We support the need to reduce the number of road freight and servicing vehicles, but would like to see strong wording concerning the need to move to a system of rail freight and other sustainable delivery mechanisms. We support the policy proposal concerning local travel hubs, and urge the Planning Authority to take note of the specification for Travel Hubs set out by Smarter Cambridge Transport [1].
A further ‘Green Line’ should be established such that existing levels of road freight transport will not increase as a result of developments and that, just as in the case of human transport, planning will be made to account for end-to-end journeys and to provide infrastructure broad enough to lower net carbon emissions. This would include for example enabling neighbouring villages or other settlements to have convenient access to freight travel hubs, while avoiding consequential environmental degradation.
[1] https://www.smartertransport.uk/travel-hubs/