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The National Policy Statement on National Networks, which the Department for Transport (DfT) has published in draft for consultation, sets out the policy against which the Secretary of State will make decisions on applications for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects on the strategic road and rail networks.
We welcome the Government's decision to bring forward the draft NPS on National Networks. However, we have a number of detailed recommendations aimed at making the document clearer and more useful. The NPS should:
- specify more types of transport scheme which the Government thinks are needed-such as enhancements to the rail network to promote east-west connectivity; better road and rail connections to ports and airports and to parts of the country which are currently not well served by those networks; and schemes to promote regional economic development.
- more explicitly address criticisms of the DfT's road and rail demand forecasts.
- include an estimate of the impact on UK carbon emissions of meeting projected demand for growth in road traffic by building more road infrastructure.
- be more candid about the adverse impacts of major transport schemes on localities and provide clearer guidance about when the benefits arising from a scheme justify such impacts.
- give scheme promoters clarity about how they should interpret EU requirements for alternatives to schemes to be appraised as part of the planning process
- include specific provision for scheme promoters to assess and manage the impacts of developments to national networks on local networks.
- make explicit reference to the desirability of connecting HS2 to the classic rail network, so that people from around the UK can benefit from the new high speed rail line.
- require promoters of roads schemes to look to improve road safety (including for cyclists and pedestrians).
The Government is seeking to accommodate increasing demand for roads by building more infrastructure rather than seeking to manage demand. We comment on this issue in more detail in our report on Better roads. Investment in the road network will require new funding streams. This is a challenge that must be addressed. However, a consensus would be required to introduce any road user charging scheme across the strategic road network as an alternative to road taxation, and the many issues involved would have to be resolved.
We also repeat our recommendation from Better roads that the DfT should seek to integrate planning for passenger and freight transport by route or region, rather than look at each mode individually.
We will request a debate on the final version of the NPS when it is laid before Parliament.
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