The Strategic Transportation Planner, Kent County Council (KCC) Highways introduced the draft Swale Transportation Strategy, which had been produced to underpin the Swale Local Plan.  She gave a short presentation outlining the themes of the strategy, infrastructure improvements, targets and share mode targets.

With regard to Mrs Capes’ comments under Public Session, the Strategic Transportation Planner advised that a scheme to provide an improved crossing at Tonge Road was being designed which would include road surfacing and clearing out of the underpass.  She undertook to request further information on the programme for this work and report back to Members.

·         Strategic Transportation Planner

Members made the following comments in relation to Tonge Road: it was an important issue; needed a full report back to the next meeting on the wider transport issues to and from Lansdowne School; and it was an extremely dangerous road and a report to a future meeting should not preclude the urgency of the work or slow down the process. 

Discussion ensued on the draft Swale Transportation Strategy and the following comments were made: it was important to move the Strategy on as it underpins the Local Plan but it was far too optimistic in some areas and not enough in others; the road infrastructure would be unable to cope with the provision in the Local Plan for development in north-west Sittingbourne; Junction 5 improvements were potentially five years away; Grovehurst Road junction needed urgent attention; the Strategy needed to be more ambitious for the Lower Road on Sheppey; Tunstall crossroads was of concern to local residents – could officers comment?; disappointing report; the Board needed to have been more involved in developing the Strategy; data in the Strategy was out of date; need to consider increasing rail capacity and removing traffic from roads; no solutions being proposed to air quality issues; Strategy was seriously flawed; no mention was made of the Southern Relief Road; increase in traffic was certain; concern regarding the proposals for bus routes and bus priority measures and whether they were achievable; lack of parking strategy; no realistic achievements; no alternatives proposed for rural roads and horse-riders; needed to link bridle paths; not fit for purpose; essential to extend Northern Relief Road to motorway – must be in the plan; Swale Rail needed the same designation as the Medway Line as a Community Rail line – people should be encouraged onto the rail network; need to remove traffic lights at Lower Road and Barton Hill Drive; the Lower Road was undersized and unsatisfactory and needed to be brought up to A-Road standard; a cycle route on Sheppey had been promised years ago and there was European Union (EU) funding available for cycle routes; Strategy was not forward thinking; Swale would suffer and it would result in gridlocked roads; the Strategy was a wishlist; more consideration was needed for rural roads and car parking on rural developments; there was no alternative sustainable transport for the eastern end of Sheppey; more work needed to be done to address the Sittingbourne Town Centre regeneration plans; this was a specific strategy that related to the Local Plan; and the Strategy had been previously considered at the Local Development Framework Panel.

The Strategic Transportation Planner advised that the Strategy was not intended to include all the desirable transport interventions across the Borough; it was intended to reflect the Local Plan proposals and to present affordable options based on possible developments.  She explained that one of the constraints of the Local Plan was the need for viable developments to fund transport schemes.

The Planning Policy Manager explained the background to the Local Plan and the need to demonstrate that the proposals were viable and deliverable within the Plan’s period.  The Swale Transportation Strategy would form part of the evidence being submitted to the Inspector for adoption.

Following further discussion, Members of the Board felt unable to endorse the Strategy.  Councillor Mike Whiting proposed that the comments raised by the Board be sent to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport and the KCC Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee and that the Strategy be noted.  This was seconded by the Chairman and upon being put to the vote this was agreed.

RECOMMENDED:

(1)  That the comments raised by the Board be sent to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport and the KCC Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee and that the Swale Transportation Strategy be noted.