Agenda item

The Director for Planning – Development and Transportation submits a presentation updating the Commission on the TCF Scheme: Connecting Leicester – Beaumont Leys Park and Ride.

Members of the Commission are recommended to receive the presentation and pass any comments to the Director of Planning – Development and Transportation.

The Director of Planning, Development and Transportation submitted a presentation on the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) scheme and Connecting Leicester – Beaumont Leys Park and Ride.

The City Centre Streets Programme Manager delivered the presentation outlining the proposals and as part of the discussions it was noted that:

·      One of the attractions to the scheme would be to ensure the park and ride service into the city centre is as fast as possible to encourage users to leave their private cars and use the service. Intermediate stops on the service would detract users as the fast service would be compromised.

·      Further considerations into bus priority measures along the major corridors into the city centre were being investigated to make improvements to public transport network as a whole in order to bring the same benefits to residents across the city. 

·      Current reflections into the governments Bus Strategy and looking into opportunities there to develop thinking around the local transport plan. A tram like bus network in the city was an attractive idea and that was something that would be considered in light of the Bus Strategy and opportunities that open up to create cross city movements.

·      A press release and a consultation would allow residents in the nearby locality that would be most affected to be contacted to allow them to make comments on the proposals. Further considerations for an exhibition of the proposed plans at the adjacent Beaumont Shopping Centre were under review.

·      The primary bus service into the city centre would continue to be the 74 service, which is the fastest route into the city whilst the 14 and 14a service would link the park and ride service to the Glenfield Hospital.

·      The car park at the site would be exclusively for the park and ride service users and not an overfill for the adjacent site at the Beaumont Shopping Centre.

·      The cost of the scheme to the City Council was the cost of the construction at the site, which was partly funded by the TCF Scheme. The bus services already operating were commercially viable. It was suggested having additional uses of the services would make them more attractive. The only obligation to the Council after this would be the maintenance of the car park. 

·      This scheme was part of a package which was submitted to the Department of Transport, which was well received and the Council were successful in funding for the proposed schemes. It was suggested that the council had to undertake these sorts of schemes in order to reduce the reliance on use of the private car getting people to use other forms of transport. 

·      Studies were being undertaken into what steps would be most beneficial use of the adjacent land to provide for the extended bio-diversity and replacing the green space which would be lost by constructing the car park and these details will be included in the consultation. 

·      There were 15 spaces proposed for electric vehicle charging points, with the potential of adding more spaces in the future.

·      The consultation was due to take place in May 2021 with the potential to start work in late summer. The construction period would be approximately a year for a scheme of this nature.

AFREED:

1)      That the Members of the Economic Development, Transport and Tourism Scrutiny Commission thank the Officers for the presentation and look forward to the outcomes of the Consultation.