Councillors and committees

Issue - meetings

Bus Lane Enforcement

Meeting: 25/02/2020 - Cabinet (Item 30)

30 Bus Lane Enforcement pdf icon PDF 75 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

1.    That the revised Bus Lane and Camera policy (Feb 2020) attached as Annex A to the submitted report be agreed.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Director for Infrastructure & Operations in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways to introduce Bus Lane Enforcement.

 

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Highways to introduce new or amend existing bus lanes and determine any formal objections though the public formal Cabinet Member decision making meeting.

 

4.    That the Cabinet Member for Highways enter into any new bus lane enforcement agency agreements or external enforcement contracts, subject to County Council procurement and governance processes and procedures.

Reason for decisions:

 

To ensure the County Council can effectively, efficiently and consistently manage bus lane enforcement and bus lane provision to support the growth of bus use in Surrey as a part of our Greener Futures agenda.

 

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee]

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

Mr Keith Taylor introduced the report from the Guildford Joint Committee and explained the work around enforcement that was being planned locally and that this work was now in jeopardy due to a change in county policy.  He went on to say that the Joint Committee had received late notice of the proposed changes and requested that money raised in Guildford be used on traffic alleviation in Guildford. He also requested that Guildford be treated the same as Woking where there was bus lane enforcement in its High Street.

 

Mrs Fiona White also spoke of the Guildford Joint Committee meeting and raised the issue of the short notice given on changes to the financial arrangements.  She went on to talk about localism and how this policy change removed localism and questioned the committee’s ability to take local decisions.  She requested that the policy be changed or at least deferred until all boroughs had discussed the proposed changes.

 

The Cabinet Member for Highways introduced the main report and explained how in 2019 the County Council declared a climate emergency and was developing detailed plans to support the Greener Futures agenda.  He spoke of the need for a consistent county-wide policy and that properly located and managed bus lanes would help improve bus transport efficiency and hence impact on the usage of private motor vehicles, potentially aiding both congestion and emissions.  High Street, Woking would be brought in line with the new policy and any surplus revenue would be used for walking, cycling and buses across the county.  The bus operators had seen the paper and welcomed the proposals.

 

Six other Cabinet Members spoke in support of the proposals.

 

The Leader responded to the Guildford Joint Committee report stating that he understood the concerns and recognised the issues raised about process; from which learning would be taken.  He reiterated that Woking would be brought into line so there would be consistency across the county.  He apologised if the report had not satisfied the Guildford Joint Committee but there was a need to move at pace and with consistency and fairness regarding revenue generated.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.    That the revised Bus Lane and Camera policy (Feb 2020) attached as Annex A to the submitted report be agreed.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Director for Infrastructure & Operations in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways to introduce Bus Lane Enforcement.

 

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Highways to introduce new or amend existing bus lanes and determine any formal objections through the public formal Cabinet Member decision making meeting.

 

4.    That the Cabinet Member for Highways enter into any new bus lane enforcement agency agreements or external enforcement contracts, subject to County Council procurement and governance processes and procedures.

Reason for decisions:

 

To ensure the County Council can effectively, efficiently and consistently manage bus lane enforcement and bus lane provision to support the growth of bus use in Surrey as a part of our Greener Futures agenda.