Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations of interest.

Purpose of Report

The purpose of the report is to provide an overview of the School Streets project to date, summarise the learnings from five trials and the future approach to implementing school streets in Portsmouth.

To seek approval for the proposed permanent School Streets at St Jude's Church of England Primary School and Bramble Infant School and Nursery.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that the Cabinet Member for Transport:

1.    Approves to proceed with the implementation of permanent School Streets at St Jude's Church of England Primary School.

2.    Approves to proceed with the implementation of permanent School Streets at Bramble Infant School and Nursery;

3.    Approves to proceed with future school streets trials under an 18-month ETRO (Experimental Traffic Regulation Order).

Natalia Luszcyyk, Active Travel Officer presented the report, the purpose of which was to provide an overview of the School Streets project to date, summarise the learnings from five trials and the future approach to implementing school streets in Portsmouth.

Members' questions

In response to members' questions, officers clarified:

·         The remaining trials are being evaluated and an allocation will be put into the expression of interest for capital funding in the next financial year for those schools who wish to progress with a permanent school street.

·         Discussions are ongoing with schools to offer the behavioural change initiatives.  If schools are interested further discussions are held on whether a school street is appropriate.

·         Permanent School streets can only be enforced by the police. This takes place alongside extensive parent engagement and encouragement.  If a signage only scheme is not successful, the scheme will be revisited to consider other options.

·         The trial model is being reviewed in light of a lack of volunteers at trial schools. Any trials going forward will not have as many volunteers involved and will rely on the use of signs and other physical closure options.  School breakfast clubs can be used as an incentive to encourage volunteers to assist with the scheme .

·         The schemes are an entire programme of behavioural change that rewards walking to school.   There will be signs, but the idea is the community engagement with schools, parents and residents working together.  It is not just reliant on the Police to monitor it.  Transport provide 'park and stride' maps and parking space counts have been carried out to identify where there are spaces.  The aim is to encourage wrap around behavioural changes as well as physical measures.

·         The volunteer programmes were mainly school led with different schools using different approaches to organising the volunteers.

Officers further advised that the ETRO is subject to a 6-month consultation and if it is not successful it will be revisited to consider other realistic options to make it successful.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Transport:

1.    Approved to proceed with the implementation of permanent School Streets at St Judes' Church of England primary school;

2.    Approved to proceed with the implementation of permanent School Streets at Bramble Infant School and Nursery;

3.    Approved to proceed with future school streets trials under an 18-month ETRO (Experimental Traffic Regulation Order).

Purpose of Report

To seek approval of the design of the City Centre South project, which is a part of the South East Hampshire Rapid Transit (SEHRT) programme of works.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that the Cabinet Member for Transport approves the City Centre South scheme.

Barnaby Fry, Principal Project Manager, presented the report, the purpose of which was to seek approval of the design of the City Centre South project, which is part of the Southeast Hampshire Rapid Transit (SEHRT) programme of works.

Members' questions

In response to members' questions, officers clarified:

·         The intention is to give the main bus route north to south priority.  This will not happen immediately but will be subject to 'tweaking' once the traffic lights are installed.

·         Work will start in January 2024 and potentially finish by April.

Members were supportive of the changes.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Transport approved the City Centre South scheme.

Purpose of Report

The report presents the comments and objections made as a result of formal consultation on Traffic Regulation Orders to introduce charging on the seafront east of South Parade Pier for on street parking and Canoe Lake Car Park.  This is proposed between the start of November to the end of February when there is currently no charge.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that the Cabinet Member for Transport considers the comments submitted during the consultation and approves:

1.    The introduction of charging in the on-street parking bays in Southsea Esplanade and Eastney Esplanade, from 1 November to the end of February making the charging all year long.  It is further recommended that the charges are the same as during the other months of the year and apply from 8am to 6pm as they do the rest of the year.

2.    To introduce charging in Canoe Lake Car Park from 1 November to the end of February making the charging all year long.  It is further recommended that the charges are the same as during the other months of the year and apply from 8am to 8pm as they do the rest of the year.

Kevin McKee, Parking Manager, presented the report, the purpose of which was to present the comments and objections made as a result of formal consultation on Traffic Regulation Orders to introduce charging on the seafront east of South Parade Pier for on street parking and Canoe Lake Car Park.  This is proposed between the start of November to the end of February when there is currently no charge.

Deputations

A written deputation from Eileen Shephard, against the proposals, was read out by the Chair. 

Deputations are not minuted but can be viewed here  Cabinet Member for Transport, 12 October 2023 on Livestream.

Members' questions

In response to members' questions, officers clarified:

·         No ward councillors had made a representation on the proposals.

·         Enforcement of parking will be the same as during the summer with the car parks being visited on a regular basis.

·         Parking charges are set at a rate that does not discourage everybody but encourages people to think about using alternatives transport/walking options.

·         This will provide a level playing field for the businesses at both ends of the seafront.

·         Payment methods will not be changing, people will still have the option to pay by cash but there is an increasing shift in people paying by phone.  There is a small section on the seafront where there are no machines, so payment is purely by phone.

Members' comments

·         Members considered the scheme was, in part, about revenue raising and not just about promoting cleaner air and the promotion of the use of alternative transport.

·         The scheme may push parking into the surrounding residential roads.

·         There is a lack of public transport provision along the seafront to the east of South Parade Pier.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Transport considered the comments submitted during the consultation and:

1.    Approved the introduction of charging in the on-street parking bays in Southsea Esplanade and Eastney Esplanade, from 1 November to the end of February making the charging all year long.  It is further recommended that the charges are the same as during the other months of the year and apply from 8am to 6pm as they do the rest of the year.

2.    Approved the introduction of charging in Canoe Lake Car Park from 1 November to the end of February making the charging all year long.  It is further recommended that the charges are the same as during the other months of the year and apply from 8am to 8pm as they do the rest of the year.

Purpose of Report

To propose a further programme of consultation on residents parking zones.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that the Cabinet Member for Transport approves:

1.    That the Residents' Parking Programme of Consultation progresses with 3 work streams as set out in paragraphs 4.4 to 4.5 of this report;

2.    That there are rolling programmes around these areas so that a residents parking scheme is agreed in an area, areas around it are then consulted;

3.    That the costs of external consultancy are met from the parking reserve;

4.    That staffing in the parking permit and suspensions teams are kept under review in anticipation of the increasing number of zones.

Kevin McKee, Parking Manager, presented the report, the purpose of which was to propose a further programme of consultation on residents parking zones.

Deputations

A Deputation in favour of the proposal was made by Councillor Dave Ashmore.

A written deputation from Councillor Kimberley Barrett, in favour of the proposal, was read out by the Chair

The Chair noted receipt of an email from Councillor Stuart Brown in favour of the proposal.

Deputations are not minuted but can be viewed here  Cabinet Member for Transport, 12 October 2023 on Livestream.

Members' questions

In response to members' questions, officers clarified:

·         The council has been unsuccessful in appointing additional staff to support the RPZ programme.   The use of consultants carries additional costs.

·         There has been some success in attracting staff with the right level of skills and experience from other local authorities to join PCC but the council is not always able to compete with relocation packages.

·         The council, across all departments,  is looking to train up existing staff due to the issues with recruiting from outside the authority.

·         The NB and NC zones were not being considered as one zone as they are divided by the old canal and there are no roads that flow between the two zones.

·         It wasn’t known whether roads to the east would be consulted as it is predominantly an area where most houses have the benefit of off-street car parking.

Members' comments

Members considered that any published programme should be followed and any areas that initially decline a zone should not then be squeezed into the programme due to problems from neighbouring zones.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Transport :

1.    Approved that the Residents Parking Programme of Consultation progresses with 3 work streams as set out in paragraphs 4.4 to 4.5 of the report;

2.    Approved that there are rolling programmes around these areas so that if a residents parking scheme is agreed in an area, areas around it are then consulted;

3.    Approved that the costs of external consultancy are met from the parking reserve;

4.    Approved that staffing in the parking permit and suspensions teams are kept under review in anticipation of the increasing number of zones.

Purpose of Report

The purpose of the report is to confirm the locations for infrastructure improvement as part of the Casualty and Speed Reduction Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) 2023/24 capital implementation programme.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that the Cabinet Member for Transport approves the proposed spend from the Casualty & Speed Reduction Measures budget of £250,000 on the Lower Farlington Road/Havant Road junction scheme.

Michelle Love, Safer Travel Manger presented the report, the purpose of which was to confirm the locations for infrastructure improvements as part of the Casualty & Speed Reduction Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) 2023/24 capital implementation programme and to approve the proposed spend from the Casualty & Speed Reduction Measures budget.

Members' questions

In response to members' questions, officers clarified:

·         they would investigate the options of applying a weight restriction at the junction to alleviate problems from HGVs further down the road.  This would also include considering if any additional measures could be taken to further help alleviate issues associated with HGVs travelling through an area that was not suitable for them. 

Members' comments

Members were in support of the proposal to approve the funding allocation and supportive of the work proposed to be carried out.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Transport approved the proposed spend from the Casualty & Speed Reduction Measures budget of £250,000 on the Lower Farlington Road/Havant Road junction scheme.