Issue - meetings

Report of the Director for Environment and Resident Services. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment & Transport.

Consider all feedback, objections and monitoring data of the trial LTN and decide whether to make permanent the associated traffic orders.

Cllr Chandwani left the meeting room.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment and Transport introduced the report for this item which was seeking approval to make the trial LTN permanenting St Ann’s.

In summary the Cabinet member outlined that the journey to transform the St Ann's neighbourhood had been long and challenging, but it was a journey members had to take for the health of residents. The consultation on this scheme revealed strong local support.

The LTN laid the groundwork for this transformation of the borough. Crucially, LTNs would be the catalyst to tackle the long-standing issues on the main roads. The Cabinet Member gave assurances that the Council were listening to residents’ views and would continue to refine and improve this work. Early on, officers listened to households with blue badges and health conditions and brought in exemptions.

The following was noted in response to questions from Cllr Cawley Harrison.

-       It took time for these schemes to really enact changes. However, in terms of the details, there were a number of issues which had to be taken into account. The week in which the traffic counts were taken prior to the LTN and then post the LTN were quite divergent. Prior to the LTN there was dry weather throughout the entire count period, whereas post the LTN it was a week of continuous rain; this would have an impact on active travel numbers and take up.

-       With dockless cycling, the numbers rose exponentially during the period of the trial. If this scheme was made permanent, a lot of public realm improvements could be made. This would make it safer and more pleasant to walk and cycle around the LTN area and beyond. Officers were looking at protected cycle lanes and bus priority routes on the boundary roads as an example. The Council were looking at this holistically through all the aspects, not just within the LTNs themselves.

RESOLVED

1. To consider the measured impact of the trial LTN as set out in the Monitoring Reports, Appendix A1 and A2.

2. To consider the responses received to the non-statutory public consultations and the statutory consultation, including objections to the experimental traffic orders, as set out in the Consultation Reports, Appendix B1 to B4.

3. To approve the recommended responses to main themes of objection, as set out in Appendix C.

4. To consider and discharges the Council’s statutory duties under section 16 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

5. To consider and discharges the Council’s statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010 including the discharge of the Public Sector Equality Duty and any impact on Human Rights and approve the updated Equality Impact Assessment, Appendix D.

6. To agree that the Council shall exercise its discretion to not cause a public inquiry to be called.

7. To approve making the trial LTN permanent.

8. To delegate authority to the Head of Highways and Parking for the making of traffic orders which give permanent effect to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 91