BREEAM Transport Assessment and Travel Plan

1 Aim and benefits
2 When to consider
3 Step-by-step guidance
4 Questions to ask while seeking compliance
5 Tools and resources
6 Tips and best practice
7 Typical evidence
8 Applicable schemes
9 Multiple Author Articles
10 General articles
11 Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

[edit] Aim and benefits

To reward awareness of existing local transport and identify improvements to make it more sustainable. To encourage more sustainable forms of travel and reduce the reliance on cars.

[edit] When to consider

No later than concept design stage - carry out a site-specific Transport Assessment and draft Travel Plan.
Design development - develop site-specific Travel Plan.

[edit] Step-by-step guidance

The site-specific transport assessment or statement must cover the following (as a minimum):

If relevant, travel patterns and attitudes of existing building or site users towards cycling, walking and public transport, to identify relevant constraints and opportunities.
Predicted travel patterns and transport impact of future building users.
Current local environment for pedestrians and cyclists (accounting for any age-related requirements of occupants and visitors).
Reporting of the number and type of existing accessible amenities within 500m of the site as per table Tra01.1 (following a safe pedestrian route).
Disabled access (accounting for varying levels of disability, including visual impairment).
Calculation of the existing public transport Accessibility Index (AI) (see methodology).
Current facilities for cyclists.

The travel plan should include a package of measures to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport and movement of people and goods during the buildings operation and use. To include:

Negotiation with local bus, train or tram companies to increase the local service provision for the development.
Provision of a public transport information system in a publicly accessible area.
Provision of electric recharging stations.
Provision parking priority spaces for car sharers.
Consultation with the local authority on the state of the local cycling network and on improvements.
Provision of dedicated and convenient cycle storage.
Provision of cyclists’ facilities.
Lighting, landscaping and shelter to create pleasant pedestrian and public transport waiting areas.
Restrictions and/or charging for car parking.
Pedestrian and cycle friendly (for all types of user regardless of the level of mobility or visual impairment) via the provision of cycle lanes, safe crossing points, direct routes, appropriate tactile surfaces, well-lit and signposted to other amenities, public transport nodes and adjoining off-site pedestrian and cycle routes.
Provision suitable taxi drop-off/waiting areas.
Ensuring that rural buildings are located with appropriate transport access to ensure that they adequately serve the local community (where procured to do so e.g. community centre).

If the occupier is known, they must be involved in the development of the travel plan and they must confirm that the travel plan will be implemented post construction and be supported by the building’s management in operation.

[edit] Tra01.1 : Amenities in Proximity to the Site:

Appropriate food outlet.
Access to cash.
Access to an outdoor open space (public or private, suitably sized and accessible to building users).
Access to a recreation or leisure facility for fitness or sports.
Publicly available postal facility.
Community facility.
Over the counter services associated with a pharmacy.
Public sector GP surgery or general medicine centre.
Childcare facility or school

[edit] Calculating the Public Transport Accessibility Index (AI):

Collate the following information to determine the public transport Accessibility Index (AI) of the assessed building:

Distance (m) from the main building entrance to each compliant public transport node.
Public transport types serving the compliant node, e.g. bus or rail.
Average number of services stopping per hour at each compliant node during the operating hours of the building for a typical day (see Table Tra01.2).

Use the BREEAM Accessibility Index tool to calculate the AI.

Tra01.2 : Default hours of operation by building type for a typical day

Building Type	Default Hours
Commercial	08.00-19.00
Preschool, school, 6th form college	07.30-10.00, 15.00-17.30
Further & Higher Education	08.00-19.00
Healthcare	07.00-20.00 (encompassing visiting hours and typical daytime shift patterns)
Retail: Shopping Centre	09.00-19.00
Retail:Supermarket	08.00-22.00
Retail:Service provider	08.00-18.00
Retail: Convenience store	07.00-22.00
Retail: DIY or retail park	08.00-20.00
Retail: Shop	08.30-17.30
Multi-residential accommodation	08.00-19.00
Court	08.00-19.00
Prison	07.00-20.00 (encompassing visiting hours and typical daytime shift patterns)
Other buildings	08.00-19.00 Or use any of the above hours, as appropriate to the building type
24-hour use building	07.00-20.00

[edit] Calculating the average number of services

For the AI calculation, the frequency of public transport is the average number of services per hour. This average is calculated by determining the number of services stopping at the node (during the peak arrival and departure times for the building or the building's typical day’s operating hours, see definition of 'operating hours') divided by the number of hours within that period. For example, the average number of services for a building that operates between 08:00–19:00 hrs (11 hours) within proximity of a bus stop with 35 stopping services during this period is 3.2 (equivalent to an average service frequency of approximately 20 minutes).

[edit] Multiple services

Services that operate from more than one node within proximity of the building, the same bus serving two separate bus stops, must be considered only once, at the node in closest proximity to the building. Different services at the same node count as separate services.

[edit] Bi-directional routes

Routes will be bi-directional; however, for the purpose of calculating the index, consider only the direction with the highest frequency (in accordance with the PTAL methodology).

[edit] Campus or campus-style developments - entrance to consider when calculating the AI

The main entrance, to the campus, e.g. further or higher education sites, can be used to determine the distance to a compliant node if 80% or more of the buildings are within 1000m of this entrance.

If the site has more than one main entrance, either entrance can be used for the calculation.

Where less than 80% of the buildings are within 1000m of the campus’ main entrance, the assessed building’s main entrance must be used to determine the distance to a compliant node. This aims to encourage the location of public transport nodes inside or on the periphery of large campuses.

[edit] Buildings in Greater London

The transport for London Planning Information Database allows users to search for a specific London location by street name, coordinates or postcode and then calculate the Accessibility Index (AI) for that location. The Total AI is confirmed for the Point of Interest (POI) within the summary report, which can be downloaded and used as evidence of compliance for the assessed building. See tfl.gov.uk.

[edit] Operating hours in a typical day

A typical day represents the period when travel to and from the building by its users and visitors will be at its highest. For most buildings this should be taken as a mid-week day. In choosing a typical day the assessor should check that timetabled information for that day is, within reason, representative of the public transport provision for the entire operating week (excluding Sundays).

BREEAM considers a building’s accessibility to be defined by how readily the public transport network can be used by the majority of building users travelling to and from the building. In most cases the normal operating hours of the building can be used. Where shift patterns see the majority of building users (over 80%) arriving or leaving during a certain period, for example an office building where the majority of office workers arrive between 8.00–10.00, that period can be used as an alternative to the operating hours of the building. This accounts for some building types that operate a 24-hour day and on a shift work basis. During typically deemed unsociable hours, where there is little if any public transport operating, such periods do not need to be accounted for in the assessment of this issue. Where the assessed building operates on a 24-hour basis or the operating hours are unknown at the time of assessment, use Table Tra01.2.

[Building users (as appropriate to the building type) could refer to staff, pupils/students, visitors, patients, customers, community users, delivery personnel, regular contractors/service providers and residents (multi- residential buildings)]

[edit] Questions to ask while seeking compliance

Has a travel plan / transport assessment been completed for planning? If so, is it compliant?
Are there any proposed improvements to the local infrastructure or public transport system which may also be able to gain credits under Tra02?

[edit] Tools and resources

[edit] Tips and best practice

Travel plans and assessments are sometimes required for planning, however, these are not always compliant so may require amending in line with the BREEAM criteria.
The Transport Assessment and Draft Travel Plan are now required to be prepared by the end of RIBA Stage 2.
The Travel Plan is a pre-requisite for Tra02 credits.
Where possible, the sustainable transport measures such as cyclist facilities, car charging points, car share spaces etc should be specified in line with the criteria requirements for Tra02 as hard measures within the Travel Plan.

[edit] Typical evidence

Design stage:

Site-specific travel assessment and travel plan.
Letter confirming that a copy of the travel plan will be provided to all future tenants so it may inform their own travel plan/strategy.
Design drawings demonstrating that the travel plan recommendations.hard measures have been implemented and incorporated within the final design.

Post construction:

Assessor site inspection.
As built drawings.

[edit] Applicable schemes

The guidelines collated in this ISD aim to support sustainable best practice in the topic described. This issue may apply in multiple BREEAM schemes covering different stages in the life of a building, different building types and different year versions. Some content may be generic but scheme nuances should also be taken into account. Refer to the comments below and related articles to this one to understand these nuances. See this document for further guidelines.