I read the Transport Assessment this morning – an excellent piece of work, thank you.

Carlo Navato, Managing Director,
Parkridge Securities Ltd

Good News! St Catherine’s Road sailed through the committee last night. Thanks to you both for all your help. Traffic was discussed mostly bur your figures won them over.

Tracy Puttock, Planning Manager,
Linden Homes South-East Ltd

On behalf of the Governors, I should like to place on record my thanks for your hard work, both in preparation ahead of our appeal and on the day of the hearing itself. I am very pleased that our appeal was allowed.

Mr W Vestey, Chair of Governors,
Heathside School

Thank you for your support last night at the Consultation Evening. Your support was very much appreciated and made the evening the success that it was. I hope when you reached home you managed to have a large glass of something soothing.

John Darker, Headteacher,
The Beacon School

We have been most impressed with the efficient and speedy way you have dealt with this problem. We will, in future, prior to making any planning application that involves highway issues, consult with RGP prior to any planning application being submitted.

Richard Sullivan, Managing Director,
Charles James Homes Ltd

I was delighted at the fantastic news last Friday confirming the positive appeal decision for Orchard Grove, Orpington. This has been a difficult and protracted three years of negotiation. Thank you very much for your valued input and assistance in this project.

Paul Cooper, Regional Managing Director,
Linden Homes South-East Ltd

Thank you to you and your team for your quality professional work on the SunGard Availability Services’ Transport Planning Statement and Travel Plan for our proposals. This achieved its planning objective yesterday culminating in the Highway Authority stating they have no objections to the SunGard application.

Paul Briggs, Head of Customer Operations,
SunGard Availability Services (UK) Ltd

We have recommended a number of clients to use RGP on various projects over a long period and have always been pleased with the outcomes they have achieved – in budget, on time and often saving our client money in contributions from s106 Agreements.

Stephen Brooker, Director,
Walsingham Planning

We would recommend RGP to other organisations, but we’d like to keep them a secret!

Glyn Jones, Director,
Montagu Homes

Our Specialist Areas

Transport Assessments

These documents are commonly required by Local Planning Authorities and generally in accordance with the Institute of Highways and Transportation’s guidelines. A Transport Assessment would address the three main areas of safety, capacity and non-car accessibility (sustainability).

When embarking upon the preparation of a Transport Assessment, RGP observes good practice by engaging the Highway Authority at the outset to determine the scope of the report, methodology, parameters and constraints.

Traffic Impact Assessments

Whilst Transport Assessments have generally replaced Traffic Impact Assessments, assessment of the capacity implications of a development, is often the most appropriate document to assist the planning process.

RGP are experts at modelling the present performance of a highway network as the basis for accurate prediction of its performance post-development, and designing any off-site works required to mitigate increased congestion that is considered attributable to the proposal when constructed and occupied.

Transport Planning Statements

Transport Planning Statements comprise a significant proportion of RGP’s work since it prides itself on agreeing bespoke reports in support of bespoke solutions.

Early communication with the Local Planning Authority and the Highway Authority would establish the extent and nature of the content of the report having clearly defined those issues of interest.

Transport Planning Statements are attractive solutions to Council requirements, and as a key element of the ‘Planning Pack’. They are produced against the background of early communication and agreement with Councils and make for a clear, concise and conclusive read.

This approach can save the client significant costs.

Travel Plans

Travel Plans are regularly required to assist in meeting Central Government objectives in reaching more sustainable travel patterns. Local Authorities regularly require these documents through Planning Condition, although they are generally required as a complimentary document to a Transport Assessment or variation on that document.

Whilst there are good practice guidelines in the preparation of Travel Plans, the most effective documents require detailed understanding of the operations proposed for the site, a well considered and tailored monitoring process, all with a view to reaching realistic defined targets in reducing dependence upon private car.

Safe Routes to School

This work is often undertaken in conjunction with The Safety Forum and sometimes alongside the preparation and implementation of a Travel Plan.

This specialist area is a prime importance to schools and other educational establishments and controlling authorities in encouraging students, teachers and other staff not to use a private car but to walk, for example along a defined route which is, by virtue of RGP’s design work, safe and convenient.

Expert Witness

RGP has a good record in providing Expert Witness input from written representations through to Public Inquiry and Lands Tribunal, both for the private sector and Local Authority.

Infrastructure Design

The infrastructure, design and construction services we offer clients play an integral part in the successful completion of developments. Our early involvement in schemes means we are able to ensure that any potentially costly problems can be designed out during the planning stage, to provide the most cost effective access and infrastructure arrangements for the development.

Our experienced staff are able to advise clients on the most suitable form of construction, and conduct negotiations with the relevant authorities to obtain the necessary approvals from the Regulatory Authorities. The full range of services we provide includes:

  • The preparation of detailed design drawings and specifications;
  • The preparation of contract documentation and Bill of Quantities;
  • Drainage design for on and off site works;
  • Project planning, programming and management.

We are also able to provide supervision and inspection services during the construction phase of a project to ensure that the works are delivered on time and in budget, leading ultimately to the successful hand over of the works to the client or adopting authority.

Design Statements

RGP’s transport planning and design staff works closely in the preparation of reports in support of a design solution. A Design Statement by its nature will identify the issues and their priorities along with other design constraints as background to the design solution, and thus provides evidence in support of the design as the optimum solution.

Construction Costings

RGP’s design staff can provide comprehensive costings of construction works, put the work out to tender and advise on the preferred bidder.

Road Safety Audits

RGP devised a unique approach to undertaking safety audits, which has gained recognition and support from many Council authorities. The vehicle RGP uses when undertaking safety audits is RGP’s sister company The Safety Forum.

RGP’s experience is that the only effective means to ensure a truly independent Road Safety Audit, is for Experts outside of the Transport Planning and Design Consultancy and the Council to be engaged in assessing the safety credentials of an infrastructure design.

The Safety Forum achieves this by way of its ‘bank’ of experts who have been hand selected, and are drawn from Local Authority and Police backgrounds for example, from areas around the UK.

Public Exhibitions

RGP has considerable experience in providing input to public exhibitions both for Local Authority and the private sector.

Our input would typically involve the production of displays, attendance at the events and a subsequent report on the findings of the exhibition together with any recommendations.

Car Park Design and Management

This area of expertise is regularly drawn upon since efficiency of car parking is key to maximising the value of a site in the context of Central Government objectives on reaching sustainable travel patterns.

RGP can assist in justifying car park demand, deriving an efficient design and advising on the most effective management of the car park.

Planning Contribution Negotiations

This aspect of the planning process features virtually all significant planning proposals and RGP is regularly called upon to advise on the appropriateness of contributions sought by Councils, and to negotiate on behalf of Developers as appropriate.

Planning Agreements

Transport planning related matters often feature within Planning Agreements, such as under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and we are asked to input in respect of off-site works, for example.

Highway Agreements

A Section 278 Agreement might be required as part of a Planning Agreement and RGP can fulfil all the technical and procedural input necessary to meet any obligation.

Similarly, RGP can assist in Section 38 Road Adoption Agreements.

Residential Travel Plans

Residential Travel Plans are an increasingly important tool in the delivery of sustainable development. They often provide the basis for Local Planning Authorities to have the confidence to support planning applications where car parking is restricted for example, in order to optimise land use.

Central Government policy now dictates that travel plans should no longer be seen as ‘optional extras’ and should be an integral part of determining all major planning applications. RGP is experienced in the development and management of successful Residential Travel Plans that have helped unlock otherwise difficult sites, providing clients with the potential for greater densities of development and helping to reduce the extent of off-site works designed to mitigate traffic impact.