To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies had been received from Councillor Durkin.

The Chairperson welcomed Councillor Matthews as a new member of the Committee.

To receive details of members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a member of the committee.

Councillor Rone substituted for Councillor Durkin.

To receive declarations of interests in respect of Schedule 1, Schedule 2 or Other Interests from members of the committee in respect of items on the agenda.

Agenda item 7 – Hereford Transport Package Review

Councillor Bowes declared a schedule 1 interest because her home was close to the route of the proposed Western Bypass.  She reported that she had been given a dispensation to represent the views in her ward.

Councillor Hitchiner declared a schedule 1 interest because his home was close to the route of the proposed Southern relief road.  He reported that he had been given a dispensation to represent the views in his ward.

Councillor Matthews highlighted that a portion of the proposed Western Bypass passed through his ward.

To appove the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2020.

RESOLVED:       That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2020 be approved as a correct record.

To receive any written questions from members of the public.

Details of the scheme and related guidance are available here:

 https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/info/200148/your_council/61/get_involved

Please submit questions to councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk

The deadline for the receipt of questions is Tuesday 3 November 2020 at 5.00 pm.

Accepted questions will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting.

A copy of the questions from members of the public and the answers together with the

supplementary questions and answers is attached at appendix 1.

To receive any written questions from members of the council.

Deadline for receipt of questions is 5:00pm on Tuesday  3 November 2020.

Accepted questions will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting.

Please submit questions to councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk

A copy of the questions from Councillors and the answers together with the

supplementary questions and answers is attached at appendix 2.

To seek the views and invite policy influence from the scrutiny committee on the findings of the Hereford Transport Strategy Review and the Peer Review of the Hereford and South Wye Transport Packages prior to consideration by cabinet.

The Committee was invited to provide its views on the findings of the Hereford Transport Strategy Review and the Peer Review of the Hereford and South Wye Transport Packages prior to consideration by cabinet.

The Head of Transport and Access Services commenced the presentations as published with the agenda papers. Mr M Revill, Regional Director Transport Planning, Mott MacDonald and Mr M Brookes, Director, National and Local Government Services, WSP, delivered their published presentations.

The Committee discussed the report asking a number of questions to which responses were given.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE EXECUTIVE:

That      (a)     more detailed studies are undertaken on the benefits and dis-benefits of traffic light management in more locations in Hereford;

              (b)     as a result of this review, the committee recommends that the cabinet consider ‘weighting of the preferred outcomes’ to help determine the preferred package to take forward;

              (c)     support is given to promoting more ‘park and choose’ options in combination with more investment into public transport options and cycle routes to reduce demand for car journeys into or through the city centre with a particular focus given to the limited transport options currently experienced by Herefordshire’s rural communities and that the executive set up a transport team as a matter of priority to implement the planning of cycling and walking, and that the road schemes are reconfigured to accommodate walking and cycling safely within the city;

              (d)     the cabinet follow up on the suggestion for a ‘River-Bus Service’ in ongoing refinement and review of the Hereford transport package options;

              (e)     consideration is given to a wider, more in depth study, on the transport options that address countywide transport challenges and solutions, not just in Hereford City;

              (f)      cabinet should not feel constrained by having to consider just the package of options that has been presented to them as part of this review.

              (g)     the committee considers that further analysis is undertaken to assess further the mitigation measures of traffic utilising an eastern crossing before the dis-benefits of an eastern crossing rule it out as an option.

              (h)     school travel and transport is given greater priority and that more work is done to undertake survey work with schools and parents to gain a better understanding to what the barriers to uptake of school transport are;

              (i)      carbon offsetting is looked at in relation to offsetting on major infrastructure projects.

              (j)      the impact of assessing routes over other river crossings, in particular, the Bridge Sollars crossing, is built into the analysis of options and packages under review.

              (k)     that the executive abandon the Western Bypass and reject other major road infrastructure schemes, barring only the eastern river crossing option;

              (l)      the executive take a look again at the robustness of the qualitative assessment of the evidence presented;  and

              (m)    Herefordshire Council should immediately implement a well-designed comprehensive safe and attractive network of active travel measures across the entire county to reduce the effect of climate change and the risk of surface flooding.

The next scheduled meeting is 10:30 AM Monday 30 November 2020.

Monday 30 November 2020 at 10.30 am.