Meeting documents

To consider how the Local Transport Plan was being applied and what would be needed for this to remain relevant in the future . 

The content of the report by the Service Director Economy on the application of the Local Transport Plan, what it was designed to achieve and the means by which this was to be done was considered by the Committee. The Plan was designed to target where improvements were most beneficial and would achieve the most and the means by which this could be delivered.

How the LTP worked in practice between the three highway authorities of Dorset County, Bournemouth Borough and the Borough of Poole was seen to be an exemplar of what could be achieved by collaborative working arrangements. The LTP continued to prioritise safety measures, as well as the practical means of applying transportation measures,  with emphasis being placed on active travel schemes to support better health outcomes and transport schemes to support economic growth outcomes.

The Committee were informed about how transport improvement schemes were prioritised; what the LTP funding delivered; and the major achievements of the 2014-17 and the key priorities of the 2017-2020 LTP Implementation Plans respectively. Emphasis was being placed on reducing the need to travel;  urban air quality /transport solutions and green technologies. There was working with Clinical Commissioning Groups,  focussing on public health in ensuring there was opportunities for every individual to be able to play their part in contributing to society. The work being done in collaboration with Sustrans warranted special mention in delivering sustainable transport solutions where practicable.

Emphasis was also being placed on education and working within schools in instilling healthy transport practices amongst students.  Housing allocation and supply was integral to what could be achieved and had a bearing on what transport solutions could be delivered. The travel to work  area in the south east conurbation had implications for all three highway authorities. 

The Committee were pleased to see that the health agenda was being actively promoted. With reference to Weymouth, improvements were being targeted at strategic junctions and key hubs to ensure that sustainable methods of transport could be achieved and the Weymouth Masterplan and the Western Dorset Growth Strategy would have a bearing on the means for this to be realised. South Western Railways has a part to play in the ability for cycle provision on their trains and links were being made to ensure this could be delivered. Similarly, the Growth Deal funding took into account how to better deliver sustainable transport solutions.

The Chairman was pleased that community led initiatives – such as that recently agreed Traffic Regulation order at Regulatory Committee for a 20 mph zone in Iwerne Minster – could be fulfilled, wherever practicable, and showed what could be achieved with some thought.

The way in which footway conditions were assessed and managed and how maintenance of the these was addressed was explained. A particular issue raised was the condition of a footway, on a school route, adjacent to A31 near St Leonards.  Officers confirmed the importance of road safety education in encouraging children to walk to school where they could and what bearing this had on the health and wellbeing agenda and that they should have adequate means of them being able to so. Given this they would investigate the matter drawn to their attention. 

The Service Director - Economy explained that the LTP was designed to look at transportation needs holistically, so that the most beneficial solutions could be found as necessary. It was recognised that the needs of urban transport differed markedly from that which the rural areas required. An Integrated Transport Focus Day was being held on 26 February to allow discussion on this  by interested parties.

The Committee recognised the importance of an integrated parking strategy between the County and Borough/District councils, in order to sustain and deliver managed parking in practice to cover on-street and off-street provision. The LTP provided the means for this to be delivered and formed the basis for how this could be achieved. The pilot scheme established for Dorchester through the Dorchester Transport and Environment Plan (DTEP) was seen to be a good basis for other schemes in market towns, given the collaborative working across all their tiers of local government to achieve this.

The Committee considered that, where practicable, generating income from sponsorship of highway, and County Council, assets should be pursued as there appeared to be considerable opportunity to do this. The Service Director-Economy confirmed that much success had already been realised from doing this and had proved beneficial in terms of income generation. He was pleased to say that current roundabout sponsorship attracted some £150,000 per annum, with a dedicated team  identifying opportunities to make further gains where possible, with any rationalisation of local government in Dorset providing greater opportunities still.

The Committee were pleased to see what practical achievements could be made from the collaborative working of the LTP and that the priorities identified were ones which met the County Council’s own corporate outcomes and aims.

Recommendations

1)         That the LTP and Corporate Plan outcomes be approved as a method of prioritising the local transport projects to be delivered in Dorset.

2)         That the transport project areas identified in the Service Director’s report be approved.

Reasons for Recommendations

The LTP priorities have been previously agreed and are fixed in the LTP 2011. The Corporate Plan 2017 outcomes have been added to ensure alignment with the County Council’s aims and objectives, with particular reference to health, physical activity and economic growth. The types of projects being delivered meet these priorities and outcomes.