Major Local Transport Schemes including Public Transport Projects

Following the Government's Integrated Transport White Paper, the New Approach To Appraisal has been adopted for the appraisal of major local transport schemes. Appraisal is required for all 'Major Schemes' (local transport schemes greater than £5m) and other schemes that require Government approval, for example road user charging. For other local transport schemes, the appraisal guidance should be considered to be best practice.

The core appraisal methodology was originally set out in the Guidance on the Methodology of Multi-Modal Studies (GOMMMS), supported by Major Scheme Appraisal in Local Transport Plans, Part 1. These documents have now been fully incorporated into TAG.

Key Entry Points:

Introductory Material

An Introduction to Transport Analysis, (TAG Unit 1.1) provides a brief guide to the appraisal process for transport facilities.

Major Scheme Appraisal in Local Transport Plans: Detailed Guidance on Public Transport and Highway schemes (TAG Unit 1.4) introduces the new appraisal process to be followed in the appraisal of major public transport and highway schemes bid for as part of the LTP process.

Guidance for the Project Manager

The Overall Approach: Steps in the Process ( TAG Unit 2.1) provides an overview of the study process and provides a starting point for subsequent Units on Objectives and Problems, Policy Instruments, Modelling and The Appraisal Process.

Guidance for the Expert

Major scheme appraisal in Local Transport Plans: Detailed Guidance on Major Scheme Appraisal in Local Transport Plans (TAG Unit 3.9) sets out the detailed guidance on Assessment against central government objectives, Cost Benefit Analysis, Risk Analysis, Optimism Bias, Decongestion, Audit Trail and Regeneration.

A full list of TAG Units is available on the Documents page.

For further information:

The policy background to the development of the New Approach to Appraisal and the Multi-Modal Studies is set out in more detail in A New Deal for Transport, The Government's White Paper on the future of transport (DETR, 1998) and A New Deal for Trunk Roads (“The Roads Review”) (DETR, 1998). These documents are available on the DfT website - see Transport Policy Links.

Background information, guidance and good practice advice on the Local Transport Plan (LTP) Process and related initiatives is available on the DfT website - see Transport Planning Links.

Major Scheme Appraisal in Local Transport Plans Part3, Detailed Guidance on Forecasting models for Major Public Transport Schemes provides guidance on the modelling approach the Department expects for the appraisal of LRT and Guided Bus Schemes. This provides procedures on forecasting purely for public transport scheme appraisals. Part 3 is currently being revised. See Appraisal Links.

Guidance on the appraisal of rail schemes is available on the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) website - see Appraisal Links.