Agenda item

To receive the North Tyneside Transport Strategy Annual Information Report 2023-24.    

Cabinet received the Annual Report on the North Tyneside Transport Strategy.

The Strategy, which was updated and approved by Cabinet in October 2021, defines the Authority’s vision for transport in the borough and sets out a set of principles key to achieving this.

The Strategy reflects the priorities of the regional North East Transport Plan, which was approved in 2021 by the former North East Joint Transport Committee.

As transport is a major contributor to carbon emissions, the North Tyneside Transport Strategy has a vital part to play in the Authority’s response to our declaration of a Climate Emergency. The Authority also has specific policies and strategies covering a number of transport-related areas, which align with the aims of the Transport Strategy.

Some of the key points arising in this annual progress report are summarised within Appendix B of the report.

The Annual Report notes that:

1. Cycling in the borough continues to be ahead of our targets, which benefits people’s health and contributes towards our aims of carbon reduction and good air quality.
2. Our ‘Go Smarter’ work with local schools has seen a continued increase in sustainable travel. We continue to work with schools to develop further ‘School Streets’ initiatives and we are also seeing substantial participation in ‘Bikeability’ cycle training and road safety education.

3. North Tyneside’s transport network has become safer compared with the baseline – the Authority’s significant and targeted investment in major schemes over recent years has been a factor in this.

4. We opened the new North Shields Transport Hub in September 2023 as part of the ongoing regeneration of the town centre which we are delivering through the North Shields Masterplan. We’ve made significant progress with the development of key projects identified in the Ambition for Wallsend, and we seek to bring investment to the North West area of the borough and ensure regeneration has benefits for all residents, in line with the Our North Tyneside Plan.

5. We’ve continued to deliver our programme of transport schemes, having secured substantial external funding, working with our regional partners, from sources such as the Active Travel Fund [ATF] and the Transforming Cities Fund [TCF]. For example, we have put in place the first phase of the Sea Front Sustainable Route, and delivered walking, wheeling and cycling improvements linking to Metro stations and other local destinations in Whitley Bay and at Norham Road in North Shields. This work helps us to reach our goals to create a safer environment which supports everyday cycling, walking and wheeling.

6. We’re continuing to play our role in supporting wider improvements to public transport in the North East, such as the Northumberland Line major rail project, the introduction of the new Metro fleet and working with the new Mayoral Combined Authority and partners across the region to deliver the aims of the North East Bus Service Improvement Plan.

The report demonstrates the substantial progress to date, which we can build on to deliver the aims of the Our North Tyneside Plan – specifically, increasing the opportunities for safe walking, wheeling and cycling and seeking to make North Tyneside carbon net-zero by 2030.

Cabinet agreed to note the contents of the North Tyneside Transport Strategy Annual Information Report 2023/24.