Traffic reports play a crucial role in planning applications, particularly in assessing site accessibility, vehicular movement, and external constraints. These reports provide vital data on traffic patterns, road capacity, and the ability of emergency services, refuse trucks, and delivery vehicles to access and manoeuvre within a proposed development. Early engagement with a traffic engineer is essential to identify potential issues and explore viable solutions.
BB Partnership have worked with RGP Transport Planning and Infrastructure Design Consultants on the design of six new houses in Essex
One of the primary considerations in planning applications is ensuring safe and efficient access to and from the proposed development.
For example, vehicular access to a site is often subject to prescribed visibility splay distances based on road speed limits. If these distances are unachievable within the site boundary, agreements with third-party landowners may be required. Alternative solutions, such as speed studies or contributions to traffic calming measures, can sometimes mitigate such constraints, though they carry inherent risks as they are reliant on reaching agreements with third parties involved.
Emergency services require clear, unobstructed routes to all parts of a development. Fire appliances, for instance, must be able to get within 18m of all parts of a building and turn around safely to exit in a forward gear. Traffic reports must demonstrate compliance with these requirements to ensure adequate emergency response access.
Efficient waste management is a critical aspect of any development. Traffic reports assess the ability of refuse collection vehicles to enter, manoeuvre, and exit a site safely. This includes evaluating access roads, turning areas, and designated collection points to ensure smooth waste collection operations. Consideration must also be given to how waste will be stored and collected on-site, taking into account the maximum distances residents can carry waste and waste operatives can move bins.
The impact of delivery and freight movements must also be considered. Traffic reports evaluate the suitability of access points, loading bays, and parking areas for delivery vehicles, ensuring they can operate without disrupting traffic flow. Additionally, strategies should be put in place to manage takeaway and parcel deliveries to prevent nuisance in surrounding areas.
For large-scale schemes, a comprehensive traffic report includes a Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) to determine the effect of the proposed development on the local road network. The assessment examines factors such as increased traffic volumes, changes in traffic patterns, and the impact on junctions and road infrastructure. It also identifies potential mitigation measures, such as road improvements or traffic management strategies.
Promoting sustainable transport options is a key consideration in traffic reports. This includes evaluating pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, public transport accessibility, and provisions for car-sharing schemes or electric vehicle charging points. Where necessary, mitigation measures—such as traffic calming initiatives or signal improvements—can be proposed to enhance safety and manage traffic impact.
The location of a site and its proximity to public transport influence the level of parking required. While local authorities typically have defined parking standards, these can often be subject to discussion. A traffic engineer can conduct a parking stress survey to assess existing parking capacity in the area, helping to justify the proposed parking provision.
Early engagement with the planning department via an application for pre-application advice can help to set the parking criteria, which may often be at a lower rate than the levels listed in local authority policy documents. This, in turn, can allow for a more intensive development of a site.
In many parts of London, local authorities encourage car-free developments, restricting residents from applying for parking permits. Such schemes are only feasible where surrounding streets are controlled by a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ).
Even in car-free schemes, it is generally a requirement to provide dedicated disabled parking bays on or near the site.
Several local authorities now mandate larger parking spaces to accommodate the increasing size of modern vehicles.
The provision of electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a growing requirement and should be factored into the design of any scheme.
Dedicated cycle storage areas must be provided for a variety of bicycle sizes, including electric bikes. The rise in e-bike use has also introduced fire risks due to lithium-ion batteries, necessitating safe storage solutions. MetroStor’s article provides further insight into best practices for e-bike storage.
Traffic considerations significantly impact the viability of any development site, both in terms of internal layout and external constraints. Early assessment of these factors enables a robust strategy to be developed, helping to navigate potential challenges. Engaging with planning authorities through pre-application discussions and consulting traffic engineers from the outset ensures a well-informed and sustainable approach to transport planning.
We hope this information has been useful. At BB Partnership, we believe that our experience in delivering projects from inception to completion enables us to anticipate and address key transport considerations early in the process. This ensures that our schemes are viable and successfully executed.
Please contact us for more information.