Statement, assessment or travel plan?
National guidance distinguishes a Transport Statement from a more detailed Transport Assessment. The level of work should reflect the scale and likely effects of the proposal. A Travel Plan has a different purpose: it sets out measures to manage travel behaviour and support the agreed transport objectives. [1]
The NPPF published on 17 August 2026 identifies transport and travel-plan information under policy TR6 and Annex C. Check those requirements alongside the local validation list and agree a proportionate scope with the planning and highway authorities. [2] [1]
What should the document cover?
The assessment should address the relevant travel modes and site context, not only count car trips. National guidance includes access, safety, public transport, walking and cycling, servicing and the development's effects on the surrounding network. Existing conditions and the proposed operation need to be clear. [1]
Give the consultant the correct development schedule and realistic information about users, opening hours and servicing. Request an assessment of the final access and layout, rather than a report prepared for an earlier number of homes or a different commercial use.
A useful submission should explain the problem, the evidence and the proposed response. Where mitigation or a management arrangement is necessary, identify it clearly and show how it relates to the plans.
When does a parking survey help?
A survey may be needed where on-street parking conditions are material to the proposal or the council's local requirements. Westminster's validation list identifies transport and parking-related evidence for relevant applications. The required method should be agreed for the location rather than assumed to be identical across London. [3]
Before commissioning, ask the authority and transport consultant to agree the survey area, timing and approach to restrictions and available spaces. Request a plan showing what was surveyed and an explanation of any unusual circumstances. These are recommended brief items, not a fixed England-wide survey protocol.
A statement that the development is intended to be car-free does not, by itself, answer its wider access, servicing or travel questions. National guidance requires the assessment to follow the actual transport issues. [1]
Who prepares it?
Use a transport planner or appropriately experienced transport professional. Westminster's list identifies professional transport input where the required assessment warrants it. The project designer should coordinate access, cycle storage, refuse collection and building layouts with the consultant's conclusions. [3]
Clarify whether the appointment includes survey work, technical modelling, a travel plan, council responses and later revisions. Do not assume that a parking count and a complete transport assessment are the same service.
Keep the evidence current
Review the report if the proposed use, accommodation schedule or access changes. Where mitigation depends on future management, identify who will deliver it and what information the planning authority needs to secure it. The aim is an evidenced, workable transport arrangement for the submitted proposal. [1]