Agenda item

This reports presents the Executive Member with a Summarised Draft Full ‘City of York Local Transport Plan, 2011 Onwards’ (LTP3), as part of the procedure leading up to the publication of the LTP3 by 31 March 2011.

RESOLVED:             That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)                    Note the contents of the report.

ii)                  Agrees, in principle, the suggested amendments to the summarised Draft Full LTP3 document tabled at the meeting (copy annexed to these minutes).

iii)                Requests officers to include within the draft, when it is forwarded to the Executive, additional options which seek to address the comments contained in the written representations which have been received (i.e. sub urban parking issues, the acceleration of the introduction of low emission public transport, improved journey time information both at bus stops and ‘on board’ buses, the early phasing of improvements to the northern by pass, changes to the role of at least part of the inner ring road, the creation of additional city centre public transport only corridors and the possible review of parking policies, with complementary measures to encourage greater use of more sustainable forms of transport at out of city centre retail/leisure centres).

REASON:                  To approve the required changes to the strategy and action plan to be incorporated within the full LTP3 for publication by the end of March 2011.

The Executive Member considered a report which presented a Summarised Draft Full ‘City of York Local Transport Plan, 2011 Onwards’ (LTP3), as part of the procedure leading up to the publication of the LTP3, by 31 March 2011.

Officers circulated amended copies of the draft LTP3 report which had been updated to incorporate changes as a result of written representations subsequently received.

Representations were received from a local resident and Friends of the Earth member who confirmed that the plan was generally good but there could be improvements. He referred to climate change, rising traffic levels and difficulties in reaching the emissions targets. He asked that the plan be strengthened in a number of areas including the setting of clear targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions for transport, setting dates for bringing illegal levels of air pollution down below legal limits, the establishment of car free areas and the setting of more ambitious cycling targets.

Councillor Merrett thanked the Executive Member for the amendments made to the draft Local Transport Plan and confirmed that he welcomed the changes but felt that the ambitions were not ambitious enough. He went on to refer to the air quality theme and expressed the hope that there would be faster progress than the aim of implementing measures to meet the EU legal requirement from 2021. He also made references to improvements required to the local bus and cycle networks.

The Executive Member referred to the considerable work that had gone into the preparation of the Transport Plan and he thanked officers for their efforts in trying to address the many issues that had been raised during the consultation process.  He confirmed that it had not been possible to cover all viewpoints but that the plan did represent a package of changes that were deliverable.

RESOLVED:             That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)                    Note the contents of the report.

ii)                  Agrees, in principle, the suggested amendments to the summarised Draft Full LTP3 document tabled at the meeting (copy annexed to these minutes).

iii)Requests officers to include within the draft, when it is forwarded to the Executive, additional options which seek to address the comments contained in the written representations which have been received (i.e. sub urban parking issues, the acceleration of the introduction of low emission public transport, improved journey time information both at bus stops and ‘on board’ buses, the early phasing of improvements to the northern by pass, changes to the role of at least part of the inner ring road, the creation of additional city centre public transport only corridors and the possible review of parking policies, with complementary measures to encourage greater use of more sustainable forms of transport at out of city centre retail/leisure centres). ^1.

REASON:                  To approve the required changes to the strategy and action plan to be incorporated within the full LTP3 for publication by the end of March 2011.

[As amended at the City Strategy Executive Member Decision Session held on 1 March 2011.]