Agenda item

(To receive a report from Jason Copper Transport and Growth Manager - Infrastructure Investment, which invites the Committee to consider and comment on the Local Transport Plan V, prior to a decision being taken by the Executive on 8 February 2022)

Consideration was given to a report from the Jason Copper, Transport and Growth Manager, which invited the Committee to consider and comment on Local Transport Plan Five, prior to a decision being taken by the Executive on 8 February 2022. Members were advised that the last Local Transport Plan was approved by Council in 2013. It was identified that transport was used primarily for its functional utility, as a result, six key and interwoven themes had been identified including supporting economic growth, future ready green transport, promoting thriving environments, supporting safety, security, and a healthy lifestyle, promoting high aspirations, and improving the quality of life. The public consultation resulted in positive and encouraging feedback. The Cycling Modal Strategy had been integrated into the Local Transport Plan Five. There were two appendices in the Plan surrounding rail including the Passenger Rail Modal Strategy and the Rail Infrastructure Modal Study.

The Committee considered the report, and during the discussion the following comments were noted:-

• Members were satisfied that the consultation exercise that took place as part of the was representative with overall figures in excess of 3000 website visitors and with around 750 actual responses to the online survey. Officers added that this rate of response was really above and beyond expectations certainly higher than previous consultations of this nature.  It was positive to hear that a wider audience of the younger population- the under 25s- of the County engaged in this consultation exercise again in relation to previous similar type consultations. 
• Members expressed an interest in how partnership working with district councils was envisaged and how it was expected to work in practice. Officers explained that the Council was the Highway and Transport Authority, however, partnership working relied heavily on partners’ ability to deliver services they were responsible for. It was emphasised that as a partner, the Council had a list of key desires and requirements that it work closely with other partners to successfully bring these to fruition. A thorough review of all local plans across the whole of Lincolnshire was carried out initially, that identified the aims of these and helped the Council in developing ways for better integrating transport and land use planning.
• Bus services were mentioned as an industry delivered mainly by the private sector. The service usage was noticeably in decline, owed to the Covid pandemic among other factors. The plan focused in reversing this negative picture. It was acknowledged that many of people across the county relied daily on these services and also it was noted that car ownership levels in some areas of the County remained relatively low, notably in Lincoln and in some other more urban areas. 
• Absence of passenger transportation services linking particular locations across the county was emphasised by Members, who argued that lack of alternatives to driving were echoed in the consultation. The impact of lack of services to night-time economy was also raised, with Members maintaining that a night-time bus service could have been more effective than a day-time service that was underused by the public. Officers gave assurance that they worked closely with operators as part of the BSIP and that there was an enhanced partnership approach being developed which would enable operators to work more closely in a partnership and with local authorities, with a very clear governance model around it. It was suggested to the Committee that CallConnect was the likely to be one of the most efficient and agile models for a rural area that that and there was no area in Lincolnshire that was not actually covered by a bus service if Demand Responsive Transport was included. This model drifted from the traditional model of waiting for the bus at the stop and enabled the public to access transportation services on demand. The BSIP was currently on hold waiting for a funding decision later in summer 2022, following which the Council would be working closely with stakeholders, including district council colleagues.
• Members asked for clarification in terms of what the LTP 5 implementation plan encompassed, what is already been developed as part of this and how long it was expected to take, whilst acknowledging that the former was a living document and therefore still being developed and optimised. It was also asked that a diagram mapping different strategies was also added to the LTP 5 overarching document, to which officers agreed. In relation to the former, officers stated that there was a wider plan of suggested ideas and approaches particularly around areas like active travel supporting and passenger transport services improvements including rail network/rail infrastructure both passenger and freight and bus services, that could be adopted across Lincolnshire as part of the implementation plan and that was to be advised at a later stage of this process.
• Members echoed that in terms of prioritisation of areas for development, central government often prioritised housing over roads infrastructure. The implementation plan and strategy were shifting to this direction of travel however, it was argued that the Council would need to swift and streamline partners to that same direction. 
• The Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy was discussed, and concerns were raised that the shift to electric vehicles may not be achieved as these would require the installation of fast charging points. Officers provided assurance that work was being carried out to identify suitable locations for installing charging points.
• Members enquired whether clean air zone was investigated as part of the plan and noted that it would be beneficial to review data from the time before the Lincoln Eastern Bypass was operated and after to verify the impact on air quality for the centre of Lincoln.

RESOLVED

1. That the Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee - recorded its support to the Recommendations to the Executive, made in the Local Transport Plan (LTP5) report.

2. That the Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee agreed that the comments listed above be forwarded on to the Executive in relation to this item.

Councillor S Roe returned to the meeting at this point.