Agenda item

The City Transport Director submits a report to provide members of the commission with details on the proposed Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and to make members of the commission aware of the forthcoming consultation, and provide details for how they may contribute to the plan.

The City Transport Director submitted a report to provide members of the commission with details on the proposed Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and to make members of the commission aware of the forthcoming consultation, and provide details for how they may contribute to the plan.

The report and presentation (included with the agenda pack) were taken as read.

Additional points made included:

• The plan was part of a consultation approach.  Members would be invited to an informal review.
• A strategic plan was being developed.  This was not prescriptive and was aimed at identifying key corridors where the quality of cycling and walking could be increased.
• A consultation would take place with Ward Councillors, residents and stakeholders.
• It was added that the information in the previous report on 20mph zones demonstrated that conditions were being created to make it safer to walk and cycle.

Members were invited to comment and ask questions, Responses were as follows:

• In response to a query about how the plan fitted in with climate goals and equity priorities, it was explained that there were increasing options for walking and cycling to increase access to employment, education and leisure, which ultimately would lead to more in terms of employment  and improvements in social mobility and an overall uplift in the economy of the city both in terms of decarbonisation and having wealthier and more educated users.
• In response to a question about key challenges in funding and infrastructure, funding was the biggest challenge as demand for installation was bigger than the money received from the government.  The projects in the plan were large by their very nature, for example, some included big junctions.  The current funding model was annual and done on a bidding approach.  In order to make a bid, a design needed to be ready and a bid might not be successful.  This meant that there was a need to deliver at pace, meaning that schemes developed were at risk and needed to fit the definitions of the funding bid.  The manufactured timescales could be difficult.
• In terms of providing incentives to reach out to audiences, particularly children and young people, it was clarified that there was a cycle accessibility programme with schools.  A schools ride had been planned in conjunction with Leicester Cathedral, however, it had been difficult to establish dates for this which were convenient for the cathedral, but this was being looked at for next year.  There was government funding available for this kind of activity and it was sought to maximise the impact of this and consider how to have a broad approach but also have direct support where needed.  Branded helmets had been considered and it was looked to launch more programmes such as clean air days.  It was aimed to reach out to younger people, and as part of this, the universities and colleges had been met with to discuss how to engage with younger people and encourage them to walk and cycle, even after they had obtained driving licences.
• In response to queries about transport equity and engaging with marginalised groups, it was noted that models had been developed with references to depravation and environment scores.  These models were data driven and took into account areas with a lack of connectivity and poor environments.  The primary role of the consultation was to ensure that people were heard.  In addition to this, the Council ran a number of outreach programmes with marginalised groups to ensure that they had a platform to engage.
• Additionally, the Air Quality Action Plan would engage with similar groups and would include accessibility groups.  This was the starting point for ongoing investigation to ensure that everybody was heard from.
• In terms of mechanisms to engage with communities, Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) groups could be used and a running demographic of those who engaged was kept so that it could be seen as to who was not engaging and as such these groups could be worked with and engaged with.  It was aimed to engage through people working locally rather than via email.  Additionally, Ward Councillors were worked with to ascertain whether areas needed to be engaged with.  Consultations were map-based so people could click on areas to show where issues were, this was particularly useful for people for whom English was not a first language.
• In response to a point raised about digital exclusion, this could be addressed in the next report on the issue.
• Information on who was consulted about the width of cycle routes could be included in the next report.

AGREED:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That comments made by members of this commission to be taken into account by the lead officers.