CHAPTER 9: TRANSPORT

9.1 Background

9.1.1 An integrated transport system is important for the economic and social prosperity of an area. Transport policies need to secure safe and efficient means of movement, taking account of the needs of all sections of the community and the impact on the environment. The Council is concerned about the ever-worsening effects of road traffic on the environment and the quality of life of residents of the Borough. Travel and the use of private cars will remain to many an important and necessary part of living and working in Broxbourne. The Plan must also address the needs of a significant proportion of households which lack access to private transport.

9.1.2 In the past transport policy has largely focused on accommodating the car. This position has changed significantly, reflecting both environmental concerns and the desire to promote a more sustainable approach to transport. This is reflected in the 1998 White Paper ' A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone' and PPG13 Transport (March 2001). This guidance sets out the need to reduce people's requirement to travel by integrating land use, enabling people to meet their everyday needs locally and encouraging the provision of access to modes of transport other than the private car.

9.1.3 It is recognised that travel behaviour cannot change overnight, and that policies to encourage alternatives to the car need to be acceptable to the majority of people. Initiatives such as the County Council's 'Travelwise' programme, will help raise awareness of the problems associated with traffic growth and provide information on alternative transport choices. The Council's community plan will also be important in identifying sections of the community and locations in the Borough with accessibility issues.

9.1.4 An integrated land use and transport system is difficult to achieve in an area such as Broxbourne, which has an established settlement pattern and transport network. It is also important to recognise that the Borough has high levels of car ownership and many residents, employees and visitors rely on the private car and have no realistic alternative. The Borough has significantly poorer public transport provision than nearby London Boroughs. Bus frequencies are relatively low and railway stations are all located on the eastern edge of the Borough. Apart from the town centres, there are also no bus services to the principal employment areas of the Borough.

9.1.5 In conjunction with national and county-wide transport strategies, the policies in this chapter take a more pro-active approach than in previous local plans, to securing the infrastructure necessary to enable those who commute, work and live in the Borough to have more transport choice in the long term. However, in implementing these policies, the Council will take a realistic view of the availability of alternative modes of transport.

9.1.6 In conjunction with other chapters of this Plan, the policies set out in this chapter seek to:
(a) support an integrated approach to movement which will improve the environment, economy and accessibility of the Borough;
(b) reduce the length and number of journeys undertaken by private motor vehicles;
(c) encourage alternative means of travel which have less environmental impact;
(d) encourage beneficial traffic management; and
(e) promote equal access for all user groups.

9.1.7 Progress on these transport objectives will depend on co-ordinated action by a number of agencies and the co-operation of private sector transport providers.

9.2 Local Transport Plan and 'Integrated Packages'

9.2.1 The Local Transport Plan is the main document which outlines the priorities and programmes through which integrated and sustainable transport are delivered locally. This has been prepared by the County Council in consultation with districts and other organisations. It covers the co-ordination and improvement of all forms of transport and sets out proposals for the future and implementation of specific initiatives. Those which apply to the Borough are set out within the Lea Valley Area Plan.

9.2.2 The Lea Valley Area Plan covers the urban transport corridor from Waltham Cross, Cheshunt and Hoddesdon through to Hertford and Ware. The Plan is based on the 'integrated package' approach adopted by the previous Transport Policies and Programmes (TPP) document. The Plan has received capital funding from Central Government since 1999/2000. The Local Transport Plan and Lea Valley Area Plan are both supported by the Council via policies in the Local Plan..

9.2.3 Development proposals which have an impact on accessibility and traffic movement, or could be directly related to programmes in the Lea Valley Area Plan, will need to have regard to the objectives in the Lea Valley Area Plan and Local Transport Plan.

9.2.4 The key programmes in the current Lea Valley Area Plan, together with the implications for development proposals which relate to these, are outlined below.

(a) Lea Valley Green Route
The objective of the Green Route is to significantly improve the quality and attractiveness of bus services linking the Lea Valley towns. The programme involves investment in bus lanes and giving priority to passenger transport, cyclists and pedestrians on a central north-south route through the built- up area. Major proposals located close to the Green Route will be expected to consider opportunities to enhance facilities or services.

(b) Passenger Transport
The Lea Valley Area Plan seeks to enhance the capacity, services and facilities to encourage the use of bus services. It will also be important to address the deficiencies in bus provision such as at Greater Brookfield and the main industrial areas. The West Anglia Route Modernisation (WARM) project includes a programme of investment in stations and track capacity on the main rail line through the Borough. In conjunction with this project, the Lea Valley Area Plan will seek to improve interchange facilities, passenger information systems ,cycle storage and car park security.

(c) Key Employment Sites
The Plan supports measures to improve the accessibility and sustainable economic development of the Borough's Key Employment sites at Park Plaza and N E Hoddesdon. It includes specific provision for the Essex Road Improvement scheme which is required to unlock development land. See also policies EMP3 and EMP4 and supporting text in Chapter 4 Employment & Education paras 4.6.9 to 4.6.15

(d) Cyclists and Pedestrians
A comprehensive cycle network is being developed through the Lea Valley Area Plan. This is primarily aimed at serving utility travel needs (e.g. commuting, shopping, travel to school) but also connects to established leisure and amenity routes and wider networks including those in the Lea Valley Park. The Lea Valley Area Plan will also include measures to enhance safety and accessibility on pedestrian routes, particularly in town centres. However, the Council acknowledges that the encouragement of cycling depends on making cyclist feel they can ride safely on all roads in the Borough.

(e) Home Zones
The Plan supports the designation of Home Zones in new and existing residential areas (see Policy T7.)

(f) Parking Measures
Management and control of parking will be increasingly important as parking in new developments will be limited to maximum standards. The Lea Valley Area Plan supports the development of Controlled Parking Zones, residents' parking schemes, improved security of car parks and parking enforcement. Local consultation will be important in all these initiatives.

(g) Area-wide safety and traffic calming
The Plan includes a prioritised rolling programme of safety and traffic calming measures in addition to remedial measures on identified hazardous or accident sites. It is essential that such works draw on the experience of schemes which have proved to be genuinely effective. The Council will seek to ensure that the design, nature and timing of traffic calming measures are justifiable in terms of need, and their long-term benefits.

(h) Distribution of freight by rail and water

The Plan seeks opportunities for developing rail freight and the possible potential of the River Lea Navigation as an unused transport corridor for freight, including the transport of refuse for disposal at the Edmonton Waste-to-Energy plant. The Council's community plan will also be regarded as a key document in assessing the priorities for sustainable infrastructure associated with new development.

9.3 Public Transport

9.3.1 The Council will support major new development that is either well related to the public transport network or will seek to ensure that provision is made to make this possible. It will also support measures that achieve closer integration between different forms of passenger transport facilities. The Council, in conjunction with other agencies, will continue to develop improvements to interchange points in the Hoddesdon and Waltham Cross town centres, at all rail stations and Waltham Cross bus station. Major commercial, residential and retail proposals will be expected to consider and contribute towards provision of upgraded or new interchange facilities, particularly in the Greater Brookfield area.

9.3.2 In considering the relationship of development to passenger transport services, the Council will have regard both to the existence and frequency of services, including any measures proposed as part of the development to improve the frequency, quality or attractiveness of services. In partnership with bus operators and the County Council, the Borough Council will seek to enhance bus services on a commercial basis. Where this is not possible, the Borough Council in conjunction with the County Council will consider other options for the support of services. This may include seeking developer contributions for passenger transport improvements, infrastructure and services. In the case of local rail services, the Council will press for improvements to the accessibility of stations.

9.4 Transport and New Development

9.4.1 An essential function of the Plan is controlling the amount and type of transport movement generated by new developments. The Council is concerned to ensure that any significant adverse effects from development in terms of traffic flows, safety and access are avoided. Hertfordshire County Council, as the highway and passenger transport authority, will be consulted on most development proposals and in making recommendations will consider the effect on highway capacity, road safety and environmental impact.

9.4.2 All development proposals will be assessed in terms of their impact on the transport network and movement in the surrounding area. Major development schemes (as defined in section 12 of Borough wide Supplementary Planning Guidance) will be required to produce a transport assessment. This should demonstrate how modal split targets will be achieved to and from the site, together with details of proposed measures to improve access by public transport, walking and cycling. In addition, the developer should demonstrate that passenger transport accessibility of the development has been assessed and incorporated where possible in the proposal as set out in Policy T2. Policy T3 states the basis on which development proposals will be assessed in relation to the surrounding road network.

Green Travel Plans

9.4.3 As a means of implementing the Council's aim for reducing reliance on the private car, applicants for major employment generating development, or leisure development which has the potential to attract a high number of visitors, will be expected to submit a Green Travel Plan. This is a package of measures to encourage employees and visitors to use alternative modes of transport to the car. Further information is set out in the Council's Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Broxbourne Local Plan Second Review. In considering Green Travel Plans, the Council will have regard to current inadequacies of public transport in the area and how these might improve over the life of the Plan.

9.4.4 To ensure that the terms of an agreed Travel Plan are adhered to and its long term benefits maintained, the Council may impose conditions on planning permissions or seek a legal agreement relating to the extent and size of on-site parking and facilities which would encourage the use of forms of travel other than commuting by car. Green travel plans will need to take account of the amount of parking to be provided at the development or, is available at acceptable locations within walking distance of the development.

Development Standards

9.4.5 The Borough Council, together with the County Council and its agents is responsible for the approval of roads in new developments which are provided by private developers. National guidance (such as Design Bulletin 32) and 'Roads in Hertfordshire' produced by Hertfordshire County Council are currently used to assess proposals, and determine their acceptability for formal adoption.

Rural Roads

9.4.6Roads in the rural area of the Borough are often more susceptible to the impact of traffic generated by new development given their poorer structural and design characteristics. Where development does take place, this can lead to pressure to improve the capacity of such roads with a consequent risk of loss to the rural environment. The Council will support initiatives to designate minor routes and lanes as Greenways These are focused on the needs of walkers, cyclists and horse riders and defined to provide links between rural communities and provide access to open spaces and countryside.

Home Zones

9.4.7 Home Zones are residential areas where priority is given to pedestrians over vehicular traffic. Within Home Zones, speed restrictions and traffic calming measures may be used to create a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists and especially children. By taking a co-ordinated approach, Home Zones can potentially improve the environment, safety and health of local residents. New developments that are proposed within a Home Zone will need to have regard to the designation and the impact on local access and movement.

9.4.8 The Borough Council, County Council and the Police will, with residents, businesses and other partners, identify residential streets which by their nature are deemed suitable for designation as "Home Zones".

9.5 The Local Highway Network

9.5.1 Roads must be designed or improved to cater for the different levels and type of transport which they are expected to carry. Through-traffic and heavy goods vehicles should be concentrated on primary routes and main distributor roads which avoid residential areas. New or improved local distributor roads should be developed to give greater priority to buses, pedestrians and cyclists. Residential roads should be made safer environments for pedestrians, with cars given less prominence. The local highway network is such that the incorporation of almost any added development into the community places a greater burden upon the A10 and its various junctions, especially at the southern end.

9.5.2 A number of different agencies are responsible for the provision of facilities to meet access requirements. Developers should consult in advance with the relevant highway authority or their agents as to the likely acceptability of their proposals before submitting an application.

9.5.3 A number of infrastructure improvements outlined in the previous Plan have been completed to improve the accessibility of the town centres and reduce congestion in the Cheshunt and Waltham Cross areas. This includes the A121 Cheshunt Link Road (Winston Churchill Way) which effectively provides a bypass for Cheshunt relieving local residential and shopping streets of through traffic and supporting the Lea Valley Green Route strategy. However this has increased the dependence upon the southern section of the A10.

9.5.4 Government proposals to widen the A10 between the M25 and Turnford included in the previous Local Plan have now been dropped. Responsibility for the A10 is expected to pass to the County Council as Highway Authority during the Plan period following de-trunking after completion of the Colliers End/Wadesmill by-pass. In conjunction with the appropriate highway authority, the Borough Council will seek further investigation into the provision of a southbound exit from the A10 Turnford interchange and will support improvements to the junctions of the A10 with Church Lane and with Churchgate in Cheshunt and the A10/Leiutenant Ellis Way. The latter junction will need to be upgraded to provide access to the Park Plaza Key Employment Site.

9.5.5 The general emphasis of policies in the Plan is that new road development is not the answer to traffic congestion. However, the Council will seek to address two important areas of concern which may require additional infrastructure or a significant upgrading to the capacity of the road network during the Plan period. This includes the Essex Road Improvement Scheme and congestion in the Greater Brookfield area.

9.5.6 The Borough's major employment areas outside town centres are principally located to the east and are poorly connected to A10, the single north/south strategic road servicing the Borough. Resolution of access problems to and within the Borough's industrial areas is seen as a pressing issue to be resolved during this Plan period.

Essex Road Improvement Scheme

9.5.7 Access to the Key Employment site in north-east Hoddesdon is constrained by a rail crossing on Essex Road which links the area to the A10. The frequency of rail services means that the level crossing is closed to traffic for lengthy periods, restricting access to the site and causing severe traffic congestion. This will increase further in the future with the expansion of rail services to Stansted Airport. Development of the key employment site cannot proceed until a replacement bridge is built over the railway. The Borough Council and County Council are committed to progressing the bridge scheme in partnership with the local landowners and is seeking the long term improvement to Essex Road. The funding for the project is being recovered partly through Section 106 contributions. The Council's support for this scheme and its contributions policy is set out in Policies EMP3 and EMP4 in the Employment and Education Chapter.

Greater Brookfield

9.5.8 The Council is much concerned at the high levels of traffic congestion, the difficulties of circulation and movement between the shops and the lack of public transport serving this much-frequented area. The Council will address this through the development of a masterplan in consultation with the residents, stakeholders and highway authorities. Such a plan will need to resolve existing problems of traffic congestion and set in place sufficient infrastructure to support future sustainable movement patterns over the Plan period. These issues are covered in more detail in the Greater Brookfield chapter.

9.5.9 Key elements of the masterplan will include
• Improving accessibility between different parts of the centre for pedestrians
and cyclist and the diabled
• Improving public transport services.
• Addressing the existing circulatory system.
• The Turnford Interchange on the A10 assessing the possibility of providing a link road though to Halfhide Lane and southbound slip road adjacent to Canada Fields.

9.5.10 The implications of the masterplan in respect of any development coming forward in the Greater Brookfield Area is covered in Policy BFC7 in the Greater Brookfield chapter.

9.6 Pedestrians, Cyclists and Other Users

Pedestrians

9.6.1 The ease with which people can move in and around town centres and surrounding neighbourhoods is as important in establishing their character and vitality as the buildings and spaces that make up these areas. Over the last plan period, enhancement schemes in Waltham Cross and Hoddesdon have helped contribute to pedestrian safety and access in the town centres. New developments will be expected to demonstrate that pedestrian access is given full, integral consideration in the design of all new developments. The policy will also apply to the needs of wheelchair users.

Cycling

9.6.2 Cycling can be an economical, healthy and environmentally-friendly form of urban transport. The need for positive intervention has increased if cycling is to be encouraged as a realistic option to residents and workers in the Borough and as a safe means of personal transport. Cycling is also an important recreational activity and the Council will support schemes which link to routes being developed though the Lea Valley Regional Park and into surrounding districts.

9.6.3 The Borough Council, in conjunction with the County Council, will seek to promote the development and use of a safe network of cycle routes in the district. Special consideration will be given at junctions where the greatest conflict with motor vehicles occurs.

9.6.4 The Council will encourage proposals which secure safe routes between schools and residential areas avoiding the most heavily trafficked roads. The design of major new residential developments will be expected to take account of the needs of cyclists and, where appropriate, provide cycle storage and changing facilities. The Council will also seek to ensure that attention is given to protecting the safety of pedestrians where shared pedestrian/cycle routes are proposed.

Car Parking

9.6.5 Car parking policies and the control of parking can play an important role in strategies to reduce private car use and encourage alternative modes of transport. The Council will take an integrated approach, recognising that the reduction in car parking provision without putting into place other measures will not be sustainable.

9.6.6 Car parking standards are set out in Section 9.7. These are maximum standards. Provision of car parking space at new developments should not exceed these maximum levels. Provision below this level will be acceptable in locations where it can be shown that there is a reduced need for private car journeys. These may include locations well served by public transport or within easy walking distance of services or facilities, such as Town Centres, interchanges, along the Green Route or the defined accessibility corridor. The Council may require the developer to take additional measures to ensure that this reduction does not place unreasonable pressure on street parking.’

9.6.7 Where new parking is provided, it should be to suitable standards for its effective operation and safety. Proposals should consider movement within the car park of both traffic and pedestrians and the impact of the access onto the highway network. The level of dimensions of car parking spaces will be expected to take account of the guidelines in section 9.7 and updates in Supplementary Planning Guidance and take account of any 'design against crime' measures where applicable.

9.7 Borough of Broxbourne Car and Cycle Parking Standards