Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

(i)  That the feedback received as a result of public and stakeholder consultation on the draft Solihull Connected 2023 Transport Strategy and Delivery Plan, as summarised at Section 3 and detailed at Appendix A to the report be noted; and

(ii)  That the amended draft Solihull Connected Transport Strategy and Delivery Plan, as detailed in Appendix B to the report be adopted.

The Cabinet was provided with an overview of feedback received through public and stakeholder consultation on the Council’s draft transport strategy, Solihull Connected 2023, and invited to adopt the Strategy and its accompanying Delivery Plan.

The report detailed the responses received through the consultation process. Members were advised that evidence from the consultation confirmed that the 2016 strategy needed updating to do sufficient justice to priority topics such as active travel and public transport, and the specifics around day-to-day transport provision. The 2016 strategy introduced an approach whereby 6 area strategies were developed for different parts of the borough to consider local characteristics, demographics and geography; that approach, along with extension to it in the form of the development of local centre access strategies, had been supported as part of the consultation on the 2023 strategy.

Similarly, the views from the consultation demonstrated that there were many long-standing issues regarding transport provision, such as congestion in areas close to schools at the start and end of the school day and concerns about excessive road traffic speeds that suggest that much of the 2016 strategy remained valid. This supported the Council’s approach to review the existing Solihull Connected transport strategy and update or refresh where applicable.

On receiving the report Members made some observations and sought clarification on a number of points which Officers responded to:

·  With regard to cycling Members noted that there were some polarising comments in the report. Delivery of cycle lanes needed to be conducive to all road users and pedestrians. Storage for bikes and motor bikes needed to be considered. It was also noted that communication was important.

·  Barriers to bus usage included cuts in services, unreliable services and reduced stops and these decisions were taken by TfWM and not within the Council control. It was noted that if services were not used then they became financially unviable for companies to run.

·  Members commented that a rural solution to bus usage needed to be considered.

·  Members suggested more should be done to publicise modal linkages, so it was easier to join up different methods of transport and timetables married up. They were also pleased to see better connectivity between the north and south of the Borough.

·  Officers confirmed that further amendments could be made to the document following comments made at the meeting.

RESOLVED:

(i)  That the feedback received as a result of public and stakeholder consultation on the draft Solihull Connected 2023 Transport Strategy and Delivery Plan, as summarised at Section 3 and detailed at Appendix A to the report be noted; and

(ii)  That the amended draft Solihull Connected Transport Strategy and Delivery Plan, as detailed in Appendix B to the report be adopted