Agenda item

Presentation by Keith Morgan, Nottingham City Council Transport Strategy

Keith Morgan, Principal Transport Planner, delivered an update presentation on the Cycling and Road Space Transformation, a copy of which is available with the initial publication of the minutes.

The following points were highlighted and questions from the forum responded to:

(a)  Grant funds have been achieved to establish and improve the cycling and walking infrastructure within the City, and has been allocated to schemes including :

o  The Boots Enterprise Zone Bridge (to be named after Stuart Adams who developedibuprofen), which will connect the Boots Campus to Highfields Park over the railway lines, and includes other connecting paths;

o  Local Cycling Walking and Investment Programme;

o  Transforming Cities Fund Tranche 1

o  Transforming Cities Fund Tranche 2

(b)  A 15 year programme of cycle infrastructure improvements are being progressed, and to date funding up to March 2023 has been secured;

(c)  There will be a refreshed approach to a walking programme which is still being developed Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan with a walking audit which is considering destinations and journey, including links to bus stops and also identifying corridors for walking into the City. Suggestions from citizens would be welcomed;

(d)  Ideally City citizens should not have to walk more than 400m to reach public transport and whilst this is mostly possible, where it is not, the barriers need to be identified and where possible, addressed;

(e)  Although there may have possibly been potential to incorporate a footpath along the tram bridge which links Arkwright Walk to the Lace Market, as it was not considered at the design stage, it is not feasible to include post construction without significant and unavailable cost. In addition, citizen consultation found that ground level paths in the area will be more attractive once the Broadmarsh development is completed;

(f)  New pots of funding are emerging which will be broader reaching with eligibility criteria beyond the current restrictions of commercial growth and job creation, but the City Council priorities can change dependant on whether funding can be achieved. What may be a high priority will remain a high priority but other ‘lesser priority’ works may be undertaken sooner if funding can be achieved;

(g)  The walking Audit will identify destinations and links between town centres/district centres, parks, green spaces, employment and study centres and areas of proposed development;

(h)  Nottingham City Council is working closely with Derby City Council within the framework of D2N2 to further improve public transport links between and around the cities, including cycle and footpath routes. The map within the presentation illustrates the Tranche 1 priority schemes within each City, and further priorities once funding can be secured.  It has been proven in other areas of grant funding applications that where collaboration and co-ordination on this scale can be illustrated, applications have a higher chance of success;

(i)  £8.8m grant funding has been secured along with approximately £2.5m allocated for cycling and walking improvements, the majority being allocated to the improvements along Farnborough Road and the A453 / B679, Clifton and Wilford and a smaller amount to the canal route (the Big Track);

(j)  A further bid for £188m has been submitted to incorporate the broader transport network, but a determination is yet to be received. If successful, this will provide £20m for cycling and walking and £20m for the City Centre and Public Realm. The improvements possible will be very positive for both Cities;

(k)  Tranche 2 of Transforming Cities may be able to contribute to connecting the new gateway development between Nottingham and Derby, particularly with regard to an electric cycle corridor;

(l)  Electric bicycles are becoming increasingly prominent in transport planning and potential routes (which can be used by non-electric cycles but are branded for electric cycles due to the distance available) are carefully considered to ensure that there are no off-putting elements

(m)  Whilst very few new roads are being constructed, retro-fitting of cycle paths has been undertaken widely within the City. Any new roads will be considered for an integrated use but not all will be suitable for dedicated cycle paths;

(n)  A long length of shared cycle and foot path is being constructed along Farnborough Road and where the A453 has recently been widened, there are aspirations to improve links from there to the City, including a widened shared path between Clifton and Trent University; 

(o)  A lot of cycle and walking routes across the City are in need of upgrading and will be considered within the strategy and so whilst maintenance funding is ring-fenced, additional funding routes are sought to help support improvements of current facilities, sometimes by broadening the offer to meet funding criteria;

(p)  Nottingham Cycle Design Guide is quite progressive and all new schemes refer to the guide and adhere to it;

(q)  Bridges across the Trent are being considered, particularly the new Trent Basin and existing Lady Bay bridges.  Existing bridges present the most challenges to implement any changes but are still considered;

(r)  With regard to biodiversity, there has to be a balance between paths and grass/wild flower seeded green areas but at this time there are no specific plans to include additional green space, although the team do work with the Parks and Open Spaces Team;

(s)  Whilst some funding has already been secured, a change in Government may result in differing priorities and reconfiguration of current funding;

(t)  Thomas Humphries, John Bann, Keith and a student intern will be undertaking the walking audit and welcome feedback on the findings once completed. Different people will be approached for their opinions at different times of day to ensure a broad ranging comment. If any interested members of the group would like the opportunity to comment on the Audit, this would be most welcome, and if any Forum members would like to involved in the actual Audit, then this also would be welcomed;

(u)  For any further information or to provide feedback, please contact Keith at Keith.morgan@nottinghamcity.gov.uk or Cyclecity@nottinghamcity.gov.uk, or on 0115 87 63942.

Members of the Forum welcomed further investment but expressed concern that there appeared to be little determination for an integrated road and cycle network in new developments.

The Chair and Forum members thanked Keith Morgan for his interesting and informative presentation.