£15m in offsite transport investment planned for Elms Park
Despite its already strong position within an existing transport infrastructure, the latest proposals for the Elms Park development will see an additional £15 million invested in offsite transport development.
The masterplan layout is designed around the neighbourhood concept, meaning that many day-to-day needs of residents can be met within a five-minute walk from their home.
All new homes would also benefit from an extensive Travel Plan, which would encourage residents to walk and cycle for suitable journeys within the site, and in the local area, as well as using the enhanced public transport for other journeys.
Offsite plans for the new major funding include additional public transport services, safe cycle routes and highway improvements. Features of the proposed transport investment, include:
- Over 20km in new, high-quality cycle routes to provide links to the town centre, Bishops Cleeve and Tewkesbury
- New and improved bus services from a purpose built Transport Hub to ensure frequent connections to Cheltenham town centre, GCHQ, Gloucestershire College, the rail station and Cheltenham General Hospital
- Bus priority measures will be introduced on the Tewkesbury Road to improve bus journey times and reliability
- Targeted highway improvements would be implemented to ease congestion, including remodelling of the Princess Elizabeth Way / Tewksbury Road roundabout, off-site junction improvements on Kingsditch Lane and at Staverton Bridge and safety improvements to the southbound off-slip of M5 J10
- Funding for Personalised Travel Planning will be made available, together and other measures to promote non-car use