Decision - FUTURE TOWN, FUTURE TRANSPORT: ADOPTION OF A TRANSPORT STRATEGY FOR STEVENAGE

Decision details

FUTURE TOWN, FUTURE TRANSPORT: ADOPTION OF A TRANSPORT STRATEGY FOR STEVENAGE

Decision Maker: Executive

Decision status: For Determination

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decision:

Members made the following comments/suggested amendments to the Strategy:

 

·      The Council’s carbon neutral target should be amended from “2050” to “2030”, in line with the recent Climate Change Emergency resolution;

·      Officers were requested to ensure that the next iteration of the Strategy included some form of consolidation with other inter-related Council strategies/policies;

·      It should be made clear in the Strategy that the Council’s established approach was for a widening of the A1(M) rather than a SMART motorway;

·      For clarity, either of the terms “living streets” or “liveable streets” should be used throughout the document, not both;

·      The Strategy needs to flag up that there were no evening bus services in some parts of the town, and a desire that the Council wished these to be re-instated, along with a circulatory route which served the Lister Hospital;

·      The Strategy should include an objective to prevent the idling of bus engines once the proposed new Bus Station came into operation;

·      The Assistant Director (Planning & Regulatory) undertook to provide Executive Members with details of the membership and frequency of meetings of the Disability Panel;

·      In terms of disability issues, consideration be given to a limitation on the speed of mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs in the Town Centre to 4mph;

·      Clarification be provided on precisely which vehicles were permitted to use the Stevenage cycleway system;

·      Going forward, consideration be given to the use of some of the Council’s garage blocks as charging points for electric vehicles; and

·      Officers were requested to review the 2023 targets contained in the document relating to “Park and Ride” and “Electric Bike” schemes.

 

The Leader asked the Assistant Director (Planning & Regulatory) to meet with a Member who had raised issues with regard to roads crossing cycleways, and whether the Strategy could include an objective striving for reduced bus fares, in order to encourage residents toward a modal shift away for car use.

 

Members supported an additional recommendation proposed by the Leader that the Strategy be reviewed by the Executive in 12 months’ time, particularly in the light of potential developments during that time with the Climate Change Strategy, including the proposed Citizens’ Panel and People’s Assembly.

 

It was RESOLVED:

 

1.         That the responses to the consultation on the draft “Future Town, Future Transport” Strategy be noted.

 

2.         That the proposed amendments to the draft “Future Town, Future Transport” Strategy made following public consultation be approved.

 

3.         That the revised “Future Town, Future Transport” Strategy, attached at Appendix B to the report, be adopted as the transport strategy for Stevenage, sitting under the Future Town Future Council Corporate Plan as one of the “place of Choice” strategies.

 

4.         That the Strategy be reviewed by the Executive in 12 months’ time, particularly in the light of potential developments during that time with the Climate Change Strategy, including the proposed Citizens’ Panel and People’s Assembly.

 

Reason for Decision:  As contained in the report; and 4. To ensure a robust monitoring and review of the Strategy.

Other Options considered: As contained in the report.

Publication date: 09/10/2019

Date of decision: 09/10/2019

Decided at meeting: 09/10/2019 - Executive

Accompanying Documents: