Swept Path Analysis

Assess the whole vehicle movement

The review considers wheel paths, body swing, gate widths, kerbs, street furniture, parked vehicles and loading positions. Entry and exit movements can be assessed alongside internal turning and surrounding highway constraints.

Your deliverables

Annotated tracking drawings in PDF, coordinated with the site layout and agreed entry, exit or turning movements. The drawings identify the vehicle profile and relevant constraints and assumptions, with wheel paths and body envelopes to support planning, tender or construction coordination. The number of vehicles, manoeuvres and drawing revisions is agreed in the scope.

See how vehicle movements are tested

A real residential parking assessment, showing a reverse manoeuvre from a parking bay and forward departure through the existing access.

What clients receive

Project-specific swept path drawings with vehicle parameters, movement annotations and assessment assumptions. This example assesses geometry only.

Read the residential parking swept path case study.

Vehicle information

Assessments can cover passenger cars, delivery vans, rigid and articulated HGVs, mixers, refuse vehicles and specialist vehicles. The vehicle profile should suit the proposed operation: residential parking, construction deliveries or servicing. Bespoke profiles require confirmed supplier or manufacturer dimensions, including wheelbase, axle positions and articulation details.

Information and fees

Send a scaled site drawing or survey, preferably in DWG with a PDF for reference, the site address, intended entry and exit movements, vehicle details and any planning condition or authority comments. Include known gate widths, parking arrangements and fixed obstructions. Fees reflect the agreed project scope. Custom vehicle modelling is priced separately. We confirm a fixed fee after reviewing the scope.

Project example: Richmond

Two delivery vehicles were assessed with on-street parking retained. Four tracking drawings presented the entry and exit movements for the project team's planning information.

Read the Richmond swept path analysis case study.

Swept path analysis FAQs

What is swept path analysis?

Swept path analysis models the space a vehicle occupies as it turns and manoeuvres. It shows wheel paths and the swept envelope of the vehicle body, helping identify conflicts with gates, kerbs, parked vehicles and other constraints.

Can it support a planning application?

Vehicle tracking drawings can provide evidence of proposed access, turning and servicing arrangements where requested for a planning application or condition. Send the relevant condition or authority comments so the assessment addresses the required movements. Planning approval remains a decision for the authority.

Can parked cars remain in the assessment?

Yes. Where parking is to remain, the agreed assessment can include parked vehicles as constraints rather than assuming the road is clear. The drawing should identify the parking arrangement and assumptions used; actual conditions must be checked before deliveries.

Which vehicle should be tested?

The vehicle should reflect the proposed delivery or servicing operation. We can assess vans, rigid and articulated HGVs, mixers, refuse vehicles and specialist profiles. Confirm the intended vehicle with your supplier; a generic vehicle of the same overall length may have different turning characteristics.

Is vehicle tracking the same as swept path analysis?

The terms are commonly used for the same type of manoeuvring assessment. CLC uses Autodesk Vehicle Tracking to model the agreed vehicle and route against the supplied site geometry.

What if the vehicle does not fit?

The assessment can help the team consider a smaller vehicle, revised gate or loading position, or an alternative manoeuvre. Any revised arrangement must be checked against the project constraints. A plan-view tracking drawing alone does not verify overhead clearance, gradients, ground capacity or permission to use the route; these require separate checks where relevant.

Project example: residential parking access

CLC completed eight tracking drawings and a technical note assessing four residential parking spaces, retained access and forward-gear entry and exit. One space required internal forward and reverse manoeuvring. Read the residential parking assessment case study.