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Site last updated 08/11/07

What Needs a Transport Assessment?

Whether a Transport Statement or Transport Assessment is required for a new development will depend on a number of issues (and can vary according to local factors).

In England, the recently published Department for Transport document Guidance on Transport Assessment, provides suggested thresholds for when a Transport Statement or Transport Assessment will be required. The table below summarises these thresholds for some of the more common types of development.

Land use	No assessment	Transport Statement	Transport Assessment and Travel Plan
A1 Food Retail	<250m2	>250 <800m2	>800m2
B1 Business	<1,500m2	>1,500 <2,500m2	>2,500m2
B2 General Industrial	<2,500m2	>2,500 <4,000m2	>4,000m2
B3 Storage or Distribution	<3,000m2	>3,000 <5,000m2	>5,000m2
C1 Hotels	<30 beds	>30 <50 beds	>50 beds
C2 Dwelling Houses	<50 units	>50 <80 units	>80 units

The above requirements are not exhaustive and there may be a need for additional information and assessments, depending on local circumstances. The key issue is that the scope of any Transport Statement or Transport Assessment should be agreed at the pre-application stage between the appropriate authorities and the developer.

In addition to the thresholds which relate to the size of the development, there are also a number of other factors which would indicate that a development may require a full Transport Assessment. These include any development:

1. That does not conform to the local development plan

2. Generating 30 or more two-way vehicle movements in any hour

3. Generating 100 or more two-way vehicle movements per day

4. Proposing 100 or more parking spaces

5. That is likely to increase accidents

6. Generating significant freight movements

7. Proposed in a location where local transport infrastructure (including public transport, walking/cycling facilities) is inadequate

8. Proposed in a location within or adjacent to an Air Quality Management Area

It should be noted that legislation is different in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and details relating to the process in Northern Ireland can be found on 'The Planning Service' website http://www.planningni.gov.uk. The Scottish Executive published guidance in 2005 and this can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk.

The above requirements are not exhaustive and there may be a need for additional information and assessments, depending on local circumstances. The key issue is that the scope of any Transport Statement or Transport Assessment should be agreed at the pre-application stage between the appropriate authorities and the developer.

In addition to the thresholds which relate to the size of the development, there are also a number of other factors which would indicate that a development may require a full Transport Assessment. These include any development:

1. That does not conform to the local development plan

2. Generating 30 or more two-way vehicle movements in any hour

3. Generating 100 or more two-way vehicle movements per day

4. Proposing 100 or more parking spaces

5. That is likely to increase accidents

6. Generating significant freight movements

7. Proposed in a location where local transport infrastructure (including public transport, walking/cycling facilities) is inadequate

8. Proposed in a location within or adjacent to an Air Quality Management Area

It should be noted that guidance is different in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and details relating to the process in Northern Ireland can be found on 'The Planning Service' website http://www.planningni.gov.uk. The Scottish Executive published guidance in 2005 and this can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk.

© JMP Consultants Ltd. 2007