Agenda item

A report on a new Transport Strategy for Bath is to be considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 14th May. The report and draft Strategy is attached and is expected to be agreed for consultation. The Panel are invited to consider the report to Cabinet and the draft Strategy. 

The Group Manager for Planning Policy & Transport introduced this report to the Panel. He informed them that the draft strategy was launched at the Bath Conference on 30th April and had been endorsed by the Cabinet to go out to consultation at its meeting on 14^th May.

He wished to highlight the vision within the draft strategy to the Panel.

Bath will enhance its unique status by adopting measures that promote sustainable transport and reduce the intrusion of vehicles, particularly in the historic core.

This will enable more economic activity and growth, while enhancing its special character and environment and improving the quality of life for local people.

He explained that the high proportion of walking shown by mode share surveys (around 30%) indicates that this is a primary means of travel in the city, indicating that there is potential to expand and improve walking opportunities and hence substituting for some car journeys. In 2011, walking accounted for 35.1% of all journeys to work made by people living and working in Bath.

He said that the strategy proposed to continue the progress made in Bath to relocate long stay parking at Park and Ride sites, thus reducing vehicle movements into the constrained city centre. He added that better management of HGVs within the city was required and that further work is needed to identify suitable facilities for coach drop off and pick up and replacement coach parking facilities.

He stated that the Council was interested to hear the views of the public on this matter and hoped a whole range of initiatives would come forward. He said that the consultation would commence in June.

Mr David Redgewell, South West Transport Network addressed the Panel. He stated the need for consultation documents to be available at the bus station for the public to access and asked that the views of passengers be actively sought.

He commented that a West of England Rail Panel would be welcomed, an East of Bath Park & Ride was essential and that coach parking must be addressed.

On the matter of Dorchester Street he said that further work and views needed to be considered if the bus gate were to be reintroduced.

He stated that he felt that public transport was key to the forthcoming Enterprise Zone and that for this strategy work be successful there must be joined up working and cross party agreement.

The Chair commented that it was a shame that the strategy had received some negativity since the launch. She added that she herself had been expecting a more thorough strategy to be presented to the Cabinet.

Councillor Douglas Nicol commented that he would like to see more of a priority within the strategy to be given to walking, cycling and public transport. He added that he would like to see the Park & Ride services running later into the evening, using them as a place to transfer visitors to the city that arrive by coach and for Park & Ride services to be expanded into countryside hubs.

Councillor David Martin asked if a timetable for the consultation was known yet.

The Group Manager for Planning Policy & Transport replied that workshops and exhibitions were planned to take place in June and that a questionnaire would be available on the website around the same time.

Councillor David Martin asked if any consideration had been given to collecting data on Particulate Matter as part of the strategy.

The Group Manager for Planning Policy & Transport replied that he believed at this stage that it was quite difficult to monitor and so had not been factored in.

Councillor Liz Richardson commented that she would also like to see Park & Ride services available a bit further out of the city as it can still be quite congested to areas such as Newbridge. She added that she did not think that Terrace Walk was the best place for coaches to be dropped off and that she would like to see long term parking in the city reduced. She said a restriction on HGV movements would also be welcome.

Councillor Roger Symonds commented that he thought document was quite a visionary one which would then lead to subsidiary strategies being delivered. He said that he agreed with earlier comments that walking and cycling should be encouraged where possible and that other ideas must be progressed whilst waiting for an East of Bath Park & Ride as that was probably still at least 5 years away. He added that work on this strategy should be linked to the Public Realm & Movement Strategy and the management of open spaces.

Councillor Brian Webber commented that problems remained in the city due to the large number of residents that directly need to use a car. He added that he felt the city would become unattractive due to the number of planned new housing developments.

The Chair thanked the Panel for their comments and said that she looked forward to seeing the results of the consultation work.