Andrew Lane from Planning Policy gave an introduction to the consultation of the
draft transport strategy.
England’s Economic Heartland is a
partnership of local transport authorities and Local Enterprise
Partnerships (LEPs).
The consultation covers the Draft Transport
Strategy, the Integrated Sustainability Appraisal, and the Proposal
to Establish a Statutory Sub-national Transport Body. The end date
for the consultation is 6 October 2020.
The website (link provided in the agenda) is
very helpful and the final strategy is planned for the beginning of
2021.
Cabinet member sign off is the expected
process for the response from the council.
The strategy’s draft vision is “to
realise sustainable growth opportunities and improve quality of
life and wellbeing for Heartland residents and businesses, by
harnessing the region’s globally renowned centres of
innovation to unlock a world class, de-carbonised transport
system”.
Draft key principles are:
- The strategy touches on the impact
of Covid-19 and how we can do things differently in the
future.
- Achieving net zero carbon emissions
from transport by 2050.
- Accessibility and inclusivity
– improve quality of life to all.
- Support the regional economy by
connecting people and businesses to markets and opportunities.
- Ensuring the Heartland works for the
UK by enabling the efficient movement of people and goods.
The consultation is asking for comment on the
vision, key principles, having a step-change approach, 30 policies
over 4 themes, and implementation and delivery pipelines supported
by the Integrated Sustainability Appraisal.
There is no specific mention of the Ox-Cam
Expressway. Policy 12 mentions the ARC with travel from Oxford to
Milton Keynes is mentioned as a strategic issue to resolve.
The proposal to establish a Statutory
Sub-national Transport Body – views are sought on whether to
become statutory (currently operates as non-statutory). This would
give more powers to create policy and be consulted on rail
franchises, road infrastructure strategy and procuring bus
services.
The chair welcomed comments and questions and
spilt the discussion into two parts. First, to comment on the
strategy:
- Seems very high level – not
much to object to.
- Welcomed the recognition of home
working
- East -West Rail - not hard enough on
that. Need to consider that franchises are no longer.
- Integration of bus and rail –
need more on this. E.g Tyneside
integrated metro and buses was popular.
- OCC are developing LTP5 –
Local Transport Plan – need to integrate this strategy with
County plans
- Ox-Cam ARC and EEH – how will
these two bodies work together – want more on this. Not clear
on this.
- The strategy would benefit from
clarity on the relationship with planning at the district
level.
- Councillor Gascoigne asked why
parking lorries was flagged – Officer added that freight is
an important element of movement and economy in the region.
Councillor Johnston added that the British Road Federation is
putting on pressure to provide more lorry parks.
- Chair mentioned that pages 22-23
lists areas, and some local areas/towns are not listed –
Abingdon, Wantage, Faringdon –
can these be listed in a category, so that no area appears to be
missed out.
- Rural connectivity – needs to
be given more importance. Neighbouring villages to market towns
– there aren’t easy active transport links to Didcot
transport hub – people have to use their cars –
Councillor Gascoigne asked for more emphasis on this in the
strategy.
- Chair mentioned the strategy’s
carbon neutral targets for transport. This council has targets that
are sooner than 2050, and midway points should be added to the
strategy targets. We’d be happy to bring the target date
forward in line with our local targets.
- Make life easier to travel on public
transport – one ticket. This will encourage the public.
Item 2 is for the proposal to have a statutory
body.
- List of powers seem reasonable
– powers brought locally.
- Governance structure is not overly
clear. Democratic accountability is going to be important and needs
to be maintained throughout.
The chair listed the areas the committee
thought the council should respond on:
- Electrify East-West Rail as far as
possible. Councillor Johnston is happy to provide details.
- Integrate rail and bus is important
– as is connectivity with villages/rural communities and
transport hubs.
- Clarity on the Ox-Cam Arc and how
this will work with this body. There needs to be coordination with
local planning. More guidance needed in the strategy on what
planning powers local districts have. What are the links between
district planning authorities and the statutory body?
- List all market towns to show they
are considered in the strategy.
- Support the sub-national body
becoming statutory as long as democratic accountability and an
appropriate governance structure is in place.
The committee voted in favour of these
recommendations to feed into the consultation response of the
council, which is expected to be signed off by the relevant Cabinet
members.