Think of a TS as the "light" version for smaller developments with limited transport footprints. A TA is a comprehensive deep-dive required for larger schemes that could significantly impact the local highway network.
While it varies by local authority, the 2026 standard remains roughly 80+ residential units or commercial space exceeding 2,500sqm. However, many urban boroughs have lowered these thresholds to capture data on densification.
A Travel Plan is a "living" strategy to reduce car dependency. While the TA looks at the impact, the Travel Plan looks at the solution—promoting cycling, walking, and car-sharing post-occupation.
It’s the new gold standard. Instead of predicting traffic growth and building roads to fit (Predict and Provide), we set a vision for sustainable travel and "validate" the infrastructure needed to achieve it.
If your site is in a constrained urban area or near a school, a CLP is almost certain. It proves to the Council that your 32-tonne delivery trucks won't cause gridlock during the morning school run.
The latest National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) places a much heavier emphasis on "Decide and Provide." It prioritises active travel over junction capacity, meaning you can no longer simply "buy" your way out of a traffic problem with a new lane.
Vision Zero is a policy aiming for zero road deaths or serious injuries. Your transport planning must now explicitly prove that your site access and layout don't create new hazards for "vulnerable road users" (pedestrians and cyclists).
Used heavily in London and increasingly across the UK, this uses 10 indicators (like "easy to cross" and "not too noisy") to score the quality of the public realm around your development.
Absolutely. In 2026, transport infrastructure like access roads and car parks must be designed alongside BNG requirements, often using permeable paving or "green" swales for drainage.
It’s a 20-minute radius audit of the walking and cycling routes around your site. If the route to the nearest station is poorly lit or lacks crossings, you might be asked to fund the improvements.
It’s a computer-simulated "ghost" of a vehicle (like a refuse truck or fire engine) moving through your site. It proves that a vehicle can turn without hitting a kerb or a building.
When your development is expected to add significant "trips" to an already stressed junction. It’s the difference between saying "it will be fine" and proving it with data.
We use the TRICS database to look at thousands of similar developments and calculate how many people will realistically enter and leave your site by car, bike, bus, and foot.
If you are proposing a "low-car" development, the Council will want to know where the overspill goes. We survey nearby streets at 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM to see how much spare capacity actually exists.
The NPPF states applications should only be refused on transport grounds if the residual cumulative impacts on the road network are "severe." Defining "severe" is where the skill of a consultant truly lies—it's often a negotiation, not just a number.
Yes, if your site has a high Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) score (typically 5 or 6). You’ll likely need a legal agreement preventing residents from applying for local parking permits.
The bar has been raised. Most authorities now require 100% of residential spaces to have "active" charging points, rather than just the "passive" ducting of previous years.
Yes. Modern standards require a percentage of cycle storage to accommodate cargo bikes and trikes, reflecting the shift in how families move around in 2026.
Many developers are now required to provide "Mobility Hubs"—on-site docking stations or dedicated areas for shared e-scooter schemes to reduce private car use.
It’s the industry-standard way of measuring overnight parking demand. If you're building in a dense urban area, you’ll likely need this specific survey to satisfy highways officers.
To spot the "deal-breakers." A site might look great, but if the visibility splays for a safe entrance require third-party land you don't own, the site is effectively undevelopable.
We sit down with the Council officers to agree on the "scope." Agreeing on the methodology early prevents you from having to redo months of work because they didn't like your data source.
National Highways (formerly Highways England) looks at the "Strategic Road Network" (motorways and A-roads). If they object, they can "direct refusal," which is much harder to overturn than a local council objection.
If you need to make changes to the existing public highway (like building a new roundabout or putting in a crossing), you’ll need a S278 legal agreement to do the work.
A robust TA can prove that a massive financial contribution for a new bus route isn't "proportionate" or "necessary," potentially saving you hundreds of thousands of pounds.
If your development is near a "School Street" (where cars are banned during drop-off), your access strategy must account for these timed restrictions.
It’s an assessment that treats the bus, the train, and the bicycle with the same technical rigour as the car. In 2026, it’s no longer an optional extra; it’s the core of the report.
Yes. You need to prove that the Amazon vans and grocery deliveries of 2026 won't block the road or create a safety hazard for pedestrians.
Higher PTAL usually allows for higher density. If we can prove your PTAL is higher than the Council thinks, we might be able to unlock more units for your site.
The Council won't just look at your site; they’ll look at your site plus the five other developments planned nearby. We have to prove the network can handle all of them combined.
Failing to agree on the "scoping" at the start. If the Highways Officer doesn't like your "Trip Generation" figures, the whole application can stall for months.
Yes. We provide Expert Witness services at Public Inquiries, defending our technical findings under cross-examination to overturn a refusal.
A Road Safety Audit is an independent review of the design. You usually need Stage 1 for planning and Stage 2 for construction. It’s a critical "pass/fail" gate.
If you're building a massive mixed-use site and don't know exactly who the tenants will be yet, we write a "Framework" that sets the rules for everyone who moves in later.
Transport is a major reason for planning refusal in the UK. A specialist knows the "hidden" preferences of specific local authorities and how to navigate the technical shifts of 2026 that a generalist might miss.
