Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan
(2) Traffic and Movement
Objective 13: To ensure vehicular access to new estates does not create congestion or compromise pedestrian safety.
Objective 14: To avoid increased congestion on existing roads and junctions in and around Tiptree by focusing development to the north and west edge of the village.
Objective 15: To promote steady and safe traffic flow through the village centre in order to help maintain a viable shopping centre.
Objective 16: To promote the provision of cycleways and footpaths from new developments to existing village amenities including the village centre.
Objective 17: To improve access to Kelvedon and Witham railway stations and the A12 north and south.
Objective 18: In the long term to relieve traffic on Church Road.
Sustainable Movement
One of the benefits of living in a village is having the shops and services within walking distance of home. This Plan supports developments that provide direct routes for walkers and cyclists to reach the village centre and local facilities. At the same time this plan recognises that Tiptree is a Rural District Centre that will attract visitors from the surrounding area – many of whom will arrive by private car. It is therefore necessary to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and the provision of adequate village centre car parking to ensure that village facilities are easily accessible.
The Parish Council is also aware of the following issues and will work towards improvements in these areas, albeit outside the provision of the Neighbourhood Plan:
Provision of improved access to the A12 north and south.
Improved transport links to neighbouring towns and railway stations.
Map 8.1 illustrates the main pedestrian routes and destinations which new developments would be expected to link with.
(3) POLICY TIP06: CYCLING, WALKING AND DISABILITY ACCESS ROUTES
- Development proposals to improve cycling and walking infrastructure will be supported. In particular, provision of cycle and pedestrian routes that are physically separated from vehicular traffic and ideally from one another will be strongly supported. Such routes must also ensure that access by disabled users and users of mobility scooters is provided.
- All new developments should ensure safe pedestrian access to link up with existing footways that, in turn, directly serve the main pedestrian routes shown on the Tiptree Policies Map. This will allow residents to access public transport facilities, schools, leisure and other important facilities serving Tiptree village.
- Proposals to enhance the quality and safety of the identified main pedestrian routes will be strongly supported. In particular this includes widening, surfacing, appropriate lighting and vegetation management.
- Suitable crossings on Oak Road and Kelvedon Road need to be considered within master plans to ensure the provision of safe direct walking and cycling routes to Baynard's Primary and Thurstable Schools (refer to Policy TIP12).
- Development must retain and enhance the quality and accessibility of Public Rights of Way and main pedestrian and cycle routes and adequately mitigate the impact of additional traffic movements on the safety and flow of pedestrian and cycle access especially at road junctions.
Vehicular Traffic Movement
Tiptree lies on a busy crossroads with considerable 'through traffic'. The Maldon-Colchester road (B1022) is an alternative route to the A12 and is particularly busy if there has been an incident on that road whilst the Great Braxted Road/Station Road and Kelvedon Road/Church Road routes are busy with traffic heading east from the A12 to destinations such as Tollesbury and Mersea. With the planned upgrades to the A12 and A120 it remains to be seen what improvements, if any, are made to A12 access from the east and what the future impact will be on traffic flow through and around Tiptree. Nevertheless, to avoid congestion it is necessary to ensure the smooth flow of traffic along the main roads passing through the village and, where possible, to provide alternative routes to reduce the traffic using any one road. For these reasons this plan seeks to avoid increasing traffic flow on the B1022 and B1023, especially through Church Road.
In response to community consultation this plan has placed future development in the north and north-west of the village so that future residents in these areas can access the A12 and major routes without passing through Church Road. The siting of development in the north and north-west also provides the opportunity to provide an alternative link between Grange Road and Kelvedon Road (see Map 8.3). It is anticipated that, whatever happens with regard to future access to the A12, Grange Road is likely to see increased traffic resulting from current and future development. This link road will relieve pressure on the Grange Road/Vine Road and Vine Road/Kelvedon Road junctions. This latter junction suffers from poor visibility when turning right out of Vine Road opposite Baynard's School. With increasing traffic needing to access Kelvedon Road from the Vine Road/Grange Road area, this link road is considered essential to avoid congestion and provide a safe environment for pedestrians and road users alike. This new link road together with Grange Road/Tiptree Road will also provide an alternative south-west to north-east route between Braxted Park Road and Kelvedon Road providing an alternative route for traffic from the new developments north of Oak Road needing to access the A12 south and relieving traffic on Maldon Road and quite possibly Kelvedon Road.
Map 8.2 below gives some indication of anticipated traffic flow in the light of current and future developments. The numbers in blue are the approximate number of dwellings in each area.
Currently there is only light traffic in Grange Road/Tiptree Road (Marked in mauve on Map 8.3) however the present development of over 100 homes will increase the traffic and therefore, inevitably, the pressure on the Vine Road/Kelvedon Road junction. The provision of the alternative Grange Road – Kelvedon Road link is an essential part of a strategic plan for Tiptree.
In the longer term it is considered prudent to continue the above mentioned 'alternative route' across the north of the village to connect with Colchester Road thus completing an alternative western route and reducing traffic on the B1022 Maldon/Colchester Road through the village (refer to Map 8.3). Parts of this road may be constructed in the lifetime of this plan however it is not possible to safeguard the route or plan development in the section to the north of the village that lies outside the parish boundary. Although this land was offered on the Call for Sites it is outside the direct influence of this Neighbourhood Plan. Ultimately it is envisaged that this road will be completed by a Messing and Inworth Neighbourhood Plan or through the CBC Local Plan. Although this may not come through the emerging Local Plan, it could be delivered as part of any review of that Local Plan. The completion of the link is seen as a long-term project which, at best, would come forward towards the end of the NP Plan period. In the short term, traffic calming measures may be needed to dissuade drivers from using Oak Road – such as single lane entry and exits to Oak Road.
(25) POLICY TIP07: MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC THROUGH TIPTREE VILLAGE
- Development proposals that improve traffic flow and/or avoid increased congestion on existing roads and junctions will be strongly supported.
- To avoid congestion, in accordance with the requirements of the highway's authority, new developments will be required to include appropriate junction improvements to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and also to provide a safe and efficient access.
- Vehicular access to the site allocations, identified in TIP13 and TIP14, should be made in consideration of the indicative access points identified on Map 8.3.
- Dwelling driveways should not be accessed directly from the primary streets, but dwellings may still front the road behind footpaths/grass verges and parallel access roads.
- Proposals to mitigate the level of additional vehicular traffic travelling through the centre of Tiptree village (along the B1022 and B1023) are strongly encouraged.
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The allocated sites identified in TIP13 and TIP14, and where appropriate, windfall developments, will be expected to make appropriate contributions towards the delivery of the new 'primary Street' to the north of Tiptree. The new 'primary street' will help to reduce the levels of vehicular traffic travelling through the village on the B1022, Maldon / Colchester Road and towards Feering on the B1023 Kelvedon Road, as shown on the Tiptree Policies Map. The new 'primary street' will reflect the rural character of this edge of settlement location and will meet the necessary specifications as set out in the Essex Design Guide (2018), in particular, ensuring it is sufficient to support a bus route, non-residential traffic and a 30mph speed limit. The following developments will secure the delivery of the 'primary street' as follows:
- Highlands Nursery - to deliver the Primary Street from Kelvedon Road to the eastern point of the safeguarded route.
- Elm Farm - to deliver the Primary Street from Colchester Road to the western point of the safeguarded route.
- Tower End - to deliver the Primary Street between Kelvedon Road and Grange Road.
- Within the Parish of Tiptree, land required for the implementation of the Primary Street to its full extent will be safeguarded to enable the future provision of land outside of the Neighbourhood Plan area, as shown on Maps 8.2 and 8.3.
