Agenda item

To consider the attached report.

The Joint Assembly RECOMMENDED that the Executive Board:

a)    Commission a high quality, independent strategic options appraisal study into rapid, mass transport options for Cambridge City and the surrounding travel to work area in conjunction with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to deliver by November 2017.

b)    Agree a total budget allocation of £150,000 in 2017/18 for the delivery of the strategic options appraisal study.

The Interim Transport Director introduced a report to be presented to the next Executive Board meeting, seeking approval to proceed with a strategic appraisal into rapid, mass transport options.  This was a combined proposal to be undertaken on behalf of the GCP and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.  It involved the appointment of a consultant to provide expert independent advice on the most appropriate form of rapid, mass transit for Cambridge City and the surrounding travel to work area.  Work would involve a strategic options appraisal on a range of underground and overground rapid transport modes, including light rail, monorail, bus rapid transit and affordable very rapid transport.  This would enable the GCP Executive Board and Combined Authority to determine the most appropriate form of rapid, mass transit to meet Greater Cambridge’s future transport needs.

It was noted that the total cost was estimated to be in the region of £150,000, half of which was expected to be met by the Combined Authority.  The cost to the GCP would therefore be approximately £75,000.

The Joint Assembly was invited to consider and comment on the recommendations being presented to the Executive Board.  The main points of discussion are summarised below:

·           There was general support for the proposal, but there were some concerns about the objectivity of the options appraisal.  Councillor Bick sought reassurance that we were looking at a level playing field for this exercise.  He noted that this was a joint proposal and recalling comments about addressing Cambridge transport problems made by the Mayor as part of his election campaign, asked whether this would influence the scope of this work.  In response the Interim Transport Director confirmed that the Mayor had been involved in developing the proposals and that the brief required a full appraisal of all options.  He added that the Mayor would also be mindful of the need to comply with the assurance framework which required a full options appraisal.

·           Councillor Bick indicated that, from an economic point of view, the feasibility and viability of many of the potential options would in part depend on complimentary measures outside the scope of this review.  He asked how that would be handled and added he would like to have seen an invitation for the consultants to tell us about the potential impact, positive or negative, of other things we could do to make a difference to these choices.  The Interim Transport Director agreed that this would be critical.  The aim was to future proof all existing schemes and new schemes would need to be seen in the context of other relevant factors.  He reminded members that the Board was already looking at a Future Transport Strategy for Greater Cambridge which would be presented to members in due course.

·           Some members expressed concern that this work had not been done before now.  The Chairperson urged members to put these concerns to one side and look forward.

·           Councillor Bridget Smith challenged the suggestion that schemes currently being developed were being future proofed and referred to a recent presentation to the Local Liaison Forum (LLF) on the alignment of the A428 which included sweeping S bends.  She had asked if this route was suitable for other forms of rapid, mass transport and had been told ‘no’.  This suggested a lack of joined up thinking between the aspirations in this paper and what was happening on the ground.  The Interim Transport Director explained that those routes were still being developed and reassured Councillor Smith that despite what might have been said at the LLF, officers were looking at future proofed transport corridors.

·           In response to a question from Sir Michael Marshall, the Interim Transport Director confirmed that the consultants would be given an open brief and encouraged to consider all potential options.  It was hoped to appoint a niche firm specialising in this type of work.

·           Councillor John Williams noted the proposals referred to ‘Cambridge and its travel to work area’.  He asked whether this was the same as the travel to work area defined in the Transport Strategy for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire (TSCSC) adopted in 2014.  He also asked that when the different modes of transport were analysed, account would be taken of the price to the user.  In order to solve the problem, alternative transport solutions had to be affordable.  In response, the Interim Transport Director confirmed that the travel for work area was clearly defined and was even wider than that defined in the TSCSC.  He also confirmed that cost had been factored into the operating model.  Fare subsidy would also be considered as a means of reducing user cost.

·           In response to a question from Helen Valentine about timing, it was noted that a tight timescale was proposed.  The plan was to bring a report on the outcome of this work back to the November meetings of the Joint Assembly and Executive Board.

·           Councillor Noel Kavanagh asked whether the consultants would be encouraged to look at similar sized cities outside the UK, to identify success stories; including the use of fare subsidy.  He also asked for an assurance that account would be taken of the need to reduce pollution and improve air quality.  The Interim Transport Director confirmed that this was the case and that these factors had been included in the design brief.

·           Dr John Wells noted reference to the consultants engaging with stakeholders and suggested it would be useful to have a session with interested parties to give them an opportunity to bring their thoughts to the study at an early stage, as opposed to inviting them to comment at the end of the process. 

The Joint Assembly considered the officer recommendations being presented to the Executive Board and agreed unanimously that the wording should be amended to include reference to independence and the proposed timescale.

The Joint Assembly unanimously agreed to RECOMMEND that the Executive Board:

a)    Commission a high quality, independent strategic options appraisal study into rapid, mass transport options for Cambridge City and the surrounding travel to work area in conjunction with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to deliver by November 2017.

b)    Agree a total budget allocation of £150,000 in 2017/18 for the delivery of the strategic options appraisal study.

Changes to the officer recommendations are shown in italic text.