The Chairman welcomed consultants Mr John Elliott and Mr Mike Talbot to the meeting.

The report set-out the Swale Freight Management Plan (FMP) whereby the successful DEFRA Grant application made by the Environmental Protection Team in 2013 for the development of a Plan, included the proviso that the plan was completed by the end of 2016.  John Elliott Consultancy and Mike Talbot Associates had been appointed to produce the Plan by the end of 2016 in line with the funding requirements from DEFRA.

Mr Talbot gave a presentation to the Board.  His presentation included the following points:

Adverse affects of freight transport:- pollution; congestion; lorry parking; noise and vibration; and damage to highways;

Cause of problems:- volume of traffic; proportion of heavy goods vehicles in traffic; different types of lorries; lack of parking facilities; and not much resilience or options in Swale for freight movement alternatives;

The FMP originated from air quality work, and the issue was not just all about lorries, i.e. vans were also a problem.

Impact on Swale:- problems on junctions of M2 (junction 5) and other A249 junctions; poor air quality; issues on some local roads, with roads not being able to cope with additional traffic; and additional growth would add to the problem.

Mr Talbot outlined the role of Swale Borough Council (SBC) within the FMP by direct intervention using planning powers and licensing conditions; influencing behaviour of lorry drivers and companies; and working with other parties to promote lorry parking; improve A249 junctions; improve the M2 at junctions 5 and 7, plus an additional junction; alternatives to freight traffic; local road management changes; and improved freight route planners to keep lorries off unsuitable roads.

Mr Talbot welcomed the views of the Board.

Councillor Mike Whiting proposed the following tabled recommendations, in addition to those set-out in the report, as below:

(1) That the JTB notes the officers’ report and agrees the value of rail freight as part of a multi-modal integrated transport policy for the Borough to help bring further economic benefit.

(2)  That the JTB recommends the provision of an international rail head on the Sheerness Branch Line be included within the Swale Freight Management Plan to be delivered by DEFRA in December 2016, as a necessary part of the Borough and Kent’s freight transport infrastructure.

(3)  That the JTB recommends the provision of an international rail head on the Sheerness Branch Line be included within the Swale Transportation Strategy 2014 – 31 as a necessary part of the Borough and Kent’s freight transport infrastructure.

(4)  That the JTB recommends officers prepare and submit, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Board, a response on behalf of the Board and Swale Borough Council to Kent County Council’s Local Transport Plan 4:  Delivering Growth without Gridlock 2016 – 31 consultation, and the Freight Plan consultation, highlighting the benefit of an international rail head in the county and proposing the Sheerness Branch Line as the preferred site due to proximity to the continent, the availability of suitable land, existing and proposed infrastructure for modal shift opportunities, (sea, rail and road) and local industry support.

The Chairman seconded the additional recommendations.

Members made comments which included:  disappointed in lack of reference to rail freight; should utilise port facilities more; would like to see a rail head feature more in the Plan; poor air quality was an increasing issue; welcomed the strategy; would like to include buses, as well as taxis, in the Action Plan; lorries used roads unsuitable for their use; traffic on the A2 was getting worse, an additional M2 junction was needed west of Faversham, east of Sittingbourne; interested to see alternatives to road transport; needed to consider that A251 was the only road south of Faversham, and was a single lane carriageway which was ‘diabolical’; consider benefits of 20s plenty;  a more ‘joined-up’ approach was needed to include enforcement in planning powers; question whether 20s plenty would have an impact; promotion of better lorry driving was difficult to enforce; junction improvements were crucial; a mega lorry park would make it harder to achieve smaller, local parks; Ospringe by-pass needed to be looked at again; lorry parking was a real issue on the Isle of Sheppey; suggested Neats Court at Queenborough was a good location for a lorry park; welcomed rail freight option, but this would only work long haul; ideal location for rail depot would be at Ridham; traffic lights caused more pollution than roundabouts; switching vehicles off caused more pollution when they were switched on again; completion of Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road would help; a strategic solution to lorry parks was needed, not smaller lorry parks; private hire vehicles and buses, plus any vehicles carrying people should be included in Action Plan 3 (b); vans were also an issue; unsure that move to rail freight would be economical; M2 needed to be upgraded between the A249 and A251; with more passenger train movements, questioned whether there was also capacity for rail freight, and whether the infrastructure allowed the vision in the Plan to go forward; hands were tied with regard to planning powers because of planning legislation; needed to recognise that local Councillor opinion of an area’s suitability for development should be considered against the views of statutory consultees; issues of cost of clearing up after stays at lorry parks; smaller lorry parks were easier to manage and direct lorries to; and any effort to complete the Northern Relief Road, without a link to the M2, would make traffic in Teynham and Norton worse.

The Chairman thanked the consultants for attending the meeting.

Members thanked officers for the report.

Recommended:

(1)          That the preparation of a Swale Freight Management Plan to identify opportunities to reduce air pollutants form freight transport and other commercial vehicle sources in the Borough be supported.

(2)    That any other relevant concerns be considered and be incorporated in the final report.

(3)     That the completed DEFRA approved report be brought back to the JTB early in 2017.

(4)    That the JTB notes the officers’ report and agrees the value of rail freight as part of a multi-modal integrated transport policy for the Borough to help bring further economic benefit.

(5)    That the JTB recommends the provision of an international rail head on the Sheerness Branch Line be included in the Swale Freight Management Plan to be delivered by DEFRA in December 2016, as a necessary part of the Borough and Kent’s freight transport infrastructure.

(6)   That the JTB recommends the provision of an international rail head on the Sheerness Branch Line be included in the Swale Transportation Strategy 2014 – 31 as a necessary part of the Borough and Kent’s freight transport infrastructure.

(7)   That the JTB recommends officers prepare and submit, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Board, a response on behalf of the Board and Swale Borough Council to Kent County Council’s Local Transport Plan 4:  Delivering Growth without Gridlock 2016 – 31 consultation and the Freight Plan consultation,highlighting the benefit of an international rail head in the county and proposing the Sheerness Branch Line as the preferred site due to proximity to the continent, the availability of suitable land, existing and proposed infrastructure for modal shift opportunities, (sea, rail and road) and local industry support.