Walking Provision: Besides the public rights of way network, there are established leisure, geological and heritage trails for walkers around a number towns and villages in North Warwickshire.

Cycling Provision: The Northern Warwickshire Cycleway covers approximately 35 miles around the Borough with more localised routes in Atherstone, Polesworth, Coleshill and Kingsbury. This provides for leisure uses. There has been little in the way of cyclist provision for commuters, apart from that proposed at the Station at Hams Hall. 

Bus Services and Facilities: Ten bus services currently operate hourly to a number of destinations within and outside the Borough, including Tamworth, Nuneaton, Coventry and Birmingham. There are only two services that operate on a more frequent basis. The main bus routes are shown in Figure 3. 

There are also a number of less frequent services. This includes nine services which operate as Flexi-buses. These are more demand responsive but less regular, providing vital services that link the villages to the towns in the Borough. 

Rail Services and Facilities: There are three stations in the Borough. Atherstone and Polesworth are on the Tamworth to Nuneaton stretch of the West Coast Mainline. Water Orton is situated along the Leicester and Nuneaton line to Birmingham. These routes and stations are shown in Figure 3.

Local rail services are infrequent and virtually ineffective in meeting needs. This is reflected in the low number of people using services from Atherstone and Polesworth, (their combined patronage for 2001-2 was only 10,078). However, there was a higher use of Water Orton station, (with approximately 25,826 journeys made for the same period), reflecting connections and commuting to Birmingham. 

The Road & Motorway Network: Major routes through the Borough are shown in Figure 3. Appendix 7 includes a list of all trunk roads and classified roads (A and B) within the Borough. 

Current information on volumes of traffic along the trunk and minor road networks indicates that traffic levels have increased by nearly 13% over the last ten years. This is a higher level of growth than the national trend. 

Type of Transport Used: According to the Warwickshire Local Transport Plan (WLTP), there is a relatively high dependency on the use of the car in North Warwickshire, with 66% of all journeys made by motorised vehicles. This reflects the rural nature of the Borough. Walking features in 25% of all journeys, then 6% by public transport and only 1% by cycle. 

Travel to Work Trends: In 1991, over half of the employed residents commuted out of the Borough for work, reflecting the decline of traditional industries (like mining) and the pull of job opportunities in Birmingham, Coventry, Tamworth and Nuneaton. The 1991 Census also revealed that 73% of people use their cars for the journey to work and this was significantly higher than the County average. This reflects the high degree of rural isolation, with only 9% of commuters choosing to walk, 6% using public transport and only 1% cycling to work.

Travel to School Trends: In 1998, only 41% of the Borough's children walked to school, with 20% using public transport and 1% cycling to school. 35% of all school journeys were made by car revealing a high dependence on the car (8% above the national average). 

Air Transport: Birmingham International Airport is close to the western boundary of the Borough. It is near to junctions on the M6 and M42 and there is a direct rail link from the airport to Birmingham. Two bus routes travel to the airport through the Borough from Nuneaton and Atherstone. 

The proximity of the airport brings significant economic benefits and opportunities to North Warwickshire. However disturbance is caused along the flight-paths over residential areas. Airport traffic is a factor in the growth of road traffic in the Borough and the presence of the airport has created a demand for remote vehicle parking. 

Arrangements are in place to consult with the Civil Aviation Authority on the height of proposed development in the Borough. Maps showing safeguarded areas for Birmingham International and Coventry airports can be viewed at the Borough Council offices. 

PPG13 – Transport (March 2001)
In addition to the above this guidance emphasises:

• The use of parking policies to promote sustainable transport modes and reduce reliance on the car
• Prioritising people over traffic in town centres, local neighbourhoods and mixed-use areas, as well as more road space for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport use.

It contains guidance for market towns:

• Supports investment which develops public and community transport services, accessibility and the reduction of social exclusion
• Promotes highway management
• Supports parking demand management measures whilst avoiding unfair competition between centres
• Proposes selective improvements to the road networks
• Suggests Park & Ride schemes where appropriate

There is now greater emphasis on controlling speeds in sensitive rural locations, ensuring larger vehicles use appropriate routes and developing footpath, bridle-way and Greenway networks. The guidance states that new transport routes in rural areas should avoid adverse impacts on landscape, local character, bio-diversity, tranquillity and rural communities in general. 

The Guidance also calls for improved interchange facilities, including the provision of strategic park and ride facilities. Work continues on the identification of and delivery mechanisms for these. There are no site-specific proposals for park and ride in this Local Plan.

Maps accompanying the guidance identify Hams Hall as being of regional significance as an international freight terminal. 

Multi Modal Studies: Multi modal studies are an in-depth appraisal of transport needs across all travel modes, culminating in a 30 year integrated transport strategy.

The West Midlands to East Midlands Multi Modal Study (August 2003) includes improvements to the A5 and supports the proposed interchange at Coleshill. Both form part of a regional programme of improvements to public transport.

Policy T7 of the WASP allows for the provision of a rail based park and ride facility at Kingsbury. Land has been safeguarded for this station and is shown on the Proposals Map. However no decision has been made as to whether a station would be provided at Arley or Galley Common and therefore no land has been safeguarded. 

Warwickshire Local Transport Plan (LTP) - Delivery of Government integrated transport policy is carried out primarily through LTP’s which are the responsibility of County Councils as highway authorities. Warwickshire County Council has produced the Warwickshire LTP setting out proposals and programmes for expenditure on transport over the next five years. The Borough Council will help to deliver the LTP vision by: 

• Concentrating development within the Borough’s main settlements
  
• Encouraging greater use of public transport
  
• Encouraging walking and cycling as alternatives to the car
  
• Securing transport improvements through the development control process.
  

West Coast Mainline Improvements - Funds are being made available at a national and regional level to improve services on this line. 

Consultation revealed that those with no cars were isolated and there was a need for more frequent, reliable, accessible and reasonably costed public transport routes. There were also calls for the re-opening of stations, provision of better public transport information and road safety improvements. This Plan considers land use implications and addresses these issues. 

New Infrastructure Developments - multi-modal interchange project is being developed for Coleshill/Hams Hall station (on the Birmingham to Nuneaton line) with the support of North Warwickshire Borough Council, Warwickshire County Council, Laing Rail, the Strategic Rail Authority, Railtrack and Central Trains. The project is seen as an exemplar in meeting the travel needs of recent employment development and was promoted in the last Local Plan. 

The railway line between Birch Coppice to Kingsbury was recently opened. The potential to extend the route of the line will be safeguarded. There are freight facilities at Birch Coppice. 

Support for Market Towns and Services in Village Centres - The Borough has many small towns and villages that are unable to compete in the provision of jobs and services with nearby towns and cities (many of which border the Borough). The availability of free parking is important to the vitality and viability of these settlements. Local bus routes offer the most sustainable mode to access employment and services to our small towns and villages.

The report designated an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and is shown on the Proposals Map. Transport Assessments and Travel Plans will be required for proposals in or close to any AQMA designations. 

Supplementary Planning Guidance will be produced on Travel Plans to assist in the preparation of such documents. This will in each case require:

• Inclusion of targets to reduce road traffic and parking
• Promotion of improvements to public transport over time; and,
• Contributions towards sustainable transport, where the above are not provided.

Traffic management and calming measures should relate to the development proposed. It is important that where there are opportunities to improve existing problems development proposals should accommodate them. The measures must be comprehensive and aimed at safely managing and reducing non-essential traffic. In designing measures, reference should be made to Warwickshire County Council’s ‘Transport and Roads for Developments – The Warwickshire Guide 2001’.

One purpose of the development strategy of Core Policy 2 is to locate housing, employment and other services and facilities close together to minimise the need to travel. The strategy also directs development to locations most easily served by public transport including the bus as well as the river and canal. 

Walking and cycling are the most sustainable forms of transport and therefore should not be ignored. As in towns, there are many instances in and near villages where relatively short distances, for example from home to shops or schools can be conveniently undertaken on foot or by bicycle. There are many opportunities for making such journeys safer and more convenient, for example by providing necessary linkages to the existing network within development sites or contributing to requisite dedicated paths for walkers and cyclists off-site. A lack of pedestrian and cyclist routes, as well as changing, cycle parking and storage facilities is a major deterrent for people wishing to walk or cycle, especially to work or use public buildings. Their provision is the key to encourage more sustainable journeys by walking or cycling. Where contributions are required this will reflect the nature of the provision and the scale of development. CP12 will be used to achieve these objectives.

Significant progress has been made on the Coleshill / Hams Hall project including Section 106 and bidding for public funds. It is important to protect the site if this facility is to be provided. Further opportunities for developing linked bus services around the station to wider destinations will be promoted to improve transport choice. 

Land at Kingsbury is safeguarded for future rail station and public transport interchange. The Council will support its future development and will expect developers to contribute towards provision.

The Council will work with Warwickshire County Council, freight operators and developers to agree to the imposition of conditions on traffic related movements to avoid congestion, pollution (air and noise), and adverse impact on residential and environmentally sensitive areas. The overall aim is to ensure developers and occupiers adopt a more sustainable and effective approach to deliveries and associated transport movements.

The need for parking provision will have to be clearly justified, as the onus is placed on the developer to prove that the parking provision is necessary for that development. This justification must demonstrate that walking, cycling, public transport and public car parking spaces, as well as shared car parks or car schemes have been fully utilised in order to reduce car parking related to the development. 

The provision of safe, secure convenient cycle and powered two-wheeler parking in new development can help contribute to reducing traffic congestion and pollution. Parking for people with impaired mobility is vital to ensure that they, like able-bodied people, have the ability to access buildings and spaces vital for everyday needs. 

The Council is aware that farm-based bed and breakfast accommodation is a popular means of providing for farm diversification in accordance with policy ECON8. Provision for users of bed-and–breakfast accommodation to leave their cars at the farm while travelling by air may amount to a material change of use requiring planning permission. In cases where permission is required, this policy will prevail over the objectives of policy ECON8 for the reasons given in paragraph 7.56