Transport for London

Home News and events The travel plan Forum About us
The travel plan Introduction Guidance Tools Technical notes Case studies Links Delivering benefits (video)

The travel plan

 
Do all new developments need a travel plan? Are there any tools to make travel planning in London easier? What are the appropriate legal mechanisms to secure development related travel plans?
 
The answer to these and other questions can be found below.
 

 

The benefits of travel planstop

Travel plans can and do deliver a wide range of benefits. For developers travel plans can reduce development costs, make a site more accessible and smooth the planning process. The benefits for local authorities include helping achievement of wider local government objectives and managing demand across travel modes.

 

When is a travel plan needed - and what type of travel plan?top

Travel plans must relate to local circumstances. These notes set out when travel plans are required and the different types of travel plans that are appropriate in different situations.

Writing and assessing the travel plantop

The local planning authority will formally assess the travel plan as part of a planning application. It is therefore vital that those preparing the travel plan have full understanding of what is required. ATTrBuTE is Transport for London's assessment tool for reviewing, building, testing and evaluating travel plans.

 

Getting the surveys righttop

Surveys are a key input into development of the travel plan and are crucial for on-going monitoring of the plan's progress. It is important that surveys are conducted in an appropriate manner and gather the information required to build an effective travel plan. iTRACE and TRAVL can be used to secure robust survey data.

 

Setting targets for travel planstop

Targets are required within the travel plan to measure success in achieving objectives, motivating the implementers of the travel plans and to enable enforcement.

  

Identifying the right measurestop

It is important to ensure that the measures included within the travel plan are appropriate to local circumstances and ensure investment is focused on activities and initiatives that will achieve change.

 

Securing the travel plantop

The use of legal mechanisms to secure the travel plan through the planning process is essential to ensure the plan's longevity and success. For more complex travel plans, local planning authorities should seek to negotiate planning obligations with the applicant through the Section 106 process. 

 

Monitoring the travel plantop

On-going monitoring of the travel plan will enable local authorities, applicants and occupiers to:

 

Policies to support travel plans top

The most effective travel plans will be achieved within a policy context that is fully supportive of travel plans as a means to manage travel demand.

 

Freight and constructiontop

Managing deliveries to a new development when occupied and during construction can improve the efficiency of freight and goods movement across the capital, cutting costs and reducing the impacts of freight.

 

Residential Travel Plans (RTPs)top

A travel plan must provide for and manage sustainable access to a site for both people and goods, and reduce unnecessary car journeys. Residential Travel Plans (RTPs) are aimed at influencing travel choice at the origin of people’s journeys (their home) as opposed to the destination.