What is the DfT Connectivity Tool?
Primarily the Connectivity Tool allows any user to view connectivity scores calculated by the DfT for any location within England and Wales.
The purpose of the connectivity scores is to indicate how well locations are connected to everyday destinations by walking, cycling and public transport. The maximum score is 100.
Whilst scores are given by destination type and mode of transport, the overall connectivity score (which excludes driving) is the primary guide to understanding how connected a particular location is.
How does DfT calculate connectivity scores?
The scores are based on the DfT Connectivity Metric which evaluates the value of destinations and the opportunity to reach them using a variety of modes of transport, including walking, cycling, driving and public transport. It considers different purposes of travel, like employment, education, shopping, leisure and healthcare.
Why do you need to know about the DfT Connectivity Tool?
It is referred to in draft policies TR1 and TR3 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which was published for consultation on 16 December 2025.
Policy TR1 says that when preparing development plans the Connectivity Tool should be used to inform the assessment and selection of sites for development, alongside other relevant evidence.
Policy TR3 says the Connectivity Tool should be used alongside other relevant evidence in assessing the connectivity of sites proposed for development.
In addition, since the Connectivity Tool has been available to planning and highway authorities since 26 June 2025, it has been referred to in consultation responses to planning applications.
Why does NPPF refer to using other relevant evidence in addition to the Connectivity Tool?
There are numerous limitations to the DfT Connectivity Metric. Due to data availability and/or the project timescale, significant assumptions were made. Most notable are:
Destinations more than an hour away are not representative of daily travel behaviour and do not contribute to connectivity;
People do not plan their journey – they leave homes at a given point in time regardless of whether this corresponds to available public transport services;
People do not cycle to stations; and,
There have been no changes in travel patterns since the Covid-19 Pandemic.
If there are limitations to the DfT Connectivity Tool, then how do you determine whether a location is sustainable?
The answer is judgement. The Connectivity Tool is just a tool and can only go so far. Whilst the metric the Tool is based on identifies the opportunity for people to use the routes to the destinations it doesn’t take into account the quality of them which is key to whether people will actually use them. Nor does it account for technical innovations such as e-bikes and wheeling, the latter of which is referred to in draft policies TR1 and TR3 of the revised NPPF.
DfT themselves acknowledge the limitations of the metric with connectivity scores being based on saying that “outputs of the score therefore should always be contextually appraised using local knowledge / evidence and having regard to other material considerations”.
This is where Rovia can help based on years of experience of determining the sustainability of locations for development purposes. If you wish to understand how we can help, please contact Stephen Eyton (stephen.eyton@rovia.co.uk or 07539 380 100).
