Report of the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services.

The Cabinet Member with the Local Services Portfolio introduced the report of the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services (previously circulated) providing Members with the annual update on highways and transport from a regional and local perspective; outlining the delivery, performance and public satisfaction in 2020/21; and requesting that consideration be given to the 2021/22 programme, including the release of funding; and providing an update on the Tees Valley Strategic Transport Plan and the Darlington Transport Plan.

The submitted report stated changes in travel behaviour had been one of the very visible signs of the restrictions imposed as a result of Public Health England and Government advice; as a result of social distancing measures capacity and demand on bus and rail services had been suppressed; free car parking had initially been introduced to support essential workers and essential trips; as schools re-opened Travel Demand Management techniques were used to plan public transport and home to school transport to ensure that children and young people could travel to school and college safely, whilst retaining capacity for the general public; challenges continued; the transport sector would need to work hard to increase bus and rail services back to full capacity and encourage passengers back on to them; and those people who started walking or cycling during the summer lockdown should be encouraged to continue to travel sustainably.

It was reported that despite the pandemic the capital programme of works had progressed; a full programme of maintenance schemes had been delivered; progress had been made on the planning and designing of a number of schemes; additional funding had been secured during the year from the Department for Transports (DfT’s) Pothole and Challenge Fund and the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) Active Travel Fund; the Council continued to work in partnership with the TVCA and the other Tees Valley local authorities to deliver the Strategic Transport Plan; a new Bus Partnership had been established with representatives from the main commercial bus operators and the local authorities; working groups had been established to improve bus services and coordinate efforts to encourage people back onto buses; a new online portal had been developed to make the application process for concessionary bus passes more straight forward; a bulk re-issue of over 14,000 bus passes in Darlington had been completed; and that changes to car parking charges were approved by Cabinet following funding from TVCA (Minute C68(2)/Dec/20 refers).

Particular reference was made to the progress on the consultation for the Darlington Transport Plan, that had been delayed due to the Transport Planning Team working on the additional COVID-19 requirements and staff resource issues; whilst the work continued on COVID-19 transport adaptations, there was now resource in place to progress the Plan; the aims of the Plan had been reviewed and updated to reflect a new focus set out in the Town Centre Plan i.e. a place to shop, live, visit, be proud of and do business in, as town centres change from being predominantly retail; and that the plan would  continue to prioritise maintenance but would focus on supporting economic growth through the delivery of sustainable transport options and identifying key traffic pinch points on the highway network participation.

Reference was made at the meeting to the guidance from the Government requiring half of all trips to be walked or cycled by 2030; concerns around the competitive bidding process which caused problems in long term planning; and bus congestion in some areas of the Town Centre.  The Cabinet Member with the Local Services Portfolio responded thereon.

RESOLVED – (a) That progress in delivering the Local Transport Plan, as detailed in the submitted report, be noted and £0.893m Integrated Transport Block and £1.205m Highway Maintenance Funding (£0.964m plus £0.241m incentive funding), subject to Department for Transport confirmation, to deliver the 2021/22 transport programme, be released.

(b)  That £1.274m Pothole and Challenge Fund monies awarded by the Department for Transport in September 2020 and £0.969m Pot Hole and Challenge Funding awarded in February 2021 for 2021/22, be released.

(c)  That the Active Travel Fund monies, subject to Department for Transport and Tees Valley Combined Authority confirmation, to deliver the Tees Valley Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, be released.

(d)  That the Darlington Transport Plan framework, as detailed in the submitted report, be approved, as the basis for consultation in 2021.

(e)  That the following recommendations of the Communities and Local Services Committee, be approved, namely:-

                             (i)     that the School Streets Initiative be progressed to the next phase; and

                            (ii)    that the prioritisation of the top three schools for phase three be conducted using the ‘Essential’, Traffic Impacts’ criteria and ‘Supporting Criteria’.

REASONS – (a)  To continue to deliver Darlington’s Transport Strategy as set out in the Third Local Transport Plan until a new Darlington Transport Plan is adopted. 

(b)  To maximise the opportunities to maintain the highway asset for the benefit of all road users.

(c)  To deliver the Woodland Road/Duke Street cycling and walking scheme as part of the wider A68 Pinch Point scheme; and continue to secure further funding for the delivery of sustainable transport initiatives.

(d)  To enable residents, businesses and organisations to help shape the transport strategy for Darlington