Agenda item

Barry Stiff (Project Manager, Capital Programme Team) was in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr Whiting (Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste) introduced the report that set out the proposed decision for Kent County Council to enter into a legal agreement with Dover District Council in order to act as an infrastructure delivery partner and to project manage the design, detail, statutory approvals and construction contract of the Dover Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

2.    Mr Stiff said that the Dover Rapid Transit project would provide a high quality and reliable public transport service that would link major housing allocations at Whitfield (5,750 homes) to Dover Town Centre and the High-Speed Rail services at Dover Priory Station. The new route would be delivered through the build-out of the housing developments and the existing highway network. The key elements of infrastructure identified for the BRT route included:

(a)  a new A2 overbridge for buses, pedestrians and cyclists

(b)  a new dedicated bus link through White Cliffs Business Park to Dover Road

(c)   the localised widening of Dover Road; and

(d)  junction improvements at Castle Hill Road

Dover District Council submitted a funding bid to Homes England (HE) through the Marginal Viability Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) and in April 2019, was awarded £16.1m to carry out the required work, subject to Dover District Council’s completion of pre-contract conditions which were due to be completed by July 2019. Mr Stiff said that the project was fully funded by the allocation of £16.1m of the HIF funding and therefore would not pose any risk or financial implications to KCC’s revenue or capital budgets.

3.    The Chairman welcomed Mr Collor (Member for Dover) to respond to the report. Mr Collor commended the BRT project and the new mode of traffic to help improve traffic congestion and air quality in Dover. Mr Collor thanked both KCC and Dover District Council officers for their work and reported that Dover was still on track to execute the pre-contract conditions prior to the allocation of funding from Homes England.

4.    RESOLVED that the proposed decision (19/00053) to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to give:

(a)  Approval to enter into legal agreements with Dover District Council to undertake the delivery of the Infrastructure Works at no cost or risk to the County Council

(b)  Approval for KCC officers to project manage, input into the delivery and supervision of the project, with the cost of all staff and consultant time being recoverable against the project funding.

(c)   Approval to undertake the detailed design and surveys for the project, to include a new bridge crossing the A2,  associated approaches to link to existing/proposed highway, a new link road through the undeveloped White Cliffs Business Park,  improvements to the existing Dover Road and links/improvements for the junction onto the existing A258. This work will be undertaken by procuring consultants through an existing framework contract

(d)  Approval to acquire the land and rights for carrying out the construction and maintenance of the BRT project

(e)  Approval to progress all statutory approvals and consents required for the scheme including Section 6 Agreement with Highways England, drainage and environmental consents and detailed planning permission.

(f)    Approval to enter into construction contracts as necessary for the delivery of the scheme subject to the approval of the Infrastructure Commissioning Board to the recommended procurement strategy; and

(g)  Approval for any further decisions required to allow the scheme to proceed through to delivery to be taken by the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment & Transport under the Officer Scheme of Delegations following prior consultation with the Cabinet Member,

be endorsed.