Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/20/36) seeking approval of the Exeter Transport Strategy, attached.

Cabinet is also asked to note that the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 24 June 2020, had considered the Notes of the Standing Overview Group on the draft Exeter Transport Strategy (the Standing Overview Group met on 18 June 2020 (Minute *182 refers).

The Group had broadly supported the recommendations of the Strategy, but added a number of additional comments for presentation to Cabinet and RESOLVED that the Standing Overview Group’s recommendations be commended to the Cabinet.

Paragraph 6 of the Report outlines the recommendations and confirms that the points raised have been incorporated into an updated strategy and a 5-year action plan contained in Appendix II.

(Councillors Atkinson, Biederman, Connett and Hannaford attended remotely in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Planning Transportation and Environment (PTE/20/36) seeking approval of the Exeter Transport Strategy, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

Cabinet also noted that the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 24 June 2020, had considered the notes of the Standing Overview Group on the draft Exeter Transport Strategy (the Standing Overview Group had met on 18 June 2020 (Minute *182 refers).

The Group had broadly supported the recommendations of the Strategy, but added a number of additional comments for presentation to Cabinet.

Paragraph 6 of the Report outlined those recommendations and confirmed that the points raised by Scrutiny had been incorporated into the updated Strategy and a 5-year action plan contained in Appendix II.

This Report included a summary of the work undertaken to date including the draft transport strategy, public consultation responses and changes since the consultation and the Council’s declaration of a climate emergency. 

The Exeter Transport Strategy focused on improving travel choices, creating better places for people and taking advantage of technology opportunities to influence travel behaviour in a positive way.  This included addressing constraints on sustainable transport networks to provide the basis of a connected city region, deliver interventions that contributed to improved quality of life and utilise technological advancements to integrate services and engage with people to influence how and when they travelled.  The proposals were embodied in 3 key themes of Greater Connectivity (which focused on travel into the city from outside Exeter’s boundaries and enhancements to key transport corridors in the travel to work area), Greater Places for People (related to travel within the city, focusing on increasing the number of trips made on foot or by bike and urban bus corridors) and Greater Innovation (working with private sector partners to test and implement innovative technology solutions to make travel easier, encourage mode shift and help  transport networks operate more flexibly and efficiently). 

The Head of Service for Planning, Transportation and Environment also agreed to amend the Strategy to reflect some of the issues presented in the South West Exeter area, as outlined by Members speaking under Standing Order 25(2).

The ten-year Strategy set a direction of travel, and further detail on the type and location of certain interventions were provided in a 5-year action plan.

The Strategy would be delivered from a number of funding sources, including LTP integrated block, developer/Community Infrastructure Levy contributions and external grant funding.  The speed of delivery was dependent on funding.

The Report also presented the Exeter Transport Strategy consultation which received more than 1,100 public responses as well as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 579