Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Report for Information

1) Purpose of Report:

1.1. This report provides an update on the delivery of the second Local Transport Plan (LTP2) and the content of Hampshire County Council's LTP Progress Report covering the first two years of the LTP2 from April 2006 to March 2008. The report was submitted to the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) before 31 December 2008 in accordance with its deadlines.

1.2. The report also provides a brief summary of the draft guidance for the third Local Transport Plan (LTP3) currently out for consultation from the Department for Transport.

2) Contextual Issues:

2.1. The LTP2 is a statutory document providing the transport strategy context and delivery programme for Hampshire covering the 5-year period 2006-2011. Draft guidance for LTP3, which will cover the period from 2011 onwards has recently been issued for consultation.

2.2. The Progress Report is the chief mechanism for reporting back to Central and Regional Government on how the LTP is being implemented, showing progress made in working towards national and local objectives and targets.

2.3. The main focus of the report is to assess progress over the first two years of the second LTP and for Government to assess opportunities or threats to future delivery, particularly in meeting LTP2 objectives, in delivering the Plan programme, and in achieving targets. Unlike the previous LTP there is no formal assessment of progress or any attached grading mechanisms or performance funding associated with it. However, GOSE do provide a formal response to the document as a means of support and challenge to meeting the aims and objectives of the LTP.

2.4. The Progress Report also provides an opportunity to inform a wider audience of members and key stakeholders about progress in transport policies and programme delivery and to illustrate issues which have directed and influenced their direction in Hampshire since the second LTP was drafted.

3) Summary of the LTP2 Progress Report

3.1. The full LTP2 Progress Report is contained in Appendix 1. It was completed in line with Department for Transport guidance and in consultation with officers from the Government Office for the South East (GOSE).

3.2. The report starts by looking into the context of the LTP, which has changed markedly since March 2006 when Hampshire County Council's second LTP was produced. It focuses on the role of the LTP has in supporting the wider objectives of Hampshire County Council and its partners, through the Corporate Strategy and the Local Area Agreement (LAA.)

3.3. It then goes on to covers progress with targets and delivery within the four priority areas set out in the original LTP2 guidance: congestion, accessibility, safety and air quality. It also discusses the approach to risk management, comments on asset management and the use of resources as well as Rights of Way.

3.4. The Report concludes with a brief analysis of the investment programme over the first two years of the LTP period in comparison with the proposals in the LTP.

4) Key Issues:

4.1. The report demonstrates very good progress in the majority of the four shared priorities areas, evidenced by strong performance for traffic reduction and significant increases in bus and rail travel patronage, and positive long term trends on the reduction of road safety casualties. This is in line with the LTP2 objectives of increasing accessibility, promoting safety and addressing congestion.

4.2. The opportunity is also taken to explain the changes in national policy related to the Eddington and Stern reports and how this has affected the transport policies and programmes the County Council is now delivering.

4.3. Problems with funding, associated with Hampshire being a floor authority are raised and how the Government's approach to this restricts the level of borrowing the County Council is willing to take on. Nevertheless steps have been taken to make best use of available funding, in particular increases in the use of developers' funding has allowed a reasonably comprehensive programme of transport schemes to be delivered over the past two years, especially in the priority areas of highway maintenance and road safety.

4.4. The County Council is currently on track to meet or exceed 14 of the 16 mandatory targets, and has also made good headway towards achieving the LTP objectives and programmes. For the areas of air quality and bus punctuality where targets are not currently on track, plans for the future and proposed actions are also being developed, for example by negotiating Bus Punctuality Improvement Partnerships.

4.5. The current LTP runs until 2011 and GOSE has indicated that they anticipate reviewing the final LTP2 progress reports in the same way as they have done with the interim report.

5) LTP3 Draft Guidance

5.1. The DfT has recently issued draft guidance for the third LTP for consultation. The consultation period runs until April 2009 and a response will be drafted to this in due course. Attached as Appendix 2 is a briefing note detailing the key issues for Hampshire contained in the draft Guidance.

5.2. The draft Guidance on LTP3 confirms that local transport authorities are free to replace their LTPs to a timescale of their choice, and that this does include the option of replacing LTP2 before the April 2011 expiry date, at which point a new plan must be in place. However LTP3 can cover whatever period the Council considers most appropriate and we are not restricted to the 5-year timescale of previous LTPs.

5.3. The DfT is seeking comments on four areas of the draft guidance. Final guidance will be published in summer 2009 and the Authority is required to publish the final Plan by April 2011.

5.4. The Local Transport Act 2008, confirms the legal requirement for transport authorities to produce an LTP, but with greater flexibilities than were permitted previously. However, it must include both policies and an implementation plan, with the strategy setting out the key challenges and how they should be addressed. The implementation plan should complement the strategy, acting as a detailed business plan for implementing the changes set out in the strategy.

5.5. The draft Guidance outlines the policy context for preparing LTP3, focusing on the recent policy document, Delivering a Sustainable Transport System (DaSTS) This contains five goals and will effectively replace the shared priorities of LTP2 guidance:

1. Support economic competitiveness and growth

2. Tackle climate change

3. Promote equality of opportunity

4. Contribute to better safety, security and health

5. Improve quality of life.

5.6. The Guidance briefly mentions funding and states that strategies and implementation plans should be based on realistic estimates of the funding likely to be available. Capital funding for both block allocations and major schemes will be subject to Regional Funding Advice. The DfT does not intend to link any national performance funding to the quality or delivery of new Local Transport Plans.

5.7. LTP3 needs to cover all policies and delivery plans relating to transport and explain how these contribute to the wider local agenda. However it should also be reasonably succinct and readily accessed and understood by a range of users.

5.8. GOSE intends to work closely with Council as the LTP is developed and will expect to meet the Authority at least annually to discuss progress on the preparation and implementation of the LTP.

5.9. The consultation seeks any comments on the draft guidance but views are particularly sought on clarity of the requirements, the balance between brevity and detail, accessibility of the document and whether the guidance clear and understandable to a non-transport audience.