North Hertfordshire Transport Strategy Transport Strategy North Hertfordshire District Council October 2017 Prepared for: Prepared by: North Hertfordshire Council Markides Associates Council Offices, Gernon Road 9th floor The Tower Building Letchworth Garden City 11 York Road Hertfordshire London SE1 7NX SG6 3JF United Kingdom +44 (0)20 7442 2225 http://markidesassociates.co.uk North Hertfordshire Transport Strategy Copyright 2017 Markides Associates Ltd. The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Markides Associates. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Markides Associates constitutes an infringement of copyright. Limitation: This report has been prepared on behalf of, and for the exclusive use of the client of Markides Associates, and is subject to, and issued in accordance with, the provisions of the contract between the client and Markides Associates. Markides Associates accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for, or in respect of, any use of, or reliance upon, this report by any third party. North Hertfordshire Transport Strategy CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................. 4 Purpose and Background ................................................................................................................ 4 Summary of Issues and Opportunities ............................................................................................ 4 Transport Strategy Aims and Objectives ......................................................................................... 6 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 10 Background ................................................................................................................................... 10 Context for the transport strategy ................................................................................................ 10 Local Plan Consultation Responses ............................................................................................... 11 Context and relationship with the emerging Growth and Transport Plan (GTP) ......................... 11 Structure ....................................................................................................................................... 13 2. POLICY FRAMEWORK, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ..................................................................... 14 General .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Policy Framework .......................................................................................................................... 14 Policy Framework .......................................................................................................................... 14 3. NHDC ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................ 22 Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... 22 NHDC Profile ................................................................................................................................. 22 Travel Behaviour ........................................................................................................................... 40 Summary of Key Development/Transport Characteristics ........................................................... 45 4. TRANSPORT STRATEGIES OF NEIGHBOURING AUTHORITIES ................................................. 47 Stevenage ...................................................................................................................................... 47 Central -Bedfordshire .................................................................................................................... 47 Luton ............................................................................................................................................. 48 5. TRANSPORT STRATEGY ....................................................................................................... 49 Summary of Issues and Opportunities .......................................................................................... 49 Transport Strategy Aims and Objectives ....................................................................................... 50 Hitchin Transport Strategy ............................................................................................................ 59 Letchworth/Baldock Transport Strategy ....................................................................................... 64 Royston Transport Strategy .......................................................................................................... 68 Implementation of the strategy .................................................................................................... 71 6. IMPACT ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................... 78 Hitchin/Letchworth/Baldock ......................................................................................................... 81 Royston ......................................................................................................................................... 81 East of Luton ................................................................................................................................. 81 Stevenage ...................................................................................................................................... 82 Other Village/Rural locations ........................................................................................................ 82 Transport Strategy Mode Share Estimates ................................................................................... 82 7. CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................................... 85 1 North Hertfordshire Transport Strategy TABLES Table 2-1: Summary of Strategic Housing Sites .................................................................................... 29 Table 3-1: HOUSING TARGETS for NHDC and Adjacent Authorities. .................................................... 23 Table 3-2: NHDC rail station facilities and passenger numbers ............................................................ 34 Table 3-3: Commuting Service Frequency NHDC Stations .................................................................... 35 Table 3-4: Car Ownership NHDC, HCC and Adjacent Authorities ......................................................... 40 Table 3-5: Travel to Work – Resident Population ................................................................................. 41 Table 3-6: Travel to Work – Daytime Population .................................................................................. 41 Table 3-7: Destinations Residents from NHDC Commute to for Work ................................................. 42 Table 3-8: Top 10 In-Commuting Destinations ..................................................................................... 43 Table 3-9: Key Statistics for Hitchin and Letchworth/Baldock .............................................................. 46 Table 5-1: Technology and Transport ................................................................................................... 58 Table 5-2: Hitchin Town Strategy Elements .......................................................................................... 63 Table 5-3: Letchworth/Baldock Strategy Elements .............................................................................. 67 Table 5-4: Royston Strategy Elements .................................................................................................. 70 Table 5-5: Stakeholders, Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................. 72 Table 5-6: Stakeholders, Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................. 74 Table 5-7: Strategy Action Plan ............................................................................................................. 76 Table 6-1: Transport Strategy Mode Share Adjustments ..................................................................... 83 Table 6-2: Transport Strategy Adjusted Mode Shares .......................................................................... 84 FIGURES Figure 3.1– Hitchin and Letchworth/Baldock Key Features and Walking Catchments ........................ 25 Figure 3.2 – Hitchin and Letchworth/Baldock Key Features and Cycling Catchments ......................... 26 Figure 3.3 – Royston Key Features and Walking Catchments............................................................... 27 Figure 3.4 – Royston Key Features and Cycling Catchments ................................................................ 28 Figure 3.5 – Bus Services in Hitchin ...................................................................................................... 30 Figure 3.6 – Walking Access (5 minutes) to Bus Services in Hitchin ..................................................... 31 Figure 3.7 – Bus Services in