Minutes of meeting – 15 June 2021
Minutes of Meeting Held Tuesday 15th June 2021
- Held live on Zoom
- Commencing at 18.00hrs
Attendees:
Lucie Allen – Chair
Marc Lohez – Media Lead
Lawrence Harrell
Beth Barker-Stock- Cycling officer
Sophie Leon-BCP
Cllr Andy Hadley
Cllr Mike Greene
Mike Chalkley
Ray O-luby
John Grantham
Tom Quay- Passenger Transport
John Twitchen
Lisa Lewis
Paul Bradley
Sue Smith
Julie Giggleswick
Dan Bateman
Dave Fevier
Angela Pooley – Secretary
Jenny Ansell
John Plumbe
Dr John Holloway
Vikki Slade
Angela Fendley
Brian Callow
Cllr Mike Greene
Cllr Cheryl Johnson
Ross Hodder
Sarah Speakman-Jones
Sophie Leon
Introductions & Apologies
Apologies from: Cllr L.J Evans; Judy Windwood; Jason Falconer
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting
Minutes of Previous Meeting
These were accepted as a true and accurate record.
Matters Arising Not Covered on the Agenda
No Matters arising
Chair’s Report
During the last quarter as I’ve been finding my feet as Chair, I’ve had the chance to meet in person with the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability, Cllr Mike Greene and also the Senior Cycling and Walking Officer Beth Barker-Stock. We are all keen to forge a mutually beneficial relationship with BHAT providing support and a ‘voice’ to promote and welcome upcoming schemes, whilst also providing opinions and requests for better and more walking and cycling infrastructure and feedback on proposals.
We were invited to a series of Zoom meetings with Officers and Programme Managers from the BCP Transforming Travel team to preview some of the TCF (Transforming Cities Fund) routes and designs. These ‘pre consultation’ meetings gave BHAT a chance to add input and requests on various aspects of route, the design and preferred outcomes. BHAT then prepared a formal PDF response document (on the FB Group and soon to be on the website) which has been received and noted. A follow-up meeting to go through this response is scheduled for July 4th. These meetings are really worthwhile and whilst we don’t always achieve everything we ask for; we do have influence. For example, it’s great to see that the schemes are now adopting red coloured asphalt on the cycle tracks which is something we were really pressing for (to deter parking, provide clear delineation and ease of use).
We had been asked by the Portfolio Holder to provide the Active Travel team with locations that require cycle parking and thank you to those that did. This was passed on in addition to ideas and suggestions for secure cycle parking, including the suggestion of using empty retail in shopping areas, such as a new scheme in Worcester. I believe the council are looking into this idea.
The meeting welcomed the Portfolio Holder for first time in several years and he said he would try and attend any future BHAT Forum meetings to keep us up to date. He said the Transport Department were committed to Active Travel and would apply for funding from Central Government at every opportunity. He acknowledged that there were some ‘brave’ political decisions that needed to be made with regards to concerns and objections from some ward councillors. The PH also confirmed that all new infra would be to LTN 1/20 standard and if it wasn’t possible to achieve that (line painting old narrow advisory cycle lanes for example) then these would be omitted altogether as it widely accepted that narrow advisory lanes are more dangerous than no painted lines. BHAT asked if there was anything we could do to help provide information or support but were told ‘no’. However, I encouraged all Forum members to contact their ward councillors to say they fully support all Active Travel measures as often the councillors only hear from those that oppose.
I have been in contact with the Council about ‘parklets’ (reallocating parking spaces, particularly outside cafes in neighbourhood shops) and have at least a few councillors on board. Parklets which incorporate cycle parking encourage active travel to and from those venues in addition to improving the public realm and sense of community. Another thing to ask your councillor for!
Since the meeting, I have invited the Council Leader, Deputy and PH to join me in September on a cycle ride through Poole to address some of the issues of severance in the town (bus station, railway line, High Street and George roundabout to name a few) to which they have agreed, and I will report back in due course!
With 78km of new cycling infrastructure coming to BCP in this first tranche of TCF funding there is a lot of work to be done on the ground and it’s really exciting to see it happening and will be even more exciting to use it! As a Forum, I’d say we are more excited and anxious to see some of the LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan) come to fruition as these are the daily ‘local’ routes that we all desperately need, rather than the initial TCF routes which provide the main sustainable ‘corridors’.
Digital Update Jun 2021:
Media Update- Marc Lohez
Website:
Website traffic is ticking over but has gone down a little generally, mainly due to reduced blog content which is to be expected. I plan to work with Lucie on this over the coming months to bump this up again.
Facebook:
Facebook is where the brunt of our action is, engagement is great and continues to grow steadily, even though I’ve intentionally taken more of back seat which is great, meaning the group is self perpetuating.
959 total members (+26.52% vs 31 Mar 2021)
907 active members!! | 188 posts – + 62% last quarter – this is a really good stat.
Key here is for admins and other people posting not simply to post in OUR group, but also to share their posts in other local groups (bournemouth community, poole views etc). YES this will open us up to the usual trollers and criticism, but if for every ten people moaning we can pull one in 100% worth it – otherwise our group will become an echo chamber. Keep it going!
BCP Council’s Cycling & Walking Officer Report
Beth Barker-Stock
Active Travel Fund (previously branded the Emergency Active Travel Fund, or EATF)
• Tranche 2 – Whitecliff path consultation had over 1300 responses and showed that over 70% of people believe that it will make walking and cycling safer through the park.
• Members are happy to progress scheme although exact details are still yet to be agreed.
• The pedestrian path will be put on the water’s edge, and there will be grass between the pedestrian path and the cycle track.
• Currently looking at costs estimates to see whether funding can be identified to continue this link to the car park and beyond towards the Quay.
Tranche 1 Quay and Lower High St – retained summer months only.
- Evening Hill – decision published imminently
- All others under review – decisions to be published soon.
TCF:
• Consultation on the Cycle “C” corridors closed on 31st March, there will be further engagement with stakeholders including BHAT once ward members have been updated on the outcomes of the consultation.
• Consultation on the two Sustainable “S” corridors closed yesterday (14th June) – again BHAT will be engaged further in due course.
• Works are on site at Leigh Road (S5 corridor), Whitelegg Way (S6) and in the Upper Gardens (C2).
• Work starts on the C1 corridor in Kings Park in July.
• Trip end facilities – schools were invited to bid for TCF funding for new/upgraded cycle storage facilities etc. 22 schools have been successful and will be able to start these installations over the summer.
• The BCP Comms team have been working on social media messaging, video interviews, wider information about sustainable/active travel etc. BHAT members are invited to get involved with future blog posts and interviews.
• We are completing a lot of work related to monitoring and evaluation collecting data to establish the benefits of the TCF investment. We will be setting up Technical forums to discuss this particular subject.
• For any further comments or queries, members are requested to email the Transforming Travel email address rather than individual officers – this is to make sure that all emails are logged and responded to by the appropriate person. transformingtravel@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
LCWIP:
• Initial public engagement completed on 26th April – 390 surveys completed and nearly 800 pins added to the interactive map.
• Overall the general response via the surveys was positive, with 69% either agreeing or strongly agreeing that there should be a comprehensive network of walking and cycling routes across the BCP area.
• Currently we are working through all the responses and considering any suggested changes/additions to the draft network map. Through June and July we will be drafting the LCWIP document, which will be subject to formal consultation in late August/September.
This draft document will then be updated and finalised, with the intention to put it before Cabinet for adoption in December.
Parks and Open Spaces:
• Public engagement on the future of BCP’s Parks and Open Spaces is still open online at https://haveyoursay.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/green-infrastructure
Other active projects:
• Wallisdown Road West underway – rolling programme throughout this year. Mountbatten to Coty access road – first phase – complete this summer. Design work underway for next phase heading eastwards to the BMW garage www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/wallisdownroad
• Boundary Roundabout complete – I have reported the length of wait time for people walking and cycling at the crossings, this may have since been improved. Further work required on approach links, to be delivered in future schemes.
• Holes Bay Crossing – complete.
• Beryl Bikes – 16,700 journeys made in May
• E-scooter trial – 13,800 journeys made in May. E-scooters not permitted to be used on the prom during July and August (as bikes).
Other Cycling & Walking Officer work:
• Technical appraisal and feedback on TCF designs.
• Advising Engineering team on other projects at early stages of design.
• Responding to complaints and queries from members of the public and ward Members.
• Commenting on Planning applications, Neighbourhood Plans and new developments.
• Providing input at masterplanning meetings
• Looking for “easy wins” and other minor works that can be delivered in current year – 5 sets of chicane barriers have been removed in the past couple of weeks to improve accessibility.
• Reviewing cycle parking provision.
• Providing advice and feedback to Comms team on wording/framing for consultation information.
• School Streets – have approval to pilot 4no. School Streets next academic year, subject to ward member approval.
• Working with colleagues to align Bikeability training provision across BCP – also hoping to be able to offer some adult training.
• New Sustrans Bike It officer, Amanda Shorey has been working in schools across the BCP area to encourage behaviour change and engagement, running Dr Bike and bike/scooter training sessions.
• Ride Leader training – hoping to increase programme of led group rides, in conjunction with Beryl. See www.letsride.co.uk for current rides available to book onto – it would be great to see some BHAT at some of these.
Future meeting dates
Date of next Meeting – 28th September – Location to be decided.