Meeting documents

1 THE ISSUE

1.1 Approval is sought to the submission of a bid to central Government for major investment in transport provision in Bath & North East Somerset.

2 RECOMMENDATION

2.1 A major scheme bid is submitted to Department for Transport to seek grant funding for the package of transport initiatives set out in the report.

2.2 The Executive Member for Transport & Highways will approve any last minute amendments necessary to the final bid document.

3 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

3.1 A successful Major Scheme Bid could attract significant additional capital grant from central government. The bid is likely to be of the order of £54 million, and if successful could attract funding from 2008/09 onwards. Additional contributions would be secured from major developments.

3.2 In the event of the bid being successful, the Council will be able to apply to Department for Transport for support with the cost of preparatory work. The Council would, however, be expected to fund early preparatory costs associated with preliminary designs, public consultation and statutory procedures. Provision will need to be made for additional revenue support in 2007/08 and 2008/09, at an estimated £250,000 per year.

3.3 Some elements of the Package will have on-going revenue budget implications. These will include the cost of enforcement of lorry movement and delivery restrictions, and management and maintenance of the information system which will provide "real-time" bus passenger and car parking information. This will put further strain on the Transport revenue budget from 2009/10 onwards by an estimated £200,000 per annum.

4 THE REPORT

4.1 The Joint Local Transport Plan 2006-2011, which is the subject of a separate report to this Executive Meeting, contains the policy initiative of submission of Major Scheme Bids to Department for Transport in order to secure major government investment in transport in the Greater Bristol sub-region.

4.2 Major Scheme Bids are the mechanism by which Local Authorities can make a business case to DfT for capital funding in addition to the routine capital funding awarded annually through the Local Transport Plan. A Major Scheme Bid can be for any transport initiative costing more than £5 million, but in order to be successful the bid must demonstrate a robust business case, and be regarded as a regional priority by the Regional Assembly.

4.3 A first major scheme bid was submitted by the Joint Authorities in July 2005. This sought funding for the Greater Bristol Bus Network - a proposed network of 10 Showcase Bus Routes across the sub-region which includes three strategic corridors in Bath & North East Somerset (A4, A37/A362 and A367).

4.4 A second major scheme bid is now proposed, as set out below. It will be submitted as an integral part of the Joint Local Transport Plan, and therefore has been agreed as a high priority by the joint Authorities. Moreover, the Greater Bristol sub-region has successfully argued that it should also be one of the highest priority major schemes in the South West region. The South West Regional Assembly have resolved to recommend to Department for Transport that the scheme be funded.

4.5 The overall aims of the Bath Package are as follows:

· To improve the efficiency of the transport system in Bath & North East Somerset
· To reduce congestion and improve air quality
· To improve accessibility
· To create a high quality public transport system to ensure that attractive alternatives exist to the use of the private car
· To secure environmental improvements
· To create an effective transport system will facilitate Bath Western Riverside and other future developments

4.6 The transport initiatives which best meet these objectives are set out below. The business case will demonstrate that the proposals are mutually dependant, and therefore worthy of funding as a single scheme rather than a series of smaller independent major schemes.

4.7 The scheme comprises the following elements:

1. Showcase Bus Routes
2. Bus Rapid Transit
3. New and expanded Park & Ride
4. "Real-time" car park information signs
5. City centre pedestrian improvements and delivery management
6. HGV restrictions with permits for access
7. Rossiter Road traffic management scheme

4.8 Further details of each element is contained in Appendix 1, which also summarises the views gathered during public consultation on the scheme which was carried out in November 2005.

4.9 The bid is being prepared in accordance with detailed guidance on the submission of major scheme bids published by the Department for Transport. This includes full economic appraisal based on detailed traffic modelling, which is intended to demonstrate that the Government's investment would represent good value for money. The bid will also identify the environmental benefits and policy context of the scheme.

4.10 In order to have the best possible chance of success, the bid must present a strong economic case, meaning that the quantifiable monetary benefits must be significantly greater than the costs. Work to demonstrate this is continuing and it may be that some elements of the scheme will have to be modified or even removed prior to submission of the bid.

4.11 In the event that the bid is successful, a report will be brought to a future meeting of the Council Executive to agree a detailed implementation plan.

5 RISK MANAGEMENT

6 RATIONALE

6.1 Major investment in transport in Bath & North East Somerset is essential to meeting corporate priorities relating to reducing congestion and improving public transport.

7 OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED

7.1 The principle alternative is to not submit a bid. This would miss an opportunity to secure central government funding for transport developments in Bath & North East Somerset.

8 CONSULTATION

8.1 Ward councillor, Executive councillor, Parish council, Town council, Overview & Scrutiny Panel, Other B&NES Services, Service users, Local Service users, Local residents, Community Interest Groups, Stakeholders/Partners, Other public sector bodies, Section 151 Finance Officer

8.2 Extensive stakeholder and public consultation has been carried out during 2005. The views gathered are summarised in Appendix 1.