Traffic and Transport of the PEIR identifies and assesses the potential environmental effects on traffic and transport arising from the Project.
The traffic and transport environmental effects on severance, driver delay, driver stress, view from the road, pedestrian and cyclist delay and amenity, accidents and safety, hazardous loads, and public transport services and users have been assessed.
The assessment of the environmental effects of traffic and transport has been based on the relevant guidance from the Institute of Environmental Assessment.
Strategic modelling work is underway to understand the transport effects of the Project. This work is being undertaken in consultation with Highways England and the relevant highway authorities.
A number of site-specific surveys of the Project site were also undertaken to inform the assessment including traffic counts, employee surveys, journey time data and airport-related cargo and goods movement data.
There are off-road pedestrian and cycle links available which provide access to the local catchment areas...
As part of the Project, measures have been incorporated to reduce the potential for significant effects on traffic and transport. This includes highway improvement works.
Ongoing monitoring of travel patterns is expected to ensure the success of the Travel Plan and to implement measures to further encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport.
The preliminary traffic flow model predicts that the area over which an increase in heavy goods vehicles of more than 30% would occur would be limited to the immediate local highway network. In terms of severance, pedestrian and cyclist delay and amenity, the effects are expected to be negligible to minor, for all the construction and operational scenarios assessed.
For the Environmental Statement, the assessment will be based on strategic transport modelling which will include a more specific set of cumulative development assumptions related to specific developments that have been identified as of relevance to the Project.