Agenda item

[Report of the Director for Environment and Neighbourhoods. To  be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods]

The Sustainable Transport Works Plan (STWP) for 2019/20 sets out the Council’s approach to managing the highways infrastructure, delivering the Borough Plan priorities as well as the Council’s strategies as set out in the Local Implementation Plan (LIP3) and in the Transport Strategy.

The Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods introduced the report which sought approval of the Sustainable Transport Works Plan for 2019/20 and would lead to reinvesting  over £14.4m into a range of highways improvement schemes, making streets safer, identifying and improving locations with high accident levels, improving the overall quality of our road network and encouraging walking and cycling.

In response to questions from Cllr Brabazon, Cllr Bull and Cllr Cawley – Harrison, the following information was noted:

• Officers would be exploring the potential for increasing the replacement of lamppost white lighting with LED lighting for the coming financial year.

• In relation to drainage concerns outlined, the attached budget was focused on making the drainage network across the borough more resilient and ensuring crisis points could be mitigated. The service were currently looking at where the problems are occurring. The Cabinet Member agreed to facilitate the provision of appropriate information being supplied to all Councillors about the plans for dealing with flooding issues.

• The Cabinet Member had been on an event day parking tour, considering the parking issues around event day parking. The attached report provided a high-level response on event day planning and CPZ operations. During the pre – season period, the Cabinet Member would be meeting with officers to discuss the CPZ and review of event day management day and parking.

• It was noted that £70k of capital funding would provide for 14 bike hangers in the borough. These were supplied on a demand led basis. The Cabinet Member indicated that she would like to increase numbers to meet the demand. However, the cost of maintenance had to be borne in mind and ensuring that the hangers already in place were fully utilised.

• In response to a suggestion to place bike hangers on housing estates, this would need further exploratory work and would require discussion with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal.

• It was noted that the local safety scheme in Crouch End was a multi-year project. The money which was available for development of the project, this year, would be rolled into the liveable neighbourhood project. It was confirmed that the outcomes of the liveable neighbourhood project would define what the Ferme Park road budget becomes. Therefore, both projects will be developed in parallel and would complement each other.

• With regards to school streets, there was £40k allocated and although this was not explicitly referred to in the report, it was included as part of the school travel improvements. In terms of the use of the £40k funding, there would be a review of the Lordship Lane school streets pilot scheme, with a traffic survey and then smart travel plan work. As the Sustainable Transport Works Plan was updated and agreed annually; it allowed learning from schemes such as this to be taken forward in later years. The Cabinet Member agreed to explore whether the Sustainable Transport Works Plan could be updated to make more explicit the reference to funding of ‘School Streets’.

• The Cabinet Member noted that the funding for bike hangers had consistently remained the same despite the increased demand in applications and she would explore this further with officers. It maybe that the hangers applied for were not in suitable locations.

• In relation to the specific running cost of bike hangers and addressing the sustainability of the scheme going forward, £65 was allocated to maintenance of the hanger and half of this  cost was paid by the resident and the remaining half-subsidised by the Council for the first three years. Currently, an external partner provided the maintenance and the transport team were looking at options for this service, including bringing this facility in house to improve on costs given the likely continuing increase in demand.

RESOLVED

1. To approve the Sustainable Transport Works Plan for 2019/20 financial year as set out in the attached Appendix 1 – Ward by Ward breakdown:

2. To authorise the Head of Operations to consider any objections and representations to statutory consultation on schemes and to report back to the Cabinet Member for Environment if there are significant or substantial objections or concerns raised:

3. To delegate decisions relating to scheme design to the Head of Operations.

Reasons for Decision

The annual STWP sets out the Council’s Highways, Traffic and Parking projects for the coming financial year and how they align with the Council’s strategic objectives.

The report provides detail of the funding arrangements for the various projects and programmes and seeks authority to proceed with the development and delivery of these projects subject to appropriate consultation.

Alternative options considered

There are no other relevant options as the Council has a statutory obligation to maintain the public highway network. The 2019/20 work plan has been informed by engagement undertaken by Transport Planning with Members and other key stakeholders through the development of LIP3; highway condition surveys & visual highways inspections, and concerns raised by members of the wider community.

The programme includes transport schemes previously agreed by Cabinet in November 2018 via the LIP3 and Annual Spending Submission and funded by Transport for London (TfL).

Cabinet approved Council funded capital projects included within the programme on the 20th February 2019 as part of the Capital Strategy and 10-year Capital Programme.