Object

Publication Draft

Representation ID: 65448

Received: 27/06/2014

Respondent: Cycleways

Agent: Cycleways

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Representation Summary:

Cycleways, a local group promoting cycling in Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth, considers the Local Plan Section TR3, in particular the Infrastructure Delivery Plan, as inconsistent with national policy. The relevant national policies are the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and the government's White Paper on Transport (Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon, Making Sustainable Transport Happen, HMG 2011). Whereas the general objectives of the Local Plan are in line with the objectives of the national policies, the IDP does not deliver these objectives.

Full text:

Cycleways, a local group promoting cycling in Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth, considers the Local Plan Section TR3, in particular the Infrastructure Delivery Plan, as inconsistent with national policy. The relevant national policies are the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and the government's White Paper on Transport (Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon, Making Sustainable Transport Happen, HMG 2011). Whereas the general objectives of the Local Plan are in line with the objectives of the national policies, the IDP dos not deliver these objectives.

The main focus of the IDP is on increasing road capacity, and provides much detail on how the road junction capacity in urban areas can be increased to benefit motor vehicles. An example can also be seen in the planned development of Europa Way to a dual carriageway. The resulting higher car traffic volume will inherently be a barrier for people switching to other modes of transport, particular cycling, and the IDP provides little or no detail of how the needs of cyclists or pedestrians will be met. This is in contrast to the NPPF which asks to "give priority to pedestrian and cycle movements" and "create safe and secure layouts which minimise conflicts between traffic and cyclists or pedestrians" (NPPF para. 4.35).
Likewise, one of the objectives of the White Paper is to encourage people to make "more sustainable travel choices...........genuinely sustainable transport modes.........socially sustainable" (para. 9, p. 8), in particular for shorter journeys which make up two thirds of all travel (para. 4, p. 7).