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Agenda item

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/18/17) on the proposed allocations for the Transport Capital Programme for 2018/19, attached.

 

Minutes:

(Councillors Atkinson, Biederman, Connett, Dewhirst, Greenslade and Hannaford attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

 

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/18/17) on the proposed allocations for the Transport Capital Programme for 2018/19, 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.

 

The Integrated Transport Block settlement from Government was set at an annual level of around £3.6m with the level of funding significantly reduced when compared to a figure of over £10 million in 2009/10.  One of the main uses of LTP as seedcorn funding was to secure other external sources of grant funding to help deliver the transport infrastructure priorities identified across the County.

 

The Report outlined the other sources of funding and how the Council had acquired monies for particular schemes, for example the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) to support investment in the types of infrastructure important for boosting productivity and in 2017/18 the County Council secured £7.169 million from the NPIF.  In addition, five major new schemes were completed with significant external funding support from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Growth Deal from Government (two highway schemes at Barnstaple, A379 Bridge Road (Exeter), signalised junction on the A379 at Sandy Park, A38 Deep Lane and first phase of the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension junction onto the A361 North Devon Link Road). The Growth & Housing Fund had given external funding support of £4.5 million for the final phase of the Tithebarn Link Road and a new cycle bridge crossing over the M5, which were substantially completed in 2017/18. 

 

The 2018/19 programme, outlined in Appendix I, showed the securing of external funding totalling £9.16 million. There was also a bid totalling £7.2 million for the Exeter Eastern Growth Package and for Sherford totalling just over £8 million.

 

Other potential sources of external funding, not yet confirmed, could include the Safer Roads Fund, the Housing Infrastructure Fund, the Large Local Majors Fund, Growth Deal, Growth & Housing Fund and Industry Risk Fund (Network Rail).

 

The focus of the 2018/19 programme was primarily to support economic growth alongside Local Plans.  A significant proportion of the programme was helping to deliver major schemes, many of which were now in the advanced design stages, as outlined in Appendix I.

 

In terms of Countywide & Major, work was continuing in 2018/19 to support the design and development of major highway infrastructure schemes across the County, for example the construction of the first Phase of the new A361 junction to access the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension, detailed design and procurement for the second and final Phase 2 of the junction with construction of Phase 2 planned to commence in Autumn 2020, major road improvements for the North Devon Link Road, construction on the next stage of the Newton Abbot East West Cycle Route 2B, the A382 Widening Scheme and Houghton Barton Package at Newton Abbot, Main Street highway at Sherford, public transport improvements (smart ticketing etc), securing land for the Bere Alston to Tavistock Railway Line and some funding to support the development and completion of priority routes identified in the Cycling and Multi Use Trails Strategy.

 

For the Exeter & East Devon Growth Point a key focus for 2018/19 was enabling development growth to the East and to the South West of Exeter, for example design work to develop infrastructure for an urban extension to the South West of Exeter, improvements to Chudleigh Road, new cycle bridge crossing over the A379 and new station project for Marsh Barton. In addition, the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) funding would progress the design and delivery of the Eastern Exeter Growth Area package including, improvements to the A30 Moor Lane Roundabout, continued delivery of the Exeter strategic cycle routes, Park and Change site at Exeter Science Park and expansion of the electric bicycle network. 

 

In relation to the Market and Coastal Towns and Rural Devon, promoting walking and cycling remained an important objective of the Local Transport Plan and for the public health agenda.  The proposed 2018/19 programme included new pedestrian crossing facilities at Exmouth, Colyford, Yealmpton and Horrabridge and funding to support walking and cycling route improvements in a number of Market Towns. The programme would continue support for providing new and improved cycle parking facilities in market towns, rural communities and for schools and employers. 

 

The package of schemes for 2018/19 totalled some £19.8 million, which included significant funding from external sources and developer contributions either due or received from developers.  This funding was already incorporated into the Capital Programme or was anticipated to be brought forward from 2017/18 as a result of slippage. Also, that additional external funding might need to be incorporated into the programme later in the financial year.

 

The Cabinet noted that an Impact Assessment was completed for the Transport Capital Programme in 2014 and that detailed individual Impact Assessments were carried out on larger schemes where required and included with those particular Cabinet and HATOC reports.

 

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability, carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Head of Service’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Davis, SECONDED by Councillor Hughes, and

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that the budgets allocated to the Local Transport Plan (LTP) schemes, as set out in Appendix I, be approved and that other major transport schemes and funding sources be noted;

 

(b) that amendments to the Integrated Block allocations be delegated to the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member.

 

[NB: The Impact Assessment referred to above may be available at:  http://new.devon.gov.uk/impact/].

Supporting documents:


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