Agenda item - Member Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by Members:

(a)          Petitions: To receive any petitions;

(b)          Written Questions: To consider any written questions;

(c)          Letters: To consider any letters;

(i)            Parking Zones- Councillor Taylor

(ii)          Cycle Parking- Councillor West

(d)          Notices of Motion: to consider any Notices of Motion referred from Full Council or submitted directly to the Committee.

(i)            Space for Cycling- Green Group

(c)      Letters

(i)        Parking Zones- Councillor Taylor

43.1      The Committee considered a Letter from Councillor Taylor requesting the Committee receive a report reviewing parking zones to ease displacement issues in the Withdean ward area.

43.2      The Chair provided the following response:

“Thank you for your letter.

Before finalising the arrangements for this parking area, Officers undertook extensive surveys of existing parking patterns as well as a thorough review of the consultation results before designing the appropriate number of resident parking places.

In total there are 973 available spaces for residents to park with a permit in the proposed Area F in the Fiveways area and this accounts for 94.5% of the available parking.

This is a similar percentage to other parking schemes across the City so it is felt that a review of resident parking wouldn’t achieve any significant extra spaces and may also impact on blue badge users and areas for visitors to park for shops.

Area J and E are a similar percentage of about 95% designated for residents and a review would require extra resources and is unlikely to increase the amount of spaces available to residents”.

43.3      RESOLVED- That the Letter be noted.

(ii)       Cycle Parking- Councillor West

43.4      The Committee considered a Letter from Councillor West requesting businesses be encouraged to install more cycle parking through S106 opportunities and that a certain number of cycle parking places under the potential Bikeshare Scheme be allocated to non-scheme bikes.

43.5      The Chair provided the following response:

“Thank you for your letter.

In Brighton & Hove the number of people travelling to work by bike doubled between 2001-2011 and our automatic cycle counter figures show continues an upward trend in cycle use as a viable mode of transport in our city. As this continues, there will be increased demand for cycle parking which means that people park their bicycles and then go on to use shops and services when they get to them by bicycle and vice versa, that they have cycle parking available where they live. Particularly because of the density of people living in the city, often in houses converted to flats where retro-fitting cycle parking facilities can often be problematic.

This is also why we have received the report at ETS today regarding implementation of Pedal Cycle Parking Places, a rolling programme of cycle parking facilities which have become increasingly popular and form a key contribution to improving conditions for cycling. This good quality cycle parking is carefully considered and can also de-clutter the streetscape, helping to reduce cycle related crime. The Council is committed to improving cycle parking facilities with LTP budget allocated to cycle parking on an annual basis.

The suggestion of incorporating public cycle parking alongside the introduction of a public bike sharing system is interesting. As you highlight this could avoid investing in a limited number of exclusive parking places for the BikeShare scheme and certainly may help wider appreciation of introducing BikeShare hubs if residents also benefit for their own bicycle security and storage.

I understand that officers are further refining the procurement specification for a BikeShare operation and will request that your suggestion can be given consideration through the procurement process”.

43.6      RESOLVED- That the Letter be noted.

(d)      Notices of Motion

(i)        Green Group- Space for Cycling

43.7      The Committee considered a Notice of Motion on behalf of the Green Group requesting the council sign-up to the Space for Cycling Campaign.

43.8      Introducing the amendment, Councillor West stated that creating the conditions to encourage cycling was vitally important in in creating cycle-friendly streets and increasing sustainable transport levels. Councillor West noted that cycling rates in the city was low amongst children was low due to their perception of safety. Likewise, there was a gender imbalance of cyclist’s similarly due to the safety concerns. Councillor West noted that whilst a lot of work was going into increasing cycling rates in Brighton and elsewhere across the country, significantly more could be done.

43.9      Seconding the motion, Councillor Greenbaum noted that there were 175 premature deaths in the city caused by poor air quality and it was crucially important that cycling as a sustainable method of transport be encouraged and maximised to minimise the effects of pollution and create a better environment for all.

43.10   Councillor Janio stated that the opportunity and conditions for people to cycle must be provided although all methods of transport should be at a level playing field and encouraging cycling should not be operated by diktat. Councillor Janio moved the following amendment to the motion as shown in bold italics below:

The Committee notes:

·           The benefits cycling brings and the investments made in the city supporting cycling that have led to a rise in cycling and gained national and international recognition;

The Committee requests:

·           that the Chief Executive sign-up Brighton & Hove City Council to the Space for Cycling campaign

·           That a report be brought to the next committee meeting outlining the costs and benefits in joining the Space for Cycling campaign

·           that the Chief Executive write to the Secretary of State for Transport calling for increased funding to support cycling;

·           Ask all Members to consider joining the campaign;

·           That improvement to cycle infrastructure be identified as a priority in the Local Transport Plan.

43.11   Seconding the motion, Councillor Theobald stated that he would like to receive an officer report on the matter as he was not sure what the campaign was or what joining would mean for the council.

43.12   The Chair put the amendment to the vote which failed.

43.13   The Chair put the substantive motion to the vote which passed.

43.14   RESOLVED-

The Committee notes:

·                The benefits cycling brings and the investments made in the city supporting cycling that have led to a rise in cycling and gained national and international recognition;

The Committee requests:

·                that the Chief Executive sign-up Brighton & Hove City Council to the Space for Cycling campaign

·                that the Chief Executive write to the Secretary of State for Transport calling for increased funding to support cycling;

·                Ask all Members to consider joining the campaign;

·                That improvement to cycle infrastructure be identified as a priority in the Local Transport Plan.