The report of the Strategic Director (Growth and Development) is now attached.

In October 2019 a report had been 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. It had been agreed than that the Council would 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 (Minute Exe/19/82). A report now submitted by the Strategic Director (Growth and Development) set out the outcomes of that exercise.

The engagement exercise had taken the form of seven workshops in the city centre, four in December 2019 and three in January 2020. These workshops included an introductory presentation and a facilitated group discussion, with in-depth participation from attendees. Qualitative responses were recorded during the session. Some participants also provided further comments and feedback after the workshop. In all 52 people had taken part in the workshops and 22 of those had gone on to provide additional feedback after the event.

The report set out the outcomes from the workshops and the views of the stakeholders who had taken part. Participants had agreed the strategy should be ambitious in setting targets for each mode of transport. Participants also commented that transport is one of the main contributors of CO₂ emissions, so the targets should be more ambitious to recognise the Climate Emergency declared by the Council. Improving air quality was also a priority. Stakeholders recognised behaviour change should be a key part of the strategy, as well as combination of quick-wins and longer-term interventions.

Detailed findings were set out under three headings: walking, cycling and the role of city centre streets; the role of public transport; and managing traffic and parking. Some geographic areas of the city centre had been identified as needing specific interventions including Deansgate, Stevenson Square and the wider Northern Quarter, Mosley Street, Cross Street and Chinatown.

The report explained that the next step in the process would be to use the information gathered to inform a draft strategy document, to be developed with Salford City Council. That draft would then be the subject of further public consultation. That was agreed.

Decisions

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

2.         To note the outcome of the engagement exercise on the Strategy.

3.         To agree to now hold a wider public consultation on the draft strategy.

4.         To delegate authority to the Head of Local Planning and Infrastructure, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport, to finalise with Salford City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester the draft strategy document and the terms of the public consultation.

5.         To request that a report be made on the outcomes of the consultation, seeking approval for a final version of the City Centre Transport Strategy.