Derbyshire LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN 2011 - 2026 a Healthy Future for Local Transport Main Document April 2011 Cover Photograph
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derbyshire LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN 2011 - 2026 a healthy future for local transport main document April 2011 Cover photograph A57 above Glossop. Maps © Crown copyright and database rights 2011. Ordnance Survey 100023251. Language or reading difficulties If you would like the document in an alternative format to assist with language or reading difficulty, we are able to supply this. Please contact Derbyshire County Council, Environmental Services Department, County Hall, Matlock, DE4 3AG. Tel: Call Derbyshire 08 456 058 058. Email: [email protected] Foreword With the economic and environmental challenges we face, the need for effective transport planning at local level is as important as ever. This Local Transport Plan is a significant part of delivering the new localism agenda, as local transport services are at the heart of all other public services, and our daily lives. Transport goals and challenges The most important transport goals for Derbyshire people are supporting a resilient local economy, better safety, security and health, improving the quality of life and promoting a healthy natural environment. We must also endeavour to work towards better energy security, and promote equality of opportunity. Through local surveys, we have jointly identified a whole range of challenges we face in aiming to achieve these goals. It is these challenges that have guided what is in the plan. Environmental issues Environmental issues are important with, for example, the Peak District National Park and Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site within Derbyshire. In developing the plan, we have carried out environmental assessments based on different ways of achieving our transport goals, looked at their environmental implications, identified a preferred option, and incorporated the environmental measures we need to adopt within the plan. No big story There is no big story - the plan is made up of a great many planned activities covering well maintained roads and rights of way, efficient transport network management, improving local accessibility and achieving healthier travel habits (such as walking and cycling), and the importance of taking a considered approach to new infrastructure. The methods include transport schemes and services, influencing travel behaviour, and land use planning. By using all these methods, we will get the best value for money overall. Local support for the plan Local consultation has shaped the plan, and many local organisations have expressed support for it. Based on the plan, we are developing an investment protocol to clarify where resources need to be put over the plan period. Importantly, we will be placing a bid through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund to support economic growth whilst also cutting carbon emissions, an approach which also helps air quality, health and the environment. Ongoing process The plan is not just a written document which marks the end of the process - it is part of an ongoing process. Having defined our policies for the promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport, and made it clear what we need to achieve, we will continue to work with local organisations and people to work out the best things to do, based on local evidence. We will also monitor the plan and keep it under review. Transport choices As the recent Local Transport White Paper (January 2011) emphasised, “investment on its own is not enough - we also need to help people to make transport choices that are good for society as a whole.” Councillor Andrew Lewer, Leader of the Council Contents Pg Executive summary 2 PART 1: Taking a long term view - defining what we’ve got to do 1 Introduction to Part 1 and key messages 6 2 Derbyshire vision, transport goals and challenges 12 3 The Strategy 2011-2026 16 4 Programme management and the rôle of consultation 24 PART 2: Guiding delivery - next steps 5 Introduction to Part 2 and key messages 27 6 Well maintained roads and rights of way 28 7 Efficient transport network management 37 8 Improving local accessibility and achieving healthier travel habits 44 9 Better safety and security 56 10 A considered approach to new infrastructure 61 11 Funding our transport priorities 68 12 Judging success 72 13 Glossary 74 Maps 1 Derbyshire and adjoining Local Transport Plan (LTP3) areas 7 2 England and Wales population density and Derbyshire’s position 8 3 Derbyshire context 9 Appendices A Linked plans A78 B Transport and spatial planning A84 C Transport Carbon Dioxide Reduction Strategy A93 D Joint working arrangements A101 E Environmental Statements A103 1 Executive summary This Local Transport Plan (LTP) is based on a long-term transport strategy for Derbyshire County Council’s (DCC) administrative area (see Map 1) which looks towards 2026. It provides a basis for transport policy over the next 15 years and will help secure funding for transport initiatives. A sustainable transport system which supports the local economy It defines a path towards transport investment, which will result in a more sustainable and healthy transport system, which also supports the local and sub-regional economy. This therefore includes consideration of economic, environmental and social concerns in the years to come. In particular, there is much to learn about the true relationship between transport planning and a low carbon economy - this will emerge as the work of the new Local Enterprise Partnerships gets underway (see Appendix D). Their role is to create the conditions for economic and business growth through focussing on economic development using local knowledge and expertise. The partnerships will provide evidence to help inform the LTP. Transport goals and key challenges Following national guidance, the strategy starts with identifying a set of challenges for Derbyshire in relation to achieving our transport goals: • Supporting a resilient local economy. • Tackling climate change. • Contributing to better safety, security and health. • Promoting equality of opportunity. • Improving quality of life and promoting a healthy natural environment. These challenges (Chapter 2) were identified using a wide range of evidence, local data and analysis, local consultation and a policy review. It is the locally identified challenges which will drive the development and delivery of the LTP over the years to come. Things we can do (measures), assessing alternatives and the preferred strategy A wide range of things we can do to address these challenges has been identified. These include, for example, assessing public (bus and rail) and community transport services, maintenance, traffic management, spatial planning and influencing behavioural change e.g. to achieve more sustainable travel habits. Following a Derbyshire ‘Transport Futures’ consultation on different ways of putting emphasis on the transport goals, and an option appraisal workshop, the preferred strategy is as follows: “The preferred strategy is to put emphasis on supporting a resilient local economy, contributing to better safety, security and health, and improving quality of life and promoting a healthy natural environment. The preferred strategy would also aim to achieve longer term benefits for climate change, and measures to help people under the equality of opportunity goal.” Popular responses to the consultation showed a high level of support for reducing our carbon footprint, influencing spatial planning, routine maintenance of roads and pavements, improvements to public transport services, and encouraging the use of local facilities and local businesses. The selection of behavioural change measures to persuade people to adopt healthier and more environmentally- friendly travel habits was classed as important by over 90% of respondents. 2 Part 1: Derbyshire Transport Strategy key messages The plan must: • Take a longer term view. • Help support the local economy. • Mark a path towards more sustainable travel habits e.g. walking, cycling and using public transport (bus and rail), to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and benefit personal and public health. • Consider doing more for less, as resourcing is to be less for the first part of the plan period. The authority must deliver a balanced budget based on the financial constraints of available funding. • Consider the prospect of an ageing population profile for Derbyshire - with the number of people of retirement age set to increase by 25% over the next 10 years. • Ensure that Derbyshire people who do not have access to a car (over 110,000 in the 2001 census, nearly 51,000 pensioners, and over 71,000 households) are able to access services and facilities. • Following consultation, the preferred strategy is to put emphasis on supporting a resilient local economy, contributing to better safety, security and health, and improving quality of life and promoting a healthy natural environment. The preferred strategy would also aim to achieve longer term benefits for climate change, and measures to help people under the equality of opportunity goal. • The Derbyshire LTP will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Part 2: Delivery of Transport Priorities key messages • Successful delivery is dependent on working with a wide range of local partners, and cross-boundary project planning. • With the financial constraints that we know lie ahead, we have to achieve value for money in all of our work, yet we also need to be opportunistic about new possibilities and identify long-term projects. • Overall, we are adopting a considered approach to infrastructure, whether small or large projects. • We explain what sources of evidence we will use to guide action. • We have broadly identified projects to be pursued and what we hope to achieve in five years. • Efficiency in finance relates not only to the way we do things (i.e. operational efficiency), but also how we allocate funds (i.e. allocative efficiency). • Therefore, we have adopted an Investment Protocol for the period to 2016 to clarify what sort of measures the authority supports, which measures should be used sparingly, and which measures will not be supported unless in exceptional circumstances. This will be refined and updated.