Issue - meetings

The Select Committee has called in the decision relating to the London Road Guildford Active Travel Scheme.

Witnesses:

·         Cllr Matt Furniss – Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth

·         Cllr Denise Turner Stewart – Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities

·         Cllr David Lewis – Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources

·         Owen Jenkins – Interim Executive Director Highways, Infrastructure and Planning

·         Lucy Monie – Director, Highways and Transport

·         Roger Williams – Active Travel Programme Manager

Key points raised during the discussion:

1. A Member said that the Cabinet’s decision to refuse the scheme should be reconsidered. He argued there was not enough evidence to support the refusal and that it did not address safety improvements, secondary effects, or policy and funding impacts. He also stressed the need for decisions based on evidence. The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth said that Active Travel England (ATE) confirmed funds could be reallocated without loss. The project remains a scheme available for future Council implementation. The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities said that the evidence suggested that introducing a potential risk in a scheme meant to improve safety would not be considered a safety improvement. She stated that the Council's role is to consider safety and risk and the decision made was due to safety concerns that could not be overlooked. The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources clarified that the decision was based on a technical report from ARUP, not on a non-technical opinion, and emphasised that his concerns were about the evidence provided, not the principle of shared spaces.

2. A Member asked whether the Cabinet Members agree that, overall, the benefits to pedestrians and cyclists outweigh the 5% of the area where the scheme is not perfect. The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth said that he does agree that any improvement is better than none, but concerns were raised that prohibiting shared space due to safety issues could hinder walking and cycling projects, considering many areas lack the space—particularly the width of 1.8 metres—to make improvements. It was suggested that a review of Local Transport Plan (LTP4) might be necessary, depending on the decision. The Deputy Leader said that the report notes that 25% of shared paths in Surrey are 1.8 metres wide, without factoring in the reduced road lane width, presenting complex concerns for not only the narrow path but also the risk of vehicle wing mirrors encroaching on the path, weather, and other factors.

3. A Member asked what was the alternative if the scheme did not proceed and how would existing safety concerns for pedestrians, cyclists, and local school children be addressed. The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth said that there were three sections to be upgraded, safety defects were to be reviewed, and further improvements were to be considered.

4. A Member asked the officers to comment and confirm that, given all the considerations, they regarded the scheme as being as safe as possible and that the ARUP report reflected the same conclusion. The Interim Executive Director Highways, Infrastructure and Planning said  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48