Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the changes to the Private Hire Vehicles in bus lanes trial following the decisions taken by the Traffic & Transportation Committee on the 13 December 2021. The report details the changes and the justifications for these amendments.

It is recommended that the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation:

(i)             Approves a trial to allow access for Portsmouth City Council Licensed Private Hire Vehicles to use a limited number of five bus lanes in Portsmouth for a minimum of 3 months including;

Cavell Drive,

Marketway,

Mile End Road,

Bishop Crispian Way,

and Queen Street.

(ii)           Has delegated authority to immediately cease any or all of the five trial locations if safety issues become apparent;

(iii)         Delegates authority to the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation and the Section 151 Officer to release funding to undertake the monitoring and evaluation of this trial as the details are developed, this will be funded from the Parking Reserve;

(iv)         Notes that consultation and engagement will continue with the Licensing Committee and working group as the trial develops;

(v)           Notes that a report will be brought back to Traffic & Transportation within 6 months of the trial launch to provide an update on the trial progression and next steps.

DECISIONS

The Cabinet Member for Traffic & Transportation:

(i)             Approved a trial to allow access for Portsmouth City Council Licensed Private Hire Vehicles to use a limited number of five bus lanes in Portsmouth for a minimum of 3 months including;

·       Cavell Drive,

·       Marketway,

·       Mile End Road,

·       Bishop Crispian Way,

·       And Queen Street.

(ii)           Has delegated authority to immediately cease any or all of the five trial locations if safety issues become apparent;

(iii)         Delegated authority to the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation and the Section 151 Officer to release funding to undertake the monitoring and evaluation of this trial as the details are developed, this will be funded from the Parking Reserve;

(iv)         Noted that consultation and engagement will continue with the Licensing Committee and working group as the trial develops;

(v)           Noted that a report will be brought back to Traffic & Transportation within 6 months of the trial launch to provide an update on the trial progression and next steps.

Councillor Lynne Stagg moved this item to the start of the agenda.

She agreed to accept some written information from Mike Dobson which was in addition to his verbal deputation on this agenda item.  The start of the meeting was delayed by ten minutes to allow Councillors and officers the time to read the papers.

Paul Darlow, Traffic & Network Manager introduced the report.

Peter Sutherland and Mike Dobson gave deputations against the recommendations.

Councillor Lynne Stagg noted that a written deputation from Cycle Gosport against the recommendations had been submitted.

In response to questions from Councillors, Felicity Tidbury, Acting Assistant Director, Regeneration and Liam Norman, title?, Paul Darlow, Traffic & Network Manager, Denise Bastow Office Manager, Parking, Erica Styles Engagement Officer, Michelle Love Safer Travel Manager and Nickii Humphreys, Licensing Manager clarified the following points:

Consultation was carried out with shareholders at the appropriate points in order to formulate the recommendations.  The team liaised with the bus trade and Aqua to seek their agreement to provide data so that the council can monitor the trial.

Shareholder engagement was always planned after this meeting, once decisions have been made on the proposals so that they could engage with proposals that are less likely to change.

The team has tried its best to look into the safety concerns that had been raised and reviewed comments that had been submitted previously.   

All the bus lanes in the city were looked at and those with monitoring equipment initially selected.  Their accident data and road speed were then considered to try to avoid accident hotspots in the city.  One was removed from the shortlist because of potential confusion due to unloading and loading which would have made it difficult for the team to monitor the trial as planned.  This left the five bus lanes that have been proposed in the report.

The bus lane in Winston Churchill Avenue and the north bound lane in Hilsea from the Coach & Horses to the Hilsea roundabout were discounted because they do not have available monitoring infrastructure.  Winston Churchill Avenue did have an enforcement camera but it is proposed that it be moved.

Following the decision that was made on 13 December 2021 the team wrote to all the Highways Authorities asking whether they allowed private hire vehicles in their bus lanes.  Two responded; Reading Borough Council undertook a trial in 2013 but the bus travel time savings and reliability benefits affected the use of the bus lane and therefore the private hire vehicles (PHVs) were removed.  However, subsequently they have allowed a limited number of bus lanes to be used.

Southampton City Council and Brighton & Hove both allow PHVs to use bus lanes.

Hampshire County Council and West Sussex County Council do not allow PHVs to use any of their bus lanes.

The key performance indicators that will be used are:

·       Accident data provided monthly by Hampshire Constabulary. 

·       Information from the bus service companies before and during the trial. 

·       The journey times on routes.

·       Junction performance.

·       The number  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24