Agenda item

Agenda item

A Revised City Centre Transport Strategy

The report of the Strategic Director (Growth & Development) is enclosed.

Minutes:

A report was considered on proposals for a revised City Centre Transport Strategy (CCTS) that would be aligned to the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040. It was felt that a new strategy was needed to take account of the ongoing and future predicted growth of the city centre and of changes in the policy context since the adoption of the 2010 strategy. The new strategy would incorporate the GM 2040 Strategy and the goal of being a zero-carbon city by 2038. The drafting of the strategy would take into account the outcomes of the City Centre Transport Strategy Conversation that had taken place in the autumn of 2018.

 

The report outlined the key principles and proposals suggested for inclusion within the revised strategy. The proposed vision for the revised CCTS was “a well-connected city centre at the heart of the North, offering our residents, employees and visitors a great place to work, live and visit”. The strategy would set an ambitious goal that by 2040, during the morning peak, 90% of all trips to the city centre to be made on foot, by cycle or using public transport. For travel within the city centre, there was an aspiration that walking would become an ever more important mode of travel.

 

Based on predicted levels of growth in the city, achieving that goal would need:

·         almost a doubling of Rail and Metrolink trips in the morning peak;

·         a 50% increase in bus trips into the city centre in the morning peak;

·         more than doubling the number of people walking and cycling into the city in the morning peak; and

·         a reduction in car trips.

 

The CCTS would therefore look to bring about those changes by:

·         delivering an integrated, inclusive and sustainable transport network with increased connectivity and capacity, which meets growth in travel demand for getting into the city centre; and

·         improving the quality, environment and legibility of the city centre streets to ensure it is a great place to spend time in and move around.

 

The report recommended that an engagement and co-design exercise now be undertaken with stakeholders to further develop the strategy. That was agreed.

 

The report had also been considered at a recent meeting of the Economy Scrutiny Committee (Minute ESC/19/46). That committee had made recommendations on the key principles that should be covered in the strategy and on how the engagement and co-design exercise should be undertaken. Those recommendations were accepted.

 

Decisions

 

1.         To note the intention to produce a revised City Centre Transport Strategy.

 

2.         That the key principles and proposals that should be covered in the revised strategy include those relating to clean air and zero carbon aspirations for the city and the need to find an appropriate balance of the needs between pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

 

3.         To agree that the Council undertake an engagement and co-design exercise with key stakeholders in the city centre and surrounding wards in order to further develop the strategy with support from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Salford City Council.

 

4.         To delegate authority to the Head of Local Planning and Infrastructure to finalise the terms of the engagement exercise, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport, and with City Centre Ward Members on city centre resident engagement.

 

5.         That the outcomes of the engagement exercise and the content of the revised draft City Centre Transport Strategy be presented to a future meeting.

 

 

Supporting documents: