Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room A, Wellington House, Leeds. View directions

Contact: Dathan Tedesco  Email: dathan.tedesco@westyorks-ca.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

27.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors David Dagger, Nussrat Mohammed and Tim Swift.

28.

Declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests

Minutes:

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared by members at the meeting.

29.

Exempt information - possible exclusion of the press and public

Minutes:

There were no exclusions of the press and public at the meeting.

30.

Minutes of the meeting of the Transport Committee held on 8 September 2017 pdf icon PDF 283 KB

Copy attached.

Minutes:

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Transport Committee held on 8 September 2017 be approved and signed by the Chair.

31.

Northern Franchise Update pdf icon PDF 258 KB

Presentation from Arriva Rail North Ltd.

Minutes:

Paul Barnfield, Regional Director East, and Pete Myers, Stakeholder Manager, from Arriva Rail North Ltd attended to give members a presentation and update them on several issues, including:

 

·         Replacement and refurbishment of rolling stock

·         Changes planned to service levels

·         Station investment

·         Current performance and customer service

·         Arriva Rail North’s position regarding current and planned infrastructure schemes including the TransPennine Upgrade

·         Developing plans for the later stages of the franchise

·         New measures being taken to improve revenue protection

 

Mr Barnfield and Mr Myers also took questions from members on a variety of issues related to the above.

 

Resolved:  That Arriva Rail North’s representatives be thanked for their presentation and the update.

32.

LCR HS2 Connectivity Strategy pdf icon PDF 411 KB

To consider the attached report.

Minutes:

The Chair updated members on the meeting he attended alongside West Yorkshire leaders with the Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, on 7 November 2017.  The purpose of the meeting was for the region’s political leadership to articulate its priorities, including the long held, cross party aspiration for a substantial Trans-Pennine route upgrade.

 

The Committee considered a report updating it on the development of HS2 and the Leeds City Region Connectivity Strategy.  The purpose of the strategy was to establish the major local and regional connectivity priorities which were required to enable and maximise growth associated with HS2 coming to the Leeds City Region.

 

The new LCR HS2 Connectivity Strategy would become a ‘daughter document’ to both the LCR HS2 Growth Strategy and also the West Yorkshire Transport Strategy, an approach that was endorsed by the Committee in April 2017.

 

The timeline for completion of the strategy was outlined in the submitted report and it was anticipated that members would have time to consider its emerging principles at the meeting on 12 January 2018.  This phase of work was intended to identify additional connectivity corridors and strategies beyond those directly necessary to support HS2.

 

Resolved:

 

(i)                 That the update on the meeting with the Secretary of State for Transport on 7 November, attended by the Chair of the Committee, be noted.

 

(ii)               That the principles and strands of the LCR HS2 Connectivity Strategy, as detailed in the submitted report, be noted.

 

(iii)             That the commencement of a dialogue with key stakeholders and partners of the initial LCR HS2 connectivity strategy be endorsed, and that the final drafting of the submission be delegated to the Managing Director in consultation with the Chair.

33.

Bus 18 Update pdf icon PDF 297 KB

To consider the attached report.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report updating it on the progress of Bus 18 and to consider the endorsement of the 2018 priorities for the programme, as detailed in the submitted report.

 

WYCA established its Bus Strategy in early 2017, to run until 2040. Emerging from the feedback obtained during this consultation, the Committee identified the need to make early progress on addressing the issues that matter to bus passengers.  Discussions were therefore held with the Association of Bus Operators in West Yorkshire (ABOWY) seeking a mechanism to work collaboratively with bus operators to achieve the shared objective of reversing the decline in bus patronage. This resulted in a programme of initiatives entitled Bus 18.

 

Whilst progress had been made, further impetus was needed in order that bus passengers are able to see and experience the benefits from Bus 18.  The Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee had met with the Bus 18 Steering Group to agree the following priorities for 2018;

 

·         Young People – a strongly promoted, discounted “go anywhere” day ticket.

·         Air Quality – to maximise the funding opportunities provided by central government to facilitate low emission buses

·         Punctuality & Reliability – a strong focus on punctuality and reliability with clear visibility of performance against targets

·         Customer Confidence – a campaign to increase public awareness of the recent investment in buses and the steps taken to increase patronage 

 

The success or otherwise of Bus 18 would enable the Committee to come to a view as to the best way of utilising the new powers available in the Bus Services Act.

 

Resolved:  That the progress made on Bus 18 to date, as detailed in the submitted report, be noted, and that the priorities for 2018 be endorsed.

34.

Department for Transport Accessibility Action Plan Consultation pdf icon PDF 266 KB

To consider the attached report.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report setting out WYCA’s proposed response to the consultation being carried out by the Department for Transport (DfT) on its Draft Accessibility Action Plan.

 

The DfT have published a consultation seeking views on a draft Accessibility Action Plan which sets out proposals to improve the travel experience for people with disabilities.  The action plan covers a range of transport modes including planes, trains, buses and taxis.  The plan also considers ways in which public spaces could be improved to make them more accessible for people with disabilities.

 

It was recognised that accessible transport can make the difference between feeling socially isolated and feeling socially included.  The draft Action Plan sets out the DfT’s proposed strategy to address the gaps in the existing provision of transport services which serve as a barrier to people with disabilities.  Its sets out some specific commitments for increasing transport accessibility, and seeks views and ideas about what additional steps could be taken to create a system which enables people with disabilities to independently use the transport network.

 

WYCA will be responding to the consultation which closes on 22 November 2017.  The draft consultation response was attached to the submitted report at Appendix 1.

 

Resolved:  That the submission of the consultation response, as detailed at Appendix 1 of the submitted report, be endorsed.

35.

Petitions Regarding Bus Services

To consider the attached report.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report asking it to establish a procedure under which petitions concerning matters relating to bus services may be considered by WYCA.  Members were also asked to consider a petition received in relation to bus services between Bradford and Otley. 

 

It was reported that WYCA receives and responds to a range of customer feedback on matters relating to bus services together with correspondence from elected members and MPs.

From time to time, a complainant will gather signatures in support of a matter which they wish to be considered by Transport Committee.

 

Many of the petitions submitted relate to the provision and operation of bus services.  WYCA procures bus services under its powers to provide Socially Necessary Bus Services for which policy and guidelines have been adopted by the Committee.  The Committee does not have the power to direct bus operators to provide a service and its ability to resolve many of the matters raised in such petitions can be limited.  Nevertheless, WYCA has a role to ensure the interests of its residents are considered by transport operators and has established the District Consultation Sub Committees to facilitate this.

 

To assist prospective petitioners where the matter raised concerns the provision, amendment or withdrawal of a bus service or a matter relating to the cost of bus travel a procedure was proposed, as detailed at Appendix 1 of the submitted report.

 

In the absence of such a procedure, the Transport Committee Bus Services Working Group considered a petition from Mr Shillito, seeking reinstatement of bus service 653 between Bradford and Otley, at its meeting of 31 October 2017 and resolved to refer it to the Committee.

 

Resolved:

 

(i)                 That the procedure for considering petitions relating to bus services, as set out in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, be adopted.

 

(ii)               That in relation to his petition seeking reinstatement of bus service 653 between Bradford and Otley, as detailed in the submitted report Mr Shillito be advised that reinstatement of the service under contract with WYCA would not be in accordance with the guidelines established by the Committee.

36.

CityConnect (CCAG) Programme Update pdf icon PDF 367 KB

To consider the attached report.

Minutes:

The Committee considered an update report on progress with delivery of the two phases of the CityConnect Programme, including the ongoing financial risk, and note the recommended approach for the release of Cycle City Ambition Grant (CCAG) funding to deliver schemes currently on the reserve list.

 

As reported to the Committee on 7 July 2017 it had been necessary to re-scope the programme and include some Phase 2 projects on a reserve list pending further information on costs, deliverability and value for money.  Following that review it was now intended that three schemes, as detailed in the submitted report, be brought forward for delivery through funding agreements with each of the delivery partners.

 

Members were also asked to consider approving the proposed spend of £86k after an award to WYCA from the Department for Transport to support the development of a comprehensive Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for West Yorkshire, as per the Government’s recommended approach set out in the national Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS).

 

Resolved:

 

(i)                 That the approach to managing the CCAG budget, ongoing risk, and the commencement of the following projects to delivery, be noted:

 

·         York Scarborough Bridge

·         Wakefield – Castleford Phase 2 and Bridge

·         Wakefield – Castleford Phase 3

 

(ii)               To note that the remaining projects, as detailed at 2.10 of the submitted report, will not be taken forward to delivery through CCAG funding at this time, and alternative means of funding will be sought.

 

(iii)             That the proposed expenditure of £86k for the development of Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, funded through DfT revenue grant funding, be approved.

37.

City Region Transport Update pdf icon PDF 286 KB

To consider the attached report.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report providing an update on current transport issues in the City Region, covering the following:

 

·         2017/18 Budget Update

·         Budget Issues 2018/19

·         Leeds Public Transport Improvement Programme Update

·         Clean Bus Technology Fund 2017/18

·         National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) 2018-20

·         Revised Draft Airports National Policy Statement - Consultation 

·         District Consultation Sub Committees

 

A verbal update was also given regarding Boxing Day bus services.

 

Resolved:  That the updates provided in this report are noted.