Issue details

Proposed decision

The Cabinet Member for Highways & Transport is asked to give approval to take the Active Travel Capital Fund Grant projects through their various stages of scheme development and delivery of the remaining schemes (specifically Gravesham, Folkestone, Sevenoaks, Herne Bay and Faversham):

1. Approval to undertake the detailed design and any associated surveys required to inform the design of these remaining schemes;

2. Approval for KCC officers to project manage, input into the delivery and supervision of the projects, with the cost of all staff and consultant time being recoverable against the DfT project funding;

3. Approval to progress all statutory approvals or consents required for the schemes;

4. Approval to implement permanent Traffic Regulation Orders, if required as such associated with any speed limit reductions, subject to completing the statutory consultation process associated with Traffic Regulation Orders;

5. Approval to carry out any additional consultation/engagement as required for the schemes;

6. Approval to enter into construction contracts as necessary for the delivery of the schemes subject to a review of the procurement strategy by the Strategic Commissioning team;

7. Approval for any further decisions required to allow the schemes 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.

Reason for Decision:

Under decision 21/00002 the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport agreed to proceed with design and construction of the Tranche 2 Hythe scheme which has now been completed. 

Under decision 21/00066 the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport agreed to develop alternative design and consultation of Tranche 2 schemes at Thanet, Folkestone and Gravesham.

Under decision 21/00118 the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport agreed to proceed with the design and construction of the Tranche 2 Canterbury scheme which is nearing completion. 

There are no records of decisions relating to Tranches 3 and 4 at this stage.

To ensure that the Active Travel programme of schemes can progress to time, a further decision is required for approval to plan and spend the DfT Active Travel Grant funding that has been allocated for the remaining schemes on our programme (Tranche 2, 3 and 4).

Background Information:

The Department for Transport awarded Kent County Council £6.098m for five named active travel schemes across the County under Tranche 2.  KCC were awarded a further £1.3million of capital funding under Tranche 3 for two named schemes (Herne Bay and Sevenoaks) and a further £1.569m under Tranche 4 to construct one scheme (Faversham cross town walking route) and develop five more schemes to detailed design.

How the proposed decision meets the challenges in Framing Kent’s Future: 

Delivery of Active Travel Schemes directly contributes to Priority 2; Infrastructure for Communities by ensuring residents have access to strengthened, viable, sustainable and attractive travel options including walking and cycling.  Active Travel contributes to overall public health in line with ‘Securing Kents Future’ budget management paper.

Financial Implications

The DfT grants under all Tranches will fully cover both the capital and revenue costs associated with the schemes as per concept ideas/designs; the schemes’ costs are scalable to suit the budgets available. These costs are split as follows:

There are no revenue implications to KCC, Change Control with the DfT via Active Travel England can take place to adjust projects within the Programmes.