Policy information sourced from the Croydon Local Plan

SP8: Transport and Communication

SP8.1:

In order to deliver a transport and communications network capable of supporting growth over the plan period the Council will apply a presumption in favour of development for new transport schemes which meet the requirements of Policy SP8 and other applicable policies of the development plan.

Airport City

SP8.2:

The Council and its partners will enhance the borough’s sub-regional transport role to support its position as a major business, hotel and conferencing destination serving London’s airports and the Coast to Capital economic area (see Policy SP3.8).

Pattern of development and accessibility

SP8.3:

The Council will actively manage the pattern of urban growth and the use of land to make the fullest use of public transport and co-locate facilities in order to reduce the need to travel.

SP8.4:

Major development proposals will be required to be supported by transport assessments, travel plans, construction logistics plans and delivery/ servicing plans.

Sustainable travel choice

SP8.5:

The Council will support improvement in the borough’s Wi-Fi, fibre optic broadband and mobile broadband in order to reduce the need to travel, encourage higher levels of home working, assist independent living, support inward investment and improve the economic competitiveness of Croydon Opportunity Area and the borough’s District Centres.

SP8.6:

The Council and its partners will improve conditions for walking and enhance the pedestrian experience by:

  • Ensuring ‘‘access for all’’ principles are adhered to;
  • Increasing permeability, connectivity and legibility of redeveloped sites;
  • Improving crossings, in particular within Croydon Opportunity Area, District Centres and around schools;
  • Enhancing footpaths, strategic walking routes and links through green spaces to ensure a coherent pedestrian network;
  • Creating pedestrian streets from underused side streets and delivery lanes off main streets in Croydon Opportunity Area and the District Centres;
  • Improving way finding in the Croydon Opportunity Area, District Centres and on cycle routes (including the implementation of the ‘Legible London’ scheme);
  • De-cluttering the streetscape and avoiding unnecessary footway interruptions in new schemes and existing public realm;
  • Enabling the widening of footways where feasible on overcrowded routes; and
  • Promoting the identification and implementation of accessible, safe, visible and convenient direct cycle and walking routes to Croydon Opportunity Area, the borough’s District Centres, transport interchanges, schools and community facilities through detailed policies within the Croydon Local Plan’s Detailed Policies and Proposals.

SP8.7:

The Council, its partners and developers will provide new and improved cycle infrastructure by:

  • Enhancing and expanding the cycle network to deliver a more coherent network;
  • The creation of new cycle routes through development sites improving permeability and connectivity;
  • Promoting the creation of segregated and priority cycle lanes;
  • Providing clear cycle advance stop lines and other markings at junctions;
  • Ensuring new development and improvements to public transport interchanges include adequate provision for cyclists that meet, or exceed, minimum security/design standards;
  • Enabling the establishment of cycle hubs at East and West Croydon Station, safeguarding land where necessary;
  • Improving cycle facilities at the borough’s schools, colleges, District Centres and railway stations; and
  • Requiring the provision of cycle parking in new developments and at key transport hub stations to encourage multi-modal journeys and reduce the need for car use.

SP8.8:

The Council and its partners will prioritise tram infrastructure provision and network improvements that:

  • Provide extra capacity to the existing network which serves Croydon Opportunity Area and eases overcrowding on the central sections of the network;
  • Relieve congestion in the tram network overall;
  • Increase track capacity at pinch points to speed up journey times;
  • Support the Mayor’s and Transport for London’s intentions for extension and investment generally in the tram system; and
  • Subject to funding, promote extensions to Streatham, Brixton, Tooting, Bromley, South Wimbledon, Sutton, and Crystal Palace.

SP8.9

The Council and its partners will encourage rail infrastructure provision and network improvements that:

  • Provide additional track capacity at East Croydon station, and in the area north thereof, to increase train services and improve performance on the Brighton Main Line railway;
  • Enable improved interchange facilities, pedestrian links and increased capacity at the Strategic Interchanges at East and West Croydon railway stations;
  • Enable access and movement improvements in areas next to rail stations to encourage greater use of the train services;
  • Facilitate ‘Metroisation’ of South London’s rail services; and
  • Make stations accessible to wheelchair users.

SP8.10:

The Council and its partners will encourage bus infrastructure provision and network improvements that:

  • Seek to ease the pressure on West Croydon Bus Station by providing new bus stopping/standing;
  • Seek improvements to orbital bus routes by resolving problems along key bus corridors leading to the Croydon Opportunity Area;
  • Improve bus interchange in the Croydon Opportunity Area at peak times including improvements to bus stops and stands; and
  • Improve bus journey times and reliability

SP8.11:

Land used for public transport and land required to facilitate future transport operations will be safeguarded unless alternative facilities are provided to enable existing transport operations to be maintained. Land and route alignments to implement transport proposals that have a reasonable prospect of delivery will be incorporated into development proposals.

Motor vehicle transportation

SP8.12:

The Council and its partners will enable the delivery of electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the borough to improve air quality and decarbonise private transportation over the plan period.

SP8.13:

New development will be required to contribute to the provision of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, car clubs and car sharing schemes.

SP8.14:

The Council will work with developers and all relevant partners to ensure enough space is provided in the Croydon Opportunity Area and District Centres for taxi ranks/waiting and coach parking, as well as seeking to improve interchanges at East and West Croydon for these modes.

Parking

SP8.15:

The Council will encourage car free development in Centres, where there are high levels of PTAL and when a critical mass of development enables viable alternatives, such as car clubs (while still providing for disabled people). Detailed car parking standards are contained within the Croydon Opportunity Area Planning Framework and the Croydon Local Plan’s Detailed Policies and Proposals.

SP8.16:

The Council and its partners will seek to limit parking spaces in the borough and aim to reduce the overall amount of surplus car parking spaces in the Croydon Opportunity Area in accordance with the Croydon Opportunity Area Planning Framework parking strategy.

SP8.17:

Outside high PTAL areas the Council will apply the standards as set out in the London Plan. In District Centres where there are identified issues of vitality and viability, the need to regenerate such Centres may require a more flexible approach to the provision of public car parking. Parking standards for the boroughs District Centres will be assessed based upon the following considerations:

  • The need for regeneration;
  • Adverse impact on congestion or air quality;
  • A lack (now and in future), of public transport;
  • A lack of existing on or off street parking;
  • A commitment to provide space for electric and car club vehicles, and parking for disabled people above the minimum thresholds; and
  • A requirement, via Travel Plans, to reduce provision over time.

Efficient and clean movement

SP8.18

The Council and its partners will seek to improve the efficiency with which people and goods are moved and reduce the impacts associated with that movement by:

  • Addressing pressure points in the street network, including strategic road junctions, by improving conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport and maintaining the efficient movement of freight; and
  • Ensuring travel plans for new and existing facilities, address issues with local congestion and promote sustainable travel choices.

SP8.19

The Council and its partners will promote efficient and sustainable arrangements for the transportation and delivery of freight by:

  • Safeguarding existing sites and identifying new sites to enable the transfer of freight to rail;
  • Safeguarding existing and supporting the provision of new consolidation and ‘break bulk’ facilities through policy to be contained within the Croydon Local Plan’s Detailed Policies and Proposals; and
  • Requiring major developments to include transport emission reduction plans to encourage the use of less polluting forms of transport.

For more information please see the Local Plan