Agenda item

By the 9^th September 2011, the Council has to submit a Best & Final Bid to DfT for the funding of the Bath Transport Package (BTP).  This Council meeting is the last opportunity to amend the transport policy to reflect what is likely to be included in the Best and Final Bid.

The Council considered a report setting out a Best & Final bid to Department for Transport for the funding of the Bath Transport Package.  Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, Department for Transport have indicated that they wished to reduce costs, enhance value, improve deliverability of major transport schemes and increase Local Authority contribution.  Following the election, further work had been undertaken to reduce the cost of the package.

In addition to the reports circulated with the agenda, Councillors received copies of an update report at the meeting containing revised recommendations and a new Section 3 – Financial Implications.  This was made available to Press and public too.

On a motion from Councillor Roger Symonds, seconded by Councillor Paul Crossley, it was

RESOLVED that

The Council agrees, as recommended by Cabinet, that the following elements of the BTP should not be included in the Best & Final Bid to DfT:

1.1  The Bus Rapid Transit Segregated Route;

1.2  The A36 Lower Bristol Road Bus Lane;

1.3  The A4 London Road Lambridge Bus Lane;

1.4  New A4 Eastern P&R (1400 spaces), plus bus lane priority on the A4/A46 slip road ;

1.5  And, in addition, reduce the size of the P&R expansion at Newbridge.

As a result the BTP would comprise of the following elements;

a.  Upgrades to bus stop infrastructure on 9 service routes, including real time passenger information;

b.  Expansion of Odd Down P&R by 250 spaces, of Lansdown P&R by 390 spaces and of Newbridge P&R by 250 spaces on a suitable alternative site;

c.  Variable Message signs on the main approaches to Bath, and within the city centre;

d.  City centre works: High Street improvements and timed access restrictions (currently ongoing); and

e.  Works to support BWR including a bus rapid transit system serving the site.

1.6  In the light of the Cabinet agreeing to formally withdraw the CPOs which were approved at its meeting on 3^rd September 2008 and subsequently served to allow for the implementation of the BTP, Council agrees that the local contribution towards the BTP will be no more than £17.8m as set out in Section 3 of the report. [The schemes costs as recommended in this report have been reduced from £58.8m to £34.3m.]

1.7  Council agrees that the final submission to DfT be approved by the Strategic Director Service Delivery and Chief Executive, in consultation with the portfolio holder, the S151 officer and Monitoring Officer, and with a report back to Cabinet only if necessary (notably if there is a material change in the financial costs or scope of the scheme which go beyond the parameters set out in the report)

1.8  To agree additional borrowing of £3M to fully finance the costs of the the Council contribution of up to £17.8M with an additional revenue cost of approximately £190K which will need to be included in the revenue budgets for future years following completion of the scheme;

In addition, Council agrees to instruct officers to;

1.9  work on alternatives to Bathampton Meadows P&R, possibly involving rail, as part of our future Transport Strategy;

1.10  work with the Highways Agency to improve signage on the A46 to direct more traffic to an extended Lansdown P&R;

1.11  talk to Wiltshire Council about measures to remove some of the through traffic along the London Road and other cross border transport issues

1.12  evaluate measures to remove HGVs from London Road – [this 10% of traffic creates 40% of the pollution]

1.13   examine how we can obtain substantial "modal shift" from the private car to rail in recognition of potential for rail expansion with the electrification of the GWR and the awarding of an extended rail franchise;

1.14  evaluate options to address the problems caused by a lack of affordable home to school transport; and

1.15  consider measures to make the whole area much more cycle friendly – we have already secured Government funding through the Regional Sustainable Transport Fund to link  Batheaston to NCR 4 on the canal towpath, thereby taking many cyclists off the London Road and encouraging others to get out of their cars and cycle into Bath.

(Note: 1. The above resolution was carried with 29 Councillors present voting in favour, 24 Councillors present voting against and 10 Councillors present abstaining from voting.  A minor adjustment to the wording of the motion was suggested by Councillor Lorraine Morgan-Brinkhurst with the effect of removing some words regarding the proposed Newbridge P&R site which was accepted by the mover and seconder of the motion.

2. Councillor Tim Warren moved an amendment, seconded by Councillor Marie Longstaff, the effect of which would require Cabinet to undertake further work on the bid (with reference to the impact on the Core Strategy and JLTP), consult further and bring back to a September Council meeting.  That amendment was not carried - 29 Councillors present voting against, 27 Councillors present voting in favour, with 7 abstentions.