Come and contribute to the new Salisbury Transport Strategy, and hear your local Councillors’ ideas for wider transport infrastructure.
Minutes:
The Chairman introduced the main item on the agenda, Salisbury Transport Strategy Development. noting that with the increasing numbers of new houses already built and yet to be built, this impacted on the highways infrastructure. The Transport Strategy was being produced to accompany that growth.
Officers and Partners were in attendance to present information, hold round table exercises and answer questions.
Allan Creedy, Head of Sustainable Transport delivered a presentation, a copy of the slides are attached to these minutes for information.
Consultation was an important part of the process. The previous Strategy dated back to assumptions made in 2009, since then things had changed, particularly in the development world.
Adrian Taylor explained that Atkins was providing transport planning support to Wiltshire Council. They had been working on the Salisbury Transport Strategy.
Traffic Master data had shown that lot of short distance trips were made by car, people travelling to work on short journeys. This data could show where journey speeds were less than 10mph during the morning work traffic.
The Strategy will to look at extra movement/traffic from the new housing sites.
The model developed looked at a 10-year period, from 2016 to 2026 to see what impacts on the network would be, in two periods ten years apart.
The central area of Salisbury was also an air quality management area, there were some issue areas around the city.
There were several city centre car parks, the information suggests that the demand for parking did not exceed capacity. Suggesting an oversupply of city centre parking. That will affect the attractiveness of park and ride.
Sustrans did an audit review of the network and identified some gaps in the scope of cycling networks and a poor level of footways in the city centre. There were a significant number of residents in Salisbury who are travelling short distances by car.
Eight objectives had been created, these were shown on the slides at the meeting.
Questions and comments were taken, these included:
· The A30 gets blocked, when were your figures taken as the new development of housing at Riverdown has had an impact on that road. Answer: There is existing queueing on there, it is something we have to look at.
· The Park and Ride (P&R) provision closes down quite early compared to other cities, so workers on later shifts do not find it practical to use the P&R as it was closed. Travellers were also arriving to find the toilets closed and nowhere to wait. People have given up with the P&R as the routes have now been incorporated into other routes and take too long. Answer: The bus companies have been to stakeholders meeting and we will look into those issues.
· The graph stating that car usage was high, how was that judged? Was it in comparison to other cities? Answer: Car usage and car occupancy, was shown for Salisbury, Wiltshire and Nationally. This focused on the trips less than 2km in length. 30% make that journey by car. If there were good alternatives then they could consider them.
· The Salisbury Area Green Space Partnership supports the importance of looking for off road alternative routes and supporting a green infrastructure. Core Policy 52 states that we need to think more broadly about these things. The benefits were more wide ranging. Answer: The green infrastructure was referenced in the report that we are drafting, it is important. Finding the gaps in the cycling routes and looking at how we can join these up.
· As a Salisbury resident, working in Porton, I took part in a survey at work where over 90% of us supported cycling provision improvements. With the new science park being built, that would exasperate the area already over run with cars. Answer: There are realistic opportunities for them to use other modes, we look at many things, such as safety. We will be looking at that.
· Is the term achieving modal shift used in the report, as there is much about walking and cycling, but modal shift was different? Answer: Yes, when we mention behavioural change its usually people who are using the car when there are good alternatives, and encouraging people to consider these alternatives.
· Will there be a collection of data to show there has been a change in modes? Answer: There will be monitoring. When the Strategy is implemented we can look in 2026 and ask if we have achieved it.
· When is this Strategy to be implemented? Answer: It will be drafted and ready by April/May 2018. There will be discussion once the draft is presented. Once we have agreed list of schemes we create a computer simulation.
· One of the slides shown for the car park usage figures had 2013/14, is that right, as things have changed dramatically since then? Answer: The Traffic Master data was up to date. The car park information was quite intensive to carry out those surveys so slightly older data.
· Would the opening of Wilton railway station in 2020 have any impact on the Transport Strategy? Answer: It would be taken into account as it was in the list of schemes and we will assess the impact of that. Rail was referenced as an important component of the strategy.
The Chairman drew attention to the list of schemes which had been printed out and circulated to each table. A copy of this list is attached to these minutes.
Those present were asked to consider the list and note down suggestions and comments in relation to the schemes detailed and to add any additional schemes which they felt had not been included.
A facilitator for each table took notes and fed back one main point from each of the groups present, these included:
· Improvements to the School Travel Plans – parents activity in taking children to school have such a significant effect, we all see the impact.
· Since the last Traffic Plan, there had been no new pedestrian or cycle paths built – We need a much more robust Traffic Plan with more cycle ways and walking routes.
· Modal shift achievable and could be done. Others in the group felt this was not realistic and wanted more emphasis on highway schemes and tackle A36.
· A36 priority for investment and improvement.
· Walking and cycling improvements.
· A36 role and function – the current allotted red amber green allocation to the list of issues was challenged. Just because something was red then it should not be discarded.
· The green infrastructure Strategy could help solve a number of the problems if taken forward with these disciplines.
The Chairman thanked all for their input, adding that all of the recorded comments would be taken forward and used in the consultation.