Transcript Document
BIRMINGHAM CONNECTED Birmingham Economy and Transport Overview & Scrutiny Committee Anne Shaw Head of Transportation Services Friday 21 November 2014 www.birmingham.gov.uk/connected The Birmingham Connected vision To set a new direction for transport. To usher in a new era in creating choice for how we move people and goods, delivering projects and infrastructure, and the ways in which we fund them. Birmingham must have a ‘go anywhere’ transport system accessible to all. Birmingham Connected – the story so far Broadly following EU Guidance… We’ve done all of this White Paper gets us to here We are here We need to do most of this The Green Paper • A discussion document, presented the case for change and offers a vision for the future; • Intended to start a debate; and • The basis for consultation. Consultation • Agreement from Public and Stakeholders on the Vision and direction from the Green Paper; • “Tell us the detail”; and • March Cabinet report set out 9 areas for further technical detail – which turned into 8 Work Packages. Public Responses 1% Strongly agree 9% 37% Neutral 53% Disagree Stakeholder Responses Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know Not answered To what extent do you agree or disagree with this vision? 37.85% 0% 10% 20% 37.38% 30% 40% 50% 60% Agree 11.92% 70% 80% 90% 100% What’s a White Paper? • Turns the Green Paper discussion into Birmingham City Council Policy and Strategy – accounting for consultation feedback; • A statement of intent; • Brings together a range of projects and other on-going initiatives as well as new ideas under one clear overarching agenda; • Closely aligned to the Birmingham Development Plan but includes a longer term vision; • Includes a delivery and implementation strategy. White Paper sets out our intention to: • Complete a £1.2bn integrated public transport network as part of £4 billion of investment over 20 years; • Investigate options to allow us to generate funding locally; • Develop a strategy for the long-term future and role of the A38 through the city centre; • Reopen and upgrade rail routes; • Invest up to £400 million to upgrade Snow Hill Station; • Deliver our local connectivity strategy for HS2; • Promote a Low Emissions Zone in the city centre; and • Establish Green Travel Districts. Taking Birmingham Connected Forward To support the delivery of the vision Birmingham Connected sets out that we will develop and adopt further specific policy and strategies including: • Roadspace Allocation policy (to support the development of the rapid transit network and other related public realm improvements) using a corridor approach, • An Active Travel Strategy, • A new Parking strategy including new parking standards and making best use of new technologies, • The continued development of a mass transit network in partnership with Centro, the Integrated Transport Authority and neighbouring authorities, • Further work on developing funding approaches including engagement with the business community, Taking Birmingham Connected Forward • A Road Safety strategy • A new Intelligent Transport Systems Strategy, • Travel Plan and Green Travel Districts supplementary planning guidance and, • Carbon Roadmap and Smart City initiatives which support the vision including seeking opportunities to obtain funding. • A delivery programme is currently being further developed – important to comprehensively map out existing work streams and areas for collaboration with partners – e.g. Green Commission and Smart City Commission. • Further consultation will take place as various work streams are developed. Birmingham Connected as a ‘brand’ • The intention is that Birmingham Connected becomes a ‘brand’ for transport policy and delivery in the city; • To be a success need to ensure that public and key stakeholders ‘buy in’ to and support the project • Use the brand to help people understand that the changes being made will transform Birmingham’s transport system and will benefit Birmingham as a whole. Birmingham Connected How will Birmingham Connected improve things for: • Residents, • Businesses, • Commuters and • Visitors? Peoples’ voices: Resident Equitable: • Not owning a car is no longer a barrier to me moving around the city. • Transport and ticketing is integrated and therefore my journey across the city is much easier. • It is easier for me to access local amenities and support my local economy. • I can now easily get to appointments around the city because it’s more accessible for me. Efficient: • More choice for where I spend my leisure time and how I get there. • The city I live in is growing and thriving. • I am proud of the city I live in. Sustainable: • Traffic in the area I live in has reduced making local streets quieter and safer. • I feel safe letting my children walk or cycle to school so I no longer need to drive them. • As a family we don’t need a second car any more – saving us a lot of money each year. • I feel safe riding my bike to work, so I try to at least two days a week now. • I can travel sustainably without being late! Healthy: • I feel happy letting my child walk to school on their own. • It is now easier and safer for me to incorporate physical activity into my daily life. • The exhaust fumes where I live used to make me ill, but now I enjoy walking around my neighbourhood. Attractive: • I have time to enjoy Birmingham and its spaces. • Our city is more attractive and is competitive with some of the best cities in the world. • My friends from outside Birmingham tell me how much they like coming here. • I am proud of the city I come from. Peoples’ voices: Business Equitable: • As an SME my business can compete better because my travel costs have reduced. • I have a fair opportunity for business growth. Efficient: • I can rely on the timings of my essential deliveries. • My employees are rarely late to work because of travel delays. • My business is more profitable because my travel costs are less. • I can spend more time working and less time travelling. • The economy of Birmingham is more prosperous as more firms are coming into the city. Sustainable: • I can achieve my Corporate Social Responsibility targets by helping my employees travel sustainably. • The Carbon Footprint of my firm is much lower. Healthy: • My company has reduced absenteeism from employees. • My employees are less stressed due to improved travel, and there are possible implications for productivity as well. Attractive: • I find it easier to retain my staff because Birmingham is a great place to live. • More visitors, potential new investors and new residents means more business for me. Peoples’ voices: Commuter Equitable: • Transport and ticketing is integrated and therefore my journey across the city is much easier. • I have access to more job opportunities both in and out of Birmingham. • My job is outside of the city centre but I now have a real choice to leave my car at home most days. Efficient: • There will be more commuters in the future and therefore this project means that growth won’t have a negative impact on me. • My journey to and from work will be quicker and more reliable, which means I can spend more time at home. Sustainable: • As a family we don’t need a second car any more – saving us a lot of money each year. • I feel safe riding my bike to work, so I try to at least two days a week now. • I can travel sustainably without being late! Healthy: • I’ve replaced my bus pass with my cycle to work, saving time and money and getting fitter. • I can catch public transport without feeling uncomfortable or unsafe. Attractive: • I have time to enjoy Birmingham and its spaces. • Our city is more attractive and it is competing with some of the best cities in the world. • The local environment where I live and work is much more attractive. Peoples’ voices: Visitor Equitable: • It is clear and easy for me to access the local transport system. • Getting around the city and its various attractions is easy with a well connected integrated transport and ticketing system. Efficient: • I can get in to and around Birmingham easily. • I know where to go to easily access information on how I can travel around. • I can spend more time exploring Birmingham and less time travelling around. Sustainable: • It costs me less to come to Birmingham because typically I leave my car at a free park and ride site rather than parking in the centre. Healthy: • I feel safe and secure when travelling in and around Birmingham. • Birmingham has some great cycle routes for me to explore the city. Attractive: • I choose Birmingham over other cities because it is easier for me to access and more pleasant to visit. If people used alternatives for just two return journeys, Monday to Friday, it would remove around 200,000 car journeys every weekday from our roads. Changing Gear: Transforming Urban Mobility through cycling and walking- update; • A transformative ambition for cycling and walking will be set out in a Birmingham Connected Active Travel Strategy, building upon Phase 1 of the Birmingham Cycle Revolution and the Walking Cities project, • Birmingham Cycling Design Guide undergoing post-consultation editing – taking account of emerging Birmingham Connected corridor approach. Anticipated release Spring 2015, • Green Travel Districts to enhance walking and cycling in environs of major trip generators, high streets and local centres; Local Councillors to focus the views of local residents and stakeholder, • BCR canal towpath improvements well advanced with further work proposed as part of Local Growth funded BCR2, Changing Gear: Transforming Urban Mobility through cycling and walking- update; • Ongoing Transportation Services input to the Public Health led Childhood Obesity Strategy. Head of Services meeting to be arranged, • BCR City Centre Network under development and BCR networks to 2033 scoped up, • Revised BCR Birmingham Cycling and Walking Map to be published in 2015, • Extension of 3rd sector working via the Big Birmingham Bikes programme – e.g. Saheli Women’s Group in Ward End, • Cycling and Walking Task Force now split into Cabinet Member chaired Walkable Birmingham Group and Cycling Forum, Transportation & Highways Capital Programme 2014/15 to 2016/17 • A total of £8.714m of new Integrated Transport Block Funding (ITB) in 2014/15 • 2015/16 and 2016/17 estimated at £5.12m. Lower than previously reported – 50% of ITB will be form part of Local Growth Fund in future years. • Reductions have impacted on the Economic Growth and Walking, Cycling and Accessibility programmes, however, resources secured on a competitive basis through the LGF have largely offset this. Transportation & Highways Capital Programme 2014/15 to 2016/17 Within all programmes it is proposed that: • facilities and routes for pedestrians and cyclists are continuously improved and new road schemes (including road improvement schemes) consider the needs of pedestrians and cyclists at design stage, • Such consideration should include adherence to the Council’s road user hierarchy, whilst also evaluating how schemes can be joined together to incorporate measures such as 20mph limits or aligned working with the Highways PFI. Transportation & Highways Capital Programme 2014/15 to 2016/17 – Programme areas 1. Major Schemes and Local Growth Fund; major transport projects to promote economic growth; 2. Economic Growth and Congestion Reduction: projects to take forward the Council’s economic growth zones and other schemes to unlock growth and reduce congestion across the City; 3. Walking, Cycling and Accessibility; walking, cycling and local accessibility projects to reduce congestion, improve air quality, improve access and improve health and physical fitness (alignment with public health resources to be analysed); 4. Road Safety; schemes to reduce recorded killed, seriously injured and slight accidents across the City and management of the City’s fixed point safety cameras; 5. Safer Routes to Schools; local projects to improve safety and sustainable access to schools; 6. Network Integrity and Efficiency; projects to protect the integrity and efficiency of the highway network. Measures to address local transport issues identified at ward level; and 7. Infrastructure Development; projects and activities to develop future year programmes, including those seeking LGF resources in later years. Should projects developed in this and other programmes be abortive, expenditure will represent a revenue cost to the promoting Directorate. Transportation & Highways Capital Programme 2014/15 to 2016/17 – Revenue Implications • New capital transport projects by nature attract additional ongoing costs in the respect of maintaining new highway assets, • Revenue maintenance funding for projects approved in 2014/15 will be met from an approved policy and contingency budget, • 2015/16 onwards each project will need to identify a new source for revenue maintenance funding as part of the FBC approval process. Digital Speed Camera Pilot • 2011 - Road Safety Grant was discontinued by Government requiring a revised approach to joint road safety activities, including the Speed Camera Operation, • In 2012 Birmingham City Council, on behalf of the West Midlands Road Safety Partnership, undertook a review to explore options for introducing digital safety cameras, • The key findings of the study were that the cost of maintaining the existing and obsolete wet-film cameras were significant and justified the capital cost for purchasing new equipment and developing a new deployment strategy, • The strategy deemed to be most appropriate is to deploy a mixture of Digital Speed Enforcement (DSE), Average Speed Enforcement (ASE) and mobile cameras giving the flexibility to deploy across the widest variety of sites. Digital Speed Camera Pilot A study by the RAC Foundation in 2010 found that; • Deployment of speed cameras leads to appreciable reductions in speed in the vicinity of the cameras, • Evidence from a study in West London stated speed cameras led to a reduction in casualties not only at camera sites, but across the wider road network, • Prior to April 2013 anecdotal evidence has shown that a targeted, systematic approach to safety camera installation has significantly contributed to the overall reduction in KSI collisions and, • Statistics also show that once a safety camera is installed at a specific location, then in the three years after being commissioned it reduces collisions at the location by 30-35%. • The pilot will form part of the emerging Road Safety Strategy. It supports the City’s stay safe objective in terms of assisting in the reduction of the numbers of road users killed/seriously injured in road traffic accidents and assists in influencing drivers’ attitudes away from inappropriate speed. Digital Speed Camera Pilot • Pilot developed by Birmingham City Council & Solihull MBC with West Midlands Police (WMP) and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) – further work with WMP ongoing on proposed sites, • The pilot scheme proposes that seven existing speed camera housing location sites in Birmingham will be replaced or upgraded to DSE cameras operating conditions, • ASE camera equipment will be used to control vehicle speeds on one length of road, • Additional pilot sites have been identified in Solihull, • WMP are deferring a decision on mobile cameras until the outcomes of this pilot are known. Digital Speed Camera Pilot Locations Digital Speed Camera Pilot Key Project Milestones Planned Delivery Dates Issue of quotation pack Oct 2014 Quotation Submission Deadline Nov 2014 Evaluation Period Nov - Dec 2014 Full Business Case Jan 2015 Contract Award/Mobilisation Jan 2015 Contract Start Feb 2015 Go Live - Enforcement Starts August 2015 Information from both Birmingham and Solihull will be used to evaluate the pilot for the whole of the West Midlands; ongoing camera activity will continue for at least 5 years in Birmingham.