Transport statement
A transport statement setting out trip generation, access, parking and sustainable travel for a planning application.
About this service
A transport statement explains how people will travel to and from a development, and what effect that will have on the local road network. Councils ask for one on smaller schemes where the traffic impact is modest but still needs to be shown, such as a block of new flats, a change of use or a mixed-use building with a shop on the ground floor. Larger schemes need a full transport assessment instead.
In London, transport planning starts from public transport, walking and cycling rather than the car. Councils and the London Plan expect most new homes in well-connected locations to be car-free or car-lite, with generous cycle parking and safe access on foot. A good statement shows how the scheme fits that approach, while dealing honestly with servicing, deliveries, refuse collection and disabled parking.
We have prepared transport statements on 8 projects across London. Each is tailored to the site and the borough's policies, drawing trip generation, access, parking and sustainable travel together in one clear document that a highways officer can review quickly. Where the council wants supporting evidence, we can add a parking stress survey or swept-path drawings for refuse and delivery vehicles.
When you need it
- Your planning application needs a transport statement
- The highway authority has raised transport concerns
What's included
- Trip generation assessment
- Access and parking review
- Sustainable travel measures
- Report for planning
How it works
- Scope with the councilWe review the council's transport requirements and any pre-application comments, and where helpful agree the scope with the highways officer first, so the statement covers what they need.
- Assess the siteWe visit to review access points, footways, nearby junctions, bus stops, cycle routes and kerbside restrictions, and note the site's public transport accessibility and how residents would realistically reach shops, schools and stations.
- Estimate tripsWe estimate the trips the development will generate by each mode of travel, using comparable surveyed sites, and compare them with the trips made by the existing use.
- Review access and parkingWe check vehicle and pedestrian access, car and cycle parking against policy, servicing and refuse collection, and propose practical improvements where the layout or provision falls short.
- Report and respondWe set out sustainable travel measures and conclusions in a report ready for submission, and answer highway authority or TfL comments during determination so the application keeps moving.
What you receive
Council or TfL: who reviews your transport statement
In most of London, the borough council is the highway authority, and its highways or transport team will review the statement. Transport for London manages the red route network of major roads. Where a site fronts or takes access from a red route, TfL becomes a key consultee with its own expectations on access, servicing and loading. Knowing which body controls the road outside your site shapes the whole approach.
Officers look for realism. Trip estimates should be based on genuinely comparable sites rather than best-case assumptions, and servicing must work without vehicles stopping where they cannot. Where the existing use already generates trips, a fair comparison often shows little net change, which can be a strong argument. Construction traffic is usually dealt with later in a construction logistics and traffic plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a transport statement and a transport assessment?
A transport statement is a shorter document for developments with limited transport impact. A transport assessment is a fuller analysis for larger schemes, often with junction modelling and more detailed surveys. The council decides which is needed based on the scale and location of the development, and will usually confirm this at pre-application stage.
When do I need a transport statement for planning?
Councils typically ask for one when a development adds several homes, changes the use of a building or creates new commercial floorspace, especially where access, parking or servicing is a concern. Check the borough's validation checklist or pre-application advice. If the highway authority has raised concerns on a live application, a statement is often the best way to answer them.
How much does a transport statement cost?
Our transport statement starts from £1,500 + VAT. The fee depends on the scale of the development, how much supporting survey work is needed and whether TfL is involved. We confirm a fixed fee in writing before any work begins, together with our typical turnaround of 10 working days.
What is PTAL and why does it matter?
PTAL stands for Public Transport Accessibility Level, a measure used in London to rate how well a location is served by public transport. Sites with higher scores are generally expected to have little or no car parking. Your site's PTAL strongly influences what the council will accept on parking, and it is a key input to the statement.