Agenda item

The City Transport Director submits a report to provide members of the commission with details of the government grants made available for transport improvements in the 25/26 financial year and to advise members of the commission of the projects and programmes these grants will allow us to deliver or support.

The City Transport Director presented the reports attached to the agenda. These were to be taken in tandem to provide members of the commission with details of the government grants made available for transport improvements in the 25/26 financial year, and to advise members of the commission of the projects and programmes these grants will allow us to deliver or support. Key points to note were as follows:

• The vast majority of funding available to the service came via Government grants. Bids had not always come to fruition, but Leicester did tend to have more success than other local authorities. The government had announced that they were intending to move away from this method, towards an allocation approach.
• £21.9m of additional grants have been made available to the authority for this financial year. This was across the Active Travel fund, the Local Transport Grant, the Bus Service Improvement plan, the Consolidated Active Travel Fund, the Local Transport Resource Grant and the Bus Service Operators Grant.
• The Local Transport Grant was only initially available, for this financial year, to local authorities in the North and the Midlands. The primary restrictions were are that the grant cannot be spent on heavy rail, or on the strategic road network.
• The Consolidated Active Travel Fund would allow continuation of work including promoting safe access to school.
• All grants mentioned must be spent by the end of the financial year, apart from the Consolidated Active Travel Fund which must be spent by March 2027, but projects must be on site by March 2026.
• The Consolidated Active Travel Fund would allow for preparation and delivery of Rally Park phase 2 which included extending the project across the bridge at Fosse Road North, enabling connections into the new school sites.

The Chair thanked The City Transport Director for the presentation and welcome questions and comments from the commission. Key points to note were as follows:

• Regarding spending, the announcement of funding had come relatively late, time was of the essence and works were being prioritised to achieve best success. Conversations on timeframe flexibility could take place with central government.
• In response to a question, it was noted that the report of Rally Park running costs had also included aspects such as lighting and vegetation and were not only reflecting the costing of the new path and cycleways.
• Confidence had grown in the ability to retain staff.
• Suitable projects that were quicker to complete were at the forefront of planning.
• Illuminated street signage required considerable consultation and designing, and also entailed maintenance and running costs. Street sign legislation dictated the lighting put in place.
• Proposals on the work to take place on Aylestone Road would be circulated to members. 
• The 20 mph scheme was limited by resource but the potential would be explored for this to be expedited.
• The Local Transport funding would remain in place up until 2030, absolute confirmation was awaited from the Department of Transport. Further details were expected to come in the Autumn for travel planning. It was then hoped that a programme spanning multiple years could be developed, rather than creating annual programmes.
• Members were invited to give their views on establishing the local neighbourhood improvement plan. The current plan was to maximise by joining into programmes that had already delivering, this would reduce overall costs.
• The 10 highest priority pedestrian crossings had been brought forward to ward briefings as the prioritisation programme. An analysis tool developed with Active Travel England had ensured maximum investment. Details of this could be shared with the commission.
• External consultants were not usually brought in, unless there was a specifically required skill set that they could bring.
• Funding benchmarking with other local authorities was problematic due to centre government changes to funding allocation. It remained to be seen how Leicester fared but certainly the indicators were that Leicester was not disadvantaged.

AGREED:

1)    That the report be noted.

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

3)    For a breakdown of Rally Park costings to be shared with the commission.

4)    A copy of the proposals for road resurfacing on Aylestone Road would be circulated.

5)    Details of 10 highest priority crossings to be shared.

6)    Progress reports to come to the Commission.