As we recently reported, Hampshire County Council, our local transport authority, has recently published its Local Transport Plan (LTP4). LTP4 sets the county’s policy for the next decade, with an outlook to 2050 in relation to climate change. So it’s a vital document for those of us who are calling for a shift to active travel. Hampshire has invited members of the public, and community groups to respond to LTP4. You can submit your comments here. The deadline is midnight this Sunday, the 26th June.
Cycle Winchester has submitted a full response, published here, that you might find useful if you make a personal response, which we encourage you to do.
LTP4 marks an admirable shift in vision and desired outcomes compared to previous plans. The LTP4 vision calls for “a carbon neutral, resilient, and inclusive transport system“. One of two guiding principles is to “significantly reduce dependency on the private car“. Cycle Winchester strongly supports the vision, outcomes and principles outlined in LTP4.
On the other hand we have concerns with implementation of the plan. There is an absence of specific targets, other than a 10% reduction in car journeys, which we are unconvinced will be sufficient to achieve carbon neutrality. LTP4 states “Public transport, walking and cycling to become the preferred option for travel” but sets no clear targets for Hampshire. There is no data that identifies current transport patterns, making it difficult to target specific categories of traffic for replacement by active travel or public transport modes. To be successful, LTP4 needs to impact the actions of decision-makers across Hampshire County Council and multiple other agencies, including district councils like Winchester, transport operators and housing developers; we fear such a long and complex document (140 pages) might be inaccessible to them.
We encourage you to make a personal response to LTP4. Use the buttons below to access the LTP4 document, the survey, and Cycle Winchester’s response.