Decision details

Purpose of Report: To provide an update on progress developing proposals for changes to the access arrangements in the City Centre in accordance with the 8th February Executive Decision.

To agree the next steps in implementing this decision including the review of changes to the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) affecting the city centre and the location of temporary measures to facilitate the access restrictions of the priority 1 area of the city centre that the report will go into the detail of.

Members will be asked to:
1. Acknowledge the work done since the 8th of February Executive meeting;
2. Agree to the progression of changes to the Traffic Regulation Order for the city centre;
3. Decide upon one of three options to be taken forward for this area.

Resolved:  (i)      That the update provided in the report be noted.

(ii)      That Option A be approved and that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Economy & Place, in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport & Planning, to make the experimental traffic regulation order described in the report, subject to prior consultation in relation to practical implementation and potential mitigation measures.

(iii)     That work continue with Saint Sampson Centre and other affected groups to mitigate the impact of the changes.

(iv)    That restrictions to prevent vehicles remaining in the Priority One zone be considered and that proposals on these be brought to the Executive Member for Transport and Planning for a decision.

(v)     That officers be instructed to develop proposals for further phases of city centre security measures to ensure the safety of the city.

Reason:     To enable the work started since the Executive decision on 8 February to be taken forward to the next stage on a risk managed approach, responding to the Police request to protect areas of high footfall against the threat of a vehicle as a weapon attack.

(vi)    That, following on from the experimental regulation order and in line with the motion approved by Full Council on 19 July 2018, a ‘My City Centre’ consultation be held with key stakeholders (including residents, businesses, cycle/pedestrian groups and groups that represent people who have special access requirements) on the wider issues of accessibility, safety and traffic management in the city centre; this to be carried out prior to the implementation of the next phase of hostile vehicle mitigation measures.

Reason:     To ensure that the needs of these groups are properly assessed and taken into account.