5.1 Introduction
This section describes the key problems and issues associated
with the achievement of the Transport Vision set out in Chapter 4.
It goes on to discuss the development of a transport strategy for
B&NES which tackles these problems and issues which is
considered to be the optimum approach to achieving the Transport
Vision, recognising the need to compromise on some
elements.
5.2 Problems and Issues in Achieving the Vision
Overview
In general terms the Vision articulated in Section 4 calls for
greatly improved real mobility with a reduction of the impact that
transportation has on the environment. In practical terms, this can
only be achieved through the provision of significantly improved
public transport and a reduction in the dependence on the private
motor car. Achieving this outcome in a practical manner is at the
root of the transport strategy that is described in this
section.
Before defining this strategy the following paragraphs examine
some of the key problems and issues that the strategy must overcome
if it is to achieve the Vision. The principal problems and issues
are:
- Private transport – the threat from traffic;
- Public transport - the quality challenge;
- Achieving modal shift;
- Economy vs environment - the conflicting requirements;
- The relationship between traffic, people and places;
- Public attitudes; and
- The Bath Western Riverside development.
Private Transport – the threat from traffic
An overwhelming majority of travel in B&NES is undertaken
using private transport, primarily the private car. Car ownership
in B&NES is high, with an average of 72% of households owning
one or more cars. In the rural areas this figure is as high as 84%.
According to the LTP, more than 80% of trips in B&NES are made
by car. As a result of this substantial dependence on the private
car for most activity within the area, there is significant
congestion in the centre of Bath through much of the working day
and during peak periods in almost all of the urban centres within
B&NES.
With growing personal incomes it is likely that car ownership
and use will increase. At the same time environmental constraints,
the historic layout of the road network dictated by terrain and the
pattern of development in built-up areas, mean that opportunities
to provide additional road space are very limited. Furthermore,
Government policy presumes against new highway construction unless
there is no other alternative, in order to avoid further increasing
car dependency. This combination of increasing demand for road
space and its strictly limited supply will inevitably lead to more
and worse congestion, unless demand can be managed.
Given that a principal feature of the Vision postulated in
Section 4 is congestion free urban areas, both the existing
situation and that from the future present a fundamental challenge
to the Vision. A key feature of the Vision will need to be the
effective management of existing road space and also the management
of demand for it, so as to control excessive congestion. Whilst the
complete elimination of congestion is a desirable goal, it is
accepted that the scale of demand management that this implies is
not achievable without draconian measures which are considered, on
balance, to be undesirable and politically unacceptable.
Nevertheless, as stated in Section 4, the Transport Vision is in
danger of being totally degraded by the demands of traffic and
therefore significant efforts must be made to restrain the use of
private vehicles and provide attractive alternatives. In practical
terms, the provision of attractive alternative transport measures
must be put in place in parallel with any envisaged restraint.
Public Transport – the quality challenge
The prime form of public transport in B&NES is bus. But it
only currently accounts for less than 10% of trips made in the
area. Of even greater concern is the fact that the vast majority of
bus users are captive, that is they do not have a car available for
their journey. Therefore the proportion of passengers who are
choosing to use bus is small; woefully small.
This reflects a number of factors but most significantly
indicates the poor quality of the public transport experience, in
relation to use of the private car. The reality is that it falls
well short of the standards required by the Vision. Public
transport in Bath does not compare well with similar historic
European cities, which, in general, receive significantly greater
subsidies. The problems with public transport are exacerbated by
the prevailing levels of congestion, which adversely affect the bus
network’s ability to supply fast and reliable journeys. It is a
vicious circle of decline. The degree of recognition of
underperformance, and the measures necessary to reverse this
situation, are a major hurdle to success.
The Vision calls for high quality public transport with
guaranteed levels of service and accessibility. To accomplish this,
the current system needs to be radically overhauled, across the
board including cost, comfort and performance. In so doing,
appropriate measures need to be taken to protect public transport
from traffic congestion, either through the implementation of
priority measures or through the creation of segregated routes.
Modal Shift
The issues discussed so far lead to the obvious and inescapable
conclusion that the cornerstone of any strategy designed to create
the Transport Vision should be to achieve a significant transfer of
mode choice away from use of the private car to the use of public
transport. Achievement of such a mode shift would go a long way to
resolving a number of the issues raised earlier in this
section.
Firstly, the reduction in the use of the private car would
reduce congestion in urban areas. Secondly, reduced congestion
would allow the public transport system to deliver fast and
reliable journeys, although it should be noted that a radical
overhaul, in terms of service frequency, quality of vehicles and
quality of facilities would still be required. Finally, with a
lower proportion of trips being made by private car and more by
public transport, increased travel to meet the demands of economic
activity would be possible without a commensurate degrading of the
environment and the intrusion of traffic.
A capacity analysis of selected corridors in Bath has been
carried out taking into account the likely future growth of trip
making associated with the Bath Western Riverside Development,
other developments, and economic growth. The analysis reveals that
a reduction in car mode share of between 10% and 30% depending on
corridors would be required to reduce congestion levels below those
experienced today. This represents a very significant increase in
public transport usage; on many corridors more than doubling
existing public transport patronage, this itself, requiring a
significant increase in the number of buses and associated
resources / staff.
Economy vs The Environment - the conflicting requirements
Another especially difficult issue which needs to be addressed
in the transport strategy is to balance the conflicting elements of
the Vision which on the one hand is required to cater for economic
activity whilst on the other, protecting and enhancing both the
rural and urban environment.
Under the existing pattern of transport use this is an
impossibility, since any growth in economic activity generates
additional car travel, which in turn is contrary to the
environmental elements of the Vision. However, there is no reason
why the balance of transport usage should not be altered and the
current linkage between economic growth and traffic growth be
reduced. To some extent, this requires a change of mind set within
policy makers, at both local and national levels.
The Relationship between Traffic, People and Place
The Transport Vision seeks to reconcile the enhancement of
place, the needs of people, and the requirements for movement and
access. We believe that there is considerable scope for a fresh
examination of the relationship between traffic and the natural and
built environment, using principles that have been established and
tested in neighbouring European countries.
Reduction in travel demand and modal shift away from dependence
on the private car are central themes of the Transport Vision.
Nevertheless, motorised vehicles are likely to remain a vital and
inevitable component of our lives and transport habits for many
years. How to accommodate the demands of the car whilst retaining
and enhancing the quality of cities, towns, villages and rural
areas remains one of the most pressing issues to be tackled by the
Transport Strategy. To achieve the Vision, we believe that the
Transport Strategy for B&NES should be premised on retaining
and accepting access by car, but on terms which protect and enhance
the quality of the environment and which facilitate safe movement
on foot, bicycle or by wheelchair.
Conventional approaches to traffic engineering have sought to
keep separate the space allocated to the movement of vehicles and
areas given over to pedestrian movement and social activities.
Segregation of people from vehicular circulation was central to the
recommendations of the landmark Buchanan Report "Traffic in Towns"
of 1963, which encouraged the use of clear hierarchies for traffic
movement and the establishment of traffic-free pedestrian
precincts. Defining the distinct areas for vehicles has resulted in
the familiar urban landscape of kerbs, road markings, traffic
signs, pedestrian crossings, barriers and signals.
From a number of regions in mainland Europe, in particular
Denmark and The Netherlands, a new approach is emerging towards the
integration of traffic into the social fabric of communities. This
has latterly been picked up within the UK in the form of Home
Zones. This new approach has its roots in the woonerf or "Home
Zone" design principles established in Holland, which established
shared space for traffic and social activities in residential
streets. But the new approach extends far beyond the narrow
confines of residential streets to apply counter-intuitive design
principles to city centres, town squares, main streets, rural
roads, and the focal points of communities; essentially ‘Living
Zones’. It is an approach based on integrating urban design and
landscape principles into traffic engineering and highway
management. B&NES, with its high quality landscapes and urban
areas, presents an ideal context for the exploration and
application of such an approach.
Based on evidence emerging from regions and towns that have
adopted an integrated approach to traffic engineering and urban
design, the key advantages to B&NES could include
- Improved accessibility;
- Improved traffic safety and injury reduction;
- Enhanced urban and environmental quality;
- Social and economic regeneration;
- Fostering greater levels of walking and cycling;
- Improved mobility for elderly people and young children;
and
- Greater participation by citizens in the planning and control
of public space.
Public Attitudes
Any attempt to achieve significant changes in modal shift is
likely to be met by strong public resistance, unless its benefits
are properly explained and understood. The private car is an
integral part of every day life for a large majority of travellers,
and public transport, especially bus, tends to be regarded as an
inferior mode. There is strong evidence from Bath itself of public
opposition to the introduction of transport schemes that are seen
as anti-car. The two most recent examples of this are the
opposition expressed towards the expansion of the controlled
parking zone and the introduction of the bus gate.
In order to bring about a modal shift of the magnitude required
to deliver the Vision, public acceptance and support of the
transport strategy is essential. This includes all of its
associated policies and plans.
This is an inherently difficult area. It is expected that whilst
the public will be supportive of the concept of the Transport
Vision, they will not willingly embrace the changes in personal
behaviour that it requires. The public rarely sees beyond personal
experience to reach an holistic or altruistic view. NIMBYism is the
least line of resistance. The harsh truth is that the public, not
just in B&NES but throughout the UK, rarely raises its sights
in transport matters, nor thus far has it been helped to do so, by
enlightened leadership at all levels of government.
To bring about the required public support would require a
sustained long-term campaign of public information and education,
which focussed on the benefits of the strategy. Indeed such a
programme would need to form an essential component of the
strategy. This programme would have to be much more pro-active than
reactive and cannot simply be some form of inclusive consultation –
it needs to be ‘led from the front’.
Bath Western Riverside
The Bath Western Riverside development (BWRD) presents an ideal
opportunity to demonstrate the full range of the Transport Vision.
It is intended that the development be substantially car free with
a focus instead on quality public transport links and provisions
for cyclists and pedestrians. At the same time environmental
quality will be of a very high standard. Essentially the underlying
objectives, on which the plans for BWRD were based, are in harmony
with the Transport Vision put forward by this study. The
development will be a strong display of the benefits that can be
achieved through the Vision.
Effective means of reducing use of the private car and providing
an income stream.
Both workplace parking charges and congestion charging could
deliver an additional income stream, although congestion charging
is seen to have the longer term benefit.
5.3 The Transport Strategy
Overview
Based on the consideration of the problems and issues, a
Transport Strategy has been developed which seeks to deliver the
Transport Vision and is described in subsequent sections.
It is important to note that the Transport Strategy outlined
below is clear in its discrimination in favour of certain modes and
trip purposes. It is not, however, anti-car, but pro-community. The
indiscriminate use of infrastructure results in sub-optimal
transportation, environmental damage and its regulation must be
accepted, in the same way that speed restrictions mitigate loss of
life through accident savings. It is no longer an option to allow
unrestrained use of the basic transport infrastructure, as has been
the way in the past.
The incremental introduction of further private car restraint
measures and the provision of attractive alternatives represents
the direction for the future, but with perhaps a more transparent
message to the public at large about the trade-off between
environmental standards and unregulated use of the road system.
This regulation will serve transport efficiency, improve the local
environment and make accessibility more inclusive.
In summary, the elements of the Transport Strategy which have
been identified to deliver the Transport Vision are as follows:
- Radical improvement of public transport level of service and
quality;
- A change in the management of existing road space, by making a
higher proportion of it available for public transport and
restraining the use of private cars;
- Construction of a very limited number of new road links where
justified on either economic or environmental grounds;
- Promotion of other measures to encourage modal shift, such as
traffic restraint measures and the introduction of green travel
plans;
- Exertion of strong control over transport provisions at new
developments such that they are in harmony with the Vision;
- Modification of the relationship between traffic, places and
people , recognising the need to avoid traffic and parked vehicles
dominating residential areas, urban centres and rural lanes;
- Ensure the use of best practice transport planning and traffic
engineering;
- Working towards public understanding and acceptance of the
Strategy through community leadership and education; and
- Recognising and addressing funding issues associated with the
Strategy.
These components are discussed in the following sections.
Improvement of Public Transport
The most important strategy considerations lie with public
transport. Radical improvements are needed to bring public
transport services up to a level that will provide a realistic
alternative to the private car and adequately support a world-class
environment within the area and deliver the Vision. This means
vehicles and services designed with all sectors of the community in
mind, with routing and frequencies that serve the main travel
demands effectively with reliable services, comfortable vehicles,
excellent passenger information and affordable fares. Minimum
guaranteed levels of service and accessibility will need to be
defined and adhered to, for all parts of B&NES based on
location types and trip purpose.
Of particular importance is the need to provide public transport
services that can be accessed by all members of society including
those with special needs, people with disabilities, parents with
small children and those carrying luggage and shopping.
Buses will remain the backbone of public transport for the area,
but on major corridors in Bath it is recommended that some form of
mass rapid transit be provided where possible on segregated
alignments. This would include all the links between Park and Ride
sites and Bath City Centre, and potentially in the longer term,
links to Bristol. The precise form of this public transport system
will need to be examined in further studies.
The strengthening and support of main-line rail services in the
Swindon-Chippenham-Bath-Keynsham-Bristol corridor should be
supported, together with improved integration, both in the
interconnection of services and physical infrastructure. This could
be by a number of means; extension of the quality services in the
BWRD corridor to link up with interchanges on the main line, or a
more ambitious scheme to extend to the LRT services into
Bristol.
A natural concomitant of the more focused support of public
transport is the need for a form of Passenger Transport Authority
and Passenger Transport Executive for the ex-Avon sub-region.
B&NES should support the formation of such an authority, as
this is the most promising way of providing integrated high quality
public transport within, and to and from, the area.
Management of Road Space
It is important to protect public transport from the effects of
congestion, and policies are required that more effectively manage
road space capacity in congested areas in favour of public
transport and promote the use of slow modes. This should be done by
allocating more road space for sole or priority use by public
transport, and at the same time restraining the use of private
vehicles. These measures will facilitate the required modal shift
by making public transport a realistic alternative to the private
car.
In the first instance this calls for a realistic assessment of
available capacity within the network, and a reassignment of its
use based on the requirements of public transport and the needs of
the local economy for freight or business trips, with other more
general travel demand only being accommodated if there is
sufficient capacity remaining. More general issues about the
relationship between traffic, people and places are set out in
Section 5.2.6.
This part of the strategy must be implemented against a
background of public education and awareness. This should emphasise
that the benefits go beyond those to bus passengers, and include
congestion and environmental benefits for the whole community.
New Road Links
The development of a comprehensive road building programme to
address all identified traffic problems is neither realistic nor in
line with Government policy. However, there will be some cases
where the introduction of discrete links to parts of the road
network would bring significant economic or environmental benefits.
Schemes of this nature should be pursued and developed, with a view
to either applying for Government funding or being financed by
B&NES.
Other Mode Shift Measures
One element of the strategy is that Bath may ultimately have to
introduce workplace parking charges or congestion charging as a
means of restraining the use of private cars. Whilst there is no
doubt that these restraint policies, especially the policy of
congestion charging, would be effective there are other less severe
policies that should also be pursued in the first instance. At the
centre of such policies is the need to strengthen the community’s
sense of civic responsibility, and encourage more considerate use
of the private car by individuals and groups. As part of this
B&NES needs to actively promote concepts such as car clubs, car
sharing, workplace travel plans and school travel plans.
Development Control
The high proportion of land in B&NES that is green belt and
AONB is an unquestionable asset. Much of B&NES is under
pressure from housing and employment development needs. These are
development planning concerns but also relate to the impact of
transport, especially in the built environment. It will be
important to highlight the difference between accessibility and
mobility. New developments can generate excessive traffic but when
there are practical, attractive alternative access modes, this
transport demand can be transferred away from the private car.
Essentially the issue is one of providing high quality access,
which removes car dependency. The Transport Strategy requires that
land use approvals should pay much greater attention to imposing
traffic protection standards, especially for circulation space
within developments, thereby creating more environmentally friendly
areas for pedestrians. Central Government policy gives local
authorities support to limit parking provisions at developments,
and request off-site transportation improvements, including
improvements to public transport, through Section 106
agreements.
The Strategy requires these development control policies to be
proactively applied both in new-build situations and as retrofit
solutions for key central area streets. In this connection
B&NES should use the BWRD as a flagship example of its Vision
for planning and transport planning.
Best Practice
The Transport Vision and the Strategy described in this section
of the report, highlight the major elements of transport planning
in B&NES that will require special attention in the next 20
years. However, it is also important that best practice in
transport planning and traffic engineering continues to be applied
in B&NES. This is required within the Strategy to ensure that
existing standards throughout B&NES are maintained, and that
the quality of Vision is achieved.
Public Acceptance
One of the biggest hurdles to the introduction of the Strategy
outlined above, is the likely objection to the more radical parts
of the package by the public at large. Much of this arises from a
misunderstanding of the nature of benefits that will be achieved
for the community as a whole, over the plan period.
Sadly, from a review of press articles and through feedback from
stakeholders, it would appear that a significant proportion of the
public appear to have become disillusioned or frustrated with the
development of transport planning policies within B&NES. An
essential cornerstone of the Strategy will be a public information
campaign that informs, educates and updates.
Too often it is argued that traffic restraint cannot be
introduced until public transport is radically improved. In
B&NES most public transport can only be substantially improved
if road congestion is reduced so the two must go hand-in-hand. In
similar vein, the funds needed to improve public transport will
require a form of charging for their creation. This use of the
proceeds from financial restraint measures is vital both for
transport purposes and to avoid charging becoming another type of
general taxation.
Funding
The Study Team believes that reliance on the normal process of
capital and operating funding will not be sufficient, in the long
term, to bring about the radical changes needed in mode choice. In
this connection, it will be essential for B&NES to embrace this
concept and begin considering how it can generate a substantial
income stream, which is independent of conventional sources. For
this reason, restraint measures based on charging are seen to have
a double benefit of providing both an effective means of reducing
use of the private car and providing an income stream.
Both workplace parking charges and congestion charging could
deliver an additional income stream, although congestion charging
is seen to have the longer term benefit.
