Minutes of the Environment and Transport Board

Held on 17 June 2004

 

 

            Attending:     Trevor Gibson                         Peterborough City Council (Director of Environmental Services)

                                   Richard Olive                           Peterborough Friends of the Earth

                        Richard Paten                          Railworld/Peterborough Civic Society

                        Sarah Fowler                          PECT

                        Phil Sheppard                          UKCEED

                        David Turnock                         Peterborough Civic Society

                        Richard Astle                          GPP Director

                        Heather Darwin                       Peterborough City Council (Chief Executives

                                                                                                             Department)

                        Barry Kirk – PCC

                        Andy Ross - PCC                               

 

1.         Apologies

 

            Sarah Watkins, Freight Transport Association, Jim Simpson, Jonathon Selwyn, Councillor Peach, Ken McKay, and Rachel Price.

 

            Jim Simpson, Stagecoach, had indicated that he would no longer attend meetings of the partnership in the light of the recent publicity regarding the provision of bus services by Stagecoach.

 

2.         Minutes

 

Agreed. 

 

            Matters Arising/Action

 

            Sustainable Development Demonstration Town Bid

 

            Peterborough had been successfully awarded status as a sustainable development demonstration town alongside Worcester and Darlington.  Meetings were currently being held with these towns and the Department of Transport and Environment.

 

            The Council had been awarded 3.24m in revenue funding over the next 5 years to enable people to change their journey patterns. 

 

            Action

 

            An update on the detailed projects to be submitted to a future meeting to ensure the partnership had input.

 

            Section 106 Development Strategy

 

            The Strategy was due to be considered by the Council’s Policy Overview Committees in September/October 2004 prior to consideration by Cabinet in October.

           

            Action

 

            Draft strategy to be considered by the partnership prior to submission to the Cabinet.

 

3.         Local Transport Plan targets

 

 

                  An annual progress report is submitted each year, which is used as a basis of the Council’s capital allocation for the Local Transport Plan.  The work to develop these targets would assist the development of a new LTP to be submitted to Government in July 2005.

 

            First draft of the targets to be completed by end of June, with the final draft, approved by Cabinet Member for Environment, being submitted to Government by 30 July 2004.

 

            Action

 

            To consider the following comments made by the partnership:

 

            Target 27 – to be maintained in the list of targets.

 

            Target 53 – to be updated to reflect the coverage in place within villages.

 

            Consideration to be given to the integration of the greener futures initiative within the demonstration town project.  The information collated through the greener futures scheme to feed into LTP.

 

            Target 77 – a number of initiatives such as masterplan, and growth area status could affect the figures quoted and there was a need to consider this aspect to ensure challenging targets were set for the LTP.

 

            Further comments were sought from the partnership on processes and targets to be submitted to Andy Ross (andy.ross@peterborough.gov.uk 01733 453591) by the end of June.  (ALL)

 

LTP development to be discussed by partnership over coming months as key stakeholder (Barry Kirk/Andy Ross).

                 

 

4.         Real Train Timetable

 

            The partnership congratulated GNER on the provision of real train timetable information.  Progress in relation to bus timetable information to be made through sustainable transport demonstration town.

 

5.             GPP Forum – Community Strategy Targets

 

The objectives agreed, as part of the Community Strategy would form the agenda for the partnership in future. The targets needed to be measurable as part of the submission of round 2 of the public service agreement to the ODPM.

 

Action

 

Objective 1

 

Targets to build on the Angst model from English Nature, which provides targets for accessible open space and relevant criteria.  There was a requirement to develop a strategy for quality open spaces to deliver these targets.   Angst targets to be circulated to members and SF to determine which targets should be included. (Sarah Fowler)

 

Objective 2

 

Targets to be developed by Trevor Gibson/Richard Astle

 

Objective 3

 

To be reworded to ensure that Peterborough’s growth enables sustainable travel movements. (Trevor Gibson)

 

Key targets for sustainable transport demonstration town to be established with the Department for Transport, which could be used to meet these targets. (Trevor Gibson)

 

Targets in relation to lighting and the marking of path/cycleway and junctions to be discussed with PCC environmental services.

 

Objective 4 

 

There was a need for a debate about the environmental standards to be achieved during the growth phases.  The targets to include more imaginative/experimental ways of housing people.

 

Action

 

Trevor Gibson/Richard Astle and Ken McKay to determine the overall targets for inclusion.

 

Timescales to be included alongside the targets and priorities.

 

The partnership to lead the re-launch of Peterborough as an Environment City.

            .

5.         Sustainable Communities Plan/Growth Area Bid

 

Action

 

A sub-regional study was being produced and an OPDM study on the growth corridor.  These to be considered at future meeting.

 

6.         Funding Streams

 

            There was no update to be provided at present.

 

7.         Partnership Updates

 

A brief update on the work of the partnership organisations was provided.

           

            Railworld – Concern was being expressed about the transport problems experienced at level crossings in various areas of the City. The growth agenda would need to look at other road traffic management solutions.

           

            The Cambridgeshire Local Transport Plan had identified a bridge over Kings’ Dyke level crossing subject to a direct link with the provision of Stanground bypass.

 

            Action

 

            The Council was preparing a consultation response relating to proposals for investment in the East Coast Mainline.  This would include a request for reinvestment in level crossings and traffic management solutions such as diverting traffic or the construction of bridges.

 

            A feedback report to be submitted to the September meeting of the partnership.

 

8.             Date of next Meeting –  16 September 2004 12.30pm