Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Transport will be in attendance to give a verbal report on the priorities within his portfolio area.

The Cabinet Member for Transport attended the meeting to give a verbal report on the priorities within his portfolio area. He outlined the following priorities;

·        Access York- new Park and Ride sites had recently opened.

·        Examination of transport implications from hosting the Tour de France.

·        Urban Traffic Control.

·        The Better Bus Area Fund.

·        Pinch point funding for the A19, it was expected that this would start to be delivered over the next year.

·        New cycle schemes-particularly those from Haxby to Clifton and University Road.

·        A roll out of 20 mph limits across the city. [As amended at the 23 July 2014 meeting]

·        Securing funding for Outer Ring Road improvements.

·        The setting up of a Transport Commission to look at congestion in the city.

He added that there needed to be clearer communication with residents on the aims of some of the schemes underway, such as the roll out of the 20 mph zones, to inform the public what the aim of the schemes were.

Members asked a series of questions to the Cabinet Member including;

·        How much money had the Council given to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority?

·        Who decided that the traffic restriction on Lendal Bridge should be lifted?

·        What had happened to funding bids for the Outer Ring Road and a Transport Interchange at the railway station?

·        Who sat on the Transport Commission?

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

The Cabinet Member informed Members that although he did not have the figures to hand, he was happy to pass these on. In response to a question about whether York could help formulate a transport plan with the Combined Authority, the Cabinet Member reported that there were a number of technical boundaries to overcome in regards to geographical boundaries. However, he underlined the Council’s representation and its voting rights on the Combined Authority and on its Investment Committee.

Lendal Bridge

It was reported that the Leader, under delegated powers and with the agreement of the Chair of Corporate & Scrutiny Management Committee, had lifted the traffic restriction on Lendal Bridge.

Funding for Outer Ring Road and Transport Interchange

It was reported that both funding bids had been accepted by the Combined Authority. The design for the Outer Ring Road was out to tender and the design process was currently funded by the Council.

Network Rail would take over management of York Rail Station and costs for a Transport Interchange would be received shortly. However the plans were at an early stage and public consultation was planned.

Composition of the Transport Commission

The Cabinet Member informed the Committee that it was the intention for it to be a cross party commission, but that further details would be provided in his report in October.

The Chair requested that it would be more useful for the Committee to receive a written report from the Cabinet Member when he appeared at the Committee in the future.

Resolved:  That the verbal report be noted.

Reason:     So that Members are aware of the Cabinet Member’s priorities within his portfolio area.