Agenda and minutes

Councillor Rostance (County) – other Council business

Matt Neal (County)

None.

Last meeting held on 11 December 2020 (for confirmation)

The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 2020 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Presentation by Principal Transport Planner

The Committee received a presentation by Keith Morgan, Principal Transport Planner, detailing Nottingham’s cycling and walking infrastructure programme.

The main points were as follows:

 i.  via collaborative working between authorities in the D2N2 area, a strategic network of walking and cycling routes has been created under a ‘Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan’, which will be submitted to the DfT for approval;

ii.  since January 2016, the ‘Nottingham City Cycling Design Guide’, written by Sustrans, has been in place and, following publication of the DfT Local Transport Note 1/20 in July 2020, the City has updated the Guide, including having higher levels of segregation where possible;

iii.  Transforming Cities Funding (TCF) of £161m has been shared between Nottingham and Derby City Councils and will be used over the next few years towards growth corridors / hubs, and the schemes must be delivered by March 2023;

iv.  part of the TCF (£40m) is being used towards cycling and walking routes within Nottingham City and the surrounding areas, such as around the Broadmarsh and out to Nottingham Trent University and East Midlands Airport;

v.  funding has also been received via the Governments’ Active Travel Fund (ATF), which gives authorities a year to deliver schemes, and the City has / will use this to fund schemes such as E-scooters, pop-up cycle parking, creation of 20mph zones and Nottingham Bike Aid;

vi.  the ATF can be withdrawn by the DfT if public consultation on proposals is not undertaken, therefore the City has, alongside its normal consultation, a website for the public to use at https://keepnottinghammovingsafely.commonplace.is

In response to a question regarding whether there is guidance or a minimum requirement for shared surface / segregation, Mr Morgan stated that, depending on usage and local needs, a 2-way cycle track should be a minimum of 3mt wide with an additional 2mt for pedestrians, so a total of 5mt wide ideally.

He further stated that in an urban environment, this size is only possible if there is a willingness to lose road space in favour of cycle/walking tracks.

In response to a question as to whether the current pop-up cycle routes would become permanent, Mr Morgan stated that those that were put in place in September 2020 have been monitored, and local residents consulted, and some would be removed while others would be made permanent, such as Carlton Road and Wells Road, once redesigned for permanent use.

Kevin Sharman (County) also stated that the County Council were currently consulting on where to install permanent tracks, utilising the ATF it had received, within the Greater Nottingham area, such as existing pop-ups in Beeston and Rushcliffe.

In response to a question regarding consultation for those without internet access, Mr Morgan stated that leaflet drops to houses within a scheme area and public meetings (where covid restrictions allow) were also undertaken.

During discussion, the Committee stated that:

  vii.  it welcomed, as did the Student’s Union, that road-safety issues in the Derby Road area were being addressed as students have previously  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

Report of Joint Officer Steering Group

Matt Gregory, Head of Planning Strategy and Building Control, presented the report, which included the minutes of the 22 September 2020 JPAB meeting. He also gave a presentation (a copy of which is attached to these minutes) in respect of two recent strategic planning for Greater Nottingham workshops, held on 19 January and 24 February 2021.

Resolved

(1)  to note the report and presentation;

(2)  that the Housing Growth Plan be added to the work plan for this Committee and a presentation be given at an appropriate future meeting.

Report of Joint Officer Steering Group

During discussion of this item, Councillor Edwards stated for the record that he is the Council nominated shareholder for Enviroenergy and also Chair of the Enviroenergy Board.

Sally Gill, Group Manager Planning, and Stephen Pointer, Team Manager Planning Policy, presented the report, which detailed the latest position in respect of the minerals and waste local plans.

In regards to the Minerals Local Plan, it was stated that the 32 consultation representations received had been forwarded to the Planning Inspector, and a response was expected within the next few weeks.

In regards to the Waste Local Plan, a meeting of the Members Working Group has been scheduled for April 2021 (delayed from autumn 2020 due to the Minerals Local Plan hearings) to discuss a summary of the 270 responses to consultation. The outcome of that meeting will be reported to the June meeting of this Committee.

During discussion, the Committee stated that local authorities needed clear guidance from Government on food waste collection, thereby encouraging wider use of anaerobic digestion. It was also suggested that officers might explore the potential for a site visit for members to a waste treatment facility in the coming months.

Resolved to note the report.

Report of Joint Officer Steering Group

Further to minute 15 resolution (2), dated 15 December 2020, regarding Faraday Road Train Station, James Ashton, Transport Strategy Manager, stated that although the scheme was included in the local transport plan, currently funding was not available to take the scheme forwards.

Mr Ashton then presented the report, updating the Committee on transport issues across the Greater Nottingham area, including the effects on transport of the Covid-19 pandemic, information about the cycling improvement programme, development of the City’s LTP4 and the latest position in respect of the Clifton Bridge works.

The main points were as follow:

 i.  during the latest lockdown, traffic levels are at around 70% of normal, bus patronage is at around 25% of normal levels and tram patronage is at around 20% of normal levels, although all of these are expected to rise when children return to school on 8 March;

ii.  there has been a significant rise in cycling levels, partly due to the recent decent weather;

iii.  the City’s LTP3, which runs to 2026, will be updated and a draft replacement, hopefully by summer 2021, will become LTP4 once the findings of a Delphi Study are known. This will include the carbon-neutral by 2028 aspiration and be future-proofed with different scenarios once the ‘new normal’ in regards to transport requirements is known (following the pandemic - less commuting, more working from home, more cycling/walking, less travel for retail due to online shopping etc);

iv.  second-hand car sales dipped to very low levels during Feb-July 2020 but have now returned to the average seen over the last 5-6 years;

v.  the Clifton Bridge repair works are expected to be completed and the bridge fully opened by autumn 2021, and Highways England have brought forward planned maintenance works from 2022 so that they can be done during the current closure.

Members stated that in respect of East Midlands Airport, especially when it becomes a free-port, to ensure employees can get there without using a car, there is a need for enhanced bus provision from both rural and suburban areas, although this would only be possible with subsidies from government, local authorities and companies based there.

Members also requested that going forwards, and in relation to Clifton Bridge currently, Highways England be asked for specific dates for completion of works, rather than just giving a month or a season.

Resolved

(1)  that the report be noted;

(2)  that the Transport Strategy Manager be requested to:

(i)  contact Highways England in respect of a completion date for Clifton Bridge and inform members should one be received;

(ii)  submit a presentation to an appropriate meeting of this Committee detailing the findings of the LTP4 Delphi Study.

For noting / discussion

The Committee noted the work plan and requested it be amended to include the items as discussed in minutes 26 and 28 above.

To agree to meet at 10.30am on the following Friday’s:

2021  2022

11 June  11 March

10 September

10 December

The Committee agreed to meet at 10.30am on the following Fridays during the 2021/22 municipal year (either at Loxley House or remotely, pandemic dependant):

2021  2022

11 June  11 March

10 September

10 December