide Travel Plan Co-ordinator (TPC) to cover the whole development. The TPC will be responsible for implementing and administering the Travel Plan measures, as well as investigating additional potential Travel Plan measures and sustainable transport opportunities. 3.1.3 The TPC will be provided with a copy of this FTP to encourage research into how to best promote and evolve the Travel Plan over its lifetime. 3.1.4 Connect Consultants will act as the interim TPC, up until the appointment of a TPC by the developer shortly prior to first occupation of the site. 3.1.5 Should the contact details of the TPC change during the lifetime of the TP, Shropshire Council will be made aware of the change. 3.1.6 The role of the TPC will be active throughout the lifetime of the TP.

3.2 Duties 3.2.1 As stated, the TPC will be responsible for the operation and implementation of the Travel Plan, which includes the following actions: • Implementing the Travel Plan. • Monitoring the Travel Plan. • Liaison with the local authority, where appropriate. • Liaison with the local bus operators, where appropriate. • The preparation of subsequent update Travel Plan reports for submissions to the Local Authority. • Providing a face-to-face advisory service, and being the first point of contact for residents of the site.

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4.0 TRAVEL PLAN MEASURES

4.1 Introduction 4.1.1 This section of the Plan outlines the specific physical and management measures to be undertaken as part of the Plan. The implementation of the listed measures, which include awareness initiatives and infrastructure provision, is the core of the Plan. 4.1.2 As far as possible, the obligations outlined in this section are designed to be suitable for review and monitoring. The list is not exhaustive and the TPC will be free to investigate other potential initiatives. This list will be reviewed following the completion of the initial travel surveys and the setting of the Travel Plan targets. An Action Plan has been included at Section 6. 4.1.3 Prior to the appointment of a TPC, the developer will be responsible for the implementation of the measures listed below, including the production and distribution of the Travel Information Packs, the contents of which are identified below and will be discussed with Shropshire Council.

4.2 Residential Travel Plan Measures 4.2.1 The Residential Travel Plan measures are set out below. The measures include the provision of a resident travel information pack for all of the residential units.

Travel Information Pack 4.2.2 Upon commencement of occupation each new resident of the development will be provided with a Travel Information Pack. This pack will contain all the information that will aid individuals in making informed choices on their mode of travel. The pack will comprise the following: • A summary page introducing the Travel Plan. • Copies of local bus timetables, including the Meole Brace Park and Ride, and maps. • Contact details for local taxi companies. • Promotional material about walking and cycling. • Promotional material about public transport. • A promotional leaflet about car sharing, and details of local schemes, such as ‘Shropshare’: carshareshropshireandtelford.co.uk. • A list of informative websites which promote sustainable travel. • Information on personal travel planning options such as the Traveline website.

Walking and Cycling 4.2.3 Walking and cycling will be promoted as healthy and cost-efficient methods of travel. In order to encourage residents to walk and cycle the following measures will be implemented:- • Subject to availability, local cycle and walking maps will be provided in the residents’ travel information pack. • The residents’ travel information pack will include information on the health benefits of walking and cycling.

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• Details of facilities within walk and cycle distance on the site will be provided within the residents’ travel information pack. • Walk to Work Week, Walk to School Week, Cycle to Work Week and other local and national events will be promoted within the pack. • Details of the available cycle storage will be provided within the residents’ travel information pack. • The potential to offer Dr Bike, cycle training, or other cycle maintenance services to residents will be investigated. • Walking and cycling information contained in the travel information packs will also be displayed in communal areas and notice boards within the development.

Public Transport 4.2.4 Travel by public transport will be promoted as one of the key benefits of the development, with particular emphasis on the Meole Brace Park and Ride service adjacent to the development. 4.2.5 By way of encouraging residents to travel by public transport the following measures will be implemented:- • The residents’ travel information pack will identify the nearest bus stops and the services that operate from them. • Timetables, maps and fare information will be provided within the residents’ travel information pack. • The potential to offer free taster/trial bus travel tickets to new residents will be investigated with the local operators. • Public transport information contained in the travel information packs will also be displayed in communal areas and notice boards within the development.

Car and Taxi 4.2.6 The implementation of policies that discourage unnecessary vehicle ownership can lead to an increase in sustainable modes of travel. 4.2.7 The following promotional measures will be implemented in order to help promote sustainable travel. • Information on the regional car share scheme (‘Shropshare’, via carshareshropshireandtelford.co.uk) will be provided in the residents’ travel information pack. • Information on local taxi companies will be provided in the residents’ travel information pack. • Taxi information contained in the travel information packs will also be displayed in communal areas and notice boards within the development.

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5.0 PLAN MONITORING AND REVIEW

5.1 Introduction 5.1.1 A programme of monitoring and review has been designed to generate information by which the success of the Plan can be evaluated. Monitoring and review will be the responsibility of the TPC.

5.2 Monitoring 5.2.1 The outputs of an on-going monitoring programme will be used to inform the content of subsequent Travel Plan updates and will include the following: • Monitoring the number of residents and employees registered with car share groups/websites. • Monitoring the uptake of free/taster travel tickets. • Monitoring of the number of vehicles parked in the residential streets. • Recording of comments received from residents and visitors on transport and travel to the development.

5.3 Process and Review 5.3.1 As mentioned previously, at 50% occupancy of the residential dwellings, the TPC will organise travel surveys to assess the initial travel patterns of residents. Targets will be compared to census data at this point and an update-report submitted to Shropshire Council. Further interim surveys will be conducted yearly, with traffic count surveys conducted biennially in the same neutral month of each year, if possible. 5.3.2 An annual monitoring report will be prepared by the TPC and submitted to Shropshire Council, as well as being disseminated to residents of the site. This monitoring report will include the following: • Analysis of the latest questionnaire responses and traffic surveys. • The latest targets (existing targets will need evaluation and refinement in light of the updated travel survey results. Success in achieving existing targets will also be considered). • Any additional measures and any changes or refinements to existing measures. • Evaluation of the success of the various measures implemented to date.

5.3.3 At the third year of either of the RTP’s lifetime a review of the travel plan will be held with Shropshire Council. 5.3.4 Should the RTP not be meeting its prescribed targets, then remedial measures will be considered, including the extension of the lifetime of the travel plan and an evaluation of existing measures.

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6.0 ACTION PLAN

6.1.1 A tabular plan setting out the actions required to implement the RTP is provided at Table 6-1.

Table 6-1 – Residential Travel Plan Action Plan When Responsibility Action

Obtain up to date information on local walk Developer routes

Obtain up to date information on local cycle Developer routes and cycle maps

Obtain up to date information on bus stops, Developer maps, and bus services

Obtain up to date information on rail and Before Launch of Travel Developer Plan tram services Obtain up to date information on local taxi Developer services

Developer Assemble Travel Information Pack

Obtain information on regional and local car Developer share databases

Developer Discuss Travel Pack with Shropshire Council

Check information remains current in Travel Developer Information Packs Prior to Occupation of Developer Appoint Travel Plan Co-ordinator Site Promote sustainable travel and offer travel Sales Staff advice to prospective buyers.

Upon First Occupation Distribute Travel Information Packs to Travel Plan Co-ordinator of Residential Dwellings Residents

At 50% Occupancy of Organise Initial Residential Travel Survey Travel Plan Co-ordinator Residential Dwellings within three months

After Initial Travel Analyse survey data and update Travel Plan Travel Plan Co-ordinator Surveys targets

Travel Plan Co-ordinator Carry out ongoing monitoring and reviews

Travel Plan Co-ordinator Arrange 1, 3 and 5 year surveys

Analyse survey data, alter targets, alter Ongoing Travel Plan Co-ordinator measures and re-issue travel plan

Consider remedial measures if targets are Travel Plan Co-ordinator not met

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