Agenda item

The Cabinet is requested to consider the report and is appendices and make the following resolution:

That the responses to the public consultation and approves adoption of the Chichester City Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan be noted.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet notes the responses to the public consultation and approves adoption of the Chichester City Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.

Cllr Plant introduced the item.

Cllr Sharp was invited to ask questions she had submitted in advance to the meeting. The questions were as follows:

In terms of carbon emissions transport is the worst performing sector of the economy. Whereas emissions in other sectors have fallen, emissions from transport are still going up and in the Chichester area the outlook is particularly bleak (as the graph shows).

The Climate Change Act commits the UK to reduce net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. This means we will need to make cuts in car traffic of around 40-50% by 2030 compared to current traffic levels.

The LCWIP sadly didn’t include the many developments in the east of the City. Can the Cabinet see the value in putting this imbalance to rights?

We have developed our LCWIP and this could be a key factor in helping to reduce carbon. However this won’t happen if the LCWIP isn’t turned from a document into on the ground schemes. How will the Cabinet ensure that this happens?

What degree of confidence does the Cabinet have in delivery?

The County in allocating Tranche 2 of the Emergency Active Travel Funding didn’t allocate any money to Chichester so it is easy for our District to be overlooked.

What pressure can CDC put on WSCC to ensure our schemes are developed?

Would the Cabinet consider this the most reliable route to bring these forward or do you have any other ideas about how these schemes can be progressed more quickly and reliably?

Cllr Plant provided the following response:

Improved vehicle emissions as people transfer to EV and moves to sustainable transport will continue the trend of reducing carbon emissions from the transport sector in the UK.  Chichester City LCWIP is a significant document from this respect, which was developed using various data and specified methodologies to ensure the specified cycling and walking routes and links are those that are most appropriate for achieving the desired modal shift, and likewise to ensure these are prioritised for investment.  These routes also complement the strategic routes outlined in the WSCC Regional LCWIP.

The LCWIP provides an evidence based list of infrastructure improvements for future investment over a ten year period.  To deliver all the schemes in the Chichester City LCWIP would cost between £9.8m and £14.3m.  As yet this infrastructure is unfunded however, funding for detailed design and delivery might come from the DfT Active Travel Fund, CIL, S106  or other, as yet, unseen funds.

CDC officers work with WSCC through a LCWIP working group and contribute to prioritisation discussions but ultimately WSCC will prioritise infrastructure delivery using standard methodology.   The aim is to secure funds to undertake feasibility studies such that WSCC and CDC can bid for delivery monies and to support this, in March 2021,  Cabinet approved the spend of £38,000 of Business Rates Pool to bring forward the development of the LCWIP.  Delivery will require Districts and Boroughs to work collaboratively with WSCC Highways, as they will lead on detailed design and construction contracts, given that the schemes are on the highway and are therefore highly specialised.

Officers have already incorporated the LCWIP schemes into a GIS layer to ensure that they will be identified through the development management system and to ensure they are included in outline planning proposals.

In terms of further incentives for LCWIP and other sustainable transport measures, following the Full Council motion from Cllr Jonathan Brown, Env Panel will review various proposed budget amendments around climate change, including transport, and officers are currently working on options for the Environment Panel to approve to Cabinet in May 2021.

Cllr Plant referred the Cabinet to recommendations made to Cabinet by the Environment Panel at its last meeting which it held jointly with the Development Plan and Infrastructure Panel. The recommendations which were proposed by Mr Oakley at the meeting and seconded by Cllr Sharp were as follows:

That the Environment Panel and the Development Plan and Infrastructure Panel note the responses to the public consultation and recommends to Cabinet;

A.   Adoption of the Chichester Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan

B.   That Chichester District Council seeks ‘off-highway’ opportunities, to deliver elements of the network as appropriate.

One member abstained, no members voted against the amendment.

Cllr Dignum requested comment on the viability of the recommendations from Mr Ballard. Mr Ballard advised the Cabinet against taking on an open ended approach such as the recommendation implied. Mrs Shepherd added that it is important that members concentrate on what can be delivered. Mr Frost clarified that there would be future opportunities to support development of the routes, for example, through policies in the Local Plan review without committing to implementing them.

Cllr Dignum then proposed that the Panel’s recommendations should not be accepted. This was seconded by Cllr Sutton.

In a vote the proposal was carried. One member abstained.

Members then voted on the substantive recommendation. The following resolution was made:

RESOLVED

That Cabinet notes the responses to the public consultation and approves adoption of the Chichester City Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.