People who travel around Taunton are invited to have their say on a new transport strategy for the town.
As a growing town with aspirations to deliver new homes and jobs, it is vital that changes to Taunton’s transport networks are guided by a long term strategy.
Taunton – Connecting our Garden Town has been put together by Taunton Deane Borough Council (TDBC) and Somerset County Council with support from transport consultants WSP.
This draft document provides a vision for transport in Taunton over the next 20 years and brings together investment plans and proposals from the County Council and Taunton Borough Council along with other organisations who are involved in, fund or provide transport services.
Members of the public now have chance to read and comment on the draft strategy before a final version is agreed.
Councillor John Woodman, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “Taunton is an ambitious, growing town and we need to ensure it has a high quality transport system which supports its status as the south west’s first garden town.
“Our aim is to improve connectivity and make Taunton a healthier, more attractive place to live and work. This is something which affects so many of us so please get involved and help us understand your priorities by taking part in this consultation.”
Councillor Roger Habgood, TDBC’s Executive member for planning and transportation, said: “Our focus as a council is on our people, our place and fostering prosperity. The Taunton Transport Strategy plays an important part – cleaner air and safer roads for our people, reducing congestion at key junctions to make it a better place and helping business through enhanced rail connections.
“I really do encourage as many residents and businesses to take part in the consultation – after all they are our people, they live in our shared place and we want them to enjoy prosperity.”
Taunton is facing a number of changes and challenges including the development of three garden communities, town centre improvements, new roads that will change the way people access the town, and advances in technology.
The strategy outlines a series of proposals and policies grouped into six strategic topics – roads and streets, parking and park & ride, active travel (walking and cycling), bus and coach travel, rail, and smarter business and smarter living
The key outcomes of the proposals are:
- Safer roads
- Develop a special status as a walking and cycling town
- Less car use per head of population
- Enhanced rail connections to the rest of the UK and continued strong growth in rail use
- Levels of cycling journeys doubled
- Good air quality for the whole town
- Congestion held at today’s levels at key problem junctions
- Less traffic in Taunton town centre
- All residents of our new garden communities to be within walking distance of main bus corridors and have easy access onto a core walking and cycling network serving the town
The strategy and consultation questions can be found at http://www.somersetconsults.org.uk/consult.ti/TauntonTransportStrategy/consultationHome or you can email transportpolicy@somerset.gov.uk if you require this in a different format. Have your say before the consultation closes on Friday 3 August 2018.
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