Moving about the North East   

INTRODUCTION

5.1 In fulfilling the plan’s strategy, in particular Objectives 1, 2, 4 and 6, the plan aims to integrate the linkages between transport and land use through policies that make a positive contribution to the environment, the economy and will help increase social inclusion. The development plan will complement both Aberdeen City’s and Aberdeenshire’s Local Transport Strategies. These will focus on an integrated vision for transport and will provide the detailed comprehensive measures, action and targets required to bring about a modern transport system for the area. A summary of the main transport related issues that need to be addressed through the development plan and Local Transport Strategies includes: congestion (with its effects on the economy); air and noise pollution; the use of non-renewable energy; safety; community severance caused by traffic; and the impact that transport has on the global environment, including climate change.

5.2 The structure plan strategy underlines how the transport impacts of new development and the demands on existing transport infrastructure will be managed. Policies and proposals should be formulated in a way that contributes towards the principal aim of reducing the need to travel, particularly by car, whilst increasing the choice of means of travel available. When people do travel, measures will encourage them to do so in a more sustainable way, on foot, by bicycle or by public transport instead.

5.3 Crucially, measures which reduce the need to travel must not result in reduced accessibility (which is usually measured in terms of the ease, convenience and cost of making the journey). There are already people living in parts of the North East without access to a car or regular public transport who find it difficult to get employment or reach essential services. These problems should not be reproduced in future development and should be reduced for development that already exists. To maintain high and stable levels of economic growth and employment whilst reducing the length and number of trips, especially by car, a combination of land use and transport measures will be required. The main settlements will be the focus of major development and will require appropriate linkages between them. New development should be well related to public transport corridors, and their design should give preference to access to public transport, walking and cycling. Good access to town centres must be sustained to ensure their competitiveness is maintained. Town centre proposals will be sensitively located to ensure that a range of shopping and other social facilities can be more easily reached for those who do not have access to a car. Efficient deliveries and servicing in town centre and other locations must also be taken into account.

5.4 Transport measures to complement the land use strategy and ensure compliance with the Road Traffic Reduction Act will be outlined in local plans and Local Transport Strategies, and amongst other things should include charging regimes, maximum car parking standards and cycle parking standards, traffic management and traffic calming.