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Expanding towns adjacent to rail stations – myth over substance!

rpwills


Oh they will travel by car NOT rail!
Oh they will travel by car NOT rail!

“On Sunday, [ 26th Jan] ahead of her speech this week on economic growth, Rachel Reeves announced that when developers submit an application for schemes in “key areas” such as locations near commuter transport hubs, the default answer will be ‘yes’. Speaking to The Guardian, she said a “zoning scheme” – in which the presumption would be in favour of development in those areas – would form part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. The aim of the plans is to unlock more housing at a greater density in areas “central to local communities”. The government said the measures will “transform communities, with more shops and homes nearer to the transport hubs that working people rely on day in, day out””.
 
Anyone hearing or reading about this could be forgiven for thinking that such rail links would enable residents to travel to major cities for work in a sustainable way. After all what could be more environmentally desirable? A short trip to the rail hub and then zoom off to that well paid job. Ticks all the boxes for sustainability and economic growth. Who could object – not even the bats and newts!
 
But It turns out its all based on a rather large myth.  Far from rail travel being a major or even significant element of travel in such towns it is minimal, instead the main mode of transport is the car.  The 2011 figures are more relevant as the 2021 figures were affected by covid lockdowns.
 

% of residents in work travelling by car




 
 
2011
2021
Abingdon
Cambridgeshire
1.6
0.5
Great Shelford
Cambridgeshire
5.3
1.2
Biggleswade
Bedfordshire
7.9
2.7
Ivybridge
Devon
0.9
0.2
Farnborough
Hampshire
6.8
1.9
[Source, Census 2011, census 2021].
 
So even if we take the most optimistic figure (for Biggleswade) it would mean that if a town doubled its population by developing land adjacent to the rail hub, for every 1,000 travelling by rail 9,000 would travel by car!  A new road perhaps?
 
Conclusion
The idea of expanding towns around rail hubs/commuter stations is designed simply to meet the governments targets, which are based on dubious assertions about housing. Any urban developments associated with rail hub schemes would be just developments like any other.  It is another example of government policy of growth for growths sake.
 
There are two other problems with the idea. One is that it takes no account of the use of land, which is currently being farmed or providing environmental services. The other problem is that it rests on the idea that we should encourage people to commute to larger cities for work. This is an outdated concept – it would be far better to ensure that localities are more self-sufficient both in terms of jobs and facilities. 
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