The Region s Transport Authority

Transcription

1 Agenda Item No. 12 The Region s Transport Authority Meeting: Integrated Transport Authority Date: Monday 28 April 2014 From: Subject: Lead Member: Head of Sustainability Cycle Charter Fair, Accessible & Sustainable Transport - Councillor Rowley Purpose of Report 1. To provide the ITA with an update on feedback from the draft Cycle Charter consultation, which was undertaken from October to December To seek approval for the final Cycle Charter. Please see Appendix 2 for a copy of the draft version of the final Cycle Charter. To outline the next steps for the development of the Cycle Charter Action Plan, which will commence following approval of the final Cycle Charter. To seek approval for the proposed governance arrangements for the delivery of the Cycle Charter Action Plan. Recommendations 2. The ITA is recommended to: a. Note the feedback from the Cycle Charter consultation, which took place from October to December 2013 with Stakeholders and the public. Please see Appendix 1 for detailed feedback. b. Approve the final draft Cycle Charter. Please see Appendix 2 for a copy of the draft version of the final Cycle Charter. c. Note the next steps for the development of the Cycle Charter Action Plan, which will commence following approval of the final Cycle Charter. d. Endorse the proposed governance arrangements for delivery of the Cycle Charter Action Plan 1

2 Background 3. Cycling has an important role to play in addressing the challenges the West Midlands face, including: reducing congestion, carbon and pollution supporting economic growth and affordable access to employment tackling obesity, increasing physical activity and mental wellbeing creating safer, attractive places where people want to live, work, learn, shop and do business. 4. Cycling plays a key role in developing a high quality sustainable mobility system for that meets the travel needs of local businesses and communities connecting people to opportunities and improving choice, convenience, affordability, safety and connectivity across the West Midlands. 5. The importance of the role of cycling is emphasised in strategies such as the Birmingham Mobility Action Plan, and the recent cycling-related submissions to the Local Enterprise Partnerships Strategic Economic Plans funding rounds. 6. With 41% of all car (driver) trips in the West Midlands less than 2 miles 1, cycling has an important role to play in reducing local congestion and improving the economy, by enabling access to the public transport network, by enhancing access to education and employment opportunities and by improving the health and well being of local residents. 7. The Chief Medical Officer for England s 2014 annual report highlighted concerns about the growing obesity epidemic (with almost two thirds of adults and one third of under 18s overweight or obese) and also emphasised that active travel is good for our health, and more should be done to make it even safer. For instance, the projected cost of obesity in Birmingham alone by 2050 will be 2.6billion per year (which equates to 13.5 new Birmingham libraries) Cycling levels in the West Midlands remain behind those of many other metropolitan areas, as illustrated by statistics for journeys to work by bike from 2001 to Prism 2011 survey 2 Childhood Obesity presentation, , Cllr Steve Bedser, Cabinet Member Health and Wellbeing, Birmingham City Council 3 2

3 Number of residents (16-74) cycling to work Proportion of working residents (16-74) cycling to work % change (%) 2011 (%) % point change England and Wales 650, ,383 14% West Midlands 52,545 49,243-6% Birmingham 5,133 6,458 26% Sandwell 1,972 1,996 1% Coventry 3,573 3,594 1% Solihull 1,446 1,341-7% Dudley 1,872 1,723-8% Wolverhampton 2,534 2,170-14% Walsall 2,155 1,747-19% Over the past year, there has been extensive dialogue on a joined up approach to cycling and walking in the West Midlands. As part of this, there is a clear appetite to develop a cohesive strategy to increase levels of cycling across the Metropolitan Area in order to maximise the economic, health and carbon benefits that active travel offers. 10. This itself will support wider Local Transport Plan objectives and targets whilst also providing a strategic platform for future funding bids which evidences a clear medium to long term strategy for cycling. 11. Across the West Midlands Metropolitan Authorities, there are a wide range of initiatives being implemented to enable and encourage active travel from Bikeability programmes in schools, local Sky Ride events to public health and road safety campaigns to name but a few. A regional approach on leadership, strategy and co-ordination is seen by external groups and stakeholders as an opportunity to increase levels of cycling and walking across the West Midlands Metropolitan area. 12. The last three years have witnessed considerable investment in cycling across the Metropolitan area, including Bike North Birmingham, the Brierley Hill Active Travel Partnership, Cycle Coventry, the LSTF Smart Network Smarter Choices programme and the Birmingham Cycle Revolution. These programmes all present key opportunities to deliver a step change in the provision and support for existing and potential cyclists. 13. We want to build on this opportunity for cyclists across the West Midlands, working with Metropolitan Authorities and other stakeholders (including the Canal & Rivers Trust, CTC, Sustrans, Push Bikes and other cycling and walking organisations) to develop a joint vision for cycling in the West Midlands. 14. The Charter is a simple set of principles for transforming Cycling in the region. This Charter will act as a shared vision, from which we then develop a West Midlands Cycling Action Plan, outlining clear targets, an implementation plan and the resources required to truly make cycling commonplace in the region. The Charter has been developed to support the findings of the recently published All Party Parliamentary Group report Get Britain Cycling. 3

4 15. The Cycle Charter has been developed jointly by Metropolitan Authorities and Centro through engagement with cycling and transportation officers. During its development other local authority groups including the Road Safety Partnership, Principle Engineers Group and the Planning & Transportation Executive Officers Group have also been consulted. 16. The Cycle Charter sets out a vision for raising levels of cycling across the West Midlands Metropolitan Area to 5% of all trips by This represents a 400% increase in cycling journeys from the 1% baseline. 17. To put this into context, based on data for 2011/12, West Midlands residents make on average around 930 trips a year, with only 9 of these currently by bike i.e. just under 1% 4. There are currently circa 2.8 million residents of the West Midlands. Achieving the increase, so that 5% of all their trips were by bike, would mean West Midlands residents making around 125 million cycle trips each year. 18. The Cycle Charter aims to achieve this increase by making it easier and safer for more people to cycle. Feedback from Cycle Charter Consultation 19. Stakeholders and members of the public were consulted on the draft Cycle Charter between October to December The results of this consultation are outlined in more detail in Appendix 1. In summary: Response rates 343 people responded to the Consultation, 91% of these responding as an individual and 8% responding on behalf of an organisation 76% of respondents currently cycle Support for the Charter The majority of respondents (85%) supported the Cycle Charter 10% were unsure Less than 5% of respondents did not support the Charter Support for the vision of an increase in cycling to 5% of all trips by 2023 The majority of respondents (76%) agreed with the target to increase cycling to 5% by 2026 Of the 15% of respondents who disagreed with the target, an overwhelming 77% of these respondents felt that the figure was not high enough / not ambitious enough Support for the key principles of the Charter 20. Respondents were asked to select their top three most important Charter principles. There was a general consensus around the top six most important priorities, namely (and in order or priority): 4 National Travel Survey and Centro data 4

5 1. A high quality and coherent network that meets the needs of all levels of cyclists 2. The needs of all road users, including cyclists, are considered from the outset 3. A high quality cycle network across the West Midlands 4. Committed leadership and political will 5. Funding and resources secured over the next ten years to give the ability to achieve the 5% cycling target 6. Cycling will be better integrated with public transport. Other principles the Charter should include 21. All consultees were asked of other important principles that the Charter should consider. 48% of respondents thought that there were other important principles, with the top principles referenced including: 1. Improve / maintain quality infrastructure / have bike hire / maintenance days (35%) 2. Need to educate drivers and cyclists about dangers and how to prevent them (23%) 3. Increase safety on the roads 4. Need to make HGV more responsible / stronger penalties for dangerous driving (15%) 5. An integrated train service with the ability to transport commuter cyclists / facilities to shower and store bikes within the workplace (15%). 22. A recurring theme in the Consultation feedback is around cycle safety, particularly around car driver behaviour and HGV/Freight/Bus conflict with cyclists. The updated Cycle Charter has been revised to reflect the importance of protecting vulnerable road users both through design of highways, cycle training and driver awareness programmes. Approval of Cycle Charter 23. We are seeking formal approval of the Cycle Charter, and its associated target of increasing cycling to 5% of all trips made by 2023, and 10% of all trips by Please see Appendix 2 for the proposed final Cycle Charter. 24. The All Parliamentary Group on Cycling s Get Britain Cycling report recommended that the government should set a target of getting 10% of all journeys to be made by bike by The Netherlands currently has the highest rate of cycling in Europe, with a total journey share of more than 28%. 25. The Cycle Charter targets reflect the relatively low starting base of cycling across the West Midlands. 26. In the UK, cycling in London has soared in the past five years by more than 80%. In the morning peak in Central London the ratio of bikes to private cars is now 1 to 3. In Hackney, cycling s modal share is estimated at more than 10% of journeys, while across London, including the outer boroughs, it is circa 2%. Cycling s highest modal share in the UK is in Cambridge with 28%, followed by York 19% and Oxford 17%. 5

6 27. Bristol s continued investment and commitment to achieving "more people cycling, more safely, more often" has resulted in the number of cycle journeys increasing by 31 per cent between 2008 and For journeys to work, Bristol has the highest mode share in the South West and amongst the Core Cities. 28. Other areas in the UK are already making plans for change. For example, Manchester is committing to a long term strategy to grow cycling to 10% of all journeys over the next 12 years, and Scotland is aiming to increase cycle use to 10% of all trips by We have undertaken the following approvals routes for the final Cycle Charter: LSTF Smart Network, Smarter Choices Programme Lead Officers 10 March 2014 Centro Operating Board 12 March 2014 Strategic Transport Officers Group 14 th April And propose the following approvals route, subject to ITA approval: Smart Network, Smarter Choices Programme Member Board 9 June 2014 Leaders / Shadow ITA 25 June 2014 Next Steps Cycle Charter Action Plan 31. Following approval of the Cycle Charter in June 2014, it is proposed that a Task and Finish group is established to develop the detailed Cycle Charter Action Plan. Co-ordination of this group will be led by Centro s Sustainability Directorate. 32. This will comprise of West Midlands Metropolitan Local Authorities, Canals & Rivers Trust and Centro Officers; representatives from key cycling organisations including CTC and Sustrans; public health representatives; representatives from local freight and public transport operators; and representatives from the local business community and education sector. Task and finish group outline of key activities Actions Co-ordination establish final membership and terms of reference Audit baseline current activities to enable and promote cycling, including current levels of investment Monitoring and evaluation collate robust baseline cycling data across each Local Authority, and agree Charter monitoring and evaluation strategy Develop and agree Action Plan across West Midlands and by Local Authority for each of the key Charter Principles: Leadership and profile Cycling Network High profile local cycling champion Committed leadership and political will Leadership at all levels A high quality and coherent cycling network The needs of all road users considered from outset The planning process will ensure developers cater for the needs of cyclists 6

7 Promoting and encouraging cycling Funding Cycling and public transport integration Promotion and extension of 20mph speed limits Branded and consistent cycle network, including signage, mapping and online journey planning Affordable (free where possible) cycle training for adults and children Integrated marketing approach to increasing cycling Securing funding to deliver the Charter targets Co-ordination of resources and expertise from a range of partners 33. Once the detailed Cycle Charter Action Plan is developed by the Task and Finish group, an Action Plan Implementation Group will be established to lead on delivery of the Action Plan. The Charter Action Plan will be an overview of individual districts, other partners and Centro s investment plans recognising that the majority of implementation will be led by each the seven West Midlands Metropolitan Authorities. Proposed Governance Arrangements for the Cycle Charter Action Plan 34. It is proposed that this group will report directly to the Smart Network, Smarter Choices (SNSC) Member Board, utilising existing governance arrangements established under the SNSC programme. 35. We propose that implementation of the final Cycle Charter will be overseen by the SNSC Member Board, with an annual review carried out by the Shadow ITA / Leaders. Financial Comments 36. The LSTF 2015/16 funding Bids for Birmingham & Solihull, Black Country and Coventry & Warwickshire total 7.9m. These Bids are made up of Employer, Education and Community initiatives and the individual measures included in each category are heavily focussed on cycling support and promotion. For training interventions specifically, the DfT funding will provide 3,450 cycle training/maintenance sessions for 9,600 participants. 37. Local authorities and Centro have also submitted capital investment bids to the three respective Local Economic Partnerships Strategic Economic Plans covering the period 2015 to 2021, including bids associated with cycling such as the Managing Short Trips proposal. Legal Comments 38. Legal notes the intention behind the Charter and the carrying out of the consultation on its content. 39. A number of commitments are made by the Charter and ongoing engagement will be necessary with the other partner authorities to ensure it can be delivered upon. 7

8 40. With regard to governance the SNSC governance regime was set up to deliver SNSC under the LSTF programme. The terms of reference of the Board will need to be considered and potentially expanded to cover the remit of the Cycle Charter unless it forms part of a deliverable of the SNSC project. It is recommended that appropriate terms of reference are also developed for the working group to ensure appropriate decision making and oversight. Conrad Jones Head of Sustainability Centro Media Contact: Contact Officers: Steve Swingler, Media Manager tel: (0121) steveswingler@centro.org.uk Alison Pickett, Sustainable Travel Manager tel: (0121) alisonpickett@centro.org.uk Sandeep Shingadia, Sustainability & Programmes Manager tel: (0121) sandeepshingadia@centro.org.uk Background Papers: All Party Parliamentary Group report Get Britain Cycling 8