Question 9

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With regard to the private car, first and foremost Trinity College Cambridge and Cambridge Science Park have committed to and begun implementing measures aimed at reducing the modal split away from the use of the private car as the primary means of accessing CSP. We have previously responded to the 2019 Transport Assessment and include within this response our response to the Transport Topic Paper. TCC and CSP take issue against the false premise contained with the draft NECAAP which refers to prolific and unconstrained car parking at CSP. This statement as a particularly unhelpful, and frankly false inclusion within a document that also refers to 4,400 ‘unused car parking spaces on Cambridge Science Park’ (another unevidenced and incorrect statement). Given the document contains both unsubstantiated comments it is unclear whether the document seeks to claim there is prolific, unconstrained car parking, or whether there are 4,400 unused spaces. Neither statement is true. On the 20th December 2019 a Section 106 agreement was signed by South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and Trinity College Cambridge with regard to Cambridge Science Park agreeing to the implementation of a Parking Management Strategy for the entire CSP area. This agreement committed CSP to limit the total number of parking spaces within the site to 7,498 and to use reduce this to 6,977 by the December 2029. The S106 Agreement sets out the complex leaseholder arrangements within CSP, and the commitment to remove and reduce parking spaces from tenancies and lettings as leases either expire or are renewed. The commitment to achieve this is there. However, in order to achieve this step change a commitment is needed via a package of measures required to facilitate non-car access to this key employment destination. Vectos have produced a note setting out how CSP can support the measures set out within the 2019 Transport Assessment, and we believe CSPN has to be viewed as an important part of the solution. To conclude therefore, whilst the principle of the draft NECAAP is supported, the balance between the provision of homes and office space is questioned. Finally, there remain key questions relating to the open space and biodiversity provision and the transport solutions required to enable any homes to be built in this location. Key areas which CSPN can help to achieve. Given the latest adoption of the LDS considers the opportunity to link delivery of the new Local Plan and the NECAAP, it would seem sensible at this stage to consider the potential for a wider area to deliver the crucial infrastructure required to enable the development of this new neighbourhood. CSPN Supporting Sustainable Transport Part of the rationale behind locating this new hub of excellence in skilled manufacturing and development in this location relate to the fact the site is extremely well linked to existing public transport corridors, located on the existing guided busway to Northstowe and within close proximity to Cambridge North Railway Station (see Figure 9). The recently published consultation for CAM includes a Cambridge Science Park North stop, which Trinity College Cambridge supports and wholly endorses as a forward-thinking approach to infrastructure provision. A key challenge facing delivery of the NECAAP area will be bringing forward both residential and employment land uses whilst adhering to the proposed vehicle trip budget in accordance with the emerging AAP. Through the discussions on the NECAAP Transport Study and resultant implications for the NECAAP area it has become increasingly apparent that there is a requirement for a strategic approach to deliver the step change in modal shift required to facilitate development within the AAP area. The site provides an opportunity to provide growth together with an enhanced transport solution. The strategic transport solution required to unlock the AAP area for housing will need to be funded through the commercial development of CSPN and the wider AAP area. Ongoing work reviewing the Transport Study baseline figures, using a different model, and reviewing the assumptions may achieve limited headroom. However, to deliver a new district of the scale proposed an implementable package of measures are required. CSPN, as an extension to the existing Cambridge Science Park offers part of the solution which incorporates both existing and proposed public transport infrastructure to intercept car movements before they enter the AAP area whilst also promoting the use of sustainable transport modes. The A10 suffers peak hour congestion and there are few alternatives at present. Additional movements along the A10, many of which will be towards the employment areas in North East Cambridge, may add sufficient pollution levels to trigger Air Quality exceedances in the AAP area. CSP and CSPN have the opportunity to intercept those trips and provide a workplace destination for future residents. The emerging Cambridge Autonomous Metro would be the obvious way of travelling to and from work in this location, providing a direct and convenient route. A core contemporary planning approach is the promotion of transit-oriented developments (also referred to as TODs) with greater emphasis on encouraging sustainable growth around public transport corridors and interchanges. Locating employment on a key transport node makes strategic planning sense. TCC’s proposals provide a consolidated location for parking which is linked to a mobility hub providing pedestrian, cycle, PLEV, shuttle and sustainable mass transit facilities for onward travel. A shift towards accessing alternative modes for the last mile of travel to employment destinations in itself providing health, wellbeing, pollution and climate change benefits. The consolidated mobility hub can also provide a micro-consolidation centre, reducing the number of delivery vehicles and intercepting deliveries before they enter the AAP area. Waterbeach Route of Cambridge Autonomous Metro: At the local level we are examining the opportunity to potentially relocate the Park & Ride facility on Butts Lane to a mobility hub location within the expansion land (see Figure 10). We have been liaising with the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority team that are investigating options for the ‘Waterbeach Route’ and made clear our willingness to work with them and accommodate the CAM route within our own planning. Placing the Waterbeach CAM route through CSPN has a number of advantages including: • Linking the existing guided busway with the proposed CAM route alongside the committed pedestrian / cycle improvements to Mere Way; • Integrating Waterbeach sustainable transport proposals with NEC AAP proposals; • Utilising existing infrastructure under the A14, reducing overall costs and timescales for delivery of the first phase of the Waterbeach connections; Re-routing the Park & Ride shuttle service off the A10 onto a congestion free, dedicated transit route; • Associated reliability and speed of Park & Ride services to employment within Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge Regional College, and other employment land within the wider AAP; • Linking Park & Ride arrivals with a multi-modal choice of sustainable transport options to reach employment locations within Cambridge Science Park and beyond; • Air Quality improvements by reducing traffic on the A10 and reducing congestion on Junction 33 of the A14; • Direct links into the existing transit corridor linking Cambridge North railway station to St Ives; • As submitted within the recent call for sites, the 163ha site to the north of the A14 will incorporate circa 90 hectares of land intended to remain within the Green Belt, but providing substantial areas of accessible natural green space, biodiversity improvements and sport and recreation facilities. Providing a sustainable transport hub in close proximity to this will increase accessibility to this resource; • The route would directly serve new employment at CSPN; • Cambridge Regional College the largest further education provider for 16 to 19 year olds in the region, which is set to accommodate increasing numbers of pupils, would be directly served by CAM routes from all directions; • Cambridge Regional College would additionally benefit from a new park & ride stop assisting in their own step change in parking. The potential benefits of this route option for the Waterbeach to Cambridge route need to be considered as part of the assessment of the NECAAP. Route options are at a relatively early stage, and this potentially substantial piece of infrastructure and the economic, social and environmental benefits should be considered as part of the emerging NECAAP.

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We support the proposed measures and objectives including no additional vehicle movements on Milton Road and Kings Hedges Road, priority for cyclists and pedestrians, no through routes, 20mph speed limit and limited car parking. We note that the SA alludes to the potential for the AAP vehicle targets to be exceeded in practice, with risk of significant negative effects on air quality particularly along the A14 Corridor, in combination with other developments to the north and east of Cambridge. It should also be noted that in adjacent neighbourhoods with limited car parking the usual solution is for some residents to use green spaces for parking vehicles. In addition to damaging grassland habitat this also spoils the use of these areas for recreation and has a significant impact on visual amenity of the area leading to urban degradation.

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While we have no specific comment, we reiterate the concerns expressed in answer to Question 7, that inadequate provision of green space will encourage car usage to travel to other areas.

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Trip Budget and connectivity 9.1 The vehicular trip budget approach to managing traffic within and in the vicinity of the site is welcomed and fully supported. Technical work demonstrated that the highway network in the vicinity of the area already operates at capacity in the peak periods and the development of the site in the traditional manner of predict and provide would not be acceptable. The shift towards ‘decide and provide’ – in essence deciding what transport characteristics the site should have and providing the means to achieving that - lends itself to this trip budget approach. Whilst dealing with the highway capacity issue, it importantly helps the site exploit the existing and planned sustainable transport links that will connect it to the wider network and will ensure that the detailed planning of the site will be around walking, cycling and public transport first. 9.2 The site is already well connected through the presence of Cambridge North station, the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway and its proximity to the Milton Park and Ride and the detailed planning of the site will need to exploit these existing links. Parking 9.3 One of the tools available to assist with the delivery of the site within this trip budget is that of parking control through the limited provision of car parking within the NEC area. The parking policies are welcomed and there is evidence from elsewhere in Cambridge that a strong approach to parking control, coupled with a range of travel alternatives can help encourage a significant shift to more sustainable modes. However, it is recognised that due to the fragmented nature of land ownership on the site, some sites will be able to make quicker progress towards the stretching parking standards than others due to, for example, the complexities of long term leases. The trip budget approach gives enough flexibility that developers can come forward with other measures including aggressive travel planning (which could include the use of car clubs) to ensure that their proposals remain within the vehicular trip budget, however a robust monitoring framework will be required to ensure that development does not continue if the trip budget is breached. 9.4 It is anticipated that due to the phased nature of parking reduction, coupled with the increasing offer of travel alternatives, aggressive travel planning measures, and a strong monitoring framework, the impact of parking reduction will be able to be well managed. It is however accepted that on a fringe site such as this, there will be the opportunity for parking to overspill into surrounding areas. If this happens and becomes a problem, areas that lie within Cambridge City could be considered for residents’ parking schemes, the restrictions of which could be enforced by Civil Parking Enforcement. However, if this happens in areas that lie in South Cambridgeshire, a residents’ parking scheme could not currently be introduced as the district is not covered by these powers. 9.5 Any move towards this will need to be initiated by South Cambridgeshire District Council as there are financial implications to Civil Parking Enforcement. However given the increasing number of major new developments and fringe sites that are being developed in the district, it is an issue that South Cambridgeshire District Council may wish to explore early in the plan period. It could provide an additional tool with which to help control any potential side effects of parking restrictions within new sites, should they arise. Cambridgeshire Guided Busway 9.6 It is acknowledged and understood that the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, along with Milton Road, the A14 and the railway presents a barrier to opening up the NEC site to wider communities, especially to the south. The rationale for wishing to incorporate additional crossing points of the Busway is understood and from a connectivity point of view this principle is supported. However, as identified in the supporting text of the plan, the challenges of implementing additional crossings should not be underestimated. The Busway has the status of Statutory Undertaker afforded it by the Transport and Works Act Order under which it was constructed. Any changes to the Busway corridor will need to be considered at a higher health and safety level than a highway as incidents in the area would be investigated under the jurisdiction of the Health and Safety Executive. This would involve a potentially lengthy legal process with no certainty at this stage of success. 9.7 As such, a developer or other body could not unilaterally implement or design in the crossing points identified in the spatial framework as set out in this policy. Policy 15(e) should be reworded to read as: “Opportunities to introduce further crossing points should be actively explored, in particular those identified on the AAP Spatial Framework.” 9.8 Early engagement with the Busway team is encouraged to identify a way forward with this.

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Please see attached Letter including representations on behalf of The Crown Estate.

Mostly yes

No answer given

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It is not enough simply to discourage car travel. Transport infrastructure is needed. Provision should be made for the needs of those who are not able to walk or cycle. Mere Way is intended as a major cycle route between Waterbeach New Town and the city. Putting the sewage works on Sites 1 or 2 will either sever it or greatly reduce its value. Site 2 could also affect the CAM.

Mostly yes

No answer given

Mostly yes

No answer given