Decision details

a)    That the outcome of the consultation exercise attached as Appendix A to the report be noted;

b)    That it be noted that whilst the consensus amongst local elected representatives and local businesses, but excluding bus operators, is a preference for option C, the professional officer opinion to pursue option A is balanced given the degree of risk and relative benefits set out in the report;

c)    That the Cabinet, having weighed the issues set out in (b) above, approves a trial of option C;

d)    That the Director of Environment and Transport be authorised to make and amend, as appropriate, experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) in order to give effect to a trial for a period of up to 18 months form the end of the construction period in autumn 2014;

e)    That officers be requested to report to the Cabinet, any representations received during the first 6 months of the Order’s operation, in order that consideration can be given to the final form of the permanent order for bus operations through Loughborough Town Centre;

f)     That it be understood that the trial and the outcome of the trial be contained within the existing scheme budget.

(KEY DECISION)

REASONS FOR DECISION:

1.    An important aspect of the recently completed Loughborough Inner Relief Road scheme has been to consider whether buses should be allowed to travel through the Market Place once the town centre improvements are completed in autumn 2014, by way of public consultation.

2.    The decision to proceed to a trial on the basis of one of the three options consulted upon was required in order to enable a trial to take place for a period of up to 18 months with effect from the end of the construction period in autumn 2014.

3.    In light of the results of the consultation process and the potential additional level of economic benefits arising from the implementation of option C and provision of a traffic free public space for six hours a day, together with the willingness of stakeholders to accept the risk that the prohibition of buses on Market Street and Swan Street would potentially disadvantage bus users, lead to a reduction in bus patronage and the severance of cross town services, a trial of Option C is considered the preferred option for a period of up to 18 months.

To be considered by the Environment and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 20 March.

The consultation exercise runs from 27 January - 12 March.