Core Strategy (CS) Policy NC5 B: For the development at Tadpole Farm to be
viable there has to be, “a rapid transit link between Tadpole Farm and Swindon
town centre from the first phase of development and other public transport
links”. On pg. 108 point 4.77 the CS
states that “a rapid transit route is critical to deliver the smaller scale
urban extensions in a sustainable manner and should be phased in the early part
of the development”.
The Planning Officer’s report makes it clear that the BRT route
(whether through Oakhurst or Redhouse) and decisions over funding will be made
outside of the Planning Committee meeting.
The developers are putting in £450,000 to the S.106 pot (pg. 58 Table 7) and, as the Council was unsuccessful
in its bid for £5m funding under the DfT’s Better Bus Funding initiative, then
they will be trying to secure a S.278 agreement or Grampian condition to
encourage the developers to put the infrastructure in place. There appears to have been some conflict on this
matter between parties.
Point
147 “The total transport
contribution package of £2,229,500 [only £450,000 for the BRT] has therefore
been agreed with the developer subject to planning permission. In addition, contributions will be provided towards the
delivery of the Northern Development Area rapid transit route. These contributions will be proportioned
through each phase of the development”.
Point
149 “The Council ... [will] take full responsibility for
implementing this [the route] under Highway powers. It is
considered that the implementation of the bus corridor and the other highway
works outside the application boundary will be provided directly by Crest under
a Section 278 Agreement and can be sought by Grampian condition in relation to
offsite works on land under the full control of the Council or Developer”.
ORA's independent transport review (undertaken by Badingham Limited) states that “the
[developer’s transport assessment] relies heavily upon the trip reduction
effects resulting from the delivery of Phase 1 of a BRT.. In our experience,
such schemes are often badly affected if buses become caught in congestion on
connecting links. We are aware that
currently this route can become significantly congested at peak times, which
may become worse if priority is given to buses at various junctions...The
development is dangerously over-reliant on the delivery and success of the BRT
and makes no contingency for alternative should bid funding for this measure
not succeed”.
On
the 20th July 2009 SK Transport Planning write a letter to SBC
concerning WSP’s 2026 Swindon Strategy & Multi-Modal Model (WSP are SBC’s
highways consultants and SK Transport are Crest Nicholson’s highways
consultants). This model informs SBC’s
2009 Core Strategy. They write that “we are also a
little disappointed that the Final Report shows that the inclusion of the bus
rapid transit system does not improve accessibility to Tadpole Farm and the
Northern Development Area”.
In
the Regional Spatial Strategy – Development at Swindon – A Strategic Overview
to 2026, Public Examination Spring 2007, Background Paper 2 prepared by DPDS
for Crest Nicholson amongst others the statement is made that “the express
bus service route has been safeguarded through Haydon III meaning Tadpole Farm
benefits from close proximity of existing infrastructure, minimising car-brone
trips and encouraging containments within the NDA” (point 7.9 pg. 55)
Pg. 28 point 34, “the Highways Agency
is now in a position to withdraw its objection subject to conditions that
....ensure that a Travel Plan is secured to bring about car trip reduction”.
