Issue - items at meetings - Local Transport Plan

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy circulated separately).

(1)         That Cabinet notes the results of the public consultation.

(2)         That Cabinet endorses, for approval at Full Council, the draft of the Local Transport Plan attached in Appendix 3.

194.1          The Cabinet considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place concerning the council’s Local Transport Plan, which provides a policy framework for a capital investment programme in schemes and measures to maintain, manage and improve the city’s transport network.

194.2          The Strategic Director, Place explained that a revised version of Appendix 3, the Local Transport Plan Strategy and Delivery Plan, had been issued to ensure that the Cabinet only considered the strategic vision and not any specific schemes at this stage.

194.3          Councillor Theobald advised that details of the first year of the investment programme would be considered by the Cabinet on 7 April 2011, and not solely by himself as stated in paragraph 5.1 of the report.

194.4          Councillor Mitchell stated that the Local Transport Plan under consideration was not complete and contained little detail about key proposals for moving the city forward in terms of its transport infrastructure. She noted that the Plan would not be considered by the Full Council on 24 March as expected and may not achieve final approval until July. She reported that the Transport Partnership were unhappy that they had not yet been given the opportunity to comment on the Plan and stated that it contained only enough to secure funding from the Government.

194.5          The Chairman stated that the current Administration had been fettered by the previous Administration’s decisions on transport matters and had spent four years implementing solutions to a number of problems, including parking and congestion. She explained that further detail would be considered after the Local Elections in May so as not to fetter the new Administration.

194.6          Councillor Theobald stated that the Plan was comprehensive and detailed a clear strategy. The first year of investment would be considered by the new Council alongside the Plan after the elections, and years two and three would follow later in 2011; the Plan was intentionally flexible to enable implementation as per the will on the new Council. Councillor Theobald reported that the Cabinet would receive a presentation at its next meeting on the new transport model purchased by the council, which would make it possible to see the effect of transport schemes on other parts of the city prior to implementation.

Councillor Theobald noted that the council had the award for Car Park of the Year for the Lanes Car Park and stated that the Administration had achieved a lot in the last four years. He added that on voting to retain the Grand Avenue/The Drive cycle lane at Budget Council, it was a shame that opposition Members had not chosen to put the £1.1m saved back into the transport budget. 

194.7          Councillor Mitchell stated that the amendment to the budget had not resulted in any money being taken out of the transport budget.

194.8          Councillor Randall advised that he supported the decision to wait until after the elections to seek approval of the Local Transport Plan. He stated that the strategy included few proposals to tackle poor air quality and congestion, and raised questions about the integration of different transport systems.

194.9          In response to questions from Councillor Randall, Councillor Theobald advised that work on transport integration and ‘park and ride’ proposals were ongoing.

194.10      The Chairman reported that the new transport model was impressive and long overdue for the city. She explained that developers would pay to use the transport model, allowing the council to recoup money spent on it and also get the information needed to see the effect of developments on the city as a whole.

194.11      RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet accepted the following recommendations:

(1)         That the results of the public consultation be noted.

(2)         That the draft of the Local Transport Plan, attached in Appendix 3, be endorsed for approval at Full Council.