To receive a presentation by the Cabinet Member on key issues.

The Committee received a presentation by Councillor DB Wilcox, Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation) on key issues in his portfolio area. A copy of his presentation has been appended to the agenda in the minute book.

The Cabinet Member reported on four main areas namely: an overview of the Highways and Transport service; achievement in 2006/07; funding, and work underway and for the future.

An overview of the Highways and Transport service.  He highlighted the wide range of important services provided; the Council’s strategy towards implementing the Local Transport Plan (LTP) and that the Service had been awarded the Centre of Excellence award following its successes in road safety and providing public transport services. Information packs had also been provided to other highway authorities setting out best practice in 11 areas of operation. 

Achievement during 2006/07. He then commented on the areas of: Key Performance including helping pedestrians by the restoration of the Victoria Footbridge; promoting sustainable transport including school travel plans, work place travel plans, cycle parking and new cycle routes. Supporting Public Transport including increased patronage, free travel for people over 60 and travel corridor enhancement.  Further achievements included the excellent response by the service to the July flooding and in maintaining the massive network of highways, which included bridges and street lighting. 

Funding.  He highlighted that capital funding under the LTP including the LPSA2G/SRSG totalled £10,889.000.  Following completion of a good submission a Government bonus of 5% had been expected, however, the Government had reduced the bonus scheme to 3%.  The LTP covered the period 2001/2 to 2010/11 and while the level of annual funding during the early years had been increasing he warned that levels of funding were now decreasing.  There were also issues concerning supporting the revenue funding from LTP funding.  On general revenue funding he reported that this stood at £9,266,000 being approximately 5% of the Council Tax.

Work underway and the future. He highlighted a number of schemes or developments including: tackling flooding in Hereford and Ross-on-Wye; the cost of the Streetscene service; the Rotherwas Access Road which was due for completion in Spring 2008 and the Holme Lacy Road improvements which were on track for completion.  He encouraged Members to vote in the bid for Sustrans Connect 2 – Rotherwas River Wye Crossing Big Lottery funding.  Due to ongoing negotiations he was unable to confirm the site of the Northern Park and Ride site.  Negotiations were also underway for a site on the South side of the City.  The Service was working with the ESG Co (Edgar Street Grid) to help clarify transport benefits and ensure impacts were properly mitigated.  Work was underway on road safety improvements and speed indicating devices.  Various initiatives to improve public transport, including rail, were being developed or underway.

On questioning the Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation) the Committee noted the following points:

• A number of parish councils received payment under the ‘Lengthsman’ scheme to undertake a range of predefined works, however, should further works be required then these would be considered.
• Regular meetings were held with bus operators to discuss provision, subsidies and timetabling, which included representatives of Children’s Services Directorate to represent school bus provision.  The monitoring, including spot checks, of subsidised services was undertaken.  A suggestion was made whether school busses returning to their depots could be utilised as services busses.  Also during debate an issue was raised whether operators allowed bicycles and dogs onto busses.
• Talks continued with the Highways Agency concerning road safety on trunk roads in the County.
• While £1.2m was received from the government towards concessionary fares the Council still provided a subsidy.
• If the County failed to win Big Lottery funding for the Sustrans Rotherwas cycle/walkway then the Council would need to look at where it placed this project in its transport priorities.
• A view was expressed that the Council could do more to improve rail travel through membership of rail partnerships.  Also that the Council could consider employing a rail officer.
• Responding to a claim that an Outer Distributor Road was contra to the intentions of the Carbon Reduction Plan the Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation) replied that moving traffic created less emissions than standing traffic and that the emissions from moving traffic were more dispersed. 
• The term Outer Distributor road more accurately described the function of the road.  i.e. it will distribute traffic around the city rather then simply allow long distance "through traffic" to bypass the city.

The Chairman thanked Councillor DB Wilcox Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation) for his presentation and answering the Committee questions.