The Modeshift STARS Residential Focus Group was set up in May 2022, The purpose of this group is to establish a forum for industry experts to network and share best practice, review the latest guidance and support the development of the STARS scheme for residential developments.

John Hacker, Modeshift Board STARS Residential Executive has shared some of the group’s key outcomes

Modeshift Residential Travel Plan Survey data

To aid the work being undertaken by the STARS Residential Focus Group, Local Authority Travel Plan Officers were recently asked to complete a short survey. The aim is to understand more about the mechanisms being used to secure Residential Travel Plans across the UK, and to identify the core measures which are included within those Residential Travel Plans. The intention is that data collected via the survey will help to inform the ongoing development of the Residential STARS platform, to inform future advice on Travel Plan Guidance, and to assist with the sharing of best practice across the sector.

• The scope of Residential Travel Planning measures is relatively consistent, with a comparably small range of measures required as part of the Travel Plan implementation process;
• A relatively high proportion of Local Planning Authorities have no guidance available on the preparation of Residential Travel Plans, or associated planning policies in place;
• The approach taken by LPAs when securing Travel Plans through the planning process is varied, and less consistent, with many not using S106 Agreements or planning conditions.

The initial data collected, from across 14 local authority areas, has already provided some interesting highlights, some of which are shared below. Key headline findings can be summarised as:

• How many different measures did the Local Planning Authorities surveyed secure within Residential Travel Plan?: 14
• What is the most commonly required Residential Travel Plan measure?: Provision of a Sustainable Travel Guide or Pack
• What proportion of LPAs secure funding for Travel Plan measures within a S106 Agreement?: 43%
• What percentage of LPAs have no Travel Plan related Planning Policies in place?: 43%
• What percentage of LPAs use S106 Agreements or planning conditions to secure the implementation of Travel Plans?: 43%

Reflecting on these headline findings, John Hacker said;

“It is not unexpected to find that the range of measures being secured and delivered within a residential context is relatively narrow, especially when compared to the much wider range of measures that may typically be delivered in a workplace or education setting. This is no doubt in part a reflection of the un-unique nature of many residential developments, but also in part a reflection of the close ties between the planning system and residential travel planning delivery, with less scope to be expansive or creative over a projects lifetime. The focus should, therefore, be on the quality rather than quantity of measures delivered. There are also clearly opportunities, supported through the sharing of best practice, to secure more consistently high quality and impactful Residential Travel Plans across the UK, with an ability to make greater use of planning tools such as S106 Agreements and planning conditions’.

If your local authority or organisation would like to contribute to this discussion, or to complete the survey, please contact john@modeshift.org.uk