Agenda item

This report introduces Surrey County Council’s draft fourth edition of the Surrey Transport Plan and its emerging Delivery Programme. The Plan sets out the Council’s transformational and ambitious roadmap to deliver the required carbon reduction targets set out in the Climate Change Strategy and associated Delivery Programme for the transport sector, whilst supporting the county’s communities and economy to thrive.

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee)

RESOLVED:

1. That the evidence base and development of the first draft of the Surrey Transport Plan (4^th edition) be noted.

2.    That the draft fourth edition of the Surrey Transport Plan be approved and be put forward for statutory consultation between the 5 July 2021 and 24 October 2021, noting the following in particular:

a)    The vision, objectives and outcomes.

b)    The “Avoid / Shift / Improve” Framework.

c)    The nine new policy areas identified.

d)    The sustainable travel hierarchy and street’s family framework.

e)    The four impact strategies to deliver the expected outcomes.

3. That the requirement to consider, as part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), additional investment into more sustainable transport infrastructure and/or to reprioritise existing capital commitments to deliver the ambitions of the new Surrey Transport Plan, pending initial feedback from the consultation be noted.
4. That the launch of the statutory consultation and delegate sign-off of consultation contents to the Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure and Executive Director for Environment, Transport & Infrastructure be approved.
5. That the development of a programme to support delivery of the Surrey Transport Plan which will include a funding strategy and a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) be approved. If required, projects and programmes will be brought back to Cabinet with costed delivery plans for future approval.

Reason for Decision:

Achieving the scale of carbon emissions reduction to deliver net zero carbon by 2050, requires a step change in how transport services and its infrastructure are planned, delivered, maintained, and used. This will need the Council, partner organisations, businesses, and all of Surrey’s residents to act now and work together to make changes in when, where, and how they choose to travel, including adopting digital opportunities. The plan sets out policies to support these changes by developing and enhancing safe, cleaner, greener ways of travelling and accessing services and opportunities. Behaviour change, innovation, and uptake of technology such as electric vehicles, will all be integral to meet the challenge of achieving the county’s target of net zero carbon by 2050. The plan also supports the importance of ensuring that our transport policies and networks enables a prosperous economy and healthier, better connected communities.

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

The Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure introduced the draft fourth edition of the Surrey Transport Plan and its emerging Delivery Programme. The Plan sets out the Council’s transformational and ambitious roadmap to deliver the required carbon reduction targets set out in the Climate Change Strategy for the transport sector, whilst supporting the county’s communities and economy to thrive. The Plan was a significant contributor to the Council’s contribution to the delivery of the county’s net zero carbon target of 2050. The Council had already undertaken informal consultation with key stakeholders in the development of the draft plan over recent months and a consultation with Statutory Consultees, Key Partners, Businesses, and residents is planned to take place from 5 July to 24 October 2021.

Catherine Baart spoke on the item and welcomed the draft plan and the increase in active travel arrangements. It was queried how the implementation of 20mph zones could be sped up seeing as road speed limits were key in the draft plan. The Cabinet Member stated that joint and local committees were responsible for making decisions around road speed limits based on local residents priorities and this could take up to a year to implement. 

RESOLVED:

1. That the evidence base and development of the first draft of the Surrey Transport Plan (4^th edition) be noted.

2.    That the draft fourth edition of the Surrey Transport Plan be approved and be put forward for statutory consultation between the 5 July 2021 and 24 October 2021, noting the following in particular:

a)    The vision, objectives and outcomes.

b)    The “Avoid / Shift / Improve” Framework.

c)    The nine new policy areas identified.

d)    The sustainable travel hierarchy and street’s family framework.

e)    The four impact strategies to deliver the expected outcomes.

3. That the requirement to consider, as part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), additional investment into more sustainable transport infrastructure and/or to reprioritise existing capital commitments to deliver the ambitions of the new Surrey Transport Plan, pending initial feedback from the consultation be noted.
4. That the launch of the statutory consultation and delegate sign-off of consultation contents to the Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure and Executive Director for Environment, Transport & Infrastructure be approved.
5. That the development of a programme to support delivery of the Surrey Transport Plan which will include a funding strategy and a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) be approved. If required, projects and programmes will be brought back to Cabinet with costed delivery plans for future approval.

Reason for Decision:

Achieving the scale of carbon emissions reduction to deliver net zero carbon by 2050, requires a step change in how transport services and its infrastructure are planned, delivered, maintained, and used. This will need the Council, partner organisations, businesses, and all of Surrey’s residents to act now and work together to make changes in when, where, and how they choose to travel, including adopting digital opportunities. The plan sets out policies to support these changes by developing and enhancing safe, cleaner, greener ways of travelling and accessing services and opportunities. Behaviour change, innovation, and uptake of technology such as electric vehicles, will all be integral to meet the challenge of achieving the county’s target of net zero carbon by 2050. The plan also supports the importance of ensuring that our transport policies and networks enables a prosperous economy and healthier, better connected communities.

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