TPS reveals plan to reform transport appraisal

The TPS submission to the DfT’s consultation on transport appraisal has now been released and makes a range of proposals, most of which could be implemented quickly.  Its key features are:

DfT engagement 

TPS strongly welcomes the DfT consultation and the Department’s constructive engagement with practitioners.  TPS has organised a number of events on the future of appraisal and will continue to work with all parties to make further progress.

Ensuring existing best practise

Appraisal guidance needs to ensure that:

• There is far greater emphasis on the Strategic Case in the current Treasury 5 case model as interpreted by DfT
• The Strategic Case is not an afterthought with invented objectives but an assessment against existing strategy, for example on sustainability, employment and health
• That genuine alternatives are considered – again a strengthening of guidance to prevent bad practise rather than a major departure
• The use of scenario based forecasts for Strategic and Business Cases, building on recent DfT changes, becomes the norm
• There is far greater use of objectives led (such as multi-criteria, vision and validate) analysis.

Responding to current weaknesses

Reforms are needed so that:

• Forecasts are used which reflect local policies and packages (thus recognising the problem of self-fulfilling traffic growth predictions)
• Central estimate BCRs are no longer used in appraisals, instead there should be policy and package dependent high and low forecasts
• There is full inclusion of the negative impacts of motorised modes, especially health and environment
• Reform of carbon costs to reflect failure to meet reduction targets in the Business as Usual Do Minimum, without this schemes will continue to be implemented which lock in damaging emissions
• For all impacts, there should be an assessment of Do Something against the desired end state not an unrealistic Do Minimum
• Wider economic disbenefits to be included as well as benefits
• The Strategic Case will act as a filter to prevent schemes whose impacts run counter to quality of life objectives but may have a high BCR

A copy of the full submission is attached here