An online survey to help plan how to handle tomorrow’s rail and road freight in Buckinghamshire has just been launched.

Between 10% and 20% of traffic on main routes through Buckinghamshire is made up of heavy lorries. With a steady increase in freight forecast over the next decade the transport planners at the County Council want to prepare for the future.

To help the planners identify local problem areas, explore untapped opportunities and pinpoint solutions an online snapshot survey will run for the next fortnight at www.buckscc.gov.uk/freight to allow residents and businesses to feed into their thinking. The results of the survey will inform a draft strategy for full consultation later in the year.

Paul Irwin, Deputy Cabinet Member for Transport at Buckinghamshire County Council said his team needs to chart how things have changed with the way freight is transported, as Buckinghamshire has developed in the past decade, and prepare a blueprint for freight for the future.

He said nearly a quarter of what comes into the county by lorry is what residents eat and drink. As the county grows, so will the volume of that essential goods traffic.

‘Shopping on line has really taken off over the past decade and now accounts for 14% of what we buy,‘ said Paul. ‘In the next three or four years, that’s forecast to grow to around 22%, which will add to the number of delivery lorries driving around the county.

We’re working with residents and businesses on this critical question now so they have an early opportunity to influence the development of a new strategy that will make freight work for Buckinghamshire without imposing inappropriate costs on them or our unique environment.

We want to keep Buckinghamshire thriving and attractive.‘

The survey is available on the ‘have your say’ section of the Buckinghamshire County Councils website at www.buckscc.gov.uk/freight.