Agenda item

This report presents the revised final report of the Traffic Congestion Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee following the completion of their review of Traffic Congestion in York. 

RESOLVED: (i)         That the contents of the revised final report and its annexes be noted, against the background of likely reductions in national public expenditure profiles over the next few years.

                        (ii)        That the views expressed by residents in response to the limited strategic choices offered in the Scrutiny Committee’s survey of public opinion, and the rather wider options being considered through the LTP3 consultation process, be noted.

                        (iii)       That Officers be requested, when preparing the next Local Transport Plan and when responding to the information detailed in pages 190 to 230 of the Executive papers (Annex E to the scrutiny report), to evaluate, cost and further develop those techniques and initiatives listed within Option C of the scrutiny report, together with an extension of the Council’s current LTP policies, including, where appropriate, refinements to the highway network.

                        (iv)       That further engagement and consultation with York residents and businesses take place during the LTP3 build process prior to its submission for government funding, and that an ongoing dialogue on transport issues be maintained with local and regional stakeholders.

                        (v)        That other innovative and creative ways in which to deliver strategic transport improvements, should an application for government funding fall short or fail, be examined.

REASON:      To provide an appropriate response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee, whilst taking proper account of government restrictions on public expenditure and the broader requirements of the LTP3 process.

Members considered a report which presented the revised final report of the Traffic Congestion Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee following the completion of their review of Traffic Congestion in York.  Cllr Merrett was in attendance, as Chair of the Scrutiny Committee, to support the Committee’s recommendations.

The Executive had already approved, in April 2010, a number of recommendations arising from the review.  Since then, the Scrutiny Committee had met again to consider the findings of a city-wide consultation survey on options to tackle congestion.  As a result, they had agreed an additional recommendation (recommendation xxvi), as detailed in paragraph 13 of the cover report and paragraph 30 of the final report at Annex 1.  This supported the progression of Option C as a long term strategy, as detailed in Annex D to the scrutiny report.

Having noted Cllr Merrett’s comments and the comments of the Labour Group Spokespersons on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the contents of the revised final report and its annexes be noted, against the background of likely reductions in national public expenditure profiles over the next few years.

                        (ii)        That the views expressed by residents in response to the limited strategic choices offered in the Scrutiny Committee’s survey of public opinion, and the rather wider options being considered through the LTP3 consultation process, be noted.

                        (iii)       That Officers be requested, when preparing the next Local Transport Plan and when responding to the information detailed in pages 190 to 230 of the Executive papers (Annex E to the scrutiny report), to evaluate, cost and further develop those techniques and initiatives listed within Option C of the scrutiny report, together with an extension of the Council’s current LTP policies, including, where appropriate, refinements to the highway network. ¹

                        (iv)       That further engagement and consultation with York residents and businesses take place during the LTP3 build process prior to its submission for government funding, and that an ongoing dialogue on transport issues be maintained with local and regional stakeholders. ²

                        (v)        That other innovative and creative ways in which to deliver strategic transport improvements, should an application for government funding fall short or fail, be examined. ³

REASON:      To provide an appropriate response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee, whilst taking proper account of government restrictions on public expenditure and the broader requirements of the LTP3 process.