Cabinet
Subject: Our City Transport Plan 2035
Date of meeting: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Report of: Cabinet Member for Transport & City Infrastructure
Lead Officer: Alison Mcmanamon, Corporate Director- City Operations
Contact Officer: Name: Andrew Westwood
Email: Andrew.Westwood@Brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: All Wards
Key Decision: Yes
Reason(s): It is significant in terms of its effects on communities living or working in an area comprising two or more electoral divisions (wards).
1.1 This report updates members on the development of Our City Transport Plan 2035, with a focus on the changes made to the draft document following public consultation. The adoption of Our City Transport Plan 2035 as a council policy will deliver on a commitment made in the Council Plan 2023-27, to develop and launch a new ten-year strategy setting out a long-term vision for the city’s transport network and a pipeline of transport projects to deliver this vision.
1.2 The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, currently being debated in Parliament, once made law, will create a Mayoral Strategic Authority covering Brighton & Hove and the wider Sussex region. The Mayoral Strategic Authority will be in place by May 2026. The Act will also transfer responsibility for creating a ‘Local Transport Plan’ from Brighton & Hove City Council to the Mayoral Strategic Authority. Our City Transport Plan 2035 will act as a tool to communicate what Brighton & Hove’s transport needs are to the Mayoral Strategic Authority, our residents and stakeholders.
2.1 Cabinet agrees to adopt Our City Transport Plan 2035 (Appendix 1) as the city’s over-arching transport policy.
3.1 Development of Our City Transport Plan 2035 started four years ago with the preparation of a document called ‘Developing a new Transport Plan for
Brighton & Hove’. A public consultation on this document was held in autumn 2021, the results of which were reported to the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee in March 2022. This policy development was timed to coincide with the planned release of updated guidance on preparing Local Transport Plans from the Secretary of State.
3.2 Changes in Government led to a delay in the publication of the guidance. In response the council paused work on transport policy development. But as the council’s existing long-term transport strategy (Local Transport Plan 4) became increasingly in need of an update, work resumed on the new strategy. Our long-term transport strategy is the basis of our annual transport capital investment programme so needs to be current.
3.3 Our City Transport Plan 2035 was aligned with national transport policies and made use of tools developed for local transport authorities. For example, the impact our policies will have on carbon emissions has been assessed using a Carbon Assessment Playbook developed by Transport for the South East (TfSE). This is because the DfT policy ‘Decarbonising Transport’ made a commitment to ‘drive decarbonisation and transport improvements at a local level by making quantifiable carbon reductions a fundamental part of local transport planning and funding’.
3.4 The draft version of Our City Transport Plan 2035 was based on the document ‘Developing a new Transport Plan for Brighton & Hove’. Changes were made to align it with subsequent council policies, such as the Council Plan 2023 - 2027 outcomes and the Accessible City Strategy. A detailed evidence base, provided in Appendix 2, was also produced to support the development of the plan. The vision it seeks to deliver is for getting around a cleaner, fairer and growing city.
3.5 The draft plan identified five key challenges the city faces. It sets out six objectives to address these challenges and deliver the plan’s vision. It also contains a short-term delivery plan of schemes. These are summarised below. Where text is in red, this highlights changes from the draft document that was consulted on.
|
1 |
Enabling more people to live safer, healthier and more active lives |
|
2 |
Reducing
congestion |
|
3 |
Supporting the transition to zero and ultra-low emission transport |
|
4 |
Creating a transport network that is more inclusive |
|
5 |
Maintaining our roads and managing them as efficiently as possible |
Table 1: Challenges identified in our City Transport Plan 2035
|
1 |
Increase public transport use |
|
2 |
Enable the uptake
and use of zero and ultra-low
emission |
|
3 |
Deliver a safe, inclusive and integrated transport system |
|
4 |
Create well-maintained streets, pavements and rights of way |
|
5 |
Provide active travel choices for all and excellent public spaces |
|
6 |
Promote and use technology to reduce and manage travel |
Table 2: Objectives of Our City Transport Plan 2035
3.6 The consultation results indicate broad support for the challenges and objectives. They remain largely unchanged, although the challenge of ‘Improving the flow of traffic on our roads’ has been amended to ‘Reducing congestion on our roads’ to make it clear that congestion is the issue that needs to be tackled.
3.7 Other changes that have been made in response to feedback received during the consultation are:
· Creation of a new scheme ‘Improving the look and feel of the city’. This will increase the amount of funding spent on delivering improved pavements and roads, which was the best supported objective.
· Providing greater detail of what is planned around the objective of ’Promote and use technology to reduce and manage travel’, given this was the least supported objective.
· A new commitment to publishing a streetscape design guide. This will address issues around the consistency and standards of street works, cover accessibility standards and set out when new street trees will be introduced and what climate change mitigation is appropriate to be introduced.
· Additional detail, on areas such as rail, powered two wheelers, e-scooters and parking policy.
· Including an indicatively costed 3-year delivery plan, based on the current transport capital programme (noting that the programme is approved annually and subject to future funding availability and cabinet decisions).
3.8 All schemes included in the draft plan remain in the final version. Notable schemes include the ambition to create strategic mobility hubs on the edge of the city. A core part of any mobility hub would be provision of Park & Ride, which will reduce the need to drive into the city and alleviate congestion in the city centre. There is also the ambition to deliver a Sussex Coast Mass Rapid Transit system. This would be a high-capacity public transportation system designed to move large numbers of people efficiently across Brighton, Hove and neighboring coastal towns.
3.9 The plan also commits to developing a road safety action plan to focus on actions that will reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.
4.1 There is a statutory duty to ensure the council has a robust and evidence-based transport strategy, which in future will allow us to effectively engage with the new Mayoral Strategic Authority as the statutory duty for a Local Transport Plan will sit at mayoral level. While the policies within Our City Transport Plan 2035 must conform with national and regional policies there is scope within this for alternative schemes, than those chosen, to be taken forward.
4.2 As part of the assessment of the emissions reductions impact the policies will result in alternative scenarios have been looked at using the Carbon Assessment Tool. The three most effective measures to reduce emissions would be cordon based charges & restrictions, provision of EV infrastructure and road user charging and tolls.
4.3 In order to provide equitable choices for local journeys, measures within the plan allow people to choose the mode of transport that suits them best and have a strong focus on improving accessibility for all. Measures which place access restrictions on motor vehicles, such as zero emission zones, have not been included within this plan. Currently zero emission vehicles are more expensive to purchase so large-scale restriction-based measures that favour these vehicles are not included in the plan.
5.1 Public consultation on developing a new long term transport strategy for the city was first undertaken in 2021. The council published and sought views on a document termed ‘Developing a New Transport Plan for Brighton & Hove’. The results of this consultation were reported to Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee on 15 March 2022.
5.2 National government had announced that they would issue new guidance for local authorities on how to develop new Local Transport Plans by spring 2022[1]. This publication date was pushed back, and we paused development of our transport policy to await the publication until it became clear that the delay could be indefinite. We drafted Our City Transport Plan and held a 12-week public consultation on it between 18 June 2025 and 12 September 2025.
5.3 The consultation was carried out in line with the Community Engagement framework, ensuring:
· Evidence-based proposals, supported by data.
· Inclusivity, engaging a wide range of residents and groups.
· Clarity of purpose, with clear explanations of why input was sought.
· Timing & resources, with a full 12-week consultation period and tailored activities for different groups, including young people.
· Accessibility, though multiple formats and venues.
· Communication & partnership, with feedback shared openly with stakeholders.
5.4 The main channel for the consultation was a survey hosted on the council’s consultation platform, Your Voice. This was promoted through the council’s website and social media, posters in community venues and direct contact with stakeholder groups. There were also multiple opportunities for people to speak directly with officers. These included:
· 1 a week-long public exhibition and 7 public drop-in sessions held in libraries.
· 11 workshops/ meetings with stakeholders including five schools, and stakeholder groups including the Transport & Travel Partnership, the Local Access Forum and the Destination Experience Group.
· A dedicated session with the Get Involved Group (organised by Possability People) to gather feedback from disabled people.
· 500 responses via the Your Voice online survey (paper copies were also available).
5.6 The public were also invited to rank project priorities. “Subsidising public transport to make it more affordable” and “Improving priority routes for active travel (walking, wheeling and cycling)” received the strongest support which aligns with the headline survey results, while “Installing electric vehicle chargepoints” and “New transport hubs at the city’s edge offering Park & Ride, EV charging, vehicle hire and help reduce city trunk traffic” received the least.
5.7 The public were able to provide their additional comments in the online survey. Below are the themes raised the most which are also consistent with the above results.
· Concerns about bus affordability, frequency, and reliability
· Traffic congestion, particularly in the city centre
· Strong calls for better road and pavement maintenance
· Support for active travel and safer cycling routes
· A view that EVs alone won’t solve congestion or wider environmental challenges
· Interest in Park & Ride and mass rapid transit schemes
· Desire to reduce car use and overall traffic levels
5.8 This feedback was used to inform amendments to the draft document, along with comments provided by members of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, who reviewed the plan at their meeting in October 2025.
6.1 Having an agreed long term City Transport plan is required to qualify for the significant sums of external funding needed to implement the proposals outlined in the plan. While there are ambitious schemes proposed within the plan, it is anticipated that with the plan agreed the service would be able develop a business case for each one and secure the grant required.
6.2 There are no direct financial implications arising from this report, all funding levels included in the plan are indicative. The purpose of this report is to enable future schemes to be considered for submission as part of the transport capital program. Each of those proposals will have their own reports issued clearly setting out the business case to confirm the budget implications for each scheme once the level of external grant funding is known.
Name of finance officer consulted: David Wilder Date: 19/11/2025
7.1 While this plan followed extant guidance and requirements relating to preparing a Local Transport Plan, It is understood that beyond May 2026 it will not be considered a Local Transport Plan, as defined by the Transport Act 2000 (subsequently amended by the Local Transport Act 2008) because the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, once made law, will transfer responsibility for creating a ‘Local Transport Plan’ from Brighton & Hove City Council to the Mayoral Strategic Authority.
7.2 This report is asking for the Council to adopt this Plan under the current legislative requirements that have been complied with.
Name of lawyer consulted: Katie Kam Date: 13/11/25
8.1 Key risks relating to the approval of this report have been assessed in accordance with the council’s risk management guidance. Mitigating actions have been identified to reduce all risks to the lower (“green”) level, except for the uncertainty about long-term funding which will continue to remain uncertain. A lack of funding could significantly impact the future delivery of projects and services.
8.2 Should the recommendation to adopt Our City Transport Plan as council policy not be enacted it could weaken our ability to bid for funding that the DfT award on a competitive basis. It could also make engagement with the new Mayoral Strategic Authority difficult in terms of setting out the transport challenges and needs of the city.
9.2 Feedback was received from a workshop with Possability People’s Get Involved Group and written feedback from the Brighton & Hove Older People’s Council. The EIA has been updated to focus on the impacts of the transport plan on these groups, which share similar accessibility challenges. The updated EIA accompanying the final version of Our City Transport Plan 2035 is provided as Appendix 4 to this report.
9.3 Feedback highlighted concerns about unsafe pavements, crossings and shared space where reckless cycling posed perceived safety risks to pedestrians. Participants also reported difficulty accessing some bus stops due to long distances between stops.
9.4 The council is working to improve city centre walkability, maintain pavements and install more dropped kerbs to enhance accessibility and reduce trip hazards for everyone, particularly older people and those with mobility issues. The new commitment to publish a streetscape design guide is intended to improve how accessible our streets are for disabled people.
9.5 The Bus Service Improvement Plan which sits underneath the transport plan, includes proposals for 2025 and beyond to enhance the bus network and services, including improvement to bus stops and network coverage which may address concerns about bus accessibility. Disability group representatives have expressed a desire to be properly engaged in the consultation process.
10.1 The sustainability implications checklist has been completed for the transport plan. Overall, the plan will have positive impacts on sustainable travel and transport, as well as on health, safety, wellbeing and local communities.
10.2 The draft version of Our City Transport Plan 2035 underwent a strategic environmental assessment, (Appendix 5). This found that the likely effect of the plan on the environment ranged from minor positive to significant positive, with the exception of the effects on; land, soil and waste, water resources and quality, which are unknown. The effects on historic environment are likely to be both positive and negative.
10.3 The SEA has been circulated to Historic England and Natural England for comment. Historic England was content with the report which covered the issues that may arise to impact on heritage assets and Natural England advised that there are no significant issues related to their remit.
10.4 In addition, we have assessed the impact of our policies on carbon emission reductions using the Carbon Emissions Playbook (developed by sub-regional transport bodies to be used by all English local authorities for this purpose) and found that they all have a positive impact. However, the level of emission reduction looks to be insufficient for national targets to be met, if we assume that other local authorities perform similarly to us. This was also the case even under a scenario when all carbon reduction policies were maximized and suggests that greater measures at the national level are required.
11.1 Impacts on human health were considered within the environmental report (appendix 5) on Our City Transport Plan 2035. It was judged that the plan would have a significant positive impact, due to the focus on active travel, improving air quality and road safety.
11.2 The health and wellbeing implications checklist has also been completed for the transport plan. Overall, the plan will have positive impacts on creating healthy places and communities as well as improving access to fair education, employment and transport. The plan assists in delivering the council’s Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy and Physical Activity Strategy.
11.3 As noted in the sustainability impact section, the proposals will help residents lead more active and healthy lives and contribute to a less stressful and healthier environment. By delivering a safe, inclusive and integrated transport system (another objective in the plan), the plan will improve access to education, employment, social connections and leisure opportunities.
12. Procurement implications
12.1 There are no direct procurement implications arising from this report. The policies and projects contained within Our City Transport Plan 2035 do not commit us to any procurement activity. Projects would be subject to their own procurement process, for which various framework agreements are available.
13. Crime & disorder implications:
13.1 While personal safety consideration affects how people travel, the policies within Our City Transport Plan 2035 show no significant implications on the council’s statutory duty (s17 Crime and Disorder Act 1998) to do all they can to reasonably prevent crime and disorder.
13.2 It tends to be at the scheme level, where the design of our urban realm is considered that there are opportunities to improving safety and design out crime.
14.1 We have undertaken a robust exercise to determine what challenges the city faces and what objectives and schemes will address them. Adopting Our City Transport Plan 2035 as the council’s overarching transport policy will set out the city’s transport challenges and objectives ahead of engaging with the Mayoral Strategic Authority from May 2026.
Supporting Documentation
1. Our City Transport Plan 2035
2. Our City Transport Plan 2035 – Supporting Evidence Base
3. Our City Transport Plan 2035 – Consultation Report
4. Equality Impact Assessment for Our City Transport Plan 2035
5. Environmental Report for Our City Transport Plan 2035
6. Table of risks