Food Hub, Aberdeen 04/02/2021 Reference number GB01T20F02 / 11025716 TRANSPORT STATEMENT FOOD HUB, ABERDEEN TRANSPORT STATEMENT IDENTIFICATION TABLE Client/Project owner Opportunity North East Project Food Hub, Aberdeen Study Transport Statement Type of document Final Report Date 04/02/2021 Reference number GB01T20F02 / 11025716 Number of pages 31 APPROVAL Version Name Position Date Modifications Angus Author Consultant 18/01/2021 Spence Checked Keith 1 Associate 18/01/2021 Draft Version by McGillivray Approved Keith Associate 18/01/2021 by McGillivray Angus Author Consultant 04/02/2021 Spence Checked Keith 2 Associate 04/02/2021 Revision 1 by McGillivray Approved Keith 04/02/2021 Associate by McGillivray TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 6 1.2 PURPOSE OF REPORT 7 1.3 REPORT STRUCTURE 7 1.4 CONSULTATION 7 2. POLICY CONTEXT 8 2.1 OVERVIEW 8 2.2 TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT GUIDANCE (TAG), 2012 8 2.3 SCOTTISH NATIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY (NTS) 2006 8 2.4 ABERDEEN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2017 9 2.5 SUMMARY 10 3. EXISTING CONDITIONS 11 3.1 OVERVIEW 11 3.2 SITE LOCATION 11 3.3 EXISTING PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE 11 3.4 EXISTING CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE 12 3.5 BUS SERVICES 13 3.6 LOCAL ROAD NETWORK 15 4. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 17 4.1 INTRODUCTION 17 4.2 SITE ACCESS 18 4.3 CAR PARKING 18 4.4 ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS 19 4.5 PEDESTRIANS ACCESS 19 4.6 SITE SERVICING 19 5. TRIP GENERATION AND OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS 21 5.1 INTRODUCTION 21 5.2 PEOPLE TRIP GENERATION 21 5.3 MODAL SPLIT 22 Food Hub, Aberdeen Transport Statement GB01T20F02 / 11025716 Final Report 04/02/2021 Page 3/31 6. MEASURES TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT 24 6.1 INTRODUCTION 24 6.2 MINIMUM UPGRADE WORKS 24 6.3 MASTERPLAN JUNCTION UPGRADE 26 7. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 28 7.1 SUMMARY 28 7.2 CONCLUSION 29 APPENDIX A – SWEPT PATH ANALYSIS 30 Food Hub, Aberdeen Transport Statement GB01T20F02 / 11025716 Final Report 04/02/2021 Page 4/31 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Site Location 6 Figure 2. Extract from Aberdeen LDP 2017 10 Figure 3. Walking Isochrones 12 Figure 4. Cycling Isochrones 13 Figure 5. Bus Stop Locations and Pedestrian Infrastructure 14 Figure 6. Typical Conditions on A96 in Vicinity of Application Site (View looking east) 16 Figure 7. Indicative Site Layout 17 Figure 8. Walton Road / A96 Minimum Junction Upgrade Works 25 Figure 9. Walton Road / A96 SRUC Masterplan Upgrade Works (Indicative) 27 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Summary of Local Bus Services 15 Table 2. Bucksburn South Modal Split 22 Table 3. Resultant Trip Generation by Travel Mode 23 Food Hub, Aberdeen Transport Statement GB01T20F02 / 11025716 Final Report 04/02/2021 Page 5/31 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1.1 SYSTRA Ltd (SYSTRA) has been commissioned by Opportunity North East (ONE) to prepare a Transport Statement for the development of a ‘Food Hub’ development, focused on creating accelerated growth of business, inspiring ambition and providing essential support for the Food and Drink sector. The application site is located on land in Craibstone, in north-west Aberdeen. The Food Hub site sits within a larger area of land to the north of the A96 and west of Dyce Drive. This area of land is the subject of separate masterplan proposals being developed by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). This Transport Statement will demonstrate how the Food Hub proposals are to be delivered within the context of the wider masterplan. 1.1.2 The site is shown in the context of adjacent land uses in Figure 1 below. Figure 1. Site Location 1.1.3 The Food Hub proposals will comprise a series of individual spaces to enable research and development of emerging food and drink products and concepts. These facilities will provide ‘incubator’ spaces for small and independent businesses from across North East Scotland, giving them access to high-quality purpose-built facilities and bringing together expertise in the food development sector. The creation of a hub facility also provides a significant opportunity to consolidate delivery and servicing activities which would otherwise take place to a series of disparate locations across the north east catchment. Food Hub, Aberdeen Transport Statement GB01T20F02 / 11025716 Final Report 04/02/2021 Page 6/31 1.2 Purpose of Report 1.2.1 The purpose of this Transport Statement (TS) is to describe the operational characteristics of the completed development and to explain how through a range of strategies and management actions, the Food Hub development can be accommodated at the site without detriment to the performance of the adjoining transport network. 1.3 Report Structure 1.3.1 The structure of this document aligns with the Transport Assessment Guidance (TAG) (Transport Scotland, 2012), and is structured, as follows: Policy Context Existing Conditions Proposed Development Travel Characteristics and Demand Measures to support development Conclusions 1.4 Consultation 1.4.1 SYSTRA has discussed the development proposals with Transportation officers from Aberdeen City Council, setting out preliminary transportation and access-related considerations in the Aberdeen Food Hub Transportation Scoping paper, submitted in Summer 2020. SYSTRA, along with other design team members, has continued to liaise with ACC throughout the pre-application stages. This Transport Statement supplements the Scoping paper and builds on discussions between ACC and SYSTRA to date. 1.4.2 Members of the Food Hub design team have liaised with SRUC and its supporting team to ensure compatibility between discussions relating to site access upgrades. Food Hub, Aberdeen Transport Statement GB01T20F02 / 11025716 Final Report 04/02/2021 Page 7/31 2. POLICY CONTEXT 2.1 Overview 2.1.1 This section provides an brief overview of the planning and transport policies which are relevant to the site and will influence the development. 2.2 Transport Assessment Guidance (TAG), 2012 2.2.1 TAG sets out the approach that should be taken for the preparation of Transport Statements and Transport Assessments. The guidelines detail the importance of understanding existing transport infrastructure and travel characteristics, before considering the nature and character of the proposed development and measures which will be implemented to support the proposals. Importantly, the Guidance places significant emphasis on the requirement to demonstrate that sites are, or can be made to be, accessible by sustainable travel modes. 2.2.2 The accessibility of the site will be measured through calculation of the travel time by each mode of access in a hierarchy of sustainability, with greater emphasis given to walking and cycling. TAG considers the following journey times as acceptable for each mode: Walking: 20 – 30 minutes; Cycling: 30 – 40 minutes; and Public transport: generally a 30 minute door to door travel time (including walk, wait, journey and walk to destination). 2.3 Scottish National Transport Strategy (NTS) 2006 2.3.1 In its introductory paragraph, the NTS states: “We want Scotland to be a strong, healthy and just society and to have an environment which provides conditions for the improving health and well-being of people in Scotland. We want Scotland to reduce its global environmental and climate impact through sustainable development.” 2.3.2 Produced against a background of promoting economic development, social inclusion and safety as well as transport integration, the NTS also recognises the cost to and challenges that face our environment. In an attempt to break the link between economic growth, increased traffic and increased emissions, the NTS has set out a series of measures and objectives that the government intends to implement across Scotland. Among these measures are ‘Smart Measures’. 2.3.3 The Scottish Government has described Smart Measures as a combination of infrastructure measures that favour active travel and public transport use along with behaviour change campaigns that promote the benefits of more active and sustainable travel. Food Hub, Aberdeen Transport Statement GB01T20F02 / 11025716 Final Report 04/02/2021 Page 8/31 2.3.4 Every year, high levels of traffic congestion costs the local economy in terms of delays, reduced reliability and increased fuel costs. In his Review published in 2007, Sir Nicholas Stern concluded that to achieve vital atmospheric stabilisation, ‘deep emissions cuts will be required in the transport sector’. 2.3.5 The five ‘high level’ objectives of the plan are: Promote economic growth by building, enhancing managing and maintaining transport services, infrastructure and networks to maximise their efficiency; Promote social inclusion by connecting remote and disadvantaged communities and increasing the accessibility of the transport network; Protect our environment and improve health by building and investing in public transport and other types of efficient and sustainable transport which minimise emissions and consumption of resources and energy; Improve safety of journeys by reducing accidents and enhancing the personal safety of pedestrians, drivers, passengers and staff; and Improve integration by making journey planning and ticketing easier and working to ensure smooth connection between different forms of transport. 2.4 Aberdeen Local Development Plan 2017 2.4.1 With reference to Figure 2, the application site is located within Zone OP19, which is identified as a ‘Specialist Employment Area’ under Policy B2. The following requirements are applicable for Policy B2: “In areas that are identified as Specialist Employment Areas on the Proposals Map, only Class 4 (Business) uses shall be permitted in order to maintain a high quality environment. Activities associated with research, design and development, knowledge-driven industries and related education and training will be encouraged in these areas. The exception is proposals at the Aberdeen Energy Park where a mix of Class 4 (Business), Class 5 (General Industrial) and Class 6 (Storage and Distribution) uses will be considered if it can be shown that the respective uses can co-exist without eroding the amenity of the park.