Transport Statement vs Transport Assessment: Which one do you need?

In this guide, we explain the differences between these two documents, and set out a step-by-step approach to help you decide which one your development is likely to need.

Although local planning authorities and governing bodies have definitive criteria for when a Transport Statement or Transport Assessment is required, in reality the two often overlap. The scope of work you’re asked to provide will usually depend on the scale, type, and potential transport impacts of your development. Unless you have engaged in specific pre-application discussions or scoped out requirements with the highways authority, it is not always clear what level of detail you’ll need to provide. 

However, these are the elements that planners will typically expect to see in each document:

Transport Statement

A Transport Statement is considered a ‘lighter-touch’ assessment that is most commonly submitted to support minor planning applications. Its purpose is to demonstrate that a development will not cause any negative transport or highway impacts.

A Transport Statement will typically detail:

• The site location and surrounding transport network
• Existing sustainable transport provision, including walking, cycling, and public transport
• The proposed site access arrangements for all modes of travel
• Parking provisions
• High-level trip generation

Depending on the type and scale of your development, you may also need to include findings from speed surveys, visibility splays, and swept path analysis within your Transport Statement. 

Transport Assessment

A Transport Assessment is typically required for major planning applications or complex, large-scale, or mixed-use developments that have the potential to generate significant transport impacts. 

A Transport Assessment includes all the core elements of a Transport Statement, but take these further by assessing the potential impacts on the local highway network in detail. This usually involves:

• Detailed trip generation, distribution, and assignment
• Capacity assessments of key junctions using recognised tools such as PICADY, ARCADY, and LinSIG
• Consideration of the cumulative impacts with other developments
• Review of road safety and accident data (where relevant)

If any potential impacts are identified, the Transport Assessment may also propose mitigation measures in collaboration with planners and other consultants. These could include highway improvements, junction alterations, or enhanced walking and cycling routes to reduce the impact of the proposals.

Step 1: Is your development major or minor?

You’re more likely to need a Transport Statement if:

• Your development is minor or small-scale
• Traffic generation is limited
• The access arrangements are straightforward

You’re more likely to need a Transport Assessment if:

• The proposal is classed as a major development under planning regulations
• Your development is expected to generate a high level of vehicle trips
• The site is complex, phased, or mixed-use

However, it’s important to note that classification alone doesn’t always determine which transport report you need.

Step 2: What level of transport impact is expected?

Highways authorities are less concerned with what the document is called, and more focused on the real-world impact your development will have on the surrounding transport network. For this reason, smaller developments could actually require a more detailed assessment.

Planners will consider:

• Whether the proposal will likely increase traffic on the surrounding roads
• Capacity or safety issues at nearby junctions
• How well the site is serviced by sustainable transport 
• Any constraints affecting vehicle access, visibility, or servicing

Step 3: What do planners expect to see?

Regardless of whether you need to submit a Transport Statement or Transport Assessment, planners and highway officers will expect to see:

• A clear, proportionate assessment of how your development affects access, traffic, and sustainable travel
• Clear conclusions that are backed up by data, surveys, and modelling 
• A clear link between your proposals and local and national transport policy
• Evidence that you have considered sustainable and active travel from the outset

The key is to ensure that the level of analysis reflects your development and its context, which is exactly where an expert transport planning consultant like Encon Associates comes in.

As members of The Chartered Institute of Highways & Transportation, Encon Associates is here to support you throughout the entire transport planning process, from initial feasibility through to final submission. We can provide comprehensive Transport Assessments and Travel Plans, alongside supporting technical work such as swept path analysis, speed surveys, and visibility splay assessments. 

If you’re planning a development and need clarity on your transport requirements, get in touch with us today. We’ll help you scope the right level of assessment and prepare the transport evidence you need to gain planning approval.