Stevenage traffic modelling evidence to support local plan

Challenge

Stevenage Borough Council appointed SLR Microsim to assist with the provision of traffic modelling evidence in support of its local plan.

Stevenage had previously been advised by the Highway Authority and its consultants on infrastructure requirements necessary to support the delivery of the development proposals identified by the council in its local plan. They amounted to over £15 million of highway infrastructure proposals to support 7,000 dwellings.

Solution

We provided technical analysis of the assumptions made as a result of the original modelling work, including the approach to the assessment, methodology and interpretation of the findings.

We also worked with members of the wider SLR team to support the council in developing an alternative transport infrastructure strategy, one focused on maximising the existing, sustainable transport network and diverting the infrastructure funding away from car and highway provision to sustainable enhancements. The modelling evidence was used to establish the sustainable transport strategy for Stevenage, which was adopted through a local plan policy.

Impact

Additional support included expert input during the local plan examination, explaining the modelling evidence and technical work, which led to the inspector concluding that the evidence clearly demonstrated the impacts on the network did not justify the highway mitigation strategy, favouring instead the allocation of funding, through the IDP, to enable further enhancements to the sustainable transport network to be prioritised.