Agenda item

To consider the attached report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development including the West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan 2001 – 2006 Final Delivery Report and a presentation on the short, medium and long term transport policy for the city.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report introducing a presentation to be given to Members at the meeting on the short, medium and long term transport strategy for the city. Attached to the report was information related to delivery against the first West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan 2001 – 2006 which highlighted key achievements in Leeds over this period.

At the meeting to make the presentation on the Leeds Transport Strategy Review was Dave Gilson, Head of Transport Policy in the Development Department and to give a presentation on Bus Services was Neil Holt, Assistant Director Transport Co-ordinator from Metro.

Also in attendance at the meeting to respond to Members’ questions and participate in the discussion were Richard Harris, Assistant Director Commercial Section at First Bus, David Hoggarth, Assistant Director Transport Development at Metro and Louise Holliday, Transport Planner (Policy) from the Development Department.

Dave Gilson’s PowerPoint presentation outlined in summary:

·  Improvements in transport in Leeds since 1995.

·  An overview of the impacts of the West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan 2001-2006 (LTP1).

·  Examples of successful actions of LTP1.

·  A Forward Strategy for each area of Leeds, taking into account in particular alternatives to the unsuccessful proposals for the Supertram.

·  Schemes identified in the short (2006-2008) medium (2008-2011) and long terms (2011+) for improvements to highways, rail and bus services.

Next Neil Holt gave a PowerPoint presentation on the organisation of Bus Services.  The presentation included in summary:

·  The implications of the 1985 and 2000 Transport Acts.

·  Metro’s role.

·  How commercial services operate.

·  Meeting social needs through tendered services and Metro’s approach to these services.

·  A bus strategy and future plans.

The Chair thanked the speakers and invited questions and comments from the Board.  In summary the issues covered were:

·  The modernisation of buses – the need for improved cleanliness, air conditioning, more spacious seating and First Bus’s investment programme in new stock and new depots.  These improvements would make journeys a more positive experience and encourage people to use public transport.

·  Plans to improve transport connectivity in West Leeds and the justification for an outward bound High Occupancy Vehicle lane through the area rather than a bus lane.

·  The proliferation of information signs.

·  The use of new technology to control traffic lights and provide passengers with information on the arrival of their next bus.

·  The use of data mapping to aid social inclusion by improving accessibility in particular to services such as hospitals.

·  The use of modelling techniques to produce a preferred transport network.

·  Quality contracts.

·  The need to inform residents as to the reasons why longer bus stops are necessary on certain bus routes.

·  The possibility of having bike lockers that can be booked with a train ticket in advance.  Difficulties as to the availability of such lockers and problems of vandalism.

·   Kirkstall Forge Station and general issues around funding contributions from developers as part of the planning consent package.

·  Park and ride at railway stations and the difficulties of acquiring enough land for parking and ways to encourage travellers to use other means of transport to reach railway stations.

·  The use of park and ride facilities by travellers from outside the Leeds boundary to take advantage of the Metro card.

·  The reasons for the cost of new railway stations.

·  The responsiveness of Metro to requests from Councillors.

·  Governance arrangements in London and whether adopting a similar approach in the Leeds City Region would have a beneficial effect on transport.

The Chair thanked Officers and representatives from Metro and First Bus for attending and contributing to the discussions.

(NB: During the course of the above discussions, Councillors Hollingsworth and Taggart arrived at 10.10am and 11.25am respectively and Councillor Lowe left the meeting at 11.40am.)

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report, presentations and comments above be noted.

(b)  That a printout of the PowerPoint presentations be circulated to all Members of the Board.

(c)  That details of new technologies aiding the planning and use of transport facilities including Smart cards be provided to Members, and information as to when and where these new technologies will become available.