FAQs

All local transport authorities in England prepare Local Transport Plans. They set out how transport will be managed and improved in the area over the long term. 

The Gloucestershire Local Transport Plan is intended to: 

The current Local Transport Plan was adopted in 2021. Since then, Gloucestershire has continued to grow and travel needs have changed.  

We are now consulting on an updated Draft Local Transport Plan, covering the period 2027–2043. The updated Plan will guide how transport is planned, managed and improved across Gloucestershire over the next 15 years and beyond. 

Feedback from this consultation will help us finalise the Plan before it is considered for formal adoption in 2027. 

Our current Local Transport Plan is now more than five years old. National guidance on what plans should include has also changed. We are now updating the Plan to reflect new priorities and expectations. 

Gloucestershire is growing and changing. New homes, changes in population and expanding employment areas are increasing demand on our transport network. There are also existing challenges affecting how people travel around the county. 

More broadly, our transport network must respond to a changing climate. This means reducing emissions, cleaner air and ensuring transport in Gloucestershire is resilient to more frequent extreme weather events. 

We are now consulting on an updated draft Local Transport Plan (2027-2043), before the document considered for formal adoption next year. The updated Plan will help ensure the transport network supports Gloucestershire’s future growth while responding to the big challenges we face now and in the future. 

We are developing the Local Transport Plan in stages. Earlier this year, we carried out initial engagement and asked people across Gloucestershire to tell us about their experiences of the transport network today, the challenges they face, and their priorities for the future. Feedback from this engagement was used alongside technical evidence to further develop the draft Local Transport Plan, which we are now consulting on.  

The current consultation stage gives residents, businesses, communities and stakeholders another opportunity to comment before the Plan is finalised and considered for formal adoption. 

We want to know whether the Local Transport Plan reflects the right priorities for Gloucestershire and whether our proposed approach will help address the transport issues that matter most.

The earlier engagement was about understanding people’s experiences, challenges and priorities before the draft LTP was developed further. We asked people what mattered most to them about Gloucestershire’s transport network and used this feedback to help shape the updated Draft Local Transport Plan. 

This formal consultation is the next stage. It asks people to review the updated Draft Plan and comment on whether it sets the right direction before the Plan is finalised. 

The consultation will run from 1 October to 15 November 2026.  

During this period, we are asking people to review the updated Draft Local Transport Plan and tell us whether they think it sets the right direction for transport in the county. 

After this consultation closes, we will analyse the feedback we receive and use this to help inform any final changes to the Plan. 

The Local Transport Plan is still in draft and has not yet been finalised. Feedback from this consultation will be carefully considered and will help inform the final version of the Plan and future decisions about transport improvements and investment priorities. 

The consultation will not determine whether individual schemes are funded or delivered. Schemes included in the draft Plan will remain subject to further development, assessment, suitable funding and the necessary approvals. 

During the earlier engagement, we heard from people through surveys, public events, stakeholder meetings and online activity.  

Feedback highlighted a range of issues, including:  

We have taken this feedback on board and used it to help further develop the Plan. 

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the initial engagement earlier this year and shared their views on transport in Gloucestershire. 

Feedback from the initial engagement helped us make further updates to the draft Local Transport Plan. We are now formally consulting on the updated draft. You can find out how we responded to the feedback in our ‘You Said, We Listened’ summary document. 

The draft Local Transport Plan sets out the following vision: 

A better-connected Gloucestershire where transport supports everyone’s needs, our environment flourishes and growth is sustainable. 

This vision recognises the important role transport plays in connecting communities, supporting businesses and protecting the environment. It also reflects the need for a transport network that works for residents, businesses and visitors, and for both built-up and rural areas across Gloucestershire. 

To help deliver the vision, the Local Transport Plan is structured around three delivery outcomes: 

These outcomes are intended to guide future transport decisions, investment priorities and funding bids. They do not mean that every improvement will happen immediately or that every proposal is already funded. 

Gloucestershire County Council is responsible for preparing and adopting the Local Transport Plan. Before the final Plan is prepared for adoption, we will review the following: 

Many people rely on cars for their daily journeys, especially in rural areas where other options may be limited. At the same time, not everyone has access to a car, which can make it harder to get around. 

The updated Local Transport Plan recognises that Gloucestershire’s transport network must reflect the needs of different communities and circumstances.  

The Plan aims to improve choice, reliability, safety and access across the transport network, including by supporting better public transport, walking, wheeling, cycling and road network management. 

The Local Transport Plan covers all forms of transport in Gloucestershire, including: 

It sets out how the transport network will be planned, managed and improved across the county. More detailed policies for particular types of transport are set out in the Plan.  

The ‘draft LTP schemes list’ (supporting document) includes the schemes which support the LTP delivery. 

Schemes included in the LTP are not guaranteed to receive funding or be delivered, as each scheme will require further development, a suitable funding source and the necessary approvals before it can proceed. 

The LTP covers the whole of Gloucestershire, but it recognises that different parts of Gloucestershire face different challenges, and future improvements will need to reflect local needs. 

The draft Plan proposes a ‘place-based approach’ so that future transport investment responds to local circumstances. By this, we mean developing solutions that reflect the needs of each local area and its communities. 

For example, the priorities for urban areas may include public transport priority and comprehensive walking and cycling networks, while rural areas may require demand-responsive transport, community transport, safer rural roads and better connections to key services and transport hubs.  

The Plan itself will not provide detailed designs for every local scheme. Where appropriate, individual proposals will be supported by further development, assessment and engagement. 

The draft Plan recognises that maintaining roads and reducing delays are important to people across Gloucestershire. It sets out an approach to prioritising road maintenance, managing roadworks and making the road network safer, more reliable and better able to cope with disruption. 

The Plan aims to reduce congestion by managing traffic more effectively and improving public transport, walking, wheeling, cycling and Park and Ride. It also allows for targeted road improvements where needed but recognises that building more road capacity alone will not provide a long-term solution to congestion. 

The updated Draft Local Transport Plan includes proposals to improve the local bus network, make public transport easier to use, improve links between different types of transport, support better rail services and station access, and build on demand responsive transport in rural Gloucestershire. 

The Plan also includes proposals for bus priority measures, better coordination, targeted action on delays, transport hubs, better travel information and stronger links between buses, rail, walking, cycling and Park and Ride where appropriate.  

These proposals are intended to make public transport more reliable, accessible, affordable and easier to use. 

Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, is a high-quality bus system designed to provide faster, more frequent and more reliable journeys along key corridors. 

The draft Plan proposes to develop a BRT system, initially building out from the Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury corridor, with connections to local bus services, demand-responsive transport, railway stations, Park and Ride sites and interchange hubs. The system would be delivered in phases and would depend on further planning, funding and scheme development. 

Transport plays an important role in supporting new housing and development. 

The Local Transport Plan will help guide future transport investment to support sustainable and well-designed new development and ensure communities have access to services and opportunities. 

The draft Plan seeks to integrate transport and land-use planning so that transport is considered from the start when new homes and employment areas are planned. 

Transport is currently one of the largest sources of carbon emissions in Gloucestershire. The draft Plan therefore proposes actions to support Gloucestershire’s ambition to reach net zero by 2045. 

The draft Plan recognises that rural communities need transport options that work for them.  

In rural areas, the updated LTP looks at flexible transport options, demand responsive transport, community transport, taxis and private hire, safer rural roads, better links to rail and bus services, and improved digital connectivity 

The draft Plan includes proposals to make walking, wheeling and cycling feel safer, easier and more attractive for everyday journeys. It also supports delivery of Gloucestershire’s Active Travel Strategy, Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs), the Gloucestershire Cycle Spine and other improvements to walking and cycling networks. 

These proposals are intended to support healthier lifestyles, improve safety, create better streets and public spaces, and help people access local services and opportunities. 

The draft Plan aims to make it easier for everyone to travel independently and with confidence, including disabled people, older people and those with additional mobility needs. 

It proposes improving access to streets, paths, bus stops, transport hubs, railway stations, vehicles and travel information. We will use accessible design standards and work with transport operators, disabled people, accessibility groups and local communities to identify and remove barriers to travel. 

Funding for transport improvements needs to be prioritised to make best use of the money available. Schemes included in the LTP are not guaranteed funding or delivery and must undergo further development and secure funding and approvals before they can proceed. 

Transport improvements may be funded through a combination of: 

Future priorities will be informed by technical evidence, feedback and funding availability.  

No. The LTP provides the long-term framework for setting priorities, developing proposals and seeking investment. It does not mean that every policy, action or scheme is fully funded or ready to be delivered. 

To deliver the schemes, we will seek funding from government, local and developer sources. The timing of improvements will depend on the funding available and the planning, design and approvals required. 

The Local Transport Plan sets the long-term vision and delivery priorities for transport in Gloucestershire. Some improvements may be delivered in the short term, while others will take longer to plan, fund and deliver. 

Future transport investment will be guided by the Local Transport Plan and funding availability. 

The LTP Monitoring Report will set out the targets and indicators used to track delivery and performance. Progress will be monitored yearly, and we will measure this against national transport priorities as set out in the Government’s Local Outcomes Framework. 

The LTP Implementation Plans will help show what action is being taken, which schemes support the Plan and whether the strategy is delivering its intended outcomes. 

Earlier engagement helped us understand people’s experiences of the transport network and their priorities for the future. We have considered this feedback alongside technical evidence to develop the updated Draft Local Transport Plan. 

We are now formally consulting on the draft Plan. We want to know whether it sets the right direction for Gloucestershire, whether it responds to the issues raised through earlier engagement, and whether anything important is missing. 

Your feedback will help shape the final Plan before it is prepared for adoption. 

No. This consultation is your final opportunity to comment on the updated Draft Local Transport Plan before it is finalised and adopted. 

Further engagement may take place in the future as individual transport proposals and schemes are developed. These would be subject to their own decision-making and consultation arrangements where appropriate. 

Feedback from this consultation will help us understand whether the updated Draft Local Transport Plan reflects the right priorities for Gloucestershire, whether it responds to the issues raised through earlier engagement, and whether anything important is missing. 

The best way to provide feedback is to complete our online survey. You can access this and register for one of our online events by following the link on our webpage:  

https://haveyoursaygloucestershire.uk.engagementhq.com/gloucestershire-local-transport-plan  

If you have any problems or are struggling to provide feedback, please let us know. Alternative formats and support will be made available for people who cannot access or complete the online survey. 

Copies of the LTP will also be available at local libraries across Gloucestershire.