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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Economy, Place, Access and Transport Scrutiny Committee |
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Date |
21 May 2024 |
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Present
Officers in Attendance
In Attendance |
Councillors K Taylor (Chair), B Burton, J Burton, Fenton, Healey, Hook, Merrett (Substitute), Nelson, Steward and Vassie
James Gilchrist - Director of Transport, Environment and Planning Julian Ridge - Sustainable Transport Manager Lara Thornton - Communications Manager (Transport)
Councillor Ravilious – Incoming Executive Member for Transport |
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Apologies |
Councillors Pearson and Whitcroft |
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42. Declarations of Interest (17:33)
Members were asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interest that they might have in respect of the business on the agenda.
Cllr Merrett noted that he had non-prejudicial interests relating to agenda items York local Transport Strategy and the Work Plan as he was currently as member of the York Bus Forum, York Cycle Campaign, and Yorkshire Forum for water companies independent group set up by OFWAT.
43. Minutes (17:35)
Resolved: The Committee agreed the minutes of the 25 March 2024 and 25 April 2024 meetings be signed as a correct record with grammatical corrections.
44. Public Participation (17:35)
It was reported that there had been three registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Flick Williams raised concerns about bus stop bypasses for disabled and older residents. She also hoped for more disability and inclusive design training for Council officers and noted that the local transport strategy should not further disadvantage disabled individuals who already make less journeys in the city.
Andy D’Agorne stated that the new Executive Member for Transport and Labour York and North Yorkshire Mayor would need to deliver to reach a reduction in car usage by 71%. He noted concern that the Council had been treading water in reaching previously set targets. He also suggested a review of areas such as Tadcaster Road.
Anthony May spoke on behalf of York Civic Trust and welcomed the high level of public support for the 10 policy areas in the Local Transport Strategy consultation. He noted that the Civic trust had updated its best practice case studies. He noted that changes were needed in travel throughout the city not just the city centre.
45. York Local Transport Strategy (17:47)
Officers introduced the report and provided the Committee with two presentations on Local Transport Strategy Consultation Results and Local Transport Strategy Options.
The Committee welcomed the positive response to the 10 focus areas of the York Transport Strategy from the consultation. The Committee discussed ensuring that action is taken to devise the strategy along the lines proposed. Officers confirmed that work was not starting from scratch and that work continued on the York station frontage, Haxby station, and improvements to park and ride sites. It was also confirmed that the Council would aim to deliver highways improvements when maintenance work would be undertaken. Quick wins were also noted including small changes to traffic light timings in areas such as Blossom Street to make pedestrians journeys safer and faster.
Members enquired about the responses in the Local Transport Strategy consultation about expectations on car dependency. Officers confirmed that the response showed that the expected dependency on car journeys reflected opinion on the current network, therefore, to encourage model change then improvements to other forms of travel would be required throughout the network. The incoming Executive Member for Transport confirmed that the Movement and Place plan would consider and aim to develop healthier and wealthier places and consider how we wish to use those spaces. Members agreed that it was important for the Council to bring people with its plans to change transport in the city and requested that the Council ensure Ward teams, who tackle local transport issues, are engaged with.
The Committee discussed challenges of reducing car dependency and how people used their cars in and around the city. Members considered the current data for usage of the inner ring road, with particular focus on the use of the “Central Route” though the middle of York – from Micklegate and Rougier Street to Tower Street, crossing the river on Ouse Bridge. Members noted that the aim to meet the Council’s climate change targets required a reduction in car travel but not a complete end to private car usage – with a 20% fall int eh number of car trips implying that 80% of car trips still took place and many journeys would still go ahead for those who needed to make them such a blue badge holders.
Members also discussed alternative forms of transport to car travel and the role of public transport in the strategy. Concerns were raised regarding a reduction in bus services from operators, which would make public transport less effective and could reduce usage. A number of potential improvements and opportunities were discussed relating to bus travel that included the need for plans to tackle congestion in the city centre to speed up bus journeys, a city centre turning circle to allow buses to not be restricted to journeys across the whole network, and changing park and ride sites to become transport hubs for bus travel. Members also expressed hope that the opportunity of greater regional cooperation with the new Mayoralty could improve rural access to buses. Officers confirmed that BSIP funding had been extended and the Committee agreed to request that the Executive Member ensure all BSIP funding was used. Members also asked that community transport be included within the Local Transport Strategy and referred officers to the current Task and Finish group on this topic.
The Committee enquired about what impact the end of the Micro-mobility trial would have on York’s Transport network. Officers noted that the use of e-scooters and e-bikes from TEIR had made up a relatively small amount of journeys in the city. Officers expected those journeys to be shared out across a number of forms of transport but that it was too early to give suggested data on this. The importance of reversing downward cycling treads were also discussed, as well as, the need for improvements to cycle infrastructure and the lack of safe cycling infrastructure in rural areas of York.
Resolved:
i. The Committee requested that Ward specific data from the Local Transport Strategy Consultation Results and Local Transport Strategy Options be shared with Ward teams;
ii. The Committee requested that the Executive Member for Transport and Officers seek to ensure a placed based approach that improves all areas of York, with schemes considering links outside of City of York Council boundaries.
iii. They noted the information presented on the “Central” route for sustainable transport through the middle of York (from Micklegate and Rougier Street to Tower Street over Ouse Bridge) and requested officers continue to work on developing this;
iv. The Committee requested that the Executive Member for Transport progress all schemes with BSIP allocated funding and that all BSIP funding be spent;
v. The Committee requested that all Council communications and engagement be consistent with the Social Model of Disability and be clear and easy to read, avoiding acronyms;
vi. The Committee requested that the Executive Member for Transport and Officers consider how to include Community Transport within the Local Transport Strategy.
Reason: To ensure that the Local Transport strategy is equipped to improve York’s transport network , deliver the objectives of York’s Council Plan (for example in relation to health and climate) and respond to the findings of the transport consultation undertaken between November 2023 and February 2024.
46. Work Plan (20:24)
The Committee considered its work plan for 2024-25. It was confirmed that the Dial and Ride task and finish group would report back to the Committee’s 25 June 2024 meeting. It was also confirmed that Yorkshire Water had confirmed there attendance for the 25 June 2024 meeting. Members also noted Cllr Steward’s proposal for a task and finish group considering Recycling, Reusing and Reducing (including composting). The Committee agreed to consider the proposed task and finish group at its next meeting once its membership had been confirmed for 2024-25.
Resolved:
i. Noted the Committee work plan.
Reason: To ensure the Committee maintains a programme of work.
Cllr Taylor, Chair
[The meeting started at 5.33 pm and finished at 8.30 pm].