Agenda item

This report provides an overview of all the work delivered in Redhill and Reigate, as part of the Travel SMART programme that started in April 2011. It summarises the range of achievements, outcomes and challenges recognised across the programme, but with a specific focus on Redhill and Reigate. It should be used by the members of Local Committee initially to assess the success of the programme and to have sight of the open schemes that continue to be progressed.

Report and Annex A attached

The Committee:

(i)    NOTED the content of the report and the outcomes of the project.

(ii)   AGREED that the remaining schemes in Redhill and Reigate programme will now be delivered through the most appropriate department, as set out in paragraph 4.4.

REASONS:

To facilitate the closure of the programme and to ensure that there is a mechanism to deliver the remaining schemes in the programme.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officers attending: Marc Woodall, Sustainable Transport Manager

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None

Member Discussion – key points:

·         Members were generally pleased with the outcomes of the project and felt that overall, it had been a success.

·         A question was asked regarding the proposed Visible Message Signs (VMS) and when they were likely to be installed. The Sustainable Transport Manager reported that they would be installed by the end of summer 2016. There had been a delay owing to a water resistance failure during factory testing. He agreed to check on the latest position regarding the electrical works with Skanska.

·         Concerns were raised regarding the Travel SMART Hub, the opening of which was delayed by 14 months and which closed very abruptly having been rarely open. The Sustainable Transport Manager reported that this experience had been covered in two “lessons learned” exercises.

·         A question was asked regarding the evaluation of the impact of the project, particularly in light of the fact that the schemes in Guildford and Woking were larger initiatives. The officer explained that there were two main areas of evaluation; outputs – what was delivered, and impact – the Department for Transport (DfT) was collating reports from all Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) programmes and would be reporting back at the end of 2016. Data regarding public transport use, cycling and pedestrians would be collected locally. It was possible to demonstrate that sustainable transport schemes have resulted in an increase in cycling, and noted that the Travel and Transport Team were working with the University of Surrey to improve the marketing of bus services.

·         Members wished to know how any increase in bus usage, following the improvements, was being measured. The Sustainable Transport Manager explained that data from the bus operators was being collected and analysed annually.

·         Members wished to know if all the proposed electric vehicle charging points had been delivered. The officer reported that two charging points had already been installed at East Surrey College and Reigate Hill, and that bidding for two more was taking place in conjunction with Reigate & Banstead Borough Council.

·         Members wished to see a disaggregation of the results so that the local benefits could be demonstrated. The officer reported that the Redhill and Reigate element of the programme had been selected by the DfT for a “deep dive” evaluation study in comparison with Telford, which had a similar programme.

·         Concerns were raised regarding the funding of the remaining schemes, and whether there were budgetary implications. The Area Highway Manager assured the Committee that the Design Team would be working on these schemes; anything additional would need to be prioritised alongside other schemes. The Sustainable Transport Manager reported that the design and construction costs would be covered by Section 106 funding; as there was no longer a LSTF project management team, these would be taken forward with Highways.

·         Members welcomed the fact that the programme had enabled more young people to access work opportunities, and that Redhill town centre was now safer to walk around. The success of the Redhill Balanced Network was also noted.

The Local Committee (Reigate & Banstead):

(i)    NOTED the content of the report and the outcomes of the project.

(ii)   AGREED that the remaining schemes in Redhill and Reigate programme will now be delivered through the most appropriate department, as set out in paragraph 4.4.