Issue - meetings

Oxfordshire County Council is required to produce a new Local Transport Plan (LTP3) by April 2011.  LTP3 will help shape Oxfordshire over a 20 year horizon rather than 5 years as in previous LTPs.  This will enable the Plan to encompass the 2026 regional planning horizon and also bring the LTP into line with the county’s Sustainable Community Strategy, ‘Oxfordshire 2030’.

The purpose of this report is to outline the progress that is being made in developing the LTP3 and inform members of the results of the consultation that has taken place on the draft policies for inclusion in the Plan.  These policies will form the basis on which a draft Plan will be prepared for public consultation.

It was considered the inclusion within the new Plan of a set of explicit transport policies would significantly increase the value of the new Plan.  These policies would be of value in taking and justifying investment decisions, making responses to external consultation (for instance on government policies and Local Development Frameworks), as support for making recommendations on planning matters and in the preparation of evidence for public inquiries.  Consultation was held in January and February 2010 into a draft set of policies and the results of this consultation will be reported to the meeting.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)                     approve the list of policies set out in Annex 2 to this report, as amended in the light of any further changes agreed resulting from comments made by Stakeholders (as identified in the addendum to this report), as the basis for the development of a draft Local Transport Plan;  and

(b)                    note the timetable for the completion of the Plan.

Cabinet considered a report (CA7) that outlined the progress that is being made in developing the new Local Transport Plan (LTP3) and informed members of the results of the consultation that had taken place on the draft policies for inclusion in the Plan.  These policies will form the basis on which a draft Plan will be prepared for public consultation.

Councillor David Turner, Shadow Cabinet Member for Transport, referred to earlier suggestions for schemes and welcomed assurances given by the Cabinet Member that these would be re-assessed as part of the long list of potential schemes. He commented on the policy concerning support for public transport services to hospitals and noted that Councillor Hudspeth had agreed to look into this. He expressed support for the use of Park & Ride facilities for rural bus services during off peak hours. This would enable an improved rural service and reduce congestion in the centre of Oxford. He further commented on individual policies including expressing the wish that South Oxfordshire District Council would become involved with disability transport (D1).

Councillor Hudspeth thanked the Shadow Cabinet Member for his comments many of which he was aware of as a result of the discussions at the Growth & Infrastructure Scrutiny Committee. He stressed that the LTP 3 was a long term policy document and plan. He did not wish to be too prescriptive but to be engaged with as many groups as possible to be aware of their aspirations. He added that all Cabinet Members had received the full policies. With regard to the ‘long list’ of schemes he stressed that there was a health warning over what could be achieved. There was a need to be realistic whilst wishing to capture a true indication of the County’s aspirations.

Cabinet considered the stakeholder comments and subsequent changes set out in the addenda.

RESOLVED:             to

(a)                     approve the list of policies set out in Annex 2 to this report, amended as set out in the addendum to this report, as the basis for the development of a draft Local Transport Plan;  and

(b)                     note the timetable for the completion of the Plan.