Core Strategy Preferred Options document - Amazon Web Services

Strategies, Activities and Actions - Transport
Transport
Introduction
The District currently has high-levels of car ownership, high levels of outcommuting
and limited public transport, particularly in rural areas.
There are concerns that, with the projected population increase, car
usage will increase to the detriment of the environment and lead to
intolerable levels of congestion.
We will continue to work with Essex County Council – the Highway
Authority – to ensure that the road network is maintained and upgraded
where necessary. The addition of any major new highway infrastructure
during the plan period is unlikely. However, highway improvements to
serve new developments and to mitigate their impacts will be required to
come forward in a timely manner, along with improvements to existing
east-west routes.
Whilst current economic and social needs must be met, the only longterm
option for Rochford District is to try and reduce the need to travel by
car and promote the use of alternative methods of transport. We cannot
force people to give up their cars and must be realistic in terms of
ensuring there is adequate highway infrastructure for development, but
planning must aim to give people the option to use alternatives. The
theme of reducing car dependency is highlighted in this chapter, but also
runs through the Core Strategy as a whole.
Highways
In order for development to be sustainable it must meet the needs of the
present, as well as the future. Currently, the nature of the District does
not lend itself to travel without the use of a private car. The District
experiences high-levels of car usage and, whilst it is important that we
plan development in a way that reduces this reliance on the car, the
economic and social importance of car usage in the District at this time
cannot be overlooked.
It is important that new development be accompanied by the requisite
highway infrastructure improvements to mitigate their impact on the
existing network. We will ensure that such highway improvements are
delivered through a combination of planning obligations and standard
charges for developers (see Preferred Option CLT1 for further details),
and by working in partnership with Essex County Council. In addition, we
believe that existing connections between the west, where the population
is focussed, and the more rural east which nevertheless contains a
number of local employment uses, is inadequate. We will work with
Essex County Council to seek online improvements to east-west
65
The Vision: In five
years...
Improved access to
Cherry Orchard
Jubilee Country Park
has been implemented
from Cherry Orchard
link road, including
footpath and cycle
access.
The Country Park is
accessible by a variety
of transport methods
from surrounding
residential areas.
Several schemes have
been initiated to help
reduce congestion on
the District’s roads,
such as online road
improvements and the
implementation of
travel plans.
Improvements have
led to a more frequent,
reliable and
comprehensive public
transport system with
better linkages
between bus and rail.