Agenda item

(Presentation and audio recording refers)

The Chairperson welcomed Fayyaz Qadir, from WS Atkins and Andy Shaw from Hampshire County Council (HCC) who are working with the WCC team on the project to the meeting.

The Head of Programme and the Cabinet Member for Service Quality and Transformation gave a presentation updating Members on the progress of the City of Winchester Movement Strategy. The presentation emphasised the aspirations of all stakeholders, the objectives and the HCC and City Council’s studies: Park and Ride, Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), freight and delivery, Winchester City Centre Movement and Place Plan, bus provision, transport modelling and the Parking and Access Strategy which had been considered by Cabinet on 23 December 2019 and was currently out for consultation until 6 February 2020.

The presentation also set out each study work progress and analysis that had been carried out since the agreement of the study format and the initial appointment of the Winchester Movement Strategy Board in July 2019. 

At the invitation of the Chairperson, three members of the public addressed the Committee as summarised below.

Chris Holloway (on behalf of WinACC Transport Action Group):

·         Initially excited that this work would pull together the Movement Strategy, Park and Ride and other aspects as a whole but considered that an overarching reference holding the work altogether was required.

·         References required regarding the impact on the Town Centre from transport emissions and overall congestion from the provision of additional park and ride spaces, the aims for buses and the reduction of emissions from freight.

·         Parking Strategy questionnaire does not link back to this or ask relevant questions.

·         Suggested that Cabinet be asked for the studies, data and facts that this work was based upon be placed in the public domain

Max Priestman

·         Did not consider strategies to be essential.

·         The use of buses for a group travelling together was more costly than sharing a taxi so transport choices needed to be thoroughly investigated.

·         Cyclists and Pedestrians are not using this mode of transport due to unsafe road conditions so more options need to be available to the public and road safety needs to be addressed.

Patrick Davies

·         Endorsed the comments raised by previous speakers.

·         Raised concern over the timing and unnecessary overlap in delivering the Movement Strategy.

·         Queried the terminology used in the Parking and Access Strategy and the time this process would take for all parties involved to move forward.

In response to the points raised during public participation, the Head of Programme clarified that the Movement Strategy, adopted by HCC and endorsed by the Council in March 2019, did set out the framework and objectives for the work with a key objective being to reduce City Centre traffic which formed the overarching strategy. It was emphasised that the delivery of the objectives was critical to achieving the correct approach with the assessment including thorough consultation to inform the whole process. The studies were also fundamental in gathering robust evidence to accurately establish the priorities and were required in order to successfully secure Government capital funding.

Members raised questions or commented regarding the following points which were addressed by the Cabinet Member and relevant officers accordingly:

·         Re-investing car park funding back into bus services.

·         Use of public transport by local residents to travel within the town area.

·         Work place parking and residential perking permits

·         Enforcement regarding the loading and unloading of freight deliveries

·         Frequency and enhancement of bus services

·         Improvements to the reliability and efficiency of sustainable public transport services in rural areas and villages to promote and develop improvements to air quality and congestion – Reference was made to the Parking and Access Strategy and proposed visits to rural parishes (i.e. Wickham, Denmead etc) by the Cabinet Member to discuss the issues experienced in these areas of the District.

·         The synergy between the studies being undertaken to ensure integration

·         Parking charges – stealth taxes to those in rural areas

·         Ensure public engagement with Winchester residents in the process going forward

RESOLVED:

                        1.         That the content of the presentation be received and the                    comments of the Committee set out above be noted; and

                        2.         That regular progress updates regarding the Movement                      Strategy be considered at future meetings of the Committee.