To set out the progress to date on the development of the new Local Transport Plan (LTP) and seek comments from scrutiny.

The committee considered a report on the Local Transport Plan. The Chairperson introduced the officers to present the council’s report.

The principal points of the discussion are summarised below:

1. The Head of Transport and Access Services referenced the report as published in the papers and noted what the LTP development process is and the aim to have a draft LTP in place by the end of March prior to a period of public consultation.

2. The Chairperson asked what the risks of delay to the draft LTP timeline and what mitigations are in place.

3. The Service Director, Economy & Growth responded that the reason for delay to the programme is due to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was out to consultation following the General Election last year. The outcome of that was that housing numbers allocated to the county have risen significantly. Therefore, there needs to be consideration of the LTP alongside the growth in population in the county. In terms of the risks of delay from the original plans, there are no hard deadlines from government as to when the LTP needs to be finished. With the publication of the NPPF in December, the LTP team is working through the implications for that and how to take forward the Local Plan to manage that alongside the LTP.

4. The Chairperson asked what the likelihood of a draft LTP is for the March committee meeting.

5. Will Pratt (WSP) responded that a draft LTP and the required statutory environmental assessments should be ready by the end of March.

6. In response to a question about how alignment is ensured with the daughter documents to the LTP, such as the LCWIP, Will Pratt noted that the development of the LTP is cognizant of relevant related plans and strategies.

7. In response to a question about potential government revisions to the LTP guidance and funding for councils and LTPs, Will Pratt noted that the new government is looking to publish new LTP guidance and there might be links to carbon around that. The current draft Herefordshire LTP is mindful of the draft LTP guidance that was produced a few years ago.

8. In response to a question about whether the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is an iterative process and that the high-level objectives of the LTP have fully taken into account the SEA findings, Will Pratt noted that the objectives reflect what was approved at Cabinet and which went out to consultation. In terms of progressing the SEA, that has been done alongside and in an iterative process with the LTP. A draft of the SEA has to be consulted alongside the draft LTP which is being worked to.

9. Councillor Stef Simmons noted that in relation to the emerging strategy and priorities for the transport network, there is some concern that there is a lack of a priority for nature enhancement/protection in line with targets for a nature and climate emergency.

10. The Head of Transport and Access Services clarified that the council’s engagement mechanism with bus operators is the Enhanced Partnership (EP), which is linked to the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). Last week, a board meeting was held for the EP to facilitate dialogue with bus operators. The Department for Transport (DfT) is actively seeking to enhance bus services and is considering bus franchising. Additionally, the council has engaged in regular conversations with Midlands Connect and Transport for Wales.

11. The Chairperson asked how residents are being consulted.

12. The Head of Transport and Access Services responded that once the draft LTP is available by the end of March, a period of public consultation will begin.

13. Will Pratt added that there has also been an initial stage of consultation in 2024 which helped to better understand residents’ issues and priorities which helped to develop a draft plan. Thereafter, there will be a second round of public engagement to consult on the draft plan as part of the development of the LTP.

14. Councillor Roger Phillips added that there should be more work done with other rural LTPs to help reaffirm what is already being done and helps to build stronger relationships with other local authorities, particularly when campaigning for investment in rural and semi-rural highways.

15. The Service Director, Economy & Growth added during consultation that in addition to the LTP, there is also the Local Plan, and there is the potential to have a coordinated approach to public consultation beyond March.

16. In response to a question regarding the feasibility of providing a consultation strategy with a timeline to the committee, the Service Director, Economy & Growth noted that this could be done.

17. In response to a question about the time-scale of delivering up-front, within the LTP programme, the Active Travel measures within the market towns in Herefordshire, the Head of Transport and Access Services noted that the council are close to going out to consultation with the Local Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Infrastructure Plan (LCWWIP) which provides further detail.

18. Will Pratt added that if a significant increase in government funding is allocated for active travel, more measures will be implemented sooner rather than later.

19. Councillor Stef Simmons emphasized that if those elements are developed in the LTP at an earlier stage, it can potentially benefit from government funding if made available at a later stage.

Resolved:

1. As per a previous recommendation from Connected Communities Scrutiny Commitee, environmental protection and enhancement needs to be better reflected throughout the high-level Local Transport Plan objectives and throughout its priorities for the transport network. This should reflect and align with our climate and ecological emergency declaration.

2. The Local Transport Plan team to work with other rural local transport plan teams in England, as well as our neighbouring authorities, to build on best practice and an alliance of rural local transport plans to strengthen the case for rural transport to the government.

3. To provide the committee with a consultation strategy for the local transport plan, to include a timeline for the consultation and a list of consultees.

4. To ensure that any active travel projects are ‘shovel-ready’ for any funding that becomes available.