Reg Harman

1
Reg Harman

• Consultant
• Transport policy practice
• Urban regional planning

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• Transport 2000 Activists Seminar on LTPs
• 15 October 2005
• Strategic Environmental Assessment for Local
  Transport Plans

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Strategic Environmental Assessment for Local
Transport Plans

• The EU SEA Directive
• Applying the Directive in the UK
• SEA for the provisional LTP
• Issues and opportunities
• Consultation and beyond

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The EU SEA Directive

• EU Directive 2001/42/EC the SEA Directive
• on the assessment of the effects of certain plans
  and programmes on the environment
• applies to wide range of plans not just
  transport
• Aims to Article 1
• provide for a high level of protection of the
  environment and to contribute to the integration
  of environmental considerations into the
  preparation and adoption of plans with a view
  to promoting sustainable development
• Applies to plans and programmes which
• had begun formal preparation etc. after 21 July
  2004, or
• were not adopted (or in process) before 21 July
  2006
• To be seen in the context of broad policy
  integration across the European Community

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Applying the Directive in the UK

• Implemented by Statutory Instrument 2004 no. 1633
• The Directive defines a procedure for assessment
• preparing an Environmental Report on the likely
  significant impacts of the draft plan on the
  environment
• consulting on draft plan plus Environmental
  Report
• taking report and consultation into account in
  decision making
• providing information when the plan is adopted
  showing how this was done
• And it sets out more detailed principles
  processes
• Statutory consultees form a key part of the
  process
• Countryside Agency, Environment Agency, English
  Heritage, English Heritage
• A continuous process to include monitoring!

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SEA for the provisional LTP

• DfT Full Guidance on LTPs requires authorities
  to produce an Environmental Report on the LTP
  impact, in line with the Directive principles
• But this forms a very brief section of the
  Guidance
• it refers to TAG Unit 2.11 for full process
• it suggests LTAs take legal advice in view of
  uncertainty!
• TAG Unit 2.11 provides guidance in detail
• strong links to NATA themes and processes
• but how valid for LTPs, which are primarily a
  process?
• The SEA may be incorporated within a
  Sustainability Appraisal, linking environmental
  with social issues
• Department for Transport and Government Offices
  are unwilling to provide feedback on SEAs

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Issues and opportunities

• SEAs may be very large documents 400 pp?
• Dont be confused by the forest of tables
• printed on a forest of trees?!
• Focus on the key aspects
• concentrate on the main report text / executive
  summary
• look at main findings on the LTP policies
  programmes
• is the SEA process integral to the LTPs
  development?
• or is this just another process to go through?
• does the LTP SEA link well to the LDF SEA?
• Apply common-sense views in comments on LTP!
• Engage LTAs/PTEs over use of the SEA
• does it really lead to delivery of sustainable
  transport?
• NB guidance notes with key questions supplied

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Consultation and beyond

• SEAs are not just for Christmas
• This is something that environmental activists
  should welcome
• the environment should be at the heart of
  evolving transport policies practices
• these must follow a fully sustainable strategy
• addressing climate change should be the central
  focus
• Important to consider SEAs / Sustainability
  Appraisals for all transport transport-related
  plans
• Current knowledge is actually limited so
  Transport 2000 could influence evolution of SEA
  application
• Feedback on local groups information
  experience with SEAs will enable build-up of
  understanding

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Reg Harman

• Thank you for your attention!