Introduction
In August 2018 Cheltenham Borough Council (CBC) appointed SYSTRA to produce a proposed borough-wide transport strategy to both help deliver Cheltenham’s wider place making agenda and integrate new development into the existing transport network.
This strategy is also intended to support the development of LTP4 which is currently being developed by Gloucestershire County Council.
The Cheltenham of today is car dominated, but the ambition is that the Cheltenham of tomorrow will be highly liveable and well connected through increased walking, cycling and public transport use. Cheltenham is fairly self contained and together with being relatively flat and having a well connected street network offers real opportunities to significantly increase the use of modes other than the private car. Furthermore the central Severn Vale is very self contained and offers a significant opportunity for mode shift for all or part of journeys.
As a council we need to understand the transport barriers and opportunities for different travel modes with clear recommendations and high level costs. This needs to be set in the context of connecting to key infrastructure, such as train station, motorway and wider strategic road network, town centre, key employment areas and retail centres and within and between neighbourhoods.
This report sets out a Connecting Cheltenham vision and proposed strategy and delivery plan. This is supported by the evidence which sets out why there needs to be an increase in the use of sustainable modes.
The structure of the strategy is shown in the image on this page, and summarised below. This report is structured around these elements.
Drivers for change
- Accomodating growth
- Liveability, health and wellbeing
- Equitable and inclusive access to transport
- Local environmental impacts
- Townscape quality
- Climate change
Strategy
Delivery
- Strategic connections
- Liveable streets
- Cycle Cheltways
- Interchange and public transport
- Behaviour change
- Technology and information
A baseline report has also been produced which summarises the evidence and stakeholder engagement carried out to support the development of this strategy.