THE CONTRIBUTION OF LAND USE PLANNING TO REDUCING TRAFFIC GROWTH: THE ENGLISH EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The relationships between land use and travel behaviour in England are considered. Theoretical research and empirical research projects investigating the contribution of land use planning to reducing traffic growth is reviewed, with reference to nationally sampled data, local data from secondary sources, and local studies in Bristol and Oxfordshire with their own data collection. UK policy relating to traffic and transport and to land use planning is reviewed and the implementation of the policy is discussed. The review concluded that there was little evidence that changes in English land use policy have influenced travel outcomes, but that locational attributes could be associated with substantially different travel outcomes in particular situations. Planning policy and its implementation was dominated by the concept of reducing the need to travel.