Comment

Representation ID: 641

Received: 22/12/2023

Respondent: TfWM and WMCA

Again, we fully welcome many of these policies and are extremely supportive of those measures which prioritise sustainable and active travel options which help contribute to a more reliable performance along our KRN and local roads. We also welcome the ambition to manage demand for road space and car parking, as this will be important for encouraging modal shift and decarbonising the transport system.
It should be noted for new Park and Ride sites (where these maybe explored), TfWM’s Park and Ride Strategy states “we will give priority to key intercept locations, rather than local park and ride expansions”.
In fact, we continue to explore how we can discourage people from making short car trips to those local station / stops and encourage people to walk, wheel or use public transport instead, and ensure any car parking is available for people only who are travelling from further afield with investment in sustainable modes of travel to the station being the first priority. This approach is taken, as over two thirds of our current user’s park and ride sites are travelling 2 miles or less to such sites.
Based on this evidence and our policies in this area, the policy relating to park and ride should be re-worded to say: “identifying appropriate intercept park and ride sites on current public transport routes to ease traffic flows into centres and surrounding areas” and we should not be expanding local park and ride sites in already busy local, residential areas. This policy should also give explicit recognition to TfWM’s updated Park and Ride strategy.
Additionally, the policy could be elaborated further regarding the need for more appropriate traffic calming measures and modal filters along residential roads, in addition to wider spatial planning policies. This will improve road safety and discourage cut-through driving. The work of TfWM’s Behaviour Change Hub could also be touched upon in this policy through providing key travel planning information, advice and travel clinics as well as support where there is disruption. The Regional Transport Coordination Centre is also a key regional body for managing travel demand on the KRN, as well as for providing information on incidents and planned disruptions.