Decision details

Consideration was given to the report seeking approval of the Local Transport Plan (LTP), which set out the Council’s statutory transport policies and strategies and replaced the previous plan which had expired.

The committee was advised that the LTP was the Council’s overarching transport strategy and had been developed over a period of nearly two years. The Plan was informed by updated evidence and two rounds of stakeholder and public consultation, and was supported by an accompanying Investment Strategy, consultation outcomes report, Equalities Impact Assessment and Environmental Assessment.

It was reported that the LTP established six high-level policy objectives. Three related to outcomes: economic growth; health and wellbeing (including road safety); and environmental sustainability. The remaining three related to delivery, namely a place-based approach to transport solutions, a transport user hierarchy (prioritising walking, cycling and public transport), and a “manage, maintain and improve” approach to investment. The Plan and Investment Strategy were intended to be enabling documents to guide decision-making over the plan period.

Members asked questions and commented on:

• The inclusion of road safety within the LTP and the potential development of a separate casualty reduction or road safety strategy.
• How the LTP would align with and inform the future work of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority, which would assume responsibility for producing a Local Transport Plan from 2027.
• Monitoring arrangements and value-for-money assessments for cycling infrastructure, particularly where schemes were funded through Active Travel England.
• Rural transport provision, including the challenges of connectivity in rural areas, the role of flexible bus services, and safety and accessibility considerations.
• Funding used to support preparation of the LTP.

In response, officers confirmed that:

• Road safety was embedded within the LTP’s health and wellbeing objectives, with performance indicators reported annually, and that a more detailed casualty reduction strategy would be developed as a supporting document.
• Adoption of the LTP placed the Council in a strong position ahead of the formation of the Combined Authority and would support future transport funding bids.
• Cycling schemes were subject to appraisal and post-implementation monitoring by Active Travel England, with usage data influencing future grant allocations.
• Rural connectivity was a key theme within the LTP, recognising the limitations of commercially viable rural transport and the role of flexible services.
• A government revenue grant of £380,000 had been provided to resource preparation of the Local Transport Plan.

RESOLVED: (By Majority)

That the Highways and Transport committee

1. Approve the Local Transport Plan (LTP) strategy (Appendix 2 of the report) and investment framework (Appendix 3 of the report) as a framework to prioritise transport investment in Cheshire East and support the transition to a Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority.

2. Recommend to Full Council that the LTP be formally adopted as a corporate policy document of the Council to inform and influence wider Council investment programmes, including those relating to spatial planning, public health, regeneration, carbon reduction and environmental sustainability.