RailltonTPCLtd - North Hertfordshire District Council · This report deals with the transport sustainability of Codicote as a potential location ... Luton). 8. It is concluded that

Railton

1

Report on Transport Sustainability on behalf of Save Rural Codicote (SRC)

Report Ref: Codicote 02Version: 01C

Date: January 2018

RRaaiillttoonn TTPPCC LLttdd41 York RoadNewburyBerkshire RG14 7NJT. 07500 557255

Prepared by: Bruce Bamber BSc MA MSc CMILT MCIHT

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Introduction1. This report deals with the transport sustainability of Codicote as a potential location

for major development and has been prepared on behalf of Save Rural Codicote

(SRC).

2. This report draws on information submitted in the Railton Report, ‘North

Hertfordshire Local Plan Preferred Housing Allocations: Representations on Behalf

of Save Rural Codicote (SRC): Transport’ dated 23/11/16.

Transport Sustainability3. The 2011 census provides information on the existing mode of travel to work. The

following graph summarises the level of sustainable travel from Codicote, North

Hertfordshire as a whole and a number of the other proposed housing allocation

areas. Raw data are provided in Annex 1:

Graph 1: Existing Level of Travel by Sustainable Modes

4. Codicote displays almost the lowest level of sustainable travel of all the areas within

North Hertfordshire. If it were not for a level of train use significantly higher than

Graveley, Codicote would have the lowest overall level of sustainable travel. Since

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

Grav

eley

Codi

cote

Little

Wym

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E Lu

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Stev

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N-E

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walk cycle bus train

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3

Codicote’s nearest train station is not accessible on foot or by bicycle, almost all

train journeys from Codicote will involve some element of car travel.

Availability of Facilities5. Codicote has some local facilities including local food retail, a pharmacy, dry

cleaners, post office, pubs and takeaways, a primary school, a recreation ground, a

community centre, a church and a café (located at the garden centre north of the

village).

6. The village does not have a GP surgery or dentist, the nearest being 2.1 miles away

in Welwyn to the south.

7. People living in Codicote must travel in order to reach the following key higher order

facilities:

• A supermarket (nearest Stevenage, 5 miles);

• A hospital (nearest Stevenage, 9 miles);

• A secondary school (nearest Monk’s Walk School Welwyn Garden City, 3.6 miles). A school bus is provided but this does not cater for any pupils who participate in any before or after school activities;

• Other further or higher education;

• Comparison and other non-food shopping (nearest Stevenage, 6 miles);

• Employment (Hatfield, 8 miles, Welwyn Garden City, 6 miles, Stevenage, 6 miles, St Albans, 9 miles and London);

• Higher order leisure and recreation facilities (nearest cinema Stevenage, 7miles, nearest swimming pool Stevenage, 5 miles);

• Other personal business (Stevenage, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, St Albans, Luton).

8. It is concluded that although Codicote is provided with some local facilities, residents

must travel in order to reach all higher order facilities.

Walking 9. Walking offers an opportunity to access local services. However, there are areas

within the village where pedestrian movement is hindered by a lack of footway

provision, such as along Cowards Lane, by the presence of significant numbers of

HGV movements such as along St Albans Road in the vicinity of the primary school

and by high vehicle flows that limit opportunities to cross roads, particularly in

relation to the B656 through the centre of the village.

10. Pedestrian movement, particularly that of those with pushchairs or with mobility

impairments is hindered along the B656 in places by the presence of cars forced to

park partly on the footways to avoid the risk of damage from passing traffic.

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Cycling11. Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City are potentially accessible by bicycle. However,

the B656 is not conducive to cycling due to its constrained width, the speed and

volume of traffic, the presence of bends that restrict forward visibility and the number

of side roads and private accesses. The route to Knebworth (Park Lane) comprises

poor quality country lanes that carry a significant volume of traffic and present a

hostile environment for cycling.

12. It is concluded that the nature of the local road network serves as a significant

deterrent to cycling as confirmed by observed travel patterns (1.2% cycle mode

share from 2011 census).

Access to Public TransportBBuusseess

13. There are currently three bus services in Codicote. Details are provided in Annex 2.

Services between Codicote and some surrounding urban areas are, at best, two

hourly. There are no evening or Sunday services and there is a reduced service on

Saturdays. No buses go to the nearest hospital.

14. Existing bus provision is therefore poor and does not provide a convenient or

accessible service for the vast majority of journey types.

TTrraaiinnss

15. There are no railway stations within walking distance of Codicote. The nearest

station is at Knebworth, 3 miles from Codicote. The 44/45 bus service stops close to

the station but the service is infrequent. The route to Knebworth is not conducive to

cycling, comprising narrow country lanes with restricted forward visibility carrying a

significant amount of 2-way traffic. Another station is available at Welwyn North, 3.4

miles from Codicote. This is not accessible on foot, by bicycle or by bus.

16. Car parking at Knebworth and Welwyn North is currently under great stress to the

extent that many drivers wishing to access rail services are forced to seek

inappropriate parking elsewhere on surrounding streets and in residential areas.

Any additional rail users from Codicote would be forced to park inappropriately

around local stations or be forced to drive further afield to access rail services with

available parking.

Scope to Improve Public Transport Provision17. The service no. 44/45 is publicly subsidised service and the 314/315 is a largely

commercial service.

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5

18. The existing bus mode share for Codicote is very low (1.6%) and the increased

revenue from additional passengers associated with development of several

hundred houses will not be sufficient to lead to any increase in level of the service.

19. There is no opportunity to increase Codicote’s accessibility by train.

Quality of Highway Network20. The B656 through Codicote suffers from conflict between through traffic, parked and

manoeuvring vehicles and pedestrian movements. Long queues of stationary or

slow-moving traffic through the village are not unusual at peak times. Although

there has been some suggestion that these issues can be alleviated, it is unlikely

that significant improvements will be achievable since many residents have no

alternative place to park and the B656 serves as the only car park supporting the

vitality and viability of local shops and services.

21. Drivers End Lane and Park Lane to the east and St Albans Road to the west are

used as rat runs. Any significant development in Codicote will result in a significant

increase in the use of country lanes as rat runs to strategic destinations such as

Stevenage, Luton, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead. The large proposed housing

allocations at Knebworth will also lead to significant increases in traffic using the

Park Lane route to access the B656. Earlier strategic model runs reported in

Aecom’s Technical Note, NHDC Housing Assessment Transport Modelling Report

2014 Update 2.1’ identifies the Park Lane route between Codicote and Knebworth

as operating over 100% capacity in 2031. Subsequent models omit any reference to

link capacity so the future impact on this sensitive link is not repoted.

Conclusion22. On the basis of available evidence it is concluded that Codicote is a poor location for

any major housing development for the following reasons:

1. Codicote has almost the lowest level of sustainable travel of all identified

possible development areas;

2. Residents in Codicote must travel to access all higher order facilities

(employment, secondary schools, leisure, bulk food and comparison

shopping, hospital);

3. Walking and cycling are not realistic modes of travel to anywhere outside of

the village;

4. Bus services in the village are poor and would not be improved with

development;

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5. Train services are only realistically accessible by car and parking at local

stations is already operating over capacity;

6. The B656 through Codicote is congested and there is little prospect that the

existing conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians can be suitably mitigated

without significant adverse impacts on local residents or village facilities;

7. Development at Codicote (and at Knebworth) will increase rat-running on the

sensitive Park Lane east-west route.

23. It is concluded that any major development at Codicote will ‘build in’ fundamentally

unsustainable development having lasting adverse impacts that are highly resistant

to mitigation by virtue of the village’s poor locational characteristics.

Annex 1: Mode of Travel to Work

Mod

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Tra

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(201

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area

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64.6

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9%29

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Annex 2: Bus Services

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44/45 Luton - Stevenage

Centrebus South

The information on this timetable is expected to be valid until at least 31st January 2018. Where we know of variations,before or after this date, then we show these at the top of each affected column in the table.

Direction of stops: where shown (eg: W-bound) this is the compass direction towards which the bus is pointing when it stops

Mondays to FridaysService

Luton, Luton Station Interchange (Stand 5)Luton Town Centre, Church Street (Stop C9)Vauxhall, o/s Luton Airport Parkway Rail StationNewmill End, adj Chiltern Green RoadNewmill End, opp Chiltern Green RoadEast Hyde, opp Viaduct CottagesHarpenden, opp The Red CowHarpenden, The George (Stop D)Harpenden, Harpenden Railway Station (Stop B)Batford, adj The MaltaMarshalls Heath, opp Cherry Trees RestaurantBlackmore End, adj The BroadwayChiltern Green, opp Laburnum FarmPeter’s Green, opp The GreenKimpton, o/s The BootCodicote, opp The Bell InnNup End, on The GreenOld Knebworth, nr Playing FieldKnebworth, Knebworth Railway Station (Stop A)Knebworth, Station Road (Stop C)Stevenage, Bus Station (Stop D)

44090009020906

0911

091509170926093409380940094509460952

44110011021106

1111

111511171126113411381140114511461152

44131013121316

1321

132513271336134413481350135513561402

451530153215361541

1544154715531554155916031610

1617162516291631163616371643

451750175217561801

1804180718131814181918231830

1837184518491851185618571903

SaturdaysService

Peter’s Green, adj The GreenChiltern Green, adj Laburnum FarmNewmill End, adj Chiltern Green RoadEast Hyde, opp Viaduct CottagesKimpton, o/s The BootCodicote, opp The Bell InnNup End, on The GreenOld Knebworth, nr Playing FieldKnebworth, Knebworth Railway Station (Stop A)Knebworth, Station Road (Stop C)Stevenage, Bus Station (Stop D)

4409060908091209130927093509390941094609470953

4411061108111211131127113511391141114611471153

4413061308131213131327133513391341134613471353

44150615081512

Sundaysno service

Hertfordshire County Council14/12/2017 1430

44/45 Stevenage - Luton

Centrebus South




Stevenage, Bus Station (Stop J)Knebworth, Station Road (Stop D)Knebworth, Knebworth Railway Station (Stop B)Old Knebworth, opp Playing FieldNup End, opp The GreenCodicote, nr The Bell InnKimpton, opp The BootBlackmore End, opp The BroadwayMarshalls Heath, adj Cherry Trees RestaurantBatford, opp The MaltaHarpenden, Harpenden Railway Station (Stop A)Harpenden, The George (Stop C)Harpenden, adj The Red CowPeter’s Green, adj The GreenChiltern Green, adj Laburnum FarmNewmill End, opp Chiltern Green RoadVauxhall, o/s Luton Airport Parkway Rail StationLuton Town Centre, Church Street (Stop C3)Luton, Luton Station Interchange (Stand 5)

450730073607370742074407480756080408100815081908210824

0832083708410843

441000100610071012101410181026

103610381042104710511053

441200120612071212121412181226

123612381242124712511253

441430143614371442144414481456

150615081512151715211523

441650165616571702170417081716

172617281732173717411743

SaturdaysService

Stevenage, Bus Station (Stop J)Knebworth, Station Road (Stop D)Knebworth, Knebworth Railway Station (Stop B)Old Knebworth, opp Playing FieldNup End, opp The GreenCodicote, nr The Bell InnKimpton, opp The BootPeter’s Green, adj The GreenChiltern Green, adj Laburnum FarmNewmill End, adj Chiltern Green Road

441030103610371042104410481056110611081112

441230123612371242124412481256130613081312

441430143614371442144414481456150615081512

Sundaysno service


Route map for Centrebus South service 314 (outbound)

StevenageStevenage

HitchinHitchin

Welwyn Garden CityWelwyn Garden City

WelwynWelwyn

Old TownOld Town

Fishers GreenFishers Green

Symonds GreenSymonds Green

St NicholasSt Nicholas

ShephallShephall

BroadwaterBroadwater

Chells ManorChells Manor

RoebuckRoebuck

BatfordBatford

SouthdownSouthdown

HaldensHaldens

PanshangerPanshanger

KnightsfieldKnightsfield

BeartonBearton

West HitchinWest Hitchin

WestmillWestmill

BenslowBenslow

WalsworthWalsworth

OakfieldOakfieldWhitehillWhitehill

SunnysideSunnyside

TewinTewin

Great OffleyGreat Offley

PrestonPreston

Datchworth GreenDatchworth Green

WillianWillian

GraveleyGraveley

Old KnebworthOld Knebworth

CodicoteCodicote

Todds GreenTodds Green

WheathampsteadWheathampstead

AstonAston

Aston EndAston End

DatchworthDatchworth

OaklandsOaklands

WhitwellWhitwell

St Paul's WaldenSt Paul's Walden

KimptonKimpton

Breachwood GreenBreachwood Green

Ayot St. LawrenceAyot St. Lawrence

Little WymondleyLittle Wymondley

WestonWeston

GosmoreGosmore

CharltonCharlton

King's WaldenKing's Walden

Burnham GreenBurnham Green

DigswellDigswell

314

314

314

314

EastCampusCampus

East

ShoplandsShoplands

OakdaleOakdale

DellGreatGreatDell

The CrescentThe Crescent

RoadReynardsReynards

Road

LewisJohnJohnLewis

BancroftBancroft

CrossroadsLondon RoadLondon RoadCrossroads

Bridge StreetBridge Street

Newlands LaneNewlands Lane

Wellingham AvenueWellingham Avenue

Rollswood RoadRollswood Road

TownNewNewTown

Peace Memorial HallPeace Memorial Hall

CrossroadsCrossroads

RoadTowerTowerRoad

End LaneDriversDrivers

End Lane

StreetVillageVillageStreet

SchoolThe PrioryThe Priory

School

Roman BathsRoman Baths

The Rusty GunThe Rusty Gun

314314

Dyes LaneCaravan

Park

TheWood

HitchWood

LongPond

2.5 km 5 km 7.5 km 10 km© OpenStreetMap

set-07314A(1).y08 (outbound)

314/315 Kimpton/Hitchin - Welwyn Garden City

Centrebus South




Service RestrictionsNotes

Westmill Estate, o/s The Priory SchoolHitchin, opp WaitroseHitchin, St Mary’s Square (Stop L)Hitchin, Bancroft (Stop G)St Ippolyts, London Road Crossroads (S-bound)Langley, nr Village StreetKimpton, Hampden (S-bound)Kimpton, o/s The BootCodicote, adj Tower RoadCodicote, nr The Bell InnWelwyn, opp St Mary’s ChurchWelwyn, The Frythe (E-bound)Welwyn, adj Roman BathsDigswell Park, opp Monks Walk SchoolWelwyn Garden City, John Lewis (Stop 8)Welwyn Garden City, nr Harwood HillWelwyn Garden City, Business Parks South (SW-bound)Welwyn Garden City, Waitrose (W-bound)

315

0700070207070710071307160723

315

07560757080508070812081508180822

082508280833

314

0850085208580904

090909100916

0918

314

1000100210081014

101910201026

103010341040

314

1200120212081214

121912201226

123012341240

314

1400140214081414

141914201426

143014341440

315

15591600

1612

161516181625

314

1600160216081614

161916201626

163016341640

3141G

154515551600160216081614

161916201626

163016341640

314

1740174217481754

175918001806

1810

315

17591800

1812

181518181825

SaturdaysService

Hitchin, St Mary’s Square (Stop L)Hitchin, Bancroft (Stop G)St Ippolyts, London Road Crossroads (S-bound)Langley, nr Village StreetCodicote, adj Tower RoadCodicote, nr The Bell InnWelwyn, opp St Mary’s ChurchWelwyn, The Frythe (E-bound)Welwyn, adj Roman BathsDigswell Park, opp Monks Walk SchoolWelwyn Garden City, John Lewis (Stop 8)

315

08120815081808220829

3140850085208580904090909100916

0918

3141000100210081014101910201026

103010341040

3141200120212081214121912201226

123012341240

3141400140214081414141914201426

143014341440

3141600160216081614161916201626

163016341640

3141740174217481754175918001806

1810

Sundaysno service

Service Restrictions: 1 - from 3.1.18, not 12.2.18 to 16.2., 3.4. to 13.4.

Notes: G - Hertfordshire Schooldays only


314/315 Welwyn Garden City - Kimpton/Hitchin

Centrebus South




Service RestrictionsNotes

Welwyn Garden City, Waitrose (Stop 7)Welwyn Garden City, Business Parks North (NE-bound)Welwyn Garden City, opp Harwood HillWelwyn Garden City, John Lewis (Stop 8)Digswell Park, nr Monks Walk SchoolWelwyn, nr Fire StationWelwyn, adj Roman BathsWelwyn, The Frythe (E-bound)Welwyn, nr St Mary’s ChurchCodicote, opp The Bell InnCodicote, opp Tower RoadKimpton, Hampden (S-bound)Langley, opp Village StreetSt Ippolyts, London Road Crossroads (N-bound)Hitchin, St Mary’s Square (Stop L)Hitchin, Bancroft (Stop G)Westmill Estate, o/s The Priory School

315

072507320735

0738

0751

3141G

074007480749

07560803081508170825

3141G

074107490750

07570804081508170825

3142H

075608020803

080808140820

314

0925

093009360937

094209480954

314

105010561100

110511111112

111711231129

314

125012561300

130513111312

131713231329

314

145014561500

150515111512

151715231529

315

152515321535

15381543154615481557

314

165016561700

170517111712

171717231729

315

172017231728

17321735

17381743174717491758

315

183018371840

1843184818511853

SaturdaysService

Welwyn Garden City, John Lewis (Stop 8)Digswell Park, nr Monks Walk SchoolWelwyn, nr Fire StationWelwyn, adj Roman BathsWelwyn, The Frythe (E-bound)Welwyn, nr St Mary’s ChurchCodicote, opp The Bell InnCodicote, opp Tower RoadLangley, opp Village StreetSt Ippolyts, London Road Crossroads (N-bound)Hitchin, St Mary’s Square (Stop L)

314

082108270828083308390845

314

0925

093009360937094209480954

314105010561100

110511111112111711231129

314125012561300

130513111312131713231329

314145014561500

150515111512151715231529

315163016371640

16431648

314165016561700

170517111712171717231729

Sundaysno service

Service Restrictions: 1 - from 3.1.18, not 12.2.18 to 16.2., 3.4. to 13.4.2 - only 2.1.18, 12.2. to 16.2., 3.4. to 13.4.

Notes: G - Hertfordshire Schooldays onlyH - Hertfordshire School Holidays only


Documents

RailltonTPCLtd - North Hertfordshire District Council · This report deals with the transport sustainability of Codicote as a potential location ... Luton). 8. It is concluded that