Agenda item

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Environment and Transport outlining the outcome of the Loughborough town centre bus trial consultation, the options and impacts of the three options consulted on and to make recommendations based on the results of the consultation. A copy of the report, marked ‘10’, is filed with these minutes.

 

The Cabinet noted the following comments received from:

 

• The Environment and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with representations received at that meeting, marked ‘11A’;
• Statements by ‘Loughborough BID’ and ‘Love Loughborough’, marked ‘11B’; and
• Mr. D. C. Bill CC, marked ‘11C’.

 

With the agreement of the Chairman, the following persons addressed the Cabinet:

 

i)     Mr. Robert Sharp CC (speaking as a local member and also on behalf of local members Mr. Max Hunt CC, Mr. J. Miah CC and Ms. Betty Newton CC);

 

Mr Sharp outlined his support for Option C (prohibition of buses on Market Street and Swan Street and pedestrianisation of that area between 10.00 am – 4.00 pm), stating that he felt it was the best option for regeneration and public safety. He believed that the outstanding issue was engagement by the bus companies, suggesting that a period of one month be spent between them and the County Council to discuss whether the proposed bus routes could be improved upon and potential dis-benefits mitigated against;

 

ii)    Mr. P. G. Lewis CC (speaking as a local member);

 

Mr Lewis spoke in favour of option C, noting that a majority of residents, business leaders and councillors within Loughborough had listened to the professional advice from the County Council but remained in favour of that option too. He considered, following the work undertaken to complete Loughborough’s Inner Relief Road, that this option was the solution that would make the town centre prosper;

 

iii)   Mr. S. Hampson CC  (speaking as a local member);

 

Speaking in favour of option C, Mr Hampson questioned whether businesses would be able to survive long term without a pedestrianized town centre and noted the passionate support of residents’ groups, support from Mary Portas (who had led an independent review into the future of UK high streets) and the Loughborough Echo in favour of that option.

 

iv)   Mr. A. M. Kershaw (speaking as Chairman of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee);

 

Mr Kershaw spoke in favour of option C, noting that at the meeting of the Environment and Transport Overview Scrutiny Committee held on 20 March 2014, speakers for both option A and option C had presented their cases and following a detailed debate, the Committee had voted unanimously in favour of recommending to the Cabinet that it should pursue option C.

 

v)    Cllr. D. Slater (speaking as Leader of Charnwood Borough Council);

 

Cllr. Slater expressed Charnwood Borough Council’s clear support for option C and that he wished to see the County Council support the outcome of the consultation which had been in favour of that option. Noting support from all levels of locally elected representatives, including that of Nicky Morgan MP, he asked that the town be able to develop along that of the ‘Portas Principles’.

 

Mr. Osborne thanked all stakeholders for their submissions, both written and made in person at this meeting. He noted the Director of Environment and Transport’s professional and balanced opinion that option C posed a significant risk in reducing the bus network serving the town centre and disadvantaging bus users, but that there was potential additional economic benefit arising from its pedestrianisation.

 

In considering the views received and assessment of risk, it was clear that local stakeholders were willing to accept the higher risks of option C. Noting that the County Council did not have the resources to subsidise the bus network should the commercial operators choose to reduce their bus capacity to the town centre in future, he proposed that a trial of option C be commenced.

 

RESOLVED:

 

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.