EIA Webinar – Traffic and Transport TA or EIA?

EIA Webinar – Traffic and TransportTA or EIA? John Russell BEng (Hons) MIHT CMILT Director – Transport UK, Royal Haskoning j.russell@royalhaskoning.com

Question Is the traffic and transport chapter of an EIA a summary of the Transport Assessment (TA) or are they related, but clearly discrete pieces of work?

Let’s investigate some assessment areas Do TAs and EIAs use the same base data? Do they have the same focus? How do they deal with mitigation? How do they deal with cumulative impacts?

But first…….my life history Background is Civil Engineering – focus is on designing infrastructure 20 years experience – which spans the time before the “Environment” was discovered “EIA will never catch on”, Source: John Russell, 1995 Reason for divulging this? To explain the difference in focus of “designers” and “EIA assessors”

Do they use the same base data? Qualitative and quantitative assessment of existing transport network? Traffic and other transport surveys? Accident analysis? Development traffic forecasting? Policy?

Do they use the same base data? Transport Assessments and EIA traffic chapters use the same base data

Do they have the same focus? Planning Policy Guidance Note 13: Transport (PPG13) states that, where a new development is likely to have significant transport implications, a Transport Assessment (TA) should be prepared and submitted with a planning application for the development. It will then be used to determine whether the impact of the development on transport is acceptable. Source: Paragraph 1.1, Guidance on Transport Assessment The Environmental Statement should be a detailed statement of the significant effects of how the final design for the development will interact with the environment. Source: Paragraph 1.16, Guidelines for the Environmental Assessment of Road Traffic

Do they have the same focus? TA places an emphasis on the greatestvolume of traffic on the transport network Is there enough capacity left during the busiest times after a development? EIA places an emphasis on the greatest change in traffic To an “innocent” bystander: what does the change in traffic volumes “feel” like to their environment?

Do they have the same focus? Problem: increase in traffic volumes. TA solution: increaseroadsizewhichresults in enoughcapacity. Job well done. BUT A potentially adverse EIA impact remainsbecause there has been a large change in traffic

Do they have the same focus? Transport Assessments and EIA traffic and transport chapters have a different focus

How do they deal with mitigation? Introduction Planning Policy Context Assessment Methodology Baseline Conditions Likely Significant Effects Mitigation Measures Residual Effects Cumulative Effects Summary Measures to influence travel behaviour Parking availability and management Improvements to non-car modes Travel plan initiatives Capacity management Network alterations

How do they deal with mitigation? Busy Junction Existing settlement

How do they deal with mitigation? Busy Junction Proposed Development Existing settlement

How do they deal with mitigation? Proposed Development Existing settlement

How do they deal with mitigation? Does it form: • Part of the Proposed Development? • Associated Development? • Mitigation? In the TA process, it doesn’t matter In the EIA process it does

How do they deal with mitigation? This dilemma especially the case for projects which involve substantial construction phases e.g. new Nuclear Build Where do you draw the line between: • Enabling works? • Associated Development? • Mitigation?

How do they deal with mitigation? Travel Plans: mitigation or Proposed Development? In the TA a requirement prior to identifying mitigation Measures to influence travel behaviour Parking availability and management Improvements to non-car modes Travel plan initiatives Capacity management Network alterations

How do they deal with mitigation? Transport Assessments and EIA traffic and transport chapters deal with mitigation differently

How do they deal with cumulative impacts? EIA process simple: Job done

How do they deal with cumulative impacts? TA simple: Job done

How do they deal with cumulative impacts? But note 2 stage process in TA vs 3 stage process in EIA Do we manufacture a 3 stage process to suit EIA? But in arriving at Future Baseline we must make traffic growth projections Traffic growth projections are based on the level of development expected So are we double counting if we manufacture a 3 stage process? Job done

How do they deal with cumulative impacts? Transport Assessments and EIA traffic and transport chapters deal with cumulative impacts differently

Conclusion Q. Is the traffic and transport chapter of an EIA a summary of the Transport Assessment (TA) or are they related, but clearly discrete pieces of work? Transport Assessments and EIA traffic and transport chapters use the same base data BUT they: • have a different focus • deal with mitigation differently • deal with cumulative impacts differently A. They are clearly discrete pieces of work

So remember Don’t be fooled: an EIA traffic and transport chapter is not a summary of a TA The TA is about identifying the need for and providing transport capacity to cater for increases in travel demand The EIA is about identifying and mitigating the effects of changes in traffic volumes on “innocent bystanders”

EIA Webinar – Traffic and TransportTA or EIA? Any Questions? John Russell BEng (Hons) MIHT CMILT Director – Transport UK, Royal Haskoning j.russell@royalhaskoning.com

EIA Webinar – Traffic and Transport TA or EIA?