FINAL DRAFT GROWTH WITHOUT GRIDLOCK An Integrated Transport Strategy for Kent 18 September 2009
Kent Integrated Transport Strategy (3 rd Outline Draft) CONTENTS Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................................................................................3 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 2. KCC’s Framework for Regeneration ......................................................................................................................................................................6 3. Transport’s Wider Contribution...............................................................................................................................................................................8 4. Roads for Today and Tomorrow ......................................................................................................................................................................... 11 5. Maximising the Benefits of Rail............................................................................................................................................................................ 19 6. Buses at the Heart of Kent.................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 7. Kent’s Airports......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31 8. Kent’s Ports & Waterways.................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 9. Freight....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 35 10. Sustainable Transport............................................................................................................................................................................................ 38 11. Climate Change & Transport Planning............................................................................................................................................................... 41 12. The Vision for North Kent: An Example .............................................................................................................................................................. 43 13. Bringing it Together in Kent’s Districts................................................................................................................................................................. 45 2
Kent Integrated Transport Strategy (3 rd Outline Draft) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Travelling is an essential part of our modern lifestyles, giving us This strategy outlines a range of measures and initiatives which greater freedom in choosing where we live, work, shop, learn and will deliver this integrated transport network but there are five play. Good transport connections are vital to support our key elements that will need to be in place to ensure success. economy, giving us access to a wide range of services, goods and opportunities and ensuring that we can live full and independent 1. New infrastructure – investment is needed to solve key lives. bottlenecks on our transport network where congestion is a major barrier to regeneration But with these benefits and freedoms there are negative impacts. Congestion on our roads causes delays and frustration for all 2. Maximising the Benefits of High Speed 1 – ensuring that users, pollution can cause ill health and contributes to climate more of Kent’s communities and businesses have better change, transport routes can sever communities, being a hazard to access to the high speed rail services, maximising the vulnerable road users and our reliance on powered transport regeneration benefits across the county means we are less active, leading to obesity and poor health. 3. Integrated Bus Network –developing and integrating Kent is experiencing dramatic change, with high levels of housing ‘Fastrack’ type services, inter-urban coaches, local bus and employment planned, both of which will mean more traffic on services and rural bus services to create a bus network that our transport network and without a dramatically different meets Kent’s needs, complementing all other forms of transport vision and strategy, this growth will result in gridlock. transport Our response is an integrated transport network that promotes 4. Making Public Transport Travel Easier – making public and encourages a wide range of different transport modes. It transport easier, simpler and cheaper to use through recognises that the private car will continue to be the most popular utilising new technology, integrated ticketing and form of transport for most of us but that other forms of transport promoting better understanding of how to use it need to become more attractive, convenient, quicker, and more affordable so that we can continue to provide access without 5. Flexible Working –supporting Kent’s residents in working creating gridlock. This strategy outlines how this network can be in ways that suit them and business and that also reduce achieved over the next 20 years. the need to travel, especially at peak periods 3
Kent Integrated Transport Strategy (Consultation Draft) 1. INTRODUCTION bringing communities together, can also act as a barrier to The ability to travel freely around our county, be it for leisure, movement and be a source of danger. work, school or business, is essential to our everyday lives The private car will continue to be the most popular and dominant A good transport network is vital for Kent’s residents and form of transport for our residents. This reliance is also the reason businesses to have access to opportunities, goods and services and why our road network is congested and why we must look to an to enable us to have enjoyable and fulfilling lives. integrated transport network to provide an attractive and complementary alternative.. It is vital if we are to support the economic growth of existing businesses and attract new companies into the County. If we are to avoid further congestion on our roads travelling by other forms of transport must become more desirable, quicker, It is vital if we are to cope with the government’s targets to more comfortable, safer and represent better value for money. increase housing in Kent by 138,420 homes by 2026. Transport must provide access to jobs, schools, shops and leisure Technology has made the world seem a very much smaller place without creating gridlock and while protecting our county for but we all still need to travel, whether to our workplace, to see future generations. friends and family, to visit Kent’s countryside or enjoy our leisure This strategy outlines how we propose to achieve this integrated time. And we expect to be able to travel easily and quickly from network and fits into the overarching vision in Kent County A to B with minimum hassle. Council’s Framework for Regeneration 2009-2020. All of these expectations and demands increase pressure on our It explains how we will work with our partners to meet the key transport networks, on our environment and on us as individuals challenge of “Delivering Growth without Gridlock” and aims to and our communities. ensure that the decisions made and priorities set out by the County There are still many people in Kent who do not have access to a Council and all of its partners align and support our aims. District car and rely on buses, trains, walking and cycling to get around; Transport Strategies will be developed within the context of the this poses particular problems for people who live in rural areas Local Development Frameworks to show the local projects and and for a growing number of older people who do not want to measures that will deliver the aims of this document. drive. Our vision is to create a high quality integrated transport network Providing the right infrastructure which meets all of our residents’ for Kent which is sustainable and available to all, supports needs also has to be balanced against the use of natural continued regeneration, and enhanced economic prosperity and resources, the effect of pollution and climate change on the copes with the demands of housing growth. environment and the fact that the transport network, as well as 4
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