Maldon District Transport Strategy consultation

26/07/2023

Creating a transport strategy for the Maldon District

Future Transport Strategies have been established in other areas of Essex and are a good way of planning, setting out a blueprint against which future projects will be identified and prioritised for funding.

Created in partnership with Maldon District Council, the proposed Maldon Future Transport Strategy looks at how people travel in the district, the transport challenges and opportunities faced and sets out a vision and objectives to help guide our future approach.

To deliver the vision, we propose to prioritise different forms of transport, recognising the need to meet the district’s varying needs. Within the strategy we have set these out as three zones, each with different transport priorities.

Read more on the interactive strategy document

How we travel in Maldon

Due to its large rural location and fragmented public transport offer, Maldon has a high reliance on car use. Data shows that 71% of work journey’s within the district are being made by car, with one in four of these journeys being under 5km. Meanwhile the number of people walking or cycling falls below the Essex average.

With traffic returning to pre-pandemic levels, this is contributing to increased levels of delay and congestion on the road network. Reducing the volume of car commuting and increasing active and sustainable travel (walking, cycling, public transport) would relieve congestion, provide environmental benefits and improve air quality.

Walking, cycling, or using public transport for a short journey just twice a week could see a reduction of 52,000 car trips from within the district every week.

However, to do this we need to ensure that we create the conditions to make a viable option for people to choose not to drive.

Vision for Maldon

A long-term transport vision for Maldon has been created to help guide future transport developments.

For Maldon District to be well-connected for people of all ages to live, work and visit with an accessible and sustainable transport network that facilitates economic growth, tackles air quality and provides access to neighbouring communities and key facilities, while also conserving the district’s unique heritage and landscape.

This vision has been underpinned by a set of seven objectives to measure all potential future transport schemes against:

Clean and attractive places Conserve Maldon’s rich heritage and distinctive local character, protect and enhance the quality of natural and built environments. Improve air and noise pollution and contribute to the government’s goal to be net zero carbon by 2050.
Sustainable transport network Prioritise, promote, and improve sustainable and active types of travel to reduce dependence on car use, reduce traffic emissions and encourage healthier lifestyles.
Green infrastructure and innovative solutions Promote the use of electric vehicles, low-emission transport options and alternative fuels where appropriate. Deliver green and sustainable infrastructure that conserves Maldon’s natural environment, resources and ecological value.
Economic prosperity and connectivity Provide high-quality sustainable transport networks that give good links to new and existing developments, key sites, tourist destinations and neighbouring communities to facilitate the growth of a prosperous and diverse economy.
Safe and secure streets Deliver a safe and secure travel environment for all users that is well maintained to reduce accidents and encourage safe behaviour.
Managing demand Facilitate existing and future travel demand and improve journey time reliability by optimising road capacity, providing efficient and regular public transport services and reducing pressure on the road network.
Inclusive accessibility Improve the accessibility of the transport network for all users and prevent social exclusion.

A zonal approach representing different needs

To deliver the strategy, we are proposing to implement a zonal strategy for the district. Click on each zone to read more

Zones

Zone 1 - Main settlements

In the main populated areas where the look and feel of the local area is important to attract business and visitors, there will be increased focus on walking, cycling and public transport, enabling more pedestrian and cycle-friendly centres, improving air quality and health outcomes. Aiding the conversion to electric vehicles and managing the movement of freight within sustainable the towns will also be considered.

Zone 2 - Strategic sustainable corridors

The strategic sustainable corridors (Zone 2) will facilitate reliable and sustainable connections between towns, the wider areas of the district and key locations and services outside the district. It will also help manage freight and HGV movements. Investment should be made for sustainable transport packages and schemes which can be implemented alongside road capacity improvement schemes to improve journey times on the roads and alleviate congestion

Zone 3 – Rural and coastal district

In the wider rural and coastal area (Zone 3) the priority will be to increase sustainable transport provision. Enabling journeys from residential areas to town centres and key locations to be made by sustainable means wherever possible is important, so investment should focus on providing residents with an alternative to car use. This will involve a holistic review of the public transport network in the district. Additionally, a focus on technological solutions such as aiding the conversion to electric vehicles and increased awareness of sustainable types of transport available will be key.

The strategy

We have recently undertaken a consultation on the strategy and are currently analysing the results. To read the strategy consulted on please click on the image.

If you have any queries on the document please email us at activetravel@essexhighways.org

Consultation PDF, opens in new window (4.2mb)

Documents

Maldon District Future Transport Strategy - PDF(7.2MB)