The Future of Transport

In July 2004, the Department for Transport published its White Paper 'The Future of Transport - a Network for 2030', setting out the Government's longer-term aspirations. It highlighted that good transport is essential for a successful economy and society:

• Providing access to jobs, services and schools
• Getting goods to shops and materials and customers to businesses
• Allowing us to make the most of our free time.

Congestion Continues to Increase

Nationally population is growing, people are living longer and more people are living in single person households than ever before. In addition, Swindon Borough Council has to accommodate approximately 23,000 new dwellings within the Borough by 2011

Over the last 12 months, motorway traffic has increased by 4% and car traffic in general has increased by 2%. Currently 81% of men and 61% of women hold driving licences. Fewer than half of the children travelling to school now walk.

The Government requires all Councils with a statutory responsibility for highways to prepare a five-year Local Transport Plan setting out not only the Council's vision for transport in the area but also the aims and objectives, strategies and action plans for achieving those aims.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Swindon Transport Study

The Swindon Transport Strategy has been undertaken in partnership with WSP. This supports Swindons Growth Point Strategy and will provide a comprehensive understanding of the Transport interventions necessary to facilitate and support sustainable growth in Swindon. The South West Regional Spatial Strategy currently proposes at least 32,000 jobs and in the region of 37,000 new houses by 2026 and the Transport Study will provide a comprehensive understanding of the transport interventions necessary to facilitate the levels of growth.

The overall aim of the SEA is to minimise the negative impacts associated with the Draft Transport Strategy whilst putting forward ways of enhancing the benefits the Draft Transport Strategy could achieve.

The purpose of the documents below set out the results of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Draft Transport Strategy. It presents the key findings of the SEA and gives a short summary of the SEA process. The Purpose of the SEA was to assess the environmental impacts of the Draft Transport Strategy with a view to promoting sustainable development.

The consultation period for the Strategic Environmental Assessment Report runs to 5th December 2008.

Draft Transport Strategy Environmental Report

(PDF 800kb)

Draft Transport Strategy Environmental Report Technical Summary

(PDF 550kb)

Draft Transport Strategy Environmental Report appendices

(PDF 350 kb)

Supporting documents

Swindon Transport Strategy (draft)
(PDF 1.5mb)

Proposed development areas

(PDF 3mb)

Swindon Borough boundary

(PDF1.4mb)

Comment on the Local Transport Plan

If you would like to comment in more detail about a wide range of transport issues, please e-mail your views  to the Transport Planning Team at transportplanning@swindon.gov.uk

Alternatively, you can write to us at the following address:

The Transport Planning Team
Swindon Borough Council
Premier House
Swindon
SN1 1TZ

No individuals will be identified or reported upon, but commonly highlighted issues will be used to develop the Council's transport strategies or the next five-year Local Transport Plan.