BASE HEADER

Yes

ID sylw: 107495

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Worcestershire County Council (WCC)

We support Draft Policy Direction 31 - Sustainable Transport Accessibility and that major developments must provide a travel plan that outlines how sustainable travel options will be encouraged and how the impact on the local transport network will be mitigated.

We note that improvements to the A46 corridor have been included in the preferred option for transport (Figure 9). There is, however, no definitive information on deliverability in terms of land availability, constructability and funding. Consideration is also required of the impact of the plan on the A46 outside of Warwickshire and into neighbouring counties, and how improvements that may be required to mitigate the plan can be funded.

Further comments:
WCC welcomes the opportunity, if/as required, to provide technical input on the congested corridors and sensitive areas in the Worcestershire network to assist with: -
• Further work required to refine recommendations for new settlements.
• Ensuring evidence is up to date regarding upgrades to road corridors.
• Developing the Transport Assessment (TA) and the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) and IDP Schedule.

Further comments on Evidence Base documents (January 2025) regarding Transport Infrastructures:
South Warwickshire Local Plan Part 1- Preferred Options Consultation –
Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) (Part 1) (January 2025). The IDP is being
prepared alongside the Local Plan to help identify future infrastructure
requirements, costs and when and how infrastructure will be delivered. The IDP
references: -
• Impacts on WCC roads including the A46 and A435 (page 34).
• Cross-boundary school trips (both into and out of Worcestershire (pages 45-
46).
• Cross-boundary Ambulance Services (page 62)
SWLP Strategic Transport and Education Assessment of New Settlement Options
(October 2024). The report by Warwickshire County Council was undertaken as a
strategic assessment of potential new settlement options in terms of their suitability
from a transport and education perspective. The assessment includes:
• Engagement with Worcestershire County Council in relation to upgrades and
improvements to the A435, A4189, A422, A46 and the B4101.
• Requirement to assess capacity and safety issues and the potential impacts
on local communities and congestion at local junctions of Sites A1 and A2 on
Worcestershire County Council LRN (Local Road Network).
• The location of Sites A1 (Land south of Tanworth-in-Arden), A2 (Land east of
Wood End) and E1 (LMA) close to the Worcestershire administrative
boundary.
• Sites A1 and A2 looking towards Redditch and Site E1 looking towards
Evesham as the nearest key centres for employment, retail and leisure
purposes.
• Involvement of Worcestershire County Council in the enhancement of local
bus services between the SWLP area and Worcestershire.
• Consideration of the reasonable proximity of site E1 to Honeybourne station
in Worcestershire, although the roads leading to the station are country lanes
and unsuitable for large traffic volumes.
• Upgrades / improvements to the cycle routes in and around Redditch for sites
A1 and A2.
The High-Level Strategic Transport Assessment (Part 1) (August 2024) prepared for
Warwickshire County Council sets out the transport issues in relation to development
and identifies measures in relation to all modes of travel. It references: -
• The key corridors between development in the Plan and Redditch and
Evesham.
• Cross-border trips for jobs and employment in Redditch and Evesham.
• Cross-border private car trips to access mainline rail stations e.g.,
Honeybourne.
• Cross-border bus services.

• Travelling into Worcestershire for key services e.g., school, medical, retail and
leisure.
The Vision and Validate Transport Vision for Long Marston Airfield Garden Village
(January 2023) sets out a package of interconnected placemaking and mobility
components to foster a thriving local community which is centred around accessibility,
liveability and minimising carbon emissions. The measures to encourage local living
for residents and visitors are based around:
• Placemaking and ‘internalised’ trips within the site.
• Mobility and the provision of shared, on-demand and low carbon mobility
services.
The report highlights specific projects related to the WCC network, including: -
• Safeguarded land between Stratford-upon-Avon and Honeybourne for the
reopening of the Stratford-upon-Avon to Honeybourne railway line.
• The South Western Relief Road (SWRR) corridor and sustainable travel
alternatives.
• Upgrades to cycle routes and routes in the LCWIP.
The Developing the detail of the Sustainable Transport Vision for Long Marston
Airfield Garden Village (Part 2 Evidencing the Vision) (January 2023) sets out some
proposed costs and contributions for a shuttle service from LMA to Honeybourne
Station (option 1) and reopening of the Stratford-upon-Avon to Honeybourne Line
(option 2).
The Long Marston Airfield Garden Village Sustainable Transport Viability and
Feasibility Assessment (May 2024) prepared for Warwickshire County Council sets
out a principal concern relating to the unmitigated impacts upon congestion or
unacceptable impacts upon highway safety if the Vision is not fully realised in the way
it is envisaged. The conclusion notes that the vision for LMA is considered optimistic
in terms of the level of containment anticipated to be achieved and the level of demand
transferred to sustainable travel modes based upon the evidence presented. We
welcome the proposals for a station at Long Marston with links to Stratford and
Honeybourne, linked to the aspirations set out in both the Warwickshire and
Worcestershire Rail Investment Strategies. As these proposals are currently unfunded, discussion on short-term approaches to address rail heading to Honeybourne
station across county boundaries would be helpful, to reduce pressure on the local
country roads, and car parking at the station.

In response to the Accompanying documents (published Technical Evidence), WCC welcomes the opportunity to work with Warwickshire County Council and the SWLP team to provide technical input regarding: -
a. A vision and validate approach to the transport evidence base, alongside the role of a monitor and manage regime.
b. Enhancements to sustainable, public and active transport, and coordination with Worcestershire’s LCWIP.

c. Capacity assessments and impacts, especially at Redditch and Evesham.
d. Trip generation from large development sites impacting the WCC transport
network, and the associated mitigation measures.
e. Highway upgrades and improvements.
f. We support the proposals in the plan to strengthen the rail network in South
Warwickshire, and the link to the Warwickshire Rail Investment Strategy.
Summary and Conclusions
We have reviewed the publicly available SWLP Preferred Options documents and
provided comments in relation to the transport implications of the plan for the safety
and operation of the WCC highway and transport network. We are happy to discuss
these points with the SWLP team and Warwickshire County Council.
The Council requests that as the SWLP is progressed, we continue to be engaged to
help determine any potential impacts on Worcestershire’s transport network and
identify any necessary infrastructure improvements to be included within the
Infrastructure Delivery Plan.
We trust that our response will be helpful and assist you with preparing your Local
Plan. We look forward to working with you through the remainder of the plan-making
process and we would welcome you arranging an initial meeting (at your convenience)
to discuss the above matters