Agenda and minutes

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Venue: Committee Room 'D' - The Henry Bolingbroke Room, County Hall, Preston. View directions

Contact: Andy Milroy  Tel: 01772 530354 Email:  andy.milroy@lancashire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

Observers: 

 

Richard Perry, Department for Transport

 

In Attendance

 

Dave Colbert, Specialist Advisor, Transportation, Lancashire County Council

Mike Kirby, Director, Corporate Commissioning, Lancashire County Council

Mike Cliffe, Strategic Transport Manager, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Jeremy Walker, Transport Policy Manager, Blackpool Council

Andy Milroy, Senior Democratic Services Officer, Lancashire, County Council

Cath Rawcliffe, Democratic Services Officer, Lancashire County Council

 

1.

Welcome and Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

The Chair, County Councillor Jennifer Mein, Lancashire County Council, welcomed all to the meeting.  Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Phil Riley.

 

Officer apologies were noted from Bruce Parker, Mike Sinnott, Alan Cavill, Martin Kelly, Marcus Hudson, Kathryn Molloy and Brian Bailey.

 

2.

Minutes of the meeting held on 10th June 2016 pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Minutes:

Resolved:  The minutes of the Committee meeting held on 10 June 2016 were approved as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

 

3.

Matters Arising

Minutes:

Dave Colbert, the County Council's Specialist Advisor, Transportation responded to questions raised in relation to Items 5 and 6 of the Minutes.

 

The Committee was advised that a decision on the new Ribble Crossing Development Funding Bid and the draft final report on the strategic east-west transport corridor were expected at the end of the year.

 

Resolved: That the progress on the new Ribble Crossing Development Funding Bid and the East–West connectivity Study be noted.

 

4.

Declaration of Interests

Minutes:

None declared.

 

5.

District of Lancaster Highways and Transport Masterplan

Presentation by Marcus Hudson, Planning Manager, LCC.

 

Minutes:

The County Council's Specialist Adviser, Transportation presented a PowerPoint presentation on the District of Lancaster Highways and Transport Masterplan.

 

The Committee was informed that the district of Lancaster had been identified as a major location for economic and housing growth, supported by its university, city centre, and the prospect of further growth as an energy centre and port serving Lancashire and the wider North.

 

The Masterplan therefore presented a programme of infrastructure delivery and further work, setting out a vision for travel and transport across the district that would build on the legacy of the completed Heysham to M6 Link Road (the Bay Gateway).

 

The master planning exercise identified problems, gaps and opportunities on the highways and public transport systems serving Lancaster and, importantly, how they impacted on the County's economy. The Masterplan also identified infrastructure solutions required to regenerate Morecambe Town Centre and sea front.

 

The Committee noted that current highways and transport issues across the district included:

·  Congestion in Lancaster city centre (especially around the gyratory system), Galgate and Carnforth;

·  Barriers to pedestrian and cycle movement in Lancaster and Morecambe;

·  Environmental issues, especially relating to air quality;

·  Rail connections were not as good as they should be.

 

The Masterplan and the proposals contained were welcomed as a positive plan for the area covered.

 

Resolved: That the District of Lancaster Highways and Transport Masterplan, and proposals contained be noted.

 

6.

A Key Route Network for Lancashire pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Minutes:

The County Council's Specialist Adviser, Transportation presented a report on a proposal to develop a Key Route Network for Lancashire.

 

The Committee was informed that as part of the development of a Strategic Transport Plan for the North, Transport for the North (TfN) had recently commenced work on defining a strategically important Key Route Network (KRN) for the North of England.  This network would extend beyond Highways England's Strategic Road Network (SRN) to include the most important local highway authority roads considered to perform a 'strategic' role.

 

It was hoped that that the establishment of such a network would enable TfN to articulate a compelling argument to government for funding to support pan-northern connectivity and economic growth across local authority boundaries

 

As Lancashire does not currently have a defined Key Route Network, it was proposed that Transport for Lancashire should progress with defining a draft Lancashire Key Route Network within TfN's timescale, i.e. by early 2017. It was agreed that not to do so would risk TfN's consultants defining a network in Lancashire as part of their current commission that may not necessarily take local requirements into account. The Committee was therefore asked to agree an approach and selection criteria and proposals for both were set out in the report to the Committee.

 

It was proposed that the draft Key Route Network would be presented to the next meeting of the Committee on the 11 January 2017 when approval would be sought to share this with TfN, Highways England, the shadow Lancashire Combined Authority and district councils. Discussions would also be held with other interested parties including adjacent Combined Authority and Local Authority areas.

 

Resolved: That the approach and selection criteria for defining a Lancashire Key Route Network as set out in the report to the Committee be approved.

 

7.

Transport for the North Update

Verbal report by Dave Colbert, Specialist Advisor Transport Planning, LCC.

 

Minutes:

The Specialist Adviser, Transportation informed the Committee of the developments that had taken place since the last meeting.

 

It was noted that Transport for the North (TfN) had submitted a formal proposal to establish a statutory sub-national transport body (STB) for the North of England to the Department for Transport for consideration by the Secretary of State.

 

The proposal set out the powers the organisation was seeking to have transferred from central government and the basis on which these powers would be governed and delivered.

 

The Committee was informed that if the Secretary of State approved the proposals, constituent local transport authorities would be given a further final opportunity to review the regulations, ratify their consent and formally agree to become a member of TfN.

 

The Committee was advised that until the Combined Authority was formally established, Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackpool Council would each have a seat on any statutory sub-national transport body.

 

With regard to current projects, the Committee was reminded that TfN were working on a Strategic Transport Plan for the North.

 

Committee Members welcomed the opportunity to contribute, on behalf of Lancashire, to the evolution of TfN through further consultation.

 

Resolved:  That the Transport for the North update be noted.

8.

Reporting to Lancashire Enterprise Partnership Board

To agree if any items considered on this agenda require referral to the LEP Board for approval.

Minutes:

There were no items for referral to the LEP Board.

 

9.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

Officers responded to issues raised by the Committee in respect of the impact of the proposed 3rd runway at Heathrow Airport and the shortage of HGV Class 1 drivers and subsequent constraints on economic growth and whether or not they should be factored into the Lancashire Strategic Transport Prospectus.

 

It was suggested that the above matters might be better considered for inclusion in a future refresh of the Lancashire Strategic Economic Plan (SEP).

 

Resolved: That the above matters be noted and that Officers would give consideration to including them in a future refresh of the SEP

 

10.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled to be held on Wednesday 11th January 2017 at 10.00am Cabinet Room 'B' - Diamond Jubilee Room, County Hall, Preston.

Minutes:

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on Wednesday 11 January 2017 at 10am in Cabinet Room 'B' - The Diamond Jubilee Room, County Hall, Preston.