Outsourced Swept Path Analysis for Planning & Design
"Enhancing Your Project's Efficiency with Precision and Expert Analysis"
Planning-ready swept path / vehicle tracking outputs, without the back-and-forth
If your planning consultant, highways engineer or LPA needs vehicle tracking evidence, we’ll produce submission-ready swept path drawings (and a short supporting note if required) from your existing / proposed layout.
Typical use cases:
- Planning applications (access, refuse, fire tender, deliveries)
- Junction/access design, car parks, yards and service areas
- Tight sites where overhang/clearance is borderline
- Specialist movements, including abnormal loads (where applicable)
DWG preferred (PDF ok) + required vehicle types + site notes.
Deliverables you can submit:
Included on (BSC) Basic delivery tier:
- Vehicle tracking / swept path drawings (PDF) showing paths, overhang and key clearances
Included from (STD) Standard delivery & High Priority tiers:
- CAD overlay (DWG) to drop straight into your planning pack / design set
- Video review / walkthrough explaining the results and any key constraints (useful for internal sign-off and planning discussions)
Available on request (optional):
- Short supporting note for planning
- Layout optimisation support (ICT)
Need a bespoke vehicle? Send manufacturer chassis / turning data and we can build a custom model.
To start, send:
- Site / layout drawing (DWG ideal, PDF workable)
- The vehicle(s) required (e.g., refuse, fire appliance, articulated HGV, coach)
- Any authority guidance (LPA/Highways comment or condition wording)
- Constraints (gates, bollards, kerbs, gradients, swept areas to avoid)
What is swept path analysis (vehicle tracking)?
Swept Path Analysis (also called vehicle tracking) checks whether a vehicle can safely enter, turn, manoeuvre and exit within your proposed or existing layout — and produces the drawings used to evidence compliance for planning and design sign-off.
It helps you:
- Confirm access works for the required vehicle types
- Identify conflicts early (kerb strikes, pinch points, overhang clashes)
- Provide clear evidence for planners, highways and stakeholders
Why it matters for planning & design:
- Reduce planning risk: clear evidence of access and manoeuvrability
- Avoid costly redesigns: catch issues before authority comments land
- Safer layouts: improve turning areas, pedestrian interfaces, service routes
- Better decision-making: compare design options quickly and defensibly
Where swept path / vehicle tracking is commonly required:
Planning submissions
- Residential developments, apartment schemes, constrained accesses
- Retail, industrial and mixed-use sites
- Condition discharge and redesign support after LPA feedback
Servicing & operations
- Delivery yards, reverse manoeuvres, refuse collection routes
- Fire tender access, emergency access strategies
- Schools, hospitals and public-facing sites
Highways & access design
- Junction/access geometry, bellmouths, roundabouts
- Internal roads, car parks, drop-offs and turning heads
Specialist movements
- Constrained routes and access for oversized vehicles
- Abnormal load considerations (e.g., long loads, escort constraints) where project scope requires it
Abnormal load / specialist transport support (when needed):
For projects involving oversized vehicles, we can support route/access feasibility with tracking drawings and clear constraints notes (turn radii, swing, overhang risk areas, and practical manoeuvre assumptions). This is especially useful for industrial, energy and infrastructure-adjacent sites.
How it works:
- Send your layout and vehicle requirements - Provide your DWG (preferred) or PDF, confirm the vehicle types to be tested, and include any relevant planning or highways comments.
- We confirm scope, fee and turnaround - Once we’ve reviewed the drawings and vehicle assumptions, we confirm the deliverables, cost, and delivery period before work begins.
- We produce planning-ready tracking outputs - Using specialist vehicle simulation software, we test the confirmed vehicle movements against your layout and issue submission-ready PDF drawings (with DWG overlays where required). Vehicle assumptions are clearly stated.
- Changes are quoted separately - Swept Path Analysis is based on fixed vehicle and layout assumptions. If the vehicle type, route, or geometry changes after completion, any re-analysis is treated as additional work and issued under a new fee quotation.
Swept Path Analysis is vehicle-specific and based on the layout provided. Confirming the correct vehicle types and constraints at the outset ensures the outputs remain valid for planning submission and design coordination.
HOW OUR SERVICE WORKS.
A more in depth service description is contained within each client Fee Quotation
1
Initial Submission
Site Layout: Please send us a brief including your site layout, PDF format is fine for the fee quotation.
Vehicle Testing List: Provide a list of all the vehicles you would like to have tested (dimensions).
2
Fee Quotation
We will send you back a fee quotation PRONTO.
3
Quotation Details
Within your fee quotation, select your delivery period.
Choose to pay up front or on completion.
4
Acceptance and Further Requirements
On acceptance of the fee quotation, we will require the DWG CAD files to run the analysis.
5
The Swept Path Drawings can then be carried out.
6
Delivery and Payment
Depending on your payment choice, the drawings are either sent back as a preview or as download links.
Files are only released once payment has been received.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
EXAMPLE OUTPUTS
PRICING & TURNAROUND
HP80
Next Working Day - Before Noon
High Priority Service
(STD) Plus 80%
HP60
Next Working Day
High Priority Service
(STD) Plus 60%
HP40
3 Working Days
High Priority Service
(STD) Plus 40%
HP20
5 Working Days
High Priority Service
(STD) Plus 20%
Standard Delivery (STD)
from
£165.00+VAT
- 10 Working Days Delivery.
- Includes video commentary on completed analysis.
- Observed Road Markings and Street Furniture Added for Accuracy
- Delivered in PDF & DWG formats.
Basic Delivery (BSC)
£80.00+VAT
- 30 Working Days Delivery
- Only available for single Swept Path Analysis (SPA) plan orders (Multi-plan orders start from STD Delivery).
- PDF format only (No DWG files provided).
- No video commentary or analysis comments included.
- Partially added road markings (Indicative only).
- Note: BSC is our no-frills SPA option for single-plan orders only.
Additional Pricing Information:
Pricing is reviewed every April.
- How SPA Plans Are Counted (What We Mean by “1 Plan”)
- A “Plan” means one swept path output sheet (PDF/DWG) showing a defined movement set at an appropriate scale for technical clarity.
- Examples (SPA – individual plans, not VRA)
- A) Vehicle types: 1x Fire Appliance + 1x Refuse Vehicle = 2 plans
- B) Vehicle sizes: 1x Large Car + 1x Medium Car = 2 plans
- Parking layouts (grouped tests per sheet)
- C1) Up to 6 test bays shown on 1x A1 sheet = 1 plan
- C2) Up to 4 test bays shown on 1x A2 sheet = 1 plan
- C3) Up to 2 test bays shown on 1x A3 sheet = 1 plan
- C4) 1 test bay shown on 1x A3 sheet = 1 plan
- C5) 1 movement to/from a bay shown on 1x A3 sheet = 1 plan
- Vehicle Route Analysis (VRA) / Abnormal Loads (route segment plans)
- VRA projects are produced as sequential route segment plans (per sheet) to maintain clear numbering and easy referencing for stakeholders. These plans may include:
- On-site turning movements
- Junction manoeuvres
- Start-to-finish route segments (e.g., Port to Site)
- Custom vehicle models
- We can build custom vehicle models where manufacturer dimensional drawings/specs are provided (tractor units, trailers, load configurations).
- Overview drawings
- Where appropriate, we may include overview drawings to provide context across the wider route or site.
- Volume-Based Pricing for Swept Path Analysis (SPA) Plans (Per Brief)
- We use tiered pricing based on the total number of SPA plan outputs required per brief (order). This reduces the per-plan cost on higher-volume plan packs while keeping pricing consistent and predictable.
- Standard rate (1 plan): £165 per plan +VAT
- Volume discounts (2+ plans): applied incrementally from 2% (2–10 plans) up to 10% (76–100 plans)
- 100+ plans: typically supplied under retainer agreements (scope-dependent / negotiable)
- Non-retainer clients: discounts are capped at 10% for volumes beyond this point
- Volume Disbursement Fee (VDF) – Plan-Pack Setup (2+ Plans)
- The Volume Disbursement Fee (VDF) applies where the initial brief requires two or more SPA plan outputs (for example, multiple vehicles, routes, or sheets). The VDF is separate from the per-plan rate and covers the plan-pack setup carried out before swept-path simulation, including:
- Route/junction planning (where applicable)
- Sheet extents, numbering, and layout coordination
- Drawing coordination and issue setup for multi-plan outputs
- VDF schedule (per brief)
- 1 plan: £0.00 (no VDF)
- 2–10 plans: £120.00 +VAT
- 11–25 plans: £180.00 +VAT
- 26–50 plans: £250.00 +VAT
- 51–75 plans: £325.00 +VAT
- 76–100 plans: £400.00 +VAT
- 100+ plans: typically under retainer (scope-dependent / negotiable)
Important notes
- If a brief is accepted and plan-pack setup work has commenced, the VDF remains applicable even if the plan count or vehicle selection is later reduced, because the multi-plan setup has already been undertaken.
- New briefs / re-tracks: where a new brief is commissioned (e.g., a re-track following changes to the base layout), VDF applicability is assessed again based on the number of SPA plans required for that new brief.
- For full details, please refer to our (HOSW) “How Our Service Works” section.
Delivery Periods & Upgrades:
- Quotations are issued with a default delivery period (typically HP20 for standard SPA work). Clients can select their preferred delivery period directly within the fee quotation link (subject to project complexity and capacity).
- High-volume or complex orders may require extended delivery periods. Faster options (e.g., HP60 / HP80) may not be available for larger plan packs due to workload and quality assurance requirements. Where an expedited delivery is not feasible, it will not be shown as an option within the quotation.
- If project urgency changes after acceptance, clients may upgrade the delivery period (excluding Vehicle Route Analysis (VRA)), subject to availability and an additional admin charge. Full details are provided within the fee quotation.
Need Help? Let’s Talk!
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your project, simply book a meeting. There are two types of meetings available via the menu:
- Phone Call Meeting
- Screen Share Meeting
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
These FAQs explain how Swept Path Analysis is scoped, produced, and reviewed for planning and compliance purposes. They are intended to clarify responsibilities, inputs, and limitations before commissioning work.
To carry out a Swept Path Analysis (SPA), we require a site layout showing the area to be tested and the proposed vehicle routes.
This is typically provided as a DWG CAD file. Where CAD is not available, we can work from alternative sources such as a dimensioned hand-drawn sketch, 1:1250 OS Master Mapping, or a Topographical Survey. The level of accuracy achievable will depend on the quality and scale of the information supplied.
Any constraints or permitted crossing areas that may affect vehicle movements such as walls, landscaped zones, load-restricted surfaces, or removable features must be identified at the outset. Introducing new constraints after the analysis has been completed will require a revised analysis and a new fee quotation.
The client must also confirm the vehicle type(s) to be tested before work begins. Swept Path Analysis is vehicle-specific; changing the vehicle type or size after completion will require a new analysis.
Providing clear and complete information at the quotation stage ensures the analysis is accurate, suitable for planning submission, and delivered without delay.
Swept Path Analysis (SPA) drawings are commonly requested as part of a planning application to demonstrate that the proposed layout can safely and practically accommodate the vehicle movements expected to use the site.
As development sites become more constrained, local planning authorities place increased scrutiny on access geometry, turning space, and manoeuvrability particularly for refuse vehicles, fire appliances, delivery vehicles, and construction traffic. SPA drawings provide a clear, simulation-based method of verifying that these vehicles can enter, circulate, and exit the site without conflicting with boundaries, structures, or pedestrian areas.
Local authorities use swept path drawings to assess whether a layout is workable in practice, not just in principle. This helps identify potential access issues early, reducing the risk of planning objections, late-stage redesigns, or post-approval conditions requiring further amendments.
Providing clear, vehicle-specific SPA drawings at the application stage supports a more efficient planning review process and helps demonstrate that the proposed development is both feasible and safe from an operational perspective.
Swept Path Analysis (SPA) is used by planners, architects, engineers, developers, and site owners to confirm that proposed layouts can safely and realistically accommodate the vehicles expected to use them.
The analysis allows vehicle movements to be tested digitally at the design stage, removing the need for physical trials or assumptions based on generic diagrams. This enables teams to identify access constraints, clearance issues, and layout inefficiencies early — before they become planning objections, redesign costs, or site constraints.
In practice, SPA is highly vehicle- and layout-specific. Producing reliable results requires specialist software, validated vehicle models, and experience interpreting planning and highway requirements. For most projects, maintaining this capability in-house is neither cost-effective nor proportionate.
Outsourcing the analysis avoids the expense of specialist software, vehicle model development, and trial-and-error testing. It also ensures the output is suitable for planning submission, clearly presented, and based on confirmed vehicle assumptions rather than best guesses or generic templates.
By commissioning a dedicated Swept Path Analysis, project teams gain a defensible, project-specific assessment that supports decision-making, reduces risk, and streamlines the approval process.
On-site visits are not required for Swept Path Analysis (SPA). All analysis is carried out remotely using the site information and drawings provided, combined with digital mapping and CAD-based vehicle simulation.
SPA is a technical assessment of vehicle movements against a defined layout. The accuracy of the analysis is determined by the quality of the base information supplied, not by physical site attendance. For this reason, site visits do not form part of our standard SPA service.
Where a client specifically requests a site visit for example to review access constraints or discuss vehicle movements in person this would be treated as a separate consultancy service. Any such visit would be subject to availability and charged in addition to the SPA, with all associated travel, accommodation, subsistence, and time costs recoverable.
Unless expressly agreed in writing, all Swept Path Analysis work is undertaken remotely.
Our Swept Path Analysis (SPA) Suite includes an extensive library of commonly required vehicles, selected to cover the majority of UK planning and access scenarios.
Given the wide variety of vehicle makes, body types, and bespoke fleet configurations in use, it is not practical — nor technically appropriate — for every possible vehicle to be held as a default model.
Where a project requires a vehicle that is not included in our standard library, the client must provide the vehicle specifications or manufacturer’s chassis drawings before the analysis can proceed. Using this information, we can build a custom vehicle model tailored to the confirmed dimensions and configuration.
If no vehicle details are supplied, the analysis will be based on an agreed benchmark vehicle from our standard library. Any changes to the test vehicle after acceptance will require a revised analysis and a new fee quotation.
This approach ensures the analysis remains accurate, transparent, and suitable for planning submission, while clearly defining responsibility for vehicle selection.
Swept Path Analysis (SPA) is carried out using specialist vehicle simulation software, most commonly Autodesk Vehicle Tracking, which runs within the full version of AutoCAD and integrates directly with Civil 3D as part of the Autodesk AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) suite.
For teams already working in Civil 3D, Vehicle Tracking operates natively within the same environment, allowing vehicle movements to be tested directly against the design geometry. However, the software itself is only the tool the accuracy of the analysis depends on how it is configured, the vehicle models selected, and how the results are interpreted and presented.
AutoCAD LT does not support swept path analysis software. Vehicle Tracking requires the full version of AutoCAD and cannot run in LT due to the absence of plugin and API support. As Autodesk no longer sells Vehicle Tracking as a standalone product, in-house SPA capability requires a subscription to the Autodesk AEC suite.
Even where the software is available, producing compliant swept path drawings still requires dedicated technical time. This includes:
- Selecting and validating the correct vehicle model
- Configuring tracking behaviour and speeds
- Interpreting clearance conflicts rather than simply displaying paths
- Structuring drawings to a scale and format suitable for planning review
For many practices, this time cost alongside software licensing and training outweighs the benefit of running occasional swept path tests internally. As a result, SPA is commonly outsourced so that vehicle movement testing is carried out efficiently, using established workflows and outputs that are already accepted by planning authorities.
Alternative swept path software packages are available, including Transoft, Keysoft, and CGS. As with any platform, the software alone does not remove the need for technical judgement, correct vehicle data, or clear presentation. Regardless of the tool used, the analysis must be based on a confirmed vehicle, an accurate base layout, and fixed assumptions. Changes to any of these inputs after completion will require a revised analysis.
Where a Swept Path Analysis is required for refuse collection, the client must first confirm the refuse vehicle type and size used by the relevant local authority for the site location. This information should be obtained directly from the local authority’s waste or refuse collection team and confirmed before accepting the fee quotation.
If no refuse vehicle specification is provided, the analysis will be carried out using our standard benchmark refuse vehicle: a large 3-axle refuse vehicle with an overall length of 9.86 metres. This vehicle is commonly accepted for planning purposes but is not guaranteed to reflect local authority requirements.
If a different refuse vehicle is later required whether due to local authority feedback, planning conditions, or updated client information the swept path analysis will need to be revised to reflect the new vehicle. This will be treated as a new analysis and will require a revised fee quotation.
Confirming the correct refuse vehicle at the outset helps avoid delays, additional costs, and rework, and ensures the issued drawings remain valid for planning submission.
Table 13.1 (Approved Document B) relates to the physical suitability of an access route for fire appliances. It covers criteria such as route width, gateway dimensions, turning provisions, surface construction, gradients, and load-bearing capacity.
Swept Path Analysis can be used to demonstrate vehicle manoeuvrability — for example, whether a fire appliance can physically turn, circulate, and access required areas of the site. However, SPA does not confirm compliance with structural or construction requirements, such as pavement build-up, ground strength, or overall route suitability.
Where Building Control reference Table 13.1 without specifying a vehicle type, this typically indicates a broader concern about the access route as a whole, rather than swept path geometry alone. In these cases, it is the responsibility of the design team to:
- Confirm the fire appliance model expected by the local Fire Authority.
- Verify that route dimensions and construction meet Table 13.1 requirements.
- Liaise with Building Control or the Fire Authority where site conditions fall outside standard guidance.
Swept Path Analysis may form part of the evidence, but it should be considered one component of a wider compliance check rather than a standalone confirmation.
For Construction Traffic Management Plans (CTMPs), the client is responsible for confirming the types and sizes of vehicles expected to access the site during the construction phase. This should be based on information provided by contractors, suppliers, or logistics teams and should reflect the largest vehicles likely to use the access routes.
Swept Path Analysis for CTMPs is typically undertaken using the largest anticipated vehicle first, as this represents the worst-case turning and clearance condition. If the site can accommodate the largest vehicle, smaller construction vehicles will generally be accommodated within the same layout.
If vehicle types or sizes change after the analysis has been completed — for example due to contractor changes or updated delivery methods — the swept path analysis will need to be revised to reflect the new vehicle assumptions. This will be treated as additional work and will require a revised fee quotation.
Confirming construction vehicle requirements at the outset helps ensure the analysis remains valid throughout the construction phase and avoids delays, redesigns, or additional planning conditions.