Agenda and draft minutes

In the absence of the Chair, Helen Hemstock, Joint Vice-Chair, Liz Cordle, Chaired the meeting.

Paul Able

Helen Hemstock

Edmund Hopkins.

Nick Hynes

Nigel Sarsfield

Giselle Sterry

Rob Kirkwood

Of the meeting held on 27 April 2022 (for confirmation).

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 April 2022 were confirmed as a true record.

An update of the issues recorded included:

John Lee has a provisional date of Wednesday 27 July 2022, at Victoria Embankment for the members of the E-Scooter Subgroup and any other interested members of the LAF to meet with the E-scooter operators and have a go. Members are asked to confirm their availability by email.

Hugh McClintock reported that he had arranged a meeting regarding rights of way (RoW) within ‘the island site’ and the ‘canal turn’, however, this didn’t proceed, but a meeting is now scheduled for next week where he will represent both PEDALS and the LAF. An update will be presented to the next meeting.

Hugh McClintock and John Lee updated Forum as follows:

a)  the need for a  crossing on Queens Road was raised as part of the planning application consultation about eight or nine years ago when Network Rail / East Midlands Trains announced the proposal to stop up the public footpath over the station as part of the Station Hub Redevelopment;

b)  closure of the public footpath was strongly opposed partly due to its connectivity and being part of an historical walking route to the City. As traffic increases in this area, a safe crossing point is required;

c)  the City Council engineer who was going to follow up this issue has since left the Council;

d)  the LAF have followed this for many years, and now Margaret Knowles, and Hugh McClintock, with the support of members, have again worked to revive and progress the issue;

e)  John Lee followed up the section 106 planning obligation for the current station car park development,;

f)  a technical analysis to determine if there is a requirement for a crossing has been dispensed with as City Council Road Safety colleagues have concluded that due to the reconfiguration of city centre roads, there is an obvious need and the developer should proceed to ensure it is completed.

Action (John Lee) to ensure that a progress update is presented to the committee in six months’ time.

(Membership - Margaret Knowles, Ian Bussey, Liz Cordle, Rob Kirkwood, Steve Rhodes, Nigel Sarsfield, Chris Thompson, and Hillary Yates)

Liz Cordle, Ian Bussey and Chris Thompson provided the following update:

a)  the St Ann’s and Mapperley walks have now been published;

b)  the Basford walk now follows two routes, to Basford and Cinderhill and is being reviewed and drafts have been circulated for testing;

c)  a test route in the Berridge area is due to be tested soon;

d)  Chris Thompson and Mike Mews met with Tom and Martin form the Open Spaces Forum to progress this walk along the River Leen.

(Membership - Liz Cordle, Edmund Hopkins, Margaret Knowles, Dave Mackrory, Hugh McClintock, Steve Rhodes, Giselle Sterry, and Ken Weise – with assistance from Ian Bussey)

Margaret Knowles, Chris Thompson, Dave Mackrory and Ian Bussey provided the following update with comments from Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis:

a)  a face-to-face meeting was held which included discussions on cycle parking standards, the Carbon Neutral Review Panel (CNRP), Stopping up Orders and the capacity of the group to deal with the amount of potential work;

b)  the group will continue to observe the cycle parking standards as set out within the local plan, but also refer to the Department for Transport; Local Transport Note (LTN) 1/20, which advises additional standards and good practice;

c)  the group will continue to examine the examples of good practice from other Local Authorities;

d)  2 stopping up orders are being considered for developments at Padstow and Ridgeway. There is no objection from the group regarding the Ridgeway, but with regard to development on the Padstow School site, work is ongoing by Dave Mackrory;

e)  Dave Mackrory elaborated on his work so far regarding the development proposed for the Padstow school site, noting that the draft order has been published with an objection deadline of 28 July 2022. It could be queried if all existing routes across the site have been identified but there are potentially new routes to be established across the site but it’s not clear which roads will be put forward for adoption and therefore becoming automatic public routes. As such there is no guarantee that the connectivity across the site would be maintained and link with other existing RoW, particularly to the western boundary. Proposed comments have only just been circulated to the Planning subgroup members, but feedback is requested, after which Dave intends to respond;

f)  the group has queried that given the capacity of the group and the potential amount of work involved, consideration of stopping up orders may sit better with another subgroup;

g)  additional support from existing members would be welcomed, particularly from those with experience of planning, and hopefully some of the new recruits to the forum over this summer;

h)  almost 500 applications have been screened and 15 application have been commented on;

i)  the most common issue being the lack of adequate cycle parking, but one particular comment expressed concern on the Clifton West proposal, adjacent to Clifton Woods, and Hawksley Gardens, off Yew Tree Avenue, at the lack of acknowledgement to linking with the existing adjacent public bridleway and wider RoW network;

j)  the Local Plan now appears outdated as it places a priority for motor vehicles above sustainable cycle and pedestrian travel and lacks detail. In addition there is discrepancy against the new guidance issued by the DfT’ Local Transport Note (LTN) 1/20;

k)  with regard to cycle parking and the discrepancy between the standards of the Local Plan and the more ambitious standards of the DfT LTN 1/20, it should be noted that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29b

(Membership - Nick Hynes, Mike Mewse, Chris Thompson, and Hilary Yates)

Chris Thompson emphasised the need for the subgroup (and Forum) to meet face to face as some members don’t have the technology to meet virtually so are excluded unless there is an alternative approach. This issue will be addressed in an item later in the agenda.

(Membership - Paul Abel, Chris Thompson, Nigel Sarsfield, and Giselle Sterry)

The E-Scooter subgroup is specifically being targeted for recruitment, including the universities with the aim to attract members with a younger person’s perspective.

As previously stated, John Lee has provisionally arranged a ‘have a go’ session on 27 July 2022 at the Victoria Embankment, subject to all interested parties being available.

John Lee informed the Forum that the possibility of meeting face to face at Loxley House was being investigated. As the building closes to the public at 5pm and the LAF meeting doesn’t start until 6.30pm, arrangements are being discussed and members will be advised in due course for the October meeting. Members in attendance agreed that the preferred option was to meet face to face.

John Lee provided an update on recruitment which started on 27 June 2022:

a)  to date there have been 4 packs sent to interested individuals. Colleagues are refreshing their community contact details, universities and local disability groups have been contacted and posters are being displayed in the main City Council Parks. Further posters can be collected by prior arrangement from Loxley House reception;

b)  the recruitment concludes on 27 August 2022 and, if necessary, applicants will be interviewed. New members will be appointed in time for the October meeting;

c)  although there is no current information on the geographical spread of where Forum members live/ the area they represent, many  appear to be very well informed and familiar with RoW within and across the City and Nottinghamshire;

d)  it is noted that both Rob Kirkwood and Paul Abel are both relatively new members;

e)  it is hoped that the increased popularity in walking and cycling since the height of the pandemic in 2020 will attract interest in the Forum, and RoW generally.

Items suggested for the 12 October 2022 meeting, subject to consultation with the Chair and availability:

o  Chris Boardman, the Active Travel England Commissioner (Hugh McClintock to extend an invitation to speak about the work of Active Travel England);

o  an update on the new footbridge over the River Trent with the County LAF (John Lee to chase up the lead officer and Hugh McClintock to speak to the County LAF Chair);

o  Planning White Paper (Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis offered to provide an update presentation to the next meeting);

Further suggested future agenda items:

o  Living Streets;

o  Broadmarsh Development update;

o  Highway Code Changes - how they have been promoted and citizen compliance, including the impact on cyclists since they have been given right of way preference and if any local level amendments to signage need to be suggested. (John Lee to speak with Helen Hemstock, Chair, to see if she would want to contact DfT to request the results if the response/impact of the changes have been evaluated yet);

It’s noted that John Lee is to meet with Councillor Audra Wynter, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Parks on 18 July 2022, and will ensure she is fully briefed on the work of the LAF and is invited to attend future meetings.

None.

12 October 2022 at 6.30pm (venue/media to be confirmed nearer the time).