Improving roads, improving lives - Most Recent Consultation

We are always looking at ways to improve the Borough and its economy. In partnership with the Tees Valley Combined Authority, the four other Tees Valley councils and Highways England, we have set out proposals for better transport connections across the whole area.

These proposals include a new Tees Crossing, taking some pressure off the A19 Tees Viaduct, and enhanced east-west connectivity with improvements to the A66 between the A1(M) and Teesport, which includes the possibility of a new Darlington Bypass.

This consultation has now closed

 

Darlington Local  Plan

The issues and scoping consultation in August 2016 highlighted the importance of capitalising on Darlington’s excellent existing transport connections to the national strategic network and the local plan should seek improvements to regional connectivity across the borough.  In relation to the required growth over the plan period it will be essential that new development supports key infrastructure and provides for a sustainable pattern of growth.

Specific objectives for the plan are:  

• Ensuring that new development is in places where it will be reasonably accessible by public transport, cycling and walking.
• Maintaining and improving transport links between communities within the borough and further afield.
• Supporting development that enhances regionally and nationally important transport links including those offered by Banktop Station, Teesside International Airport, Teesport and the Strategic Road Network.
• To improve the local highway network by managing out strategic highway demands. 

Darlington’s Local Transport Plan

Darlington’s fourth Local Transport Plan (LTP4) is currently being written and sets out a transport strategy for the next 20 years to 2036.  The LTP supports the emerging Local Plan, the Economic Strategy and also the Tees Valley Strategic Transport Plan and will aim to provide transport infrastructure and travel options for the forecast growth in jobs and new houses.  The plan proposes to consult on key measures to achieve the following ambitions:

• Assist economic growth through an efficient and reliable transport network
• Create opportunity – by helping people to access education, employment or training places
• Monitor the impact of traffic and seek to improve air quality
• Improve public health through maintaining a good road safety record and encouraging active travel.

The measures will be wide ranging and cover walking, cycling, public transport, air, cars & freight, and will consider the maintenance, management and improvement of transport and travel opportunities in Darlington.  The consultation will seek to find out whether these are the right ambitions for Darlington and whether the proposed measures will achieve them.

Tees Valley Strategic Transport Plan

The Tees Valley Combined Authority is currently developing a Strategic Transport Plan, due for consultation and publication during 2017/18. 

As outlined within the Strategic Economic Plan, over the next 10 years the Combined Authority wants to create 25,000 new jobs and build 22,000 new homes and the Strategic Transport Plan is vital to support this aim. 

Connecting the Tees Valley has been developed, which sets out the region’s transport priorities up to 2026 and explains how we want to improve the Tees Valley’s local transport system. The document sets out the framework for the Strategic Transport Plan and invites stakeholders, interest groups and the public to help shape the final Strategic Transport Plan. 

The Combined Authority’s transport vision for the Tees Valley is ‘to provide a high quality, quick, affordable, reliable and safe transport network for people and freight to move within, to and from the Tees Valley’. 

To aim is to:

• Improve our local railways by having more, faster and better trains and stations, so that journeys by rail are quicker and more comfortable;
• Maintain and improve our roads so that they are safe and less congested;
• Provide better bus services that are punctual and reliable, with improved passenger information and facilities, which provide access to where people want to go, when they want to go;
• Provide safe walking and cycling routes to make it easier to travel on foot and by bike; and
• Make it easier and safer to transport freight by road, rail, sea and air. 

A draft Strategic Transport Plan will be produced during 2017 that will include further details on our plans up until 2026. There will be opportunities to comment on the proposals before the final Strategic Transport Plan is made available in early 2020.