Leicester was the UK's first "Environment City" and has as international reputation for innovative transport measures. In partnership with Leicestershire County Council, an integrated transport and land-use policy is being implemented through statutory plans, transport programmes and development control. The "Central Leicestershire Package Area" transport and land-use policy has been developed with the aid of CALTRANS - "Central Leicestershire Strategic Transport Studies". Innovative work has clarified the impacts of alternative land-use scenarios, including energy consumption and pollution. The potential conflicts between urban concentration and accessibility/air quality/congestion have not been fully cosidered and Leicester City Council wishes to share its conclusions. Policy is being implemented through area-wide and corridor-based programmes of investment. Public transport improvements are focused on individual business plans for major radial corridors. Long term investment plans are being prepared, in partnership with the private sector, tailored to the particular problems and opportunities of each corridor. One of the corridors features LERTS (Leicester Environmental Road Tolling Scheme). The business plans will facilitate a phased progression of improvements which, on some corridors, will culminate in rail-based light rapid transit. Leicester City Council wishes to participate in a full pilot of road charging in urban areas, which will finance the long-term plans. The corridor business plans identity the contribution that major travel generators can make to reducing car dependency, in addition to specifying a holistic approach involving car parking policy and area-wide traffic calming.
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