No

ID sylw: 107290

Derbyniwyd: 21/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford Rail Transport Group

Reinstatement of the Stratford-Long Marston-Honeybourne rail link is required for Long Marston Airfield (LMAGV) and Meon Vale to be a sustainable community. Without a rail link the Garden Village status isn't credible. The proposal would no longer meet the vision detailed in the 2016 Expression of Interest, which contained 12 positive references to the benefits of reinstatement, and which formed the basis for government granting Garden Village status in 2017. The proposal would not be sound in accordance with NPPF tests b, c & d.

The Inspector's report on the Core Strategy stated reinstatement would “provide a long-term solution to the town’s traffic congestion.” (248-257) and "There can be no question that the service would provide a sustainable alternative to the use of the private car for many residents and Visitors.”

The Long Marston hinterland already has committed housing growth of 6,087 homes/25,000 people, including the Worcestershire part of Long Marston, Pebworth, Honeybourne and Mickleton, Glos. LMAGV already has a proposed development of 3,500 homes/8,750 people, while Meon Vale already has committed development of 1,430 homes including the 380 at the adjoining Codex site in Worcestershire and accessed onto the B4362, Campden Road. The SWLP is now proposing an enlarged LMAGV site, to potentially accommodate 10,000 new homes, or 25,000 additional people. That would increase the Stratford-Long Marston-Honeybourne rail corridor to 85,000 people, without adequate rail services and a credible alternative to the car and car dependency

Other

ID sylw: 107291

Derbyniwyd: 21/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford Rail Transport Group

The recent 2024, Stratford-Honeybourne SOBC Refresh rail study, should be included in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan, to allow developer contributions to be sought towards the rail link, as part of the emerging, Worcester-Parkway-Evesham-LMAGV-Stratford-Hatton-Warwick-Leamington development arc, as detailed in the final report.

Other

ID sylw: 107296

Derbyniwyd: 21/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford Rail Transport Group

We support route protection of the Stratford-Honeybourne-Oxford/Worcester railway line in accordance with the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy and NPPF para 111(c).

This is consistent with the South Worcestershire Development Plan; the Cotswold Local Plan; the Tewkesbury Local Plan; the Cheltenham Local Plan; the Gloucestershire Local Transport Plan; the Gloucestershire Rail Investment Strategy; Worcestershire LTP4; Worcestershire Rail Investment Strategy; the Oxfordshire Rail Strategy and the North Cotswold Line SOBC.

The Policy wording is too weak through use of the word "inhibit" - the existing Core Strategy wording should be used to make the Policy “Justified” and “Effective” in the context of NPPF 2024.

The Core Strategy Inspector’s Report stated reinstatement of the southbound rail link would:-

“provide a long-term solution to the town’s traffic congestion.” (248-257).

“There can be no question that the service would provide a sustainable alternative to the use of the private car for many residents and Visitors.”

The SWLP must be proactive and actively support reinstatement or it will go against the Inspector's recommendations.

Road transport causes 80% of Nitrogen Dioxide emissions and 72% of greenhouse gas emissions. Rail causes just 1.6% and less than 1% respectively. Transport emissions account for 28,000-35,000 premature deaths pa in the UK. The council has declared a climate change emergency. Planning and transport policies need to change accordingly to prioritise alternatives to road construction and car use.

There is no public transport between the Oxford, Stratford and Cheltenham "golden triangle". There is a lack of rail connectivity south of Stratford.

Draft Warwickshire LTP4 highlights the magnitude of cross-border movement for community, business and other activities, and the importance of the North Cotswold line for South Warwickshire residents accessing rail services to Oxford, Thames Valley, and London. Restoring the southbound rail link from Stratford-upon-Avon to this line must be a key priority for the SWLP to reduce car mileage from residents accessing the North Cotswold line. New roads are not a viable option - the Government SACTRA Report in 1994 concluded these induce new traffic and congestion benefits are often quickly eroded.

There is latent demand due to Stratford's position at the end of a truncated branch line with slow, infrequent services. Reinstatement would prevent Long Marston Garden Village from becoming car-dependent. It would help regenerate the Stratford Town Centre economy. It would provide a second route between Birmingham and Oxford via Stratford for network resilience. It would build on opportunities offered by Worcestershire Parkway as an interchange for journeys from Stratford to the South-West/South Wales.

The recent 2024 SOBC-Refresh should be included in the IDP to allow developer contributions to be sought towards the rail link in the emerging Worcester-Parkway-Evesham-LMAGV-Stratford-Hatton-Warwick-Leamington development arc, as detailed in the SOBC Final report.

Yes

ID sylw: 107297

Derbyniwyd: 21/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford Rail Transport Group

SRTG fully supports the presence of Porterbrook at Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre(LMRIC), its full acquisition of the site in 2024, recent and planned investment and commitment to the rail industry. The site is a Major Investment Site in the emerging South Warwickshire Local Plan. As such, the proposed £45m investment in the site is therefore fully supported.

Other

ID sylw: 107298

Derbyniwyd: 21/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford Rail Transport Group

Reinstatement of the Stratford-Honeybourne railway would act as a regeneration tool and benefit Stratford Town Centres economy in a post pandemic era. Previous rail studies have demonstrated that Stratford only attracts 6% of tourists by rail compared to 13% for similar centres. On the basis of the 3.5m visitors pa, this equates to 210,000 visitors a year to Stratford, that are lost to rail. The hotel developers of the former Debenhams store, Stratford High Street, have indicated that the lack of attractive rail services to Stratford, particularly London, has had a negative impact on attracting inward investment.

No

ID sylw: 107299

Derbyniwyd: 21/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford Rail Transport Group

Object- Despite the draft Policy stating “Development proposals should prioritise access to public transport,“ and “Developments should aim to minimise car dependency,” in reality the opposite has been the case, and Stratford and proposed major new settlements at Long Marston Garden Village, will only continue this trend, without a major shift in transport investment, supporting alternatives to the private car.

Yes

ID sylw: 107300

Derbyniwyd: 21/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford Rail Transport Group

Support policy deletion. The Vale of Evesham Control Zone sought to control the number of additional HGV movements within the area resulting from development, thereby reducing the impact on local communities. Clearly it has failed to do that and only concentrate HGV traffic on existing road based solutions based on the A46 Trunk Road. It excluded rail and by current standards is not a sustainable policy. Unless it is reworded to include rail freight it should be deleted. The SWLP acknowledges that other local authorities propose to delete this policy, but it would appear Warwickshire County Council is the exception to this.