Agenda item

To consider a report of the Director of City Development on the A660 Corridor Transport Issues.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

(b)  That in respect of the Design and Cost Report dated 24^th November 2008 submitted by the Chief Highways Officer and Director of Resources for the detailed design and public consultation on the A660 Woodhouse Lane/Clarendon Road, Woodhouse Proposed Inbound Bus/Cycle Lane and Junction Improvement Measures, this report be referred to the Scrutiny Board (City Development) for discussion, together with addressing the rationale behind a decision by officers to cancel the Scrutiny Board (Central and Corporate) Call-In meeting on 22^nd December 2008 to consider the officer delegated decision on this scheme from the Director of Resources.

(c)  That in respect of the former officer delegated decision of the Chief Highways Officer in relation to the A660 Woodhouse Lane/Clarendon Road, Woodhouse Proposed Inbound Bus/Cycle Lane and Junction Improvement Measures, this Committee requests that this decision be withdrawn by the Chief Highways Officer.

(d)  That this Committee unanimously opposes the first phase of the design proposals of works to be undertaken along the A660 corridor and requests the Chief Highways Officer to cancel this scheme.

(e)  That this Committee supports the principle of improvements to the A660 corridor within the North West Inner area and requests full consultation to be undertaken on the proposals.

(f)  That this Committee supports the proposal for a Inner North West Transport Strategy being developed, with specific reference to parking provision, cycle and bus use to reduce unnecessary car journeys along the A660 and that this issue be debated at the Transport Sub Group.

The Director of City Development submitted a report on the A660 Corridor Transport issues.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

• A660 Corridor – Areas for Transport Study (Appendix 1 refers)
• A660 Woodhouse Lane/Cardigan Road, Leeds Proposed Highway Improvement Scheme – General Scheme Arrangements (Appendix 2 refers)

Andrew Hall, Transport Strategy Manager and Nicholas Borras, Senior Engineer, City Development presented the report and responded to Members’ queries and comments.

Prior to the presentation of the proposals, the Chair for the benefit of Members of the Committee and members of the public, outlined the latest developments in relation to a Scrutiny Board (Central and Corporate) Call In meeting on 22^nd December 2008 regarding an officer delegated decision by the Director of Resources to release funds on the improvement scheme.

The Committee noted, with concern, that the meeting had been cancelled by Council officers.

Detailed discussion ensued on the contents of the report and appendices.

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

• the unanimous opposition expressed by Members of the Committee in relation to the first phase of the design proposals of works to be undertaken along the A660 Corridor
• the need for the Chief Highways Officer to cancel the above scheme and for officers to draw up a different scheme for consideration by the Area Committee
• the need to refer the Design and Cost Report dated 24^th November 2008 submitted by the Chief Highways Officer and Director of Resources for the detailed design and public consultation on the A660 Woodhouse Lane/Clarendon Road, Woodhouse Proposed Inbound Bus/ Cycle Lane and Junction Improvement Measures to the Scrutiny Board (City Development) for discussion, together with addressing the rationale behind a decision by officers to cancel the Scrutiny Board (Central and Corporate) Call In meeting on 22^nd December 2008 regarding an officer delegated decision by the Director of Resources to release funds on the improvement scheme
• the need to request the Chief Highways Officer to withdraw the former officer delegated decision in relation to the A660 Woodhouse Lane/Clarendon Road, Woodhouse Proposed Inbound Bus/Cycle Lane and Junction Improvement Measures
• the need to support the principle of improvements to the A660 Corridor within the North West Inner area and to request full consultation to be undertaken on the proposals
• the concerns expressed over the funding of the scheme and of the fact that the proposals were not proportionate to the area
• the need to focus on pedestrian safety within the North West Inner area
• the need to address climate change/reduction in carbon omissions within the Area Committee’s Forward Plan
• the need to develop an Inner North West Transport Strategy, with specific reference to parking provision, cycle and bus use to reduce unnecessary car journeys along the A660 and for this issue to be debated by the Transport Sub Group

In view of the public interest in this issue, the Chair invited selected comments from members of the public/community groups which were duly noted by Highways officers who were in attendance.

RESOLVED –

(a)      That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

(b)  That in respect of the Design and Cost Report dated 24^th November 2008 submitted by the Chief Highways Officer and Director of Resources for the detailed design and public consultation on the A660 Woodhouse Lane/Clarendon Road, Woodhouse Proposed Inbound Bus/Cycle Lane and Junction Improvement Measures, this report be referred to the Scrutiny Board (City Development) for discussion, together with addressing the rationale behind a decision by officers to cancel the Scrutiny Board (Central and Corporate) Call-In meeting on 22^nd December 2008 to consider the officer delegated decision on this scheme from the Director of Resources.

(c)     That in respect of the former officer delegated decision of the Chief

Highways Officer in relation to the A660 Woodhouse Lane/Clarendon

Road, Woodhouse Proposed Inbound Bus/Cycle Lane and Junction

Improvement Measures, this Committee requests that this decision be

withdrawn by the Chief Highways Officer.

(d)  That this Committee unanimously opposes the first phase of the design

proposals of works to be undertaken along the A660 corridor and requests the Chief Highways Officer to cancel this scheme.

(e)  That this Committee supports the principle of improvements to the A660 corridor within the North West Inner area and requests full consultation to be undertaken on the proposals.

(f)  That this Committee supports the proposal for a Inner North West Transport Strategy being developed, with specific reference to parking provision, cycle and bus use to reduce unnecessary car journeys along the A660 and that this issue be debated at the Transport Sub Group.

(Councillor L Yeadon left the meeting at 8.45 pm during discussions of the above item)