Issue - meetings

The Department for Transport (DFT) had issued guidance that specifies a six stage approach to producing a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). The draft LCWIP had been published for consultation in February 2021 and included a £31m 10 year programme of investment for Burton on Trent, Cannock, Lichfield, Stafford and Newcastle under Lyme.

In response to the consultation, it was proposed that the final LCWIP recognise that the £31m is a minimum investment requirement necessary to meet the government standards in local transport note 1/20 on delivering high quality cycle infrastructure.

Government had announced that future funding for walking and cycling was more likely to be secured by local authorities who had a published LCWIP that followed Government criteria.  Going forward every opportunity would be taken to secure additional funding for walking and cycling and the LCWIP would be the basis of future funding bids.

The Senior Strategy Officer explained that the intention was to encourage cycling and walking as it was known that over 70% of car travel was for journeys of less than 5 miles.  The Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport said that people would be safer cycling, healthier and air quality would improve.

Members were disappointed that despite Staffordshire being a rural county, only urban areas were included in the scheme. They hoped that there would be links networking rural and urban areas and that District Councils and other groups should be involved.

The Cabinet Member said he was already working on another bid for funding from the DfT which could be used to expand areas of the LCWIP and would involve some network planning incorporating smaller towns and villages.

A Member regretted that his division would not benefit at all from the current LCWIP even though it was a popular area for cyclists and walkers. When normal commuting traffic resumed it would be necessary to deal with ‘rat running’ traffic through village lanes to avoid accidents.

A Member raised a particular concern regarding a cycle route in Burton which was regularly blocked by parked cars and the Cabinet Member agreed to take the matter up outside of the meeting.

A Member asked how the investment would be monitored and felt that accompanying hardware such as secure lock ups at train stations was necessary. The Senior Strategy Officer said that monitoring outcomes was a prerequisite of the funding and authorities would need to demonstrate this.  

RESOLVED That the process for undertaking the Staffordshire Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan be noted and the comments made by members be considered prior to publishing the 2021 version of the LCWIP.