Agenda item

That the report be noted. It was also agreed that the Committee would refer its views to Mayor and Cabinet, as follows:

·         The Committee reiterates the recommendations it made at its meeting on 19 June 2023 and requests that officers provide a comprehensive response:

·         that further information (and timelines) be provided on the implementation of cycle hangars, parklets and improvements to the transparency of communication around waiting lists for cycle parking.

·         that priority should be given to enforcing contraventions in areas with existing parking controls – particularly in the case of protected junctions, cycle lanes and anti-social pavement parking.

·         that the Committee would welcome further improvements and enlargement of protected space for active travel.

·         that the maps being used in the consultation should be updated with the current ward boundaries.

·         The Committee also recommends that Councillors (particularly those in wards impacted by the programme) be engaged at an early stage of the development of proposals – and kept up to date as consultations are carried out. The Committee believes that lessons from each stage of the consultation should be learnt in order to improve the following stages. Members also believe that further consideration should be given to engaging more effectively with the views and concerns of underrepresented groups.

·         The Committee recommends that consideration should be given to how best the advantages and benefits of active travel improvements (including new electric vehicle infrastructure, improved green spaces and cycle parking) can be communicated and enjoyed. Members believe that this should happen at an early stage of engagement with residents, in order to balance concerns regarding the potential perceived negative impacts, such as parking charges. Furthermore, the Committee believes that the improvements being delivered through the sustainable streets programme should be aligned with the Council’s broader ambitions for active travel.

6.1    Seamus Adams (Head of Commercial Operations and Development) introduced the report.

6.2    Seamus Adams and Paul Boulton responded to questions from the Committee – the following key points were noted:

·         The process for the consultation would be reviewed to ensure that the correct materials were being delivered to residents in the correct wards.

·         A further update would be provided to all councillors about the future phases of the programme.

·         The programme had the flexibility to deal with future issues caused by displacement of parking.

·         As the programme was delivered it was anticipated that residents would see (and appreciate) the benefits.

·         Lessons had been learnt from the first set of consultations to inform the future delivery of the consultation programme.

·         It was recognised that some groups were overrepresented in the consultation (particularly car drivers) – and work was taking place to increase engagement with all groups.

·         Some data cleansing was carried out to ensure that online responses to the consultation were valid.

6.3    In Committee discussions the following key points were also noted:

·         The maps in the report were unclear (and appeared to have the old ward boundaries) – and some of the consultation materials had been sent to residents in the wrong ward.

·         Members expressed their concern about the lack of progress in implementing recommendations previously made by the Committee.

·         There was concern about the underrepresentation of some groups.

·         Members would welcome the attendance of officers at ward assembly meetings.

·         Further technical advice should be sought on the process for data cleansing and the validity of online submissions to the consultation.

·         It would be difficult to weight the responses to the consultation based on the low numbers of responses from some groups.

6.4    Councillor Krupski (Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport) was invited to address the Committee – the following key points were noted:

·         Responses to the consultation were not weighted to correct for underrepresentation.

·         The consultations were not referendums. The Council had to make difficult decisions when necessary.

·         Work had taken place to engage with councillors through all stages of the programme.

·         Future parking pressure would come from outside of the borough.

6.5    Resolved: that the report be noted. It was also agreed that the Committee would refer its views to Mayor and Cabinet, as follows:

·         The Committee reiterates the recommendations it made at its meeting on 19 June 2023 and requests that officers provide a comprehensive response:

·         that further information (and timelines) be provided on the implementation of cycle hangars, parklets and improvements to the transparency of communication around waiting lists for cycle parking.

·         that priority should be given to enforcing contraventions in areas with existing parking controls – particularly in the case of protected junctions, cycle lanes and anti-social pavement parking.

·         that the Committee would welcome further improvements and enlargement of protected space for active travel.

·         that the maps being used in the consultation should be updated with the current ward boundaries.

·         The Committee also recommends that Councillors (particularly those in wards impacted by the programme) be engaged at an early stage of the development of proposals – and kept up to date as consultations are carried out. The Committee believes that lessons from each stage of the consultation should be learnt in order to improve the following stages. Members also believe that further consideration should be given to engaging more effectively with the views and concerns of underrepresented groups.

·         The Committee recommends that consideration should be given to how best the advantages and benefits of active travel improvements (including new electric vehicle infrastructure, improved green spaces and cycle parking) can be communicated and enjoyed. Members believe that this should happen at an early stage of engagement with residents, in order to balance concerns regarding the potential perceived negative impacts, such as parking charges. Furthermore, the Committee believes that the improvements being delivered through the sustainable streets programme should be aligned with the Council’s broader ambitions for active travel.