Cambridge City Deal

Better transport for Cambridge: an

achievable goal

Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive

Campaign for Better Transport

Cambridge City Deal

Campaign for Better Transport

• Charitable trust promoting sustainable transport

• Support from wide range of interests

• Co-ordinates environmental and other NGOs

concerned with transport

• Commissions and publishes research

• Conducts public campaigns

• Promotes pilot projects and good practice

Cambridge City Deal

There is a tendency to look to

Europe…

Cambridge City Deal

…and say you can’t plan round

public transport in the UK

- Buses are deregulated

- Railways are privatised

- There’s no road pricing

- There’s no strategic planning

But we’ve found there are some good UK

examples of development around public

transport

Cambridge City Deal

Strategy

- Black Country Core Strategy

- Gloucestershire Local Transport Plan

- South Yorkshire traffic light grading

- PTALs in London

Cambridge City Deal

Economic development: retail

with less parking

- Trinity Leeds

- Liverpool One

- Hull

- Media City

- Glasshoughton

Cambridge City Deal

Business parks

- Chiswick Park

- Quorum and Cobalt

Cambridge City Deal

Housing

- Kilnwood Vale

- Shawfair

- Kent Fastrack

- Leighton Buzzard

Cambridge City Deal

Southern Leighton Buzzard

development

• “Dash Direct” bus

• Station Travel Plan

• Cycling and walking

• Household screens

• Limited car parking

Modal shift 2012: 24.2%;

Bus users with car: 48%

Cambridge City Deal

Bringing it together: Devon

- New stations serving housing and

commercial development

- “Devon Metro” rail services

- Tavistock reopening

- Bus links to Cranbrook

Cambridge City Deal

So why do this?

- More choice

- Less congestion

- Reduced pollution

- Less social isolation

- Tackling climate change

- Liveable places

- Reduced car dependence

Cambridge City Deal

Car dependence is a problem for…

•Those with cars (who have

to drive more)

•Those without cars, who are

excluded from society

Car dependency scorecard

shows that towns and cities

vary enormously

Cambridge City Deal

Ways forward

- More strategic planning

- Revised planning policies (NPPF etc)

- Local Enterprise Partnerships to promote sustainable

transport

- Locating new development around public transport

- Improving public transport – better bus and rail policies

- Limited/ managed parking

- Street layouts and design standards for active travel

- Transport modelling reforms

Cambridge City Deal

Public transport oriented

development

Link public transport and new development

Joint rail/development projects

Use developments to fund rail investment

Develop rail stations as gateways/hubs

Create town-wide transport partnerships

Local and national planning policies should support this

Cambridge City Deal

Threats: investment in major

roads…

Cambridge City Deal

.. cuts in public transport funding?

Cambridge City Deal

Opportunities

• Changing transport trends: less car travel

• Devolution: more control over local

transport, including rail stations, and more

integration with development

• Bus reforms

• Business rate reforms

Cambridge City Deal

New forms of transport funding

• “Total Transport” pilots now

underway

• Workplace parking levy in

Nottingham

• Developer funding

• Road funding – “integration”

Need revenue funding, not just

capital

Cambridge City Deal

New organisations

The push for devolution:

• Rail North/ Transport for the

North

• Combined authorities

• Transport partnerships

Need joint transport/ land use/

economic plans, as in London

Cambridge City Deal

Local Sustainable Transport

Fund helps the economy

• Help for employers (travel plans)

• Helping unemployed people into work

• Local public transport improvements (new

services, lower fares)

• Promoting active travel

• Community involvement

• Improving the public realm

Cambridge City Deal

Evidence shows that these are working

– and are good value for money

• North Somerset “kickstart” project: 21-24% increase in

patronage

• Swindon-Westbury rail service: 160,000 passengers in

year 1 (forecast was 45,000)

• Nottingham: half price “Kangeroo” card for jobseekers,

32,000 a month by Sept 2013, 17% of card holders

found employment

• Telford town centre box road, turning one side into

“urban street” 20 mph zone – attracting £250m

regeneration scheme

Cambridge City Deal

Smart growth not dumb

growth…

Economic growth doesn’t mean more and more roads and cars:

• Vienna: car use has fallen from 40% - 36%, 30% of journeys are now on foot or bike, 34% public transport

• Los Angeles: 90% car, 10% rest

• London: 1993- car 46% public transport 30%; 2010- car 34% public transport 42%

Cambridge City Deal

Conclusion

► It is possible to plan new development in the UK around public transport, not just roads and cars

► If public transport is provided, people will use it - reliance on cars is not inevitable

► This can help cut car dependence, which is bad for those with cars and those without, and for the wider economy, environment and society

► Devolution and new powers for councils and combined authorities are making these easier

► Better Government policies on planning, spending and regulation could make sustainable transport a lot easier

Cambridge City Deal

For more information

Campaign for Better Transport

www.bettertransport.org.uk

stephen.joseph@bettertransport.org.uk

020 7566 6480