Cabinet Member: Growth & Infrastructure

Forward Plan Ref: 2010/071

Contact: John Disley, LTP Project Director Tel: (01865) 810460

Report by Deputy Director of Environment & Economy

Highways & Transport (CA12).

The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the final version of the Local Transport Plan 2011 – 2030 (LTP3).  As a policy document LTP3, if approved, will be put to the full County Council for adoption as formal policy.

Oxfordshire County Council has a statutory requirement to produce a new Local Transport Plan (LTP) by April 2011.  This will be Oxfordshire's third Local Transport Plan (LTP3) and will cover the period from 2011 to 2030.  LTP3 will be a blueprint for all transport development across the county, not just the publicly funded elements, and will also form the basis for county council comments on planning application, local development frameworks and  other consultations. 

The background against which the Plan is being developed is changing fast.  It is important for the Plan to reflect the current economic climate whilst not losing sight of the longer term aspirations for Oxfordshire.  It is important that the County Council has an agreed LTP in order to facilitate the delivery of (and respond to) development and enable the delivery of priority transport schemes when funding becomes available.

A public consultation on the draft version of LTP3 was carried out between October 2010 and January 2011.  The draft Plan has been amended in line with the responses received and also to take account of external factors such as the Comprehensive Spending Review, Regional Growth Fund and the establishment of the Oxfordshire Local Economic Partnership.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       RECOMMEND the County Council to adopt the Local Transport Plan, subject to the inclusion of any consequential and editorial changes in the text as agreed by theDeputy Director of Environment & Economy Highways & Transport  in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure and the Cabinet Member for Transport; and

(b)       to delegate the authority for any interim changes to the Plan to be agreed by the Deputy Director of Environment & Economy

Highways & Transport  in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Growth and Infrastructure and Transport, for proposed adoption as Policy as part of the annual review of the Plan.

Cabinet considered a report that sought approval of the final version of the Local Transport Plan 2011 – 2030 (LTP3) prior to submission to the full Council meeting.

John Disley highlighted that the Plan would be updated annually and that there would be ongoing work over the next few months.

Cabinet Members in supporting the Plan commented on the cycling strategy, traffic to Bicester Village and the Cogges Link in Witney. The Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure responding to the comments made. The Leader drew attention to the additional information contained in the addenda.

RESOLVED:             to: RECOMMEND the County Council

(a)       to adopt the Local Transport Plan, subject to the inclusion of any consequential and editorial changes in the text as agreed by the Deputy Director of Environment & Economy Highways & Transport  in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure and the Cabinet Member for Transport; and

(b)       to delegate the authority for any interim changes to the Plan to be agreed by the Deputy Director of Environment & Economy Highways & Transport  in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Growth and Infrastructure and Transport, for proposed adoption as Policy as part of the annual review of the Plan.