Transport Planning

A New Approach to Regional Transportation

The current Regional Transportation Strategy 2002-12 was successful in securing high levels of public funding to improve our transportation infrastructure. However the speed and direction of change in society has prompted the need for a New Approach to be developed. The increase in population and vehicles has placed significant pressures on our transportation networks coupled with fiscal constraints and the need to reduce our environmental impacts.

The New Approach will seek to build on what has been achieved and summaries where we are at present in transportation terms. It sets out a range of objectives that we want to achieve and proposes how to get there. The New Approach concentrates on moving people rather than vehicles, creating space on the networks for people and also for freight and on maintaining what is in place and using it in a smarter way.

The New Approach is different from the current strategy in that it is not constructed on schemes and projects. Rather is seeks to set the High Level Aims and the Strategic Objectives for transport in the region that should form the basis for future decision-making about funding priorities. At its core is a move towards greater sustainability which will contribute positively to growing the economy, improving the quality of life for all and reducing the transport impacts on the environment.

Review of the Regional Transportation Strategy - Consulation Report

Consultation on the Review of Regional Transportation Strategy and the proposed New Approach closed on 28 June 2011. We have now considered all the responses and prepared a Consultation Summary Report.

The respondents acknowledged the need for review given the changes since 2002 but equally acknowledged that considerable improvements have been made to transport. A majority agreed with the proposed high level aims and strategic objectives.

There was substantial support for the Executive’s aim of growing the economy but only through the development of sustainable transport solutions. There was general consensus on the focus to move people and goods rather than vehicles. Many respondents indicated the need to continue with improvements on roads maintenance and the removal of bottlenecks that created congestion for cars, freight and public transport.

Many responses highlighted the detrimental impact of transport on the environment and the need to change our travel behaviour to more sustainable means and methods. The need to better coordinate the planning and use of transport resources across government and to better integrate and consolidate policies and strategies was also advocated.

The Report is now available to view or download.

Consultation Report pdf (147KB)

The Consultation document and associated Impact Assessments are also available to view below, for information only.

Revised Regional Transportation Strategy 2011 - A Sustainable Transport Future Public Consultation Document pdf (532KB)

Revised Regional Transportation Strategy 2011 - Executive Summary (23KB)

Revised Regional Transportation Strategy 2011 Supplement - Supporting Data pdf (3.27MB) pdf

Revised Regional Transportation Strategy 2011 draft Equality Impact Assessment (135KB) pdf

Revised Regional Transportation Strategy 2011 draft Integrated Impact Assessment (75KB) pdf

Questionnaire

We prepared a questionnaire with the questions at the end of various sections, to help respondents express their views.

This included the proposed Strategic Objectives and how they were ranked in the table.

Revised Regional Transportation Strategy Questionnaire (70KB)

Public Consultation Meetings

We held a series of public consultation meeting in May/June 2011. The meetings were to allow people to find out more about the Regional Transportation Strategy and to ask any questions they had. A copy of the presentation given at the meetings is available here: Presentation to Public Consultation Events pdf (156KB)

Environmental Report and Habitats Regulations Assessment

As part of the process of revising the Regional Transportation Strategy, we considered the environmental impacts of the Strategy.