Issue - meetings

To comment and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste on the revised Thanet Transport Strategy for subsequent consideration through the Thanet Local Plan examination process.

Tim Read (Head of Transportation) and James Wraight (Principle Transport and Development Planner) were in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr Read introduced the report which provided an overview of the proposed changes to the revised draft Thanet District Transport Strategy and its progress to date and commended Mr Wraight, the responsible officer, for the work he had done.

2.    The officers then responded to comments and questions from Members, including the following: -

(a)  Mr Wraight said that in terms of the Bus Strategy, the purpose of the inner-circuit was to provide additional routes within the district using commercially viable bus services. The objective of the Thanet Transport Strategy was to support the proposed growth and identify where enhanced bus services could be provided on a commercial basis. In terms of the financial implications, it was anticipated that the necessary highway structure would be funded by development with no financial commitment expected from Kent County Council, however, Thanet District Council may impose a Community Infrastructure Levy for other elements highways infrastructure.

(b)  In response to concerns regarding Thanet District Council’s cycling schemes and how this may be incorporated into the Thanet Transport Strategy, Mr Wraight said that the strategy did not replace Thanet’s walking and cycling strategy, nor did the strategy contain a comprehensive list of all possible interventions that could happen within the Thanet area. The prime purpose of the Thanet Transport strategy was to clearly draw on the interventions, considered by Kent County Council, to be key in supporting planned growth.

(c)   Mr Wraight confirmed that the likely impact of growth on Brenley Corner had been determined using a separate modelling process, the results of which did not support the perception that Brenley Corner would incur significant impact. Due to the modest level of anticipated traffic impact from the Local Plan growth, it is expected that the Thanet Local Plan would not be required to produce a mitigation strategy at this junction.

(d)  Members paid tribute to the officers for their work and their continued transparency when presenting information to the Local Joint Transportation Board.

3.    RESOLVED that the proposed decision (18/00073) to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Planning, highways, Transport and Waste on the revised Thanet Transport Strategy for subsequent consideration through the Thanet Local Plan examination process, be endorsed.