Object

Representation ID: 43869

Received: 05/10/2021

Respondent: Taylor Wimpey

Agent: Pegasus

10.1 The transport chapter identifies that the delivery of an improved and integrated transport network is fundamental to achieving transformation of the Black County, to deliver housing growth and improve economic performance. It recognises that the Covid-19 pandemic and a shift towards homeworking has had a significant impact on public transport patronage levels, which may take a number of years to recover. It nevertheless reiterates that high quality public transport remains at the heart of the Black Country transport strategy.
Priorities for the Development of the Transport Network
10.2 Paragraph 9.6 identifies that specific objectives should include reducing pollution and road congestion through improvements to public transport, promoting walking and cycling networks and reducing the need to travel. Taylor Wimpey recognises that pursuing these objectives will result in some potential improvements to both pollution and road congestion. However, whether significant improvements to public transport provision on their own will make any material difference to either reducing pollution or road congestion is debatable, particularly when the public transport improvements are likely to relate to the improved bus services provision, e.g. more bus services running along existing routes.
10.3 Taylor Wimpey generally supports the approach identified in Policy TRAN1 (Priorities for the Development of the Transport Network) which includes safeguarding land needed for the implementation of priority transport networks, providing adequate access to all modes of travel in association with new developments, key transport corridors being prioritised through the delivery of new infrastructure to support various transport improvements and the various identified specific transport improvements. However, it is unclear how paragraph 9.20, which predicts that bus services will have recovered at a faster rate than even rail or metro by 2026, has been evidenced. In addition, the emphasis on bus services should recognise that congestion is likely to be a significant factor both on patronage, attractiveness of the bus and journey times.