The transport policy’s stated aims include limiting the need to travel and encouraging modal shift. However, as with the JCS, these aims are comprehensively undermined by the actual infrastructure projects proposed, including the Western Link road, which will be catastrophic for carbon emissions, communities and wildlife (as well as offering an appalling return on investment in terms of economic benefits) and should be scrapped. While the introductory ‘blurb’ to the policy talks about promoting sustainable and active transport and a shift towards non-car modes, the listed projects include road widening, a bypass, the Western Link, and support for the airport. These schemes will undermine the stated aims, and it is disingenuous to suggest otherwise.
It would be good to see a policy on modal shift for last-mile deliveries, e.g by supporting one or more depots on the edge of Norwich from which deliveries can be made by cargo bike.
Paragraph 209 suggests an alarming misunderstanding of the UK’s net zero emissions target. The target is not for “zero carbon development by 2050” - which suggests it would only apply to new projects – but net zero emissions overall by 2050 from all UK domestic activity. That means “zero carbon development” needs to start now, not in 2049 – but instead, Norfolk is continuing with a 20th-century approach to infrastructure, with major road schemes that will lock us into high levels of emissions for years to come.
Paragraph 213 states that private car use is “particularly important to the rural economy”. That is currently true under a business-as-usual scenario; but this is a long-term plan and should reflect the fact that business as usual is not going to continue. Greater Norwich has an opportunity to plan for modal shift, less need to travel, and more genuinely local access to jobs and services – which the plan claims are among its aims. What purpose does it then serve to reiterate support up to 2038 for a damaging and outdated transport mode, instead of thinking creatively about how to actually make modal shift and local jobs a reality?
The efforts to improve cycle infrastructure in Norwich are very welcome and I hope to see these continue.