To seek the committee’s views on the council’s draft sustainable modes of travel to school strategy to inform cabinet’s consideration of the strategy.

The Committee’s views were sought on the council’s draft Sustainable Modes of Travel to School Strategy (SMOTS) to inform cabinet’s consideration of the strategy.

The Transportation Strategy Manager (TSM) gave a presentation.  A copy of the presentation slides had been previously circulated.

In the course of discussion the following principal points were made. (References in brackets are to the page number in the published agenda papers.

·        (p30) It was suggested that there was some ambiguity in figure 4, travel choices by settlement.

·        (p28)  The reference to the possibility of the vacant seat payment scheme being withdrawn at any time was questioned.  The Admissions and Transport Policy Manager (ATPM) clarified the operation of the scheme.  The Head of Transport and Access Services (HTAS) suggested that whilst factually correct the rather technical wording in the SMOTS needed to be refined.

·        It was asked whether journey times and air quality should form part of the targets in the strategy.

·        It was asked what the cost of undertaking the work on the strategy was.  The TSM and HTAS replied that it was not costed as such and commented on the amount of officer time involved and various funding sources that were available. 

·        The response rate to the questionnaire issued to parents was extremely low making it difficult to have confidence in the robustness of the conclusions being drawn from the data.  Councillors could not support and defend policies based on such poor data.  It was questioned whether a more focused approach to securing data would be more cost effective and more beneficial.

The HTAS commented that prior to the requirement to produce SMOTS schools had been required by Government to complete the pupil level annual school census (plasc).  There had been a move away from this top down approach.

·        The cabinet member – health and wellbeing commented on the public health benefits that could be gained from behavioural change and encouraging healthier modes of travel to school and the importance of securing the input of the public health team.  A Member suggested that it was important that schools were made aware of the public health data.

·        It was asked whether there was any correlation between accidents and where travel plans were not in place.  The HTAS agreed to seek clarification.

·        (p38) The HTAS agreed to clarify why the bikeability scheme was delivered to level 2 and not to level 3.

·        (p15)  The TSM clarified that the reference to the Hereford Transport packages being likely to include cycling and walking measures simply reflected the fact that the transport packages were evolving.  There was a wide range of proposals.  These would be subject to public consultation.

·        In relation to a concern questioning the way in which updating of the strategy had been undertaken the HTAS explained that the original strategy had been produced in 2009.  Guidance did not specify review dates but required the strategy to be published every year.  There had been updates to elements of the strategy but these had not been co-ordinated.  The refreshed strategy aimed to consolidate the position. 

·        It was suggested that the strategy was not just a schools issue.  Unless up to date and supported by reliable data there was not a firm basis to make sound decisions on investment in transport infrastructure.

·        Advantage had not been taken of the scope to engage with Councillors who were school governors to encourage a greater response to the consultation process using the networks available to them.

·        It was complex to prioritise actions and be sure as to what their impact was likely to be.

·        The ATPM commented that the school capital investment strategy was on the website and this demonstrated the impact of the exercise of parental preference in seeking school places.  The cabinet member – transport and roads commented on the adverse effects parental choice had had on the transport network.

·        It was suggested that improved mapping of the effects of actions at various locations and breaking down the analysis to show the effect on different school types and locations would assist in matters such as negotiations over S106 contributions at the pre-planning application advice stage and in developing neighbourhood development plans.

·        It was critically important that an implementation plan translating strategy into action was developed to accompany the strategy.  This needed to join up actions required across the authority including education, transport and planning and have regard to priorities and all other relevant plans.  The TMS commented that a prioritisation framework would be helpful as part of such a plan.

·        It was observed that the Sustrans contract was part way through its duration yet the strategy had not been published.  The relationship of that work to the strategy needed to be considered to ensure that that work contributed to the delivery of the strategy.

·        It was suggested that the council should seek support from local MPs to assist in resolving transport issues and that their attention should be drawn how valuable Plasc surveys had previously been in assessing needs.

RESOLVED:

That      (a)   the strategy should clearly link targets to the strategy’s aims and objectives and ensure that it showed how actions can deliver on those objectives;

              (b)  the wording in relation to the vacant seat payment scheme should be modified;

              (c)   the strategy should contain a clear timetable for review of the strategy;

              (d)  the executive should again be asked to request schools to update their school travel plans making clear to them the potential benefits to schools of doing so and drawing on the support of councillors who are school governors to encourage this work to take place;

              (e)   officers be requested to liaise with public health colleagues to assist in the development of effective targets;

              (f)   the executive be asked to ensure that relevant council held data is actively shared with schools to prompt them to share their own data for the SMOTS;

              (g)  the executive be requested to explore means of data collection for the SMOTS, to seek to secure more robust data to inform policy and assist in prioritising actions, with regard also being had to NHS data;

              (h)  accident information in the strategy and methods of data collection should be clarified;

              (i)    the executive be requested to seek support from local MPs to assist in resolving transport issues and that their attention should be drawn to the value that Plasc surveys had previously been in assessing needs;

              (j)    the executive is requested to ensure that the SMOTS makes clear the evidence used to inform the strategy, the efforts made to secure evidence and any deficiencies in collecting evidence;

              (k)   the executive be requested to ensure that the capacity and performance measures in the Sustrans contract are aligned to the strategy;

              (l)    the executive be requested to ensure that an implementation plan translating strategy into action is developed to accompany the strategy; 

              (m) the Sustrans contract was part way through its duration yet the strategy had not been published.  The relationship of that work to the strategy needed to be considered to ensure that that work contributed to the delivery of the strategy; and

              (n)  the Statutory Scrutiny Officer be informed of the annual review of the action plan and following consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman consider whether there are any material matters requiring consideration by the Committee.

(The meeting adjourned between 12:05 and 12:18.)