Consultation is open from 3 August 2026 9:00am to 25 September 2026 5:00pm
Policy I/MH: Mobility hub facilities
1. Proposals for new mobility hubs in appropriate locations and the improvement of existing mobility hubs will be supported, subject to:
a. Satisfactory assessment of the proposed development’s transport effects, including proposed parking provision as appropriate to the scale of the hub, its location and context; and
b. Demonstration of the need for and feasibility of such development.
2. New or improved mobility hubs must be safe and inclusive for all users and enable seamless interchange between public transport, shared transport and active travel modes by providing the following components, of a scale and design appropriate to the context and location:
a. Integration into surrounding neighbourhoods and new and existing walking, wheeling, cycle routes;
b. Adequate space to accommodate the anticipated pick-up/drop-off requirements of bus services, whether they are timetabled or demand responsive, with future proofing for future service improvements and/or technological change;
c. Well-designed public realm and pedestrian approaches with clear wayfinding;
d. Adequate lighting, shelters, seating, and digital information;
e. Secure parking for cycles and space suitable for other forms of micromobility where appropriate; and
f. Car parking spaces, car club spaces, and dedicated space for private vehicles and/or taxis to pick-up/drop-off, only as necessary to support the mobility hub in supporting modal interchange and discourage journeys entirely by private car.
3. Other supporting facilities and infrastructure will be supported where it can be demonstrated that:
a. They complement and do not undermine the site’s primary role in enabling interchange between modes of transport. Drive-through facilities will not be supported;
b. They are integrated as part of the wider mobility hub site in such a way that enhances the experience of public transport users and helps to promote public transport use;
c. They contribute positively towards the safety, vitality and community value of the site, incorporating services and facilities such as parcel collection, café and public toilets;
d. They integrate with existing facilities where appropriate and do not undermine the vitality and viability of designated retail centres;
e. They support the extended, safe use of sustainable modes of transport and interchange between these modes throughout the day and into the evening for residents, workers, guests and day visitors;
f. They facilitate the safe, secure storage of other micromobility modes such as dockless cycles or DfT-compliant e-scooters, as appropriate to the location;
g. Any proposed car parking incorporates appropriate charging facilities for electric vehicles; and
h. Any new buildings are of a scale and design appropriate to the location and where there are existing buildings on-site, these are re-used where feasible.
4. Proposals for new or enhanced mobility hubs must demonstrate that appropriate management and maintenance agreements are in place, or will be established, between the Local Transport Authority, service providers and/or any other relevant parties for different components of the site, including any transport infrastructure and supporting amenities and facilities.
5. Proposals seeking to redevelop and repurpose existing mobility hubs will only be considered acceptable where it is demonstrated that there is no local need for the facility and suitable alternative provision is available to serve the needs of existing mobility hub users and does not undermine the attractiveness of the wider public transport network or impede the objective of widening travel choice and encouraging modal shifts towards active and sustainable modes, as demonstrated through a Transport Assessment.
Supporting information
10.15. Mobility hubs are places that enable the seamless interchange between public transport, private transport, and active travel modes such as walking, wheeling and cycling. They include traditional transport interchanges such as railway stations, bus stations, park and ride sites, as well as smaller local hubs serving district centres and neighbourhoods. They are an effective way of providing genuine travel choice and encouraging and maximising modal shift from the private car to more sustainable modes, and can enable more inclusive access to key destinations and centres of attraction, including Cambridge city centre, town centres, major centres of employment, places of education, community and leisure facilities. Mobility hubs differ from a conventional transport interchange because it integrates non-transport components such as community facilities and placemaking elements which means people do not need to travel as much and rely on their local neighbourhoods more.
10.16. Easier transfers between different modes can improve the convenience and attractiveness of shared mobility and public transport options, which is integral to reducing the pressure of private vehicular movements on the transport system, therefore improving its efficiency. It is essential that new developments contribute to the improvement and expansion of the mobility hub network, ensuring people have greater opportunity to access and use sustainable modes of transport for part or all of their journey. The creation of additional mobility hubs and encouraging multi-modal trips can play an important role in reducing road-traffic congestion, vehicle-related pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the risk of road-traffic accidents, and improve safety for vulnerable road users.
10.17. The delivery of new and improved mobility hubs at different scales will support the development of a more coherent network, providing improved connections from smaller neighbourhood-based hubs into larger, well-served hubs, enhancing onward connectivity to surrounding centres and into the City. The delivery of new mobility hubs within major development will increasingly play an important role in driving sustainable patterns of movement and placemaking through delivery of high quality public realm and community spaces which support positive social interaction.
10.18. The design of mobility hubs needs to respond to the location both in terms of the type of components and their scale. The emerging CPCA Mobility Hub Strategy and Delivery Plan and Homes England’s Sustainable Placemaking Guidance Delivering Quality: Mobility Hubs provides clear consideration for the delivery of mobility hubs in different contexts and at different scales. It is suggested that proposals should consider meeting the CoMoUK accreditation criteria for mobility hubs. Some components will be necessary across all scales of mobility hubs, whereas others will only be appropriate in certain contexts. For example, dedicated pick up/drop off points for private vehicles may be less appropriate for a smaller, neighbourhood-based mobility hub where onward travel connections would be focused on active travel modes.
10.19. Supporting facilities can enhance the offer of mobility hub sites and encourage linked trips. This might include measures that seek to reduce reliance on the private car for onward travel to/from the site, including micro mobility hire and charging stations (for electric bikes and e-scooters) or dedicated spaces for car clubs. More widely, complementary facilities such as renewable energy generation, micro-consolidation centres, cafés, and small shops will be considered and supported subject to necessary impact assessments. Drive-throughs and other such uses that are considered to be in conflict with the mobility hub’s primary function of transferring people from cars to other sustainable modes of transport to complete their onwards journey will not be considered supporting facilities when applying this policy.
10.20. Supporting facilities should complement the Mobility Hub site’s primary transport functions. The design and location of additional facilities should be sympathetic to the character of the area and serve the local community and its visitors. Where cafés, and small shops are proposed, the Local Planning Authorities will expect planning applications to consider the commercial viability of the proposed development through the submission of a Business Case. Planning conditions and obligations may also be used to secure aspects of the development needed to sustain the long-term viability of the supporting facility or the wider travel hub site (e.g. controlling the operational hours of a supporting facility or securing contributions towards or the cross-subsidy of proposed facilities).
10.21. Where proposals seek to introduce new or enhance existing mobility hubs, the Local Planning Authorities will require any planning application to include a vision-led Transport Assessment that identifies and mitigates any negative highways or transport impacts caused. In considering the appropriateness of a new or enhanced mobility hub, applicants should consider how the development could contribute towards a change in modal share and/or alter the viability of other public transport services in the area, for example by leading to a loss in patronage on existing services. The Transport Assessment should be used to demonstrate that any consequences for the wider transport network arising from the proposal have been considered and, where appropriate, mitigations put in place.
10.22. Where proposals are located in the Green Belt, they will need to comply with national green belt policy requirements.
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All comments must be received by 25 September 2026 at 5pm.