Contact: Kevin Travers, ext 7763

1. Summary

1.1 This report brings Members up to date on the delivery of the Local Transport Plan (LTP) and the contents of Hampshire County Council's first Annual Progress Report (APR) submitted to the Government Office for the South East (GOSE).

2. Background

2.1 The APR provides the chief mechanism for reporting back to Central Government on how the LTP is being implemented, as well as providing an opportunity to show progress made in working towards the objectives and targets contained in the Plan. The APR also enables a report to be made on particular achievements in delivering the LTP to residents, interest groups and other stakeholders.

3. Annual Progress Report

3.1 The APR was submitted to GOSE on 31 August 2001. Initial indications are that it has been well received, although a formal response will not be given until December. At that time the indicative allocations for funding in 2002/03 will be confirmed and comments made on the APR document itself and the progress made in delivering the capital programme.

3.2 The APR starts with a summary of the LTP policy context. This is followed by a discussion of the Government's response to the LTP and covers the opportunities arising from the increased Government financial support. The body of the report concentrates on progress with delivery of investment programmes, policy initiatives and the monitoring regime.

3.3 The APR includes a number of supplementary bids, which have been put forward for consideration for funding in 2002/03 as follows:

(i) CIVITAS (£1.2 million) - a European Commission Initiative related to innovation in environmentally acceptable transport and systems.

(ii) Charging Development Partnership (£300,000).

(iii) Schemes emanating from the M27 Integrated Transport Study (£100,000) to cover fees likely to be incurred in contributing to drawing up a programme of works.

3.4 The County Council is also seeking to make up the shortfall in funding (£52 million) between the five-year LTP bid and the December 2000 settlement levels, so as to help meet Hampshire's targets and objectives.

3.5 A separate document was submitted to GOSE on 31 July 2001 detailing schemes where the County Council proposes to start works costing over £5 million within the LTP period. These are the Chickenhall Lane Link Road in Eastleigh, Botley Bypass, A3 Portsmouth-Horndean Bus Corridor and Strategic Park and Ride.

3.6 The APR illustrates that significant progress has already been made both in terms of activity on the ground and putting in place the systems needed to ensure effective delivery and monitoring. Early indications are that the County Council is on target to meet its LTP objectives.

3.7 Monitoring of the strategy is an integral part of the process, so that the County Council can demonstrate that objectives are being met and targets achieved. An extensive programme has been developed to address a very wide range of issues. These include traditional traffic volume counts, traffic speed, public transport use, cycle usage, walking, air quality, energy consumption, economic activity, modal share, use of interchange facilities, provision of information, travel awareness and overall perceptions and attitudes towards travel.

3.8 Within the Western Hampshire Transport Strategy (WHTS) area, strategy monitoring was last carried out in July 2001 and TRANSPOL surveys into public attitudes were last conducted in January 1998. The next round of strategy monitoring is programmed for July 2003, with TRANSPOL due to be undertaken in January 2003. However, these programmes are currently being revised to a four-year cycle to facilitate closer comparison between the area strategy and TRANSPOL surveys.

Recommendation

That the report on the delivery of the Local Transport Plan be noted.

6782/KT