Agenda item

7.1

The Committee received a report of the Head of Strategic Transport and Infrastructure on Sheffield’s Transport Strategy 2018-35 – Assessing Sustainable Travel Options – The Role of Cycling.

7.2

The report indicated that in July 2018, Cabinet had endorsed a new long-term Transport Strategy for Sheffield, setting out how the city proposed to deal with projected increases in population, homes and jobs to 2034 and the arrival of HS2.  At the meeting of this Committee held on 24^th October, 2018, Members expressed a wish that sufficient consideration was also given to active travel, in particular cycling, which had been the subject of an inquiry led by the Committee in 2013/14.

7.3

The report included an appraisal of outcomes anticipated by the Sheffield Cycling Inquiry in 2013/14 and how the newly endorsed Transport Strategy seeks to build upon or change them.

7.4

In attendance for this item were Tom Finnegan-Smith (Head of Strategic Transport and Infrastructure) and Nat Porter (Senior Transport Planner).

7.5

Members of the Committee raised questions and the following responses were provided:-

·                     Sheffield was among the first tranche of cities looking to develop a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan during 2018/19 and, with support from the Department for Transport,  had been successful in its first round bid of £6m. 

·                     Having engaged with Cycle Forums and other local authority partners, it is expected, but as yet uncertain, that further consultation on the Strategy will be carried out.

·                     Meetings have been held with officers from the other South Yorkshire Local Authorities to review the priorities and it was hoped to produce a coherent report to the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority in the near future.

·                     It was estimated that it would cost approximately £28m, on infrastructure alone, for cycle lane provision across the city.

7.6

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       notes the contents of the report now submitted, together with the responses to the questions raised;

(b)       thanks Tom Finnegan-Smith and Nat Porter for attending the meeting and responding to the questions raised; and

(c)     requests that this matter be retain on its Work Programme and considered again in the future, and that progress on the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan be shared with the Committee in March.