Report of the Director of City Centre Growth and Infrastructure attached

The Committee considered a report of the Director of City Centre Growth and Infrastructure, which sought endorsement of the final City Centre Transport (CCTS) 2040.

The revised CCTS responds to comprehensive engagement with local residents, businesses and organisations over the last two years.  Given the high level of support received from the consultation for the overall strategy, the vision for the revised CCTS remained for “a well-connected, zero carbon city centre at the heart of the North, offering our residents, employees and visitors a great place to work, live and visit”.  Similarly the central aim for 90% of all trips to the city centre to be made by foot (including people using wheelchairs, mobility scooters and with guide dogs), by cycle or using public transport by 2040 in the morning peak remained, as did the seven core ambitions, which were:

·                Walking (including people using wheelchairs and mobility scooters) is the main way of getting around the city centre

·                The city centre is cleaner and less congested

·                More people choose to cycle to destinations within the city centre

·                The city centre benefits from better public transport connections

·                Parking in the city centre is smarter and integrated with other modes

·                Goods are moved and delivered sustainably and efficiently into and within the city centre

·                Innovation is embraced where it benefits the city centre and its users.

The final CCTS provided the framework for key transport policies and interventions for future delivery, in both the shorter and longer term, leading up to 2040, covering all modes of transport used to move to, from and around the city centre.  It was proposed that the final strategy would be published following consideration by the Executive, Salford City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which would be completed by the end of March. The final CCTS would be made available on the Council’s website, as well as those of TfGM and Salford Council. It would be used to guide transport and connectivity improvements to and within the city centre, in line with the overall 2040 Strategy.

Ongoing engagement on specific proposals would be carried out as they developed, including with residents, bus operators and users, businesses, transport forums, and other stakeholders.

Following a comment in relation the bus proposals within the city centre and discussions around future franchising, the Leader advised that in terms of bus franchising there was an incoherent system at present and whist there was fierce opposition to franchising from some bus operators, it was felt that this was the only way to deliver on the Council’s City Centre Transport Strategy.

Decisions

The Executive:-

(1)      Note the changes to the draft CCTS following the consultation;

(2)      Agree the final CCTS document for publication, noting that the strategy is also subject to approval from Salford City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and could be subject to minor amendments during this process; and 

(3)      Delegate responsibility to the Director of City Centre Growth and Infrastructure, in discussion with officers from Salford City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester, to make any minor amendments to the final strategy resulting from feedback during the approvals process, prior to its publication.