1.1 Introduction
In September 2001, Bath & North East Somerset Council
appointed transport planning Consultants Halcrow to develop a 20
year vision for the principal transportation network within the
authority area. This final report presents the key findings and
recommendations from that study. There are four other key
outputs:
- Outline Report, submitted to Bath & North East Somerset
Council in January 2002 – this contains a significant volume of
supporting information, literature and discussion which was used in
arriving at the Study’s conclusions;
- A Geographical Information System (GIS) representation of the
recommended transport strategy for the 20-year study period;
- A non-technical executive summary document summarising the
study findings and recommendations; and
- A range of technical notes.
1.2 Background
The development and adoption of appropriate transport policies
within the local Bath & North East Somerset area has been the
cause of intense public debate for over 30 years. More recently the
inexorable growth of traffic and congestion, the responsibilities
arising from the protection of the world heritage site of Bath, the
proper exploitation of the enormous redevelopment potential at
Western Riverside and the need to sustain acceptable levels of
accessibility for those living and working in the rural areas, have
brought into sharp focus, the need for a clear vision of
transport’s role in the future.
It is well recognised that transport is the catalyst that
stimulates development, and yet transport itself is one of the
major sources of environmental degradation.
Having the right components of strategy, and keeping them in
balance requires a skilful iteration of economic, social and
environmental objectives; especially in a world with constantly
changing public opinion and attitudes, together with an expectation
of good practice.
During the course of this study, significant new thinking has
been brought into the public realm including at national level: -
the annual report of the Commission for Integrated Transport
arguing the case for road charging to redress the balance between
the motorist and the community, the publication of Transport for
London (TfL) proposals for congestion charging in London, the
publication of new research showing the deleterious effects of
vehicle emissions on children’s health, and, locally the outline
proposals for the development of Western Riverside. Each in its own
way contributes to the overall debate but provides an underlying
emphasis on the need for a clear and widely supported vision for
transport within B&NES, together with a set of commonly
accepted measures for delivering that vision based on a sensible
balance of competing requirements.
B&NES has already undertaken much work and research on many
aspects of transport. This has included examining the impact of
transport on the local environment and economy. This report aims to
show where future emphasis needs to be placed, so that in the 20
year timescale of the vision period, those changes that in growth
in transport will bring, can be faced with common purpose and
policy, in a manner where community benefit and welfare are
paramount.
The Study Brief defined a number of topic areas that were to be
covered by this Study. The following table sets out where the
outputs from these activities can be found.
|
Topic |
Brief Reference |
Study Output |
|
Proposed measures by mode |
2.2 |
Final Report Chapter 6 (see also later in this
section.) |
|
Transport demand ranges |
2.3 |
Final Report section 5.2 plus Review, Assumptions and Existing
Conditions Technical Note, Planning and Trip Data Technical Note
and Notes on Planning and Trip Data (Appendices D2 – D4 of
Outline Report) |
|
Achieving modal shift |
2.4 |
Final Report Chapters 5 & 6 |
|
Strategy for Implementation |
2.5 |
Final Report section 6.8 plus Technical Note -Vision Programme,
Phasing and Costing |
|
Constraints and Assumptions |
3.1 |
Outline Report Chapter 3 & Final Report Chapter 3, Review,
Assumptions and Existing Conditions Technical
Note (Appendix D2 Outline Report) |
|
Information Collation |
4.1a |
Outline Report sections 3.1- 3.7. Review, Assumptions and
Existing Conditions Technical Note (Appendix D2
Outline Report) |
|
Identification of Key Gaps |
4.1b |
Outline Report sections 3.1- 3.7. Review, Assumptions and
Existing Conditions Technical Note (Appendix D2 Outline
Report) |
|
GIS descriptor of Transport Strategy |
4.1c |
GIS output files, also Technical Note Vision Programme, Phasing
and Costing |
Section 2.2 of the Brief refers to 21 different/disparate issues
that need to be addressed by the "Transport Vision". They cover
public transport and private vehicle modes, and a number of network
management issues. In the initial phase of work, the study team
grouped these issues into broad synergy groups so as to derive and
focus upon key issues.
This grouping process is shown in Figure 1.1, although during
the study itself the grouping and prioritisation of the importance
of key issues has been refined, particularly in the light of the
environmental imperative and the fundamental importance that public
approval has on the ability to deliver a vision.
1.3 Structure of the Report
The study approach, which recognised the complexity of the
process, is set out briefly in
Section 2. The overarching vision and objectives of B&NES
are acknowledged in
Section 3, which provide a sharp reminder of economic and
environmental requirements (and hence the need to focus the
transport vision in the practicality of delivering key elements of
a transport policy). The development of a Transport Vision referred
to the Governments central 21 transport objectives as laid out in
Section 4.
Section 5 (Transport Strategy) returns to the key issues
highlighted in Figure 1.1, adding the concomitant issues of
economic and environmental impact, and the crucial issue of public
approval. It also includes the need for consistency in policy, as
it will effect the Western Riverside Development. The study team
sees this large development as a vital component in delivering some
of the essential changes in transport management within the overall
20-year vision.
In
Section 6 of the Report, the transport measures which will be
needed to facilitate change in network operations, to produce the
modal split change that is fundamental to an effective plan, are
set out and related to the key issues identified by the Study.
Finally,
Section 7 briefly sets out the specific actions that the
Council will need to take in order to create a tangible vision for
B&NES.
