Agenda item

The Director of Planning, Transport and Development submits a report outlining the ongoing work to deliver the COVID 19 Transport Recovery Plan.  The Commission is recommended to note the contents of this report and comment on progress on delivery of the Transport Recovery Plan.

The Director of Planning, Transport and Development submitted a report outlining the ongoing work to deliver the Covid-19 Transport Recovery Plan, advising the Commission that this Plan had been prepared before the city had been placed in local lockdown.

There had been a high degree of compliance with the Covid-19 lockdown travel restrictions, resulting in a reduction of approximately 75% in bus use.  Although this had been increasing before the local lockdown, since that had been introduced there had been a reduction in use of approximately 22% on the previous week.  Footfall in the city had increased approximately 50%, but was now decreasing by approximately 50% week on week.

The Director explained that a priority in preparing the Recovery Plan had been to encourage cycling and walking activity.  One aim was to undertake 10 miles of pavement widening in 10 weeks and, to date, 8.5 miles had been done in 6 weeks.  Government grants of £400,000 had been received for this work and applications would be made for further funding.  Residents had been invited to suggest where pavements could be widened and a lot of responses had been received, from across the city.  Many of these suggestions had been implemented, or would be shortly, as this was being delivered in phases.

Initially, cones were set out to mark the new pavement layout.  This was then reviewed in the light of local needs.  Some areas had been softened, (for example, by changing the style of cones used), and in other areas planters had been installed, to help create areas that could be used for things such as pavement cafés.  Although these were temporary measures, it was felt that there could be a case for making some of these changes permanent.

It was questioned why local residents had not been consulted on the locations of the widened pavements and some concern was expressed that they made some junctions dangerous, due to the vehicle movements needed to use the junction.  In reply, the City Mayor explained that the work undertaken was in line with government policy.  The new layouts had been widely welcomed across the city and the opportunity to experiment with different pavement layouts also was welcome.

The Director advised that the process used was set out in the Transport Recovery Plan.  The work had been undertaken to create safe environments, including helping people avoid the need to take public transport but still be able to move around the city.  There were areas where the scheme needed to be refined, but a lot of positive feedback had been received about the work.  If any scheme was to be made permanent, a staged process would be used, which would include engagement and consultation.

Other initiatives included loaning bikes to workers, to enable them to cycle to their place of work and helping other cyclists to maintain their own bikes.  Members noted that the Wheels to Work scheme had reported that e-bikes were popular to hire and expressed the hope that their popularity would increase.  Councillor Clarke, (Deputy City Mayor – Environment and Transportation), advised the Commission that proposals for an e-bike offer in the city were being drawn up, which it was hoped could be announced soon.

The Director of Planning, Transport and Development advised Members that the Council had been working with the bus companies during the lockdown period and there was concern at the low level of compliance with the requirement to wear a face covering.  To help overcome this, the bus companies had been asked to consider asking their drivers to wear face coverings, even though this was not compulsory for them, to encourage passengers to wear them as well.  The bus station also was being monitored and it had been seen that levels of compliance were increasing.  Bus operators were issuing exemption cards for passengers who could not wear face coverings.

Members queried whether, in view of the reduction in the number of bus users, any form of relief was available to bus operators.  It also was suggested that nationalised bus companies would enable different controls to be exerted that could provide opportunities to develop alternative forms of bus transport, such as electric trams.  Councillor Clarke advised the Commission that a good partnership was emerging between the Council and bus operators locally, which would facilitate future progress.

The Director also advised that Council-run car parks currently remained open, although it was not known at present when city businesses would be able to return to full operation, and officers would work with schools over the summer to assist with transport issues before students returned in September.

AGREED:

1)    That the Covid-19 Transport Recovery Plan be received and welcomed; and

2)    That the Director of Planning, Transport and Development be asked to provide updates on the development of the Covid-19 Transport Recovery Plan at appropriate times.