Agenda item

A428/A1303 Better Bus Journeys Scheme - public consultation outcomes and next steps

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

Decision:

The Executive Board NOTED the responses to the consultation on the A428/A1303 bus infrastructure improvement scheme, including the alternative and hybrid options suggested, and AGREED to include these and other comments received in the ongoing development and assessment appraisal to allow the Board to select a recommended option or options in September 2016.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered a report which summarised the outcome of the consultation on high level options for bus and cycle infrastructure improvements along the Cambourne to Cambridge corridor. 

 

Stuart Walmsley, Head of Major Infrastructure Delivery at Cambridgeshire County Council, presented the report and highlighted that the public consultation had generated significant public interest including 2193 survey responses, 8 letters and 123 email submissions and key stakeholder representations.  A petition had also been received with over 3600 signatures opposing Option 1 South, with other responses outlining significant support for transport improvement along the corridor.  He referred to background documents set out in the report which contained detailed analysis of the consultation responses and a summary of representations received.

 

A number of hybrid schemes, made up of aspects of the options originally published with the consultation, and some alternative options had been submitted as part of the process.  A further piece of work would now commence to analyse these hybrid and alternative options from a technical perspective.

 

Mr Walmsley highlighted concerns expressed in the consultation responses regarding environmental impact and agreed that this was an important issue.  He said that, as the scheme progressed to the next stage, issues relating to environmental impact would become much clearer, together with ways in which these could be mitigated. 

 

Councillor Tim Bick, Chairman of the Joint Assembly, reported that the Assembly at its meeting on 12 February 2016 had supported the recommendations contained within the report.  The report stated that the consultation had been carried out in accordance with the consultation principles of Cambridgeshire County Council, but Members of the Assembly were not aware of these principles having been formally agreed or adopted.  The Assembly therefore requested this as a future agenda item in order that the position could be clarified.

 

John Bridge, representing the Local Enterprise Partnership, requested more clarity over the percentages quoted in paragraph 21 of the report in respect of respondents’ usual mode of transport.  Mr Walmsley agreed to liaise directly with Mr Bridge outside of the meeting to provide an explanation.

 

Councillor Francis Burkitt, representing South Cambridgeshire District Council, felt that this consultation had been extremely successful with an excellent level of responses from members of the public.  He said that the consultation had achieved what it set out to do in terms of engagement and seeking people’s views and went on to read out a number of comments that had been submitted in favour of a scheme along this corridor.  Councillor Burkitt took this opportunity to pay tribute to officers who had worked very hard on this piece of work.

 

Councillor Lewis Herbert, Chairman of the Executive Board, acknowledged that a number of hybrids and alternatives to the options presented in the consultation document had been received, which he welcomed.  He also noted that the consultation principles of the Greater Cambridge City Deal Partnership would be considered at the next cycle of Joint Assembly and Executive Board meetings.

 

The Executive Board unanimously NOTED the responses to the consultation on the A428/A1303 bus infrastructure improvement scheme, including the alternative and hybrid options suggested, and AGREED to include these and other comments received in the ongoing development and assessment appraisal to allow the Board to select a recommended option or options in September 2016.

Supporting documents: