Meeting: County Council (County Hall, Durham - Council Chanber - 02/08/2006 10:00:00 AM)
Item: A8 Questions received from the public
Durham City Demand Management and Transport Innovation Fund
Questions
The Council's report on the Local Transport Plan for 2001-6 remarks that "although there has been success on various fronts, outstanding issues remain to be addressed and in tackling these, personal attitudes to travel play a vital role if adverse impacts on the environment are not to be irreversible." One clear such threat that has caused widespread anger in Durham in the past year has been the proposal for a Northern Relief Road through Durham City. What practical measures and measures to do with attitudes to car use is the Council taking or studying to ensure that this road is never built?
Various public documents from Durham CC encompass the idea of a Northern Relief Road through Durham City. All these seem to state that the building of this road will improve safety on Durham's roads. However, as the new road would be an open road across open country, supplementing the current route of junctions and roundabouts on the A690, it might seem common-sense to conclude that, measured in terms of serious and fatal accidents, road safety in Durham would actually deteriorate. I also understand that the Capita Symons study of 2004 concluded that the relief road must be assessed as a fast rural road, deducing an overall increase in serious and fatal accidents resulting from its construction. On what evidence does Durham County Council base past or future claims that this road scheme could improve road safety in Durham ?
Durham County Council is currently studying the possible introduction of some sort of road pricing scheme in Durham, to be funded through a bid to the Transport Innovation Fund. Any pricing scheme that isolates Durham is bound to meet wide public and political opposition locally. What is the status of any studies underway in which any road pricing scheme in Durham would come on line only as part of one covering a much wider area, say the whole of Tyne and Wear as well?
Background
Durham County Council has a proven record of delivering innovative transport projects in Durham City, including an integrated financial package of parking measures culminating in the opening of three park and ride sites simultaneously and the UK's first road charging scheme.
Now, as one of only seven authorities to be awarded Transport Innovation Funding, Durham County Council is looking to develop a package of travel and transportation improvements to deal with future congestion and further enhance the environment to sustain the vitality and viability of Durham City. The objectives of the pump priming funding are compatible with the next steps required in the City. There is of course also a need to evaluate the impact of the measures already in place and any improvements that can be made to them as well as identified future pressures.
Demand management measures to be considered as part of the package are likely to include consideration of further road user charging, public transport improvements, associated highway infrastructure improvements and better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. At the same time, a Vision for 2020 is being developed for Durham City involving substantial consultation and public opinion surveys leading to a new Development Framework for the City.
In order to update and upgrade the transportation model substantial data collection is currently being undertaken and public perception surveys are to be carried out. Subsequently, alternative demand restraint and infrastructure strategies will be analysed and proposals identified from which a substantive case for TIF funding may be developed for the preferred option. A large proportion of the £600,000 of pump priming funding will be used for data collection, modelling and option testing. It is anticipated that modelling will be completed early in 2007 and options identified for public consultation before the summer at which time the way forward should become clearer.
Response to Question 1 - Attitudes to car use
Most of the measures being implemented in Durham City are already having an impact on car use, particularly in the City Centre, including the parking strategies, the highly successful Park and Ride developments and also road charging. In addition, general initiatives such as travel planning for schools and workplaces, bus priority measures and improved public transport are also contributing to changing attitudes.
The final version of LTP2, that was submitted to the Department for Transport in March 2006, outlines the County Council's current position on a relief road by stating on Page 232, ‘…….the Durham Northern Relief Road appeared in the Provisional Plan but has been set aside and assigned no priority in this Plan period until the outcome of further appraisal work in Durham City through the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) is known’.
Response to Question 2 - Road Safety
The need for additional infrastructure improvements to deal with future congestion in the City, including a possible relief road and further road charging, will all be considered as part of the ongoing transportation studies that are being undertaken to evaluate various options. Generally, new road schemes and reduced traffic on existing congested networks improve road safety, but this is not the primary reason for considering the benefits of infrastructure improvements as part of the option analysis for Durham City.
Response to Question 3 - Extent of any road pricing scheme
No decision has been taken as to whether further road charging could contribute to future demand management in Durham City, however this option is being considered along with all other options. It will be important that the need for and purpose of any further road charging, if considered appropriate, is clearly established. Any solution for a relatively small historic town centre will inevitably be different to that for a large conurbation and is likely to use simpler technology.
The unitary authorities in Tyne and Wear have also been awarded TIF funding, together with Shrewsbury which is very similar to Durham, and there is an ongoing interchange of ideas between all the authorities involved and the Department for Transport. The transport consultant appointed by the County Council is the same as that being used in Tyne and Wear but the projects are being separately managed using different staff. Whilst the County is benefiting from the earlier work carried out there is not considered to be any significant inter-dependence.
Service User & Carer Forum
Question
As Chair of the Service User and Carer Forum, a voluntary organisation which involves people with disabilities, older people and their carers in consultation on community care matters, I am concerned as to the future of user involvement in Social Care & Health issues in County Durham. From 30th September 2006 our organisation will cease business due to the service level agreement we hold with Social Care & Health ending. I feel I have a duty to our 500 members, who have given their time and energy freely under difficult personal circumstances, to ascertain the future of user involvement. As you will be aware the promotion of user/carer consultation is embodied in The principles of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990, The Citizens Charter; SSI Care Management and Assessment Guidance 1992, Modernising Social Services 1998 and Local Government Act 1999. Could you please give specific details of how consultation with users and carers will continue from October as you have a duty to do so.
Answer
We are clear about our duty to consult with service users and carers and welcome the many government policies supporting this trend. We would add to the list included in the question policies such as Opportunity Age, Living Well in Later Life, Our Care, our say and A sure start to later life which stress the need for joined up services and for developing a co-ordinated approach to consultation and participation.
We do value and support the full engagement of service users and carer involvement in our work and will continue to expand their role and influence. Research shows that there are many ways of consulting and engaging with the public ranging from surveys and opinion polls to small focus groups and large networks of interested parties. Our challenge is ensure that we expand all of these approaches.
Some specific examples of the ways in which we have and will continue to do this include:
The County Council is of course keen to encourage walking and cycling as an alternative to car use where possible. However, those who may wish to leave their car and walk into the City can consider a number of alternative options, such as the use of the pay and display parking facilities or the use of public transport for part of their journey. It should also be noted that the location of the Park and Ride sites have not been specifically chosen with safe walking routes in mind, the intention being to intercept car traffic intending to park within the City Centre.