Agenda and minutes

Resolved for Councillor Helen Kalsi to be appointed as Chair of the Committee for the 2023-24 municipal year.

Resolved for Councillor John Ogle to be appointed Vice-Chair for the 2023-24 municipal year.

Councillor Hayley Spain

Matt Shannon

Justin Dunn

None.

Minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2023, for confirmation

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2023 were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Report of the Head of Operations, Nottingham Trams

Julian Smedley, Nottingham Trams Operations Manager, presented the operational performance and progress update report which referred to the following areas:

o  Operational performance

i.  Overhead line incident at Wilford;

ii.  Water main fracture at Central College;

iii.  Other matters, including passengers trying to board trams while the doors are closing, improving road safety at the Radford Road Asda, and incidents caused by vehicles jumping red lights;

o  Parking enforcement;

o  Ticketing;

o  Antisocial behaviour update;

o  Partnership working and community engagement.

The following responses were provided to members questions:

a)  With regard to the overhead line issue which was causing the pantograph to snag, spark and produce an electronic arc, this was spotted by control room CCTV operators who requested the tram stop immediately. Whilst sparking from the pantograph and overhead line may occur commonly in cold weather, the presence of an arc alerted control that there was a significant issue. Significant disruption was caused to the service for one day, after which normal service was resumed;

b)  The burst water mains at Chilwell resulted in a reduced Beeston service due to localised flooding and the isolation of the overhead line at the request of the Fire and Rescue Service. Investigation is still ongoing as to whether there has been any longer term damage to this section of the network;

c)  Additional signage, a refresh of the white lines, and installation of road humps at the entrance and exits of the Radford Road Asda are in response to several minor road traffic incidents involving Asda customer vehicles. Any further collision or emergency braking incidents will be recorded and monitored;

d)  The regularity, numbers, and sites of road traffic/tram collisions at junctions has been sporadic and primarily due to vehicle drivers not respecting the traffic light signal. It is not currently considered appropriate to introduce any additional measures;

e)  Parking enforcement regarding vehicles using the park-and-ride carparks, but occupants not using the trams, is ongoing, with the only exception allowed being vehicles parked at Wilkinson Street to use the Medi-Link bus service to the City and University Hospitals;

f)  Car meets at park-and-ride sites has been an issue, most recently at Toton. Residents have been approached and provided with officer contact numbers should any gatherings be considered a nuisance and it be obvious that those parked are not using the tram;

g)  Large car meets have been an ASB issue elsewhere, and it’s believed that where they have been successfully moved on, such as from Chilwell and Colwick Business Parks, the problem is then merely displaced elsewhere. Large red signs warning that parking without using the tram will result in cars being clamped, have been installed;

h)  As part of the effort to combat antisocial behaviour on and around the trams, the antisocial behaviour team have been out in Beeston, Toton and Bulwell to map the times and types of ASB, but most importantly to engage with young people, in an effort to deter ASB;

i)  Strong links are maintained with the Police, who can be given access to network CCTV with regard to repeated antisocial behaviour and criminal activity such as vandalism and criminal damage. There have been 7 arrests made as a result;

j)  Where specific youth ASB hotspots are found, the service has partnered with the Pythian Club youth engagement team to work with young people and provide a good tram related experience and diversionary activities, which has significantly reduced issues;

k)  Additional patrols and on platform/tram customer care officers will be provided across the network during half term to provide a visible presence to deter undesirable behaviour and assure passengers;

l)  The carriage derailment at Bulwell, which affected the line for approximately 8 days whilst the tram was re-railed and an initial assessment undertaken, is still under investigation.

Resolved to note the report and update.

The Pythian Club will be delivering a presentation on their activities to assist in combating anti-social behaviour on the network.

Kelly Puleston (Project Manager), Ashley Gorman (Head Sports Coach) and Reece Wright (Outreach Team) of the Pythian Club where in attendance to provide members with an overview of their work in partnership with the tram network to combat and prevent antisocial behaviour by young people through engagement, diversionary activities and positive experience.

The following points were highlighted:

a)  Multiple incidents of antisocial behaviour such as smoking, vaping and taking drugs by young people has been witnessed on the tram. Members of the Pythian Club Youth Engagement Team get off the tram with these young people and speak with them to find out what types of activity would interest them. Young people approached in Clifton are specific about wanting more sporting activities, some people in Bulwell requested basketball sections, both of which have been facilitated by the Pythian Club in partnership with local organisations;

b)  As an example, the Pythian Clubs has UFC links with the gym on Huntingdon Street and has been able to facilitate 2 ½ days a week for boxing and kickboxing. Initially the take-up was 17 young people, but this is risen to 25;

c)  Originally from New Zealand, and having grown up in environment where crime, antisocial behaviour, and gang culture occurred, Project Manager Kelly Puleston is able to relate to many young people, which in turn accelerates trust and buy-in to the diversionary engagement activities. Mentoring and support can also be provided to young people where the need is identified;

d)  Consideration is given to the appearance of youth engagement workers, which is casual and as informal as possible, wearing hoodies and casual clothes, being careful to avoid any representations of formal authority;

e)  The club has been working in Bulwell since 2021, providing a sports zone on Thursdays and Fridays from 4pm to 7pm, which is attended by young people from all areas;

f)  Local businesses are asked what issues they feel most significant in the area and as a result, workers engaged with the young people gathering at the Springfield Retail Park in Bulwell;

g)  The Tesco stores at Bulwell and Beeston are happy for club leaders to utilise a section of their car parks to deliver sport activities, or even for just a club meeting and engagement session;

h)  Since engaging young people in Clifton, antisocial behaviour has dropped, whilst activity sessions have increased, and with 43 young people regularly attending, including previously unknown young people, the Club has had to engage more staff to facilitate the sessions. Some parents, carers, grandparents attend with the young people and are welcomed;

i)  The key elements of engagement work includes;

i.  Being responsive to young people’s needs;

ii.  Instilling the understanding that they are valued;

iii.  Encouraging contact and engagement and aspirations, which in turn reduces antisocial behaviour;

j)  It is hoped that further activities can be delivered in the Clifton area where a lot of the young people don’t appear to have any plans for the future, don’t feel recognised or valued, and don’t feel safe. The Pythian Club is hoping to partner with FSM, which owns and runs 7 football pitches to provide further activity sessions;

k)  With regard to dealing with those found to be causing ASB, as the majority of young people can’t afford to pay fines and penalties,  restorative justice can be most the most sensible course of action, from which all parties can benefit from the achievement of positive results;

l)  Primary school children are also engaged and asked to draw safety and information posters for use on the trams and at tram stops to nurture the feeling of ownership and investment;

m)  Engaging secondary school pupils is more challenging and includes a greater focus on safety. During the showing of a clip of CCTV where young people were playing on the tram line as a tram approached, and the near miss whereby one only just got out of the way in time, the young person  recognised himself and was shocked that the near miss had been so much closer than he had thought at the time, making him realise that he could have been easily killed or seriously injured. This is used as an example when speaking to other groups of young people who freely pay on the tracks and with the trams;

n)  Due to engagement and the positive promotion of the tams and network with the aim to increase respect and ownership, some pupils have developed a far greater, in depth interest and creativity, even designing specific emergency rolling stock; 

o)  The Pythian Club does take young person referrals from Nottingham City Homes and local Police, but the young people need to be willing to attend and engage. For persistent criminal and ASB offenders, it is possible that they risk their family’s tenancy if they don’t attend and engage in sessions. Whatever the approach, it has to be realistically achievable and supported by relevant partners, including the parents and carers of the young people;

p)  Not all of the ASB issues can be attributed to local young people as groups often travel and gather form other parts of the city or county. Once understood, funding for activities at suitable sites can be sought, as was the case with sessions held in Beeston and part funded by Broxtowe Council;

q)  If the group of young people causing issues of concern can be identified, then the Pythian Team will target engagement with them, often initially just with casual football to make initial contact, and progress from there;

r)  Young people attacking young people is an ongoing concern. Additional needs have to be understood, incidents taken seriously and the risks and dangers clearly laid out with the young people who need to take responsibility for their actions or inactions if they witness attacks and don’t attempt to stop them. Appropriate criminal enforcement is important to ensure the severity of criminal and antisocial behaviours is understood.

Members of the Committee keenly welcomed the youth engagement work of the Pythian Club and encouraged further activity.

a)  Andrew Holdstock, Senior NET Project Engineer, Nottingham City Council, informed the Committee that correspondence had been received from a citizen, but as the author has stated that he is commencing legal action, it was not appropriate for the Committee to consider the correspondence at this time. Members would be informed once the issue is legally concluded, but in the meantime, the Chair is asked to agree an initial response stating such.

b)  Fare dodging was raised as a concern by members, particularly during the summer holidays when school passes are not valid.  Andrew Conroy assured members that all schools on the network had been written to offering a one year season tickets for school aged children. This has created massive interest with an 85% response rate. The current scheme was trialled at George Spencer School, for which 80 season tickets were sold.

c)  Ticket purchase schemes to spread the cost of long term tickets haven’t been introduced yet, but options, including pin free systems, are being investigated, along with something similar to the City Council staff salary sacrifice direct debit scheme.

For further discussion.

Members suggested the following issues are considered for inclusion at future meetings in addition to the existing cycle of updates:

a)  Examination of the activity around the car parking restrictions, including clamping of non-tram user vehicles, with an update on how the schemes were operating;

b)  Update on, and arrangements for Wilkinson Street during Goose Fair when there is no facility to park at the Forest;

c)  The Chilwell tram stop area floods badly between the platforms in heavy rain, so should be investigated, particularly as this requires the trams to significantly slow.

To agree to meet on the following Tuesdays at 2pm:

12 September 2023

12 December 2023

12 March 2024

Resolved to meet on the following Tuesdays at 2pm in Loxley House:

12 September 2023

12 December 2023

12 March 2024