Agenda item

To consider the attached report by Graham Hughes, Executive Director (Cambridgeshire County Council).

The Executive Board:

(a)        NOTED the findings from the initial assessment and technical study.

(b)        APPROVED public consultation on the illustrative measures as set out in the report and as shown on the accompanying plans, and encourages other ideas and options suggested to be considered.

(c)        AGREED to receive a report on consultation in the Spring of 2016 on a preferred set of measures.

Councillor Lewis Herbert, Chairman of the Executive Board, agreed to facilitate the consideration of this item and the following item at minute number 7 in respect of Milton Road as one debate. 

Two reports were considered which set out a range of measures that had emerged from an initial technical study of Histon Road and Milton Road.  The reports explained the background to the development work in each case and sought approval to carry out a public consultation on these measures to inform the development of preferred proposals.

Councillor Tim Bick, Chairman of the Joint Assembly, reported that the Assembly had considered both reports at its meeting on 7 October 2015 in relation to Histon Road and Milton Road and made the following points further to discussion by Assembly Members:

·         an amendment to recommendation (b) of both reports was agreed to capture the commitment that ideas other than those offered in the consultation would be properly considered.  This sought to add the words ‘and encourages all other ideas to be properly considered’ at the end of recommendation (b) in respect of both schemes;

·         in terms of the impact of anticipated loss of trees and vegetation, the Joint Assembly resolved to invite an expert or consultant on landscaping in urban transport infrastructure schemes to a future meeting in order to orientate and inform Members of what could be possible in situations such as the potential changes to Histon Road and Milton Road by way of greening;

·         officers had agreed that further clarity needed to be provided in the consultation documentation, including the meaning of dotted lines on maps relating to potential bus routes, definitions of ‘advisory’, ‘mandatory’ and ‘segregated’ cycleways, and that the focus of the projects was for cycling as well as bus use.

Councillor Bick confirmed that, subject to the above comments, the Joint Assembly had agreed that the options defined were appropriate to release for public consultation and supported the recommendations contained within both reports, taking into account the suggested amendment to recommendation (b) in both cases.

Councillor Lewis Herbert, Chairman of the Executive Board, supported the amendment to recommendation (b) and, as he had pointed out in answer to public questions earlier at this meeting, reiterated that alternatives to the options published as part of the consultation would be welcomed.  He therefore proposed adding the words ‘and encourages other ideas and options suggested to be considered’ to recommendation (b) on both reports, which was agreed by the Board.

Councillor Herbert also supported the proposal from the Joint Assembly to seek more information on landscaping in urban transport infrastructure schemes and agreed that further clarity should be added to the consultation around the points identified by the Assembly.

In discussing costings, it was noted that at this stage of project development it was difficult to give a precise idea of the cost of delivering each set of proposals.  Very high-level costings had occurred to date and at this stage there was no certainly over how much each option could cost.  A full assessment would be carried out, which would factor in a range of significant aspects including land purchases, compensation claims and the relocation of public utility apparatus.

The Executive Board:

(a)        NOTED the findings from the initial assessment and technical study.

(b)        APPROVED public consultation on the illustrative measures as set out in the report and as shown on the accompanying plans, and encourages other ideas and options suggested to be considered.

(c)        AGREED to receive a report on consultation in the Spring of 2016 on a preferred set of measures.