Agenda item

(Report by County Transportation Manager)

(1)       In December 2006 the County Council received its Local Transport Plan (LTP) capital settlement.  Part of the settlement was an allocation of £11,693,000 of borrowing approvals and grant to implement Integrated Transport (IT) schemes in 2007/08.  The Council’s budget had been determined by the County Council and it was agreed that borrowing should be capped at the level at which the borrowing was supported by additional funds the County Council received from Government and the additional £1,000,000 of borrowing approvals related to the Dartford Crossing would not be taken up.  The total IT allocation for 07/08 was therefore £7,239,000, 23% less than for 06/07.

(2)       The report detailed how the IT schemes allocation was proposed to be spent on implementing Kent’s Transportation and Safety Package Programme.  A summary of the allocations together with County-wide schemes was shown in Appendix 1 of the report.

(3)       Under the LTP2 Kent now received its allocation based on the Government’s formulaic approach to allocating Integrated Transport Block Capital comprising: congestion, public transport usage, road casualty statistics, accessibility and air quality.  These were based around delivering shared priorities agreed between the Government and the Local Government Association (LGA).  Depending on Kent’s ability to deliver schemes to meet LTP objectives funding in future years could be increased or reduced by up to 25%, should it be decided to take up the full allocation.  Accordingly, and to maximise inward investment, a more rigorous procedure had been developed to deliver schemes which would result in a successful LTP.

(4)       The 2007/08 programme had been developed according to a Design Guide Model (DGM), previously titled BAM, which used Kent’s shared priority objectives to guide the development of schemes.  The objective areas and the guide allocation of funds to meet them were: congestion (30%), public transport (25%), road safety (20%), accessibility (20%) and air quality (5%).  The proportions had been set in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste. Future programmes were being developed through a scheme prioritisation and delivery monitoring methodology (PIPKIN).  BAM and PIPKIN were reported to the Board on 11 July 2006 and were then approved by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste.

(5)       Ultimately PIPKIN would enable a single prioritised programme of schemes to be developed.  The 07/08 programme represented a transition towards this.

(6)       The Transportation and Safety Package Programme (TSP) was shown in detail in Appendix 2 of the report.  Key elements were as follows:-

•           Casualty Reduction Measures - £1,030,640 was proposed to implement 28 schemes to reduce the severity and number of casualties on Kent’s roads.  Schemes were assessed against strict casualty reduction criteria and helped the Council meet corporate manslaughter obligations.   It was estimated that the measures would save some 33  KSIs per year.  There were other schemes within the programme which included a road safety benefit, such as signing and traffic calming.

•           Kent Traffic Management Centre (TMC) - £500,000 to extend the congestion monitoring and management capabilities of the TMC, improve co-ordination with the Highways Agency and develop the public facing Kent Traffic and Travel web site.  A further £500,000 was proposed to install number plate recognition cameras on key routes into Maidstone to calculate up to the minute journey times and give route guidance information to drivers on roadside variable message signs.

•           Smarter Choices/ Safer Routes to School – £152,500 to implement elements of the Kent Smarter Choices initiative linked to delivering improved pedestrian and cycle routes to school.  Kent was on course for 350 (55%) of its schools with Travel Plans by April 2007 to tackle school run congestion and promote health.  The funding would facilitate safer routes to support exemplar School Travel Plans.

•           Interactive Speed Signs - £50,000 to erect 10 signs to promote compliance with speed limits at key points on the network.

•           Pedestrian Crossings to be DDA compliant – £100,000 split 50:50 for upgrading controlled and uncontrolled pedestrian crossings in Kent.  The uncontrolled crossings generally comprised dropped kerbs and had been identified in town centre audits through the Kent Disability Reference Panel.  The funds would be used in the Swale area as part of a rolling programme across the county.  The schemes helped KCC meet nationally set performance indicators and ensured compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

•           Public Transport Information – £75,000 to implement capital elements of the Kent Public Transport Information Strategy.  This would deliver upgraded stops and improved roadside information for 3 public transport corridors/ interchanges comprising Tonbridge to Tunbridge Wells in line with significant investment planned by Arriva at principal bus/rail interchanges and in Dover, Shepway and Canterbury complimenting Stagecoach's new investment.  The Public Transport Information Strategy would help to improve bus user satisfaction in line with national performance indicators.

•           Quality Bus Partnership Infrastructure – £600,000 contribution to emerging partnerships in Ashford and Dover and to successful partnerships including Thanet and Canterbury, which had increased bus patronage through a step change in service provision.  Bus patronage had a direct impact on Kent’s CPA rating and subsequent funding allocations.

(7)       All the schemes listed in the report would be reported to the appropriate Joint Transportation Boards and all schemes should be disclosed in local land charge searches.

(8)       A balanced transport system, with good quality travel options for all was essential to combat congestion and counter the negative impacts of traffic growth.  The Transportation and Safety Package Programme was central to delivering outcomes set out in the Vision for Kent, Towards 2010 and the Local Transport Plan.  Implementation of the programme, even at the reduced level of funding, would help KHS tackle congestion, increase bus patronage, improve facilities for pedestrians and cyclists as well as mitigating the impacts of traffic through traffic calming and speed management schemes.

(9)       As well as contributing towards KCC objectives, there was a high demand for TSP schemes locally.  Kent had been commended for delivering the schemes, which had helped achieve increased usage of sustainable modes.  Kent CPA rating had improved as a direct consequence of increasing bus patronage and better information.

(10)     The Board supported the proposals for recommendation to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste that:-

(a)       the Transportation and Safety Package Programme allocations shown in Appendix 1 of the report be approved; and

(b)       the schemes listed in Appendices 1 and 2 of the report be implemented in 2007/08.