Agenda item

North Tyneside Transport Strategy

To seek approval for a revised North Tyneside Transport Strategy.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval for the revised North Tyneside Transport Strategy. 

 

Transport was an important part of everyone’s lives. It supported the economy, society, and communities. It was important that the Authority had a clear policy direction to guide its strategic planning and day-to-day responsibilities. This was reflected in a number of priorities in the Our North Tyneside Council Plan 2021 to 2025, which related to matters such as regeneration; roads and pavements; safe walking and cycling; and a commitment to publish an action plan of the steps the Authority would take and the national investment it would seek to make North Tyneside carbon net?zero by 2030.

 

The North Tyneside Transport Strategy had been adopted by Cabinet in May 2017. The strategy had been revised and updated, taking account of more recent developments – for example, the climate emergency which the Authority had declared in 2019; the Our North Tyneside Council Plan 2021 to 2025; and the new North East Transport Plan which had been approved in March this year by the regional Joint Transport Committee, on which the Elected Mayor represented North Tyneside.

 

The revised North Tyneside Transport Strategy was attached to the report as Appendix 1. This set out the Authority’s updated transport vision for the borough and would be used to shape future decisions; influence sub-regional, regional and national issues; support future funding bids for transport-related projects or initiatives; and support the implementation of the North Tyneside Local Plan.

 

It was known through the lifetime of the Local Plan, the borough was set to grow – with more people, more jobs and more homes.  Significant employment sites were being developed and the borough’s town and district centres would continue to play a vital role. The way people travelled was also changing, for example:

 

  1. the Covid-19 pandemic had had wide-ranging impacts on how people travelled – including movement towards a digital commute, and changes in public transport patronage;
  2. car ownership remained substantial and most people travelled to work by car, which put the road network under pressure;
  3. however, cycling in the borough had shown a pronounced increase.

 

The strategy had been revised with reference to an evidence base summarised in section 1.5.3 of the report and had also been prepared with a clear eye on the national and regional context: including major projects which had benefits for the borough, such as the Northumberland Line. At regional level, the revised strategy would complement both the North East Transport Plan and the Strategic Economic Plan, which sought to secure more and better jobs for the North East.

 

The strategy set out a vision for delivering effective transport in North Tyneside. Reflecting the priorities of the Our North Tyneside Council Plan, the North East Transport Plan and the Authority’s declaration of a climate emergency, the vision was:

 

“Moving to a green, healthy, dynamic and thriving North Tyneside”.

 

This led on to an updated list of five principles that would guide the Authority’s actions, and against which it would measure performance. These were to:

 

1. Reduce carbon emissions from transport;

2. Improve health outcomes;

3. Support inclusive economic growth;

4. Improve connectivity; and

5. Manage demand and enable smart choices for all.

 

Work was now underway to update, where appropriate, a number of policies and strategies specific to transport matters, which sat under this overarching strategy.  These were outlined in Annex 2 of the strategy document. Approval would be sought by Cabinet and/or the appropriate decision-maker.

 

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to either approve the recommendations as set out in section 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendations.

 

Resolved that (1)the revised North Tyneside Transport Strategy, attached as Appendix 1 to this report, be approved; and

(2) the work that is underway, as outlined in section 1.5.6 of the report to update, where appropriate, the Authority’s policies and strategies specific to transport matters to ensure their continued alignment with the North Tyneside Transport Strategy, be noted.

 

(Reason for decision: Approval of the updated strategy will allow the Authority to shape its future decisions, influence sub-regional, regional and national issues, support future funding bids for transport-related projects or initiatives and support the implementation of the North Tyneside Local Plan.)

 

Supporting documents: