COUNCIL MEETING, 28 NOVEMBER 2002

REPORT OF THE

EXECUTIVE MEMBER

ENVIRONMENT

PART II

SOUTH EAST ENGLAND REGIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY

1. Following approval by the Secretary of State of new Regional Planning Guidance (RPG9) for the South East England Region in March 2001 which included an initial Regional Transport Strategy (RTS), the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) was asked to undertake an early review of the transport elements of the guidance. This resulted in the Regional Assembly's launch of its draft RTS for consultation which proposes 25 new policies and covers the period up to 2016.

2. As part of a two phase consultation process, the County Council was pleased to have had an early opportunity to help shape the guidance prior to its adoption by the Regional Assembly and subsequent submission to the Secretary of State. The second stage of the consultation will involve formal representations to the Secretary of State which may be debated at a Public Examination to be held in 2003.

3. It is worth noting that the draft Strategy has been produced at a time when several important studies are incomplete, including:-

(i) Regional Ports Study (SEAPLAG);

(ii) South East and East of England Regional Air Services Study (SERAS); and

(iii) several Multi-Modal Studies such as those covering the South Coast, the Thames Valley and London, the corridor to the South West and Wales, the M25 corridor and South Hampshire to the West Midlands.


The Regional Assembly has acknowledged this fact but considers that any significant delay in the RTS would be unacceptable.

4. As part of its response to the consultation, the County Council indicated that it would welcome the opportunity for further dialogue to discuss the outcomes of the studies mentioned above. In addition, the County Council expressed particular concerns regarding the possible introduction in isolation of charging for the use of roads in the South East Region, registered its disappointment that the potential for a mass transit system for the Blackwater Valley area was not recognised in the priority list of schemes for the Western Policy Area and sought clarification on the Regional Assembly's proposal to develop an Interchange concept for Basingstoke.

5. In summary, the draft RTS is to be welcomed in principle and offers a significant improvement to the previous transport strategy, both in terms of its overall approach and the way in which it has been developed. Members and officers have been involved in the consultation process via various SEERA groups, working parties and expert Panels and it is pleasing to see that many views have been taken on board, particularly the concept of integrated management which the County Council is leading.



COUNCILLOR KEITH B. ESTLIN
Executive Member
for Environment

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