Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair welcomed all attendees including members of the public and those registered to speak. He acknowledged that the issue under consideration was divisive and asked that all attendees respect those participating and do not interrupt when others are speaking.

Members of the Committee will declare any interests they may have in any item to be considered at this meeting, prior to any discussion taking place on that item.

The registrable interests of Councillors of Devon County Council, arising from membership of City, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes. 

For details of District and or Town and Parish Twin Hatters – please see here:

County councillors who are also district, borough, city, parish or town councillors

The Chair reminded Members they should declare any interests they may have in any item to be considered, prior to any discussion taking place on that item. The details of District and or Town and Parish Twin Hatters was on the attached list - A list of county councillors who are also district, borough, city, parish or town councillors

Item which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered at the meeting as matters of urgency.

There was no item raised as a matter of urgency.

Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/24/108), attached.

RESOLVED that the Committee

(a) approve the making and sealing of the Traffic Regulation Orders associated with the Barnstaple Rail Station Bus Integration Enhancements scheme (Appendix 1), as detailed in Appendix 2, with the modifications detailed in section 4 of the report, and without the prohibition on Sticklepath Terrace; and

(b) approve an amendment to the proposed scheme and not implement the link on Sticklepath Terrace; and

(c) delegate authority to the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Climate, Change, Environment and Transport, the Chair of this Committee and Local County Councillor, to make minor amendments to the scheme as required.

(Under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme, Mrs J Steeley, Mr I Rees, Ms C Sharpe, and Mr M Greenbank and spoke in opposition to the proposals; Mr D Whiteway and Mr D Northey attended and spoke in support of the proposals).

(In accordance with Standing Order 25(4), Councillor D Knight (North Devon District Council) attended and spoke in opposition to the proposals).

The Committee considered the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/24/108) on proposals under the Barnstaple Rail Station Bus Integration Enhancements Scheme. Full details of the proposals were included at Appendix 1 to the report; these proposals included physical changes at Barnstaple Railway Station such as changes to the bus stops and implementation of new crossings, and proposed route changes for buses using the railway station, so that they would use Sticklepath Terrace rather than Station Road, with the latter being used currently. This would require a bus gate to be implemented on Sticklepath Terrace.

Officers gave a presentation to members on the proposals which formed part of the broader Bus Service Improvement Plan. This aimed to grow patronage and develop a bus network that met the needs of the public. Officers referred to the importance of the bus network in North Devon and felt that the rail station was a key area for development as it linked different types of public transport. Officers advised that the benefits of the proposals would include improved transition between bus and train services and the avoidance of traffic queues on Station Road.

Officers gave details on a public consultation that had been carried out. Of the responders, 58% were in support of the scheme. Officers had also received approval for the proposed scheme from Devon County Council’s Cabinet in September 2024. As such it had been advertised and a statutory consultation held. 76 responses to the statutory consultation were received, as well as two petitions against the proposals with 108 unique signatories (59 of who responded to the consultation). The key issues raised were regarding the impact on Sticklepath Terrace. The officer view was that there was a strategic need to divert bus services down this road. It was considered by officers that the road was sufficiently wide; a road safety audit had been undertaken. Electric buses would also be implemented in the future, which officers suggested would mitigate the pollution concerns raised by the public. There would also be only minimal waiting restriction changes.

In terms of the next steps, officers were seeking approval for the proposals as laid out in the report and its appendices.

There was significant discussion on the centrality of Sticklepath Terrace to the scheme. Members questioned officers on the impact of not agreeing the proposals as laid out in the report, such as if they did not approve the diversion of buses down Sticklepath Terrace.

Officers advised on the possible impact on funding for the scheme, as the funding was given to the Council by the Department for Transport with a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.