North
Yorkshire County Council
Business and
Environmental Services
Executive
Members
21
May 2021
Proposed Response
to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA)
Connectivity
Infrastructure Plan Consultation
Report of the
Assistant Director – Highways and Transportation
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1.0
Purpose Of
Report
1.1
To provide the Corporate Director,
Business and Environmental Services (BES) and BES Executive Members
outline details of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA)
Connectivity Infrastructure Plan Consultation and to seek approval
for the proposed response being submitted by the County
Council.
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2.0
Background
2.1
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
(WYCA) has launched its Connectivity Infrastructure Plan setting
out a long-term transport infrastructure investment programme for
the next 20 years. WYCA is currently consulting on the plan, and
will review and re-shape it in summer 2021 following engagement
feedback.
2.2
This report will summarise the main
components of the Connectivity Infrastructure Plan and present NYCC
officers’ draft response to the consultation, which is due
for submission by 31 May 2021.
3.0
WYCA Connectivity
Infrastructure Plan
3.1
WYCA has launched a consultation on
its Connectivity Infrastructure Plan that sets out a long-term
transport infrastructure investment programme for the next 20
years. It provides a picture of where improvements are most needed
to enhance people’s quality of life and bring investment to
the area.
3.2
The Plan is informed by a range of
research, plans and case making documents, with key inputs
including:
·
West Yorkshire (WY) Bus Network
Review;
·
WY Carbon Reduction Emissions
Pathways study;
·
WY Rail Vision and
Strategy;
·
WY Future Mobility
Strategy;
·
WY Mass Transit Vision
2040;
·
Housing Affordability and Needs
study; and
·
Local Cycling and Walking
Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs).
3.3
The Plan sets out an investment plan
with initial proposals for a forward pipeline of transport
infrastructure improvements to 2040, categorised as:
A – schemes
for delivery by 2025;
B –
strategic priorities for development and/or delivery by 2025;
and
C –
options for delivery between 2026 – 2040.
3.4
The Plan sets out three main issues
facing the region that has helped to frame the plan and its
subsequent investments. These are:
·
Covid-19 recession and recovery
– ensuring accessibility to jobs to address unemployment and
inequalities exacerbated by Covid-19.
·
Inclusive growth – ensuring
that all residents benefit from economic growth in the
region.
·
Climate change and decarbonising the
economy – reducing transport’s contribution to
emissions, helping to achieve net zero carbon by 2038.
3.5
Work on the Plan began before the
Covid-19 pandemic, however it has since become a core component of
the plan as it is a considerable challenge faced by the region,
particularly in relation to its economic and social
impacts.
4.0
Connectivity
Priorities
4.1
For WYCA there are a number of connectivity priorities,
establishing the desired transformation for each mode of transport
to achieve preferred outcomes. These are:
·
Walking and cycling – becoming
the first choice for short journeys and integrating with public
transport services;
·
Bus – at the heart of
WYCA’s plans, with new infrastructure giving bus an advantage
over cars;
·
Rail – serving trips to main
centres, boosted by improved journey times, capacity, station
facilities and accessibility;
·
Mass transit – a new form of
mass transit will provide the missing link in WY’s transport
system, bringing additional capacity, quality and
connectivity;
·
Cars and vans – will be used
less but still be important, and will transition to electric
vehicles with an extensive charge point network;
·
National and international
connectivity – business and movement of goods will be
enhanced by reduced traffic congestion. Rail will play a greater
role in longer-distance freight transport. Mobility and
consolidation hubs will provide sustainable ‘last mile’
solutions for deliveries in urban centres.
5.0
NYCC response
5.1
NYCC Officers have reviewed
WYCA’s consultation and drafted a response to the
consultation survey. The full consultation response can be found in
Appendix A.
5.2
Where appropriate, NYCC
officers’ have highlighted areas where it is important for
considering cross-boundary journeys, particularly to Skipton,
Selby, Harrogate and York. It will be important for NYCC to
continue working with WYCA and local authorities to address
cross-boundary transport issues and maximise sustainable
connectivity.
5.3
Due to the survey format, some
questions do not provide an opportunity to elaborate on the
responses other than ticking a box; where this is the case and NYCC
has further comments, we will send WYCA officers a supplementary
note. Appendix A details the full response that NYCC proposes to
provide; this includes both the allocated Likert Scale response
(e.g. agree, neutral, disagree, don’t know) and the written
response (which may be submitted separately), where
necessary.
6.0
Equalities
6.1
There are no equalities issues
arising from this report, see Appendix B.
7.0
Finance
7.1
There are no financial issues
arising directly from this report. The Connectivity Infrastructure
Plan is a long term investment programme for WYCA. As proposals
develop, there may be financial implications for NYCC in the future
and these will be subject to further reports at the appropriate
time.
8.0
Legal
8.1
There are no legal implications
arising from this report. The Connectivity Infrastructure Plan sets
out a long term transport infrastructure investment programme for
WYCA. The Plan is at an early stage and will be subject to further
rounds of engagement and evaluation.
9.0
Climate Change
9.1
As the report relates solely to
submitting a response to the West Yorkshire Combined
Authority’s consultation on their Connectivity Infrastructure
Plan, there are no direct climate change impacts arising from this
decision, see Appendix C.
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10.0
Recommendation
10.1
It is recommended that the Corporate Director - BES and the BES
Executive Members approve the recommended response to the
consultation to be submitted to West Yorkshire Combined Authority,
as detailed in Appendix A.
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BARRIE
MASON
Assistant
Director – Business and Environmental Services
Authors of
Report: Will Britton
Background
Documents: None
Connectivity
Infrastructure Plan
Questions
Q1
How are you responding to this survey?
·
I am a member of
the public, giving my views as an individual
·
I am responding
on behalf of, or as a representative of, a business or
organisation
·
Other
On
behalf of an organisation
Q2
The key objectives outlined in the Connectivity Infrastructure Plan
that would help us improve connectivity are:
·
Inclusive growth
– making economic growth inclusive, to benefit all
communities
·
Covid-19
recovery – enabling a green recovery from recession, which
addresses unemployment and inequalities made worse by
Covid-19
·
Climate change
– the urgent need to decarbonise the economy and
transport
Do
you agree that inclusive growth, Covid-19 recovery and climate
change are the correct priorities? (Yes, in full; Yes, in part; No,
not at all; Don’t know)
Yes,
in full
With
the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important that it is
recognised as a significant challenge in the short and longer-term,
with consequential economic and social impacts. It is vital that
recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is done in a way that is both
inclusive (i.e. decreases inequalities) and low-carbon, to avoid a
high-carbon recovery. There will likely be overlaps and synergies
between the priorities that will need to be understood to reduce
the risk of one priority having an accidental detrimental impact
upon another.
Additional
considerations may relate to increasing health and wellbeing
(likely as part of inclusive growth), and improvements to the
environment wider than climate change (e.g. air pollution, green
spaces, resilient landscapes etc.).
Q3
Do you agree that the types of places below should be the key focus
of our plans to improve transport connectivity? (Yes, in full; Yes,
in part; No, not at all; Don’t know)
·
Main cities and
towns
·
New housing
growth
·
New employment
growth
·
Areas of
deprivation
·
Other
Yes
in part
The
types of places listed above should be the key focus, especially as
it will help to increase inclusive growth, boost the economy and
reduce congestion and emissions. It is particularly important for
areas of new housing and employment growth to be well connected to
public transport and active travel, reducing the risk of increased
traffic and congestion in West Yorkshire. It will also be important
for transport options to be improved from transport interchanges to
residential areas, facilitating more sustainable multi-modal
journeys.
When
considering access to main towns and cities, key commuting areas
outside of West Yorkshire should also be considered, as well as
areas of new housing and employment growth outside of the West
Yorkshire conurbation. Similarly, connectivity from West Yorkshire
to key destinations outside of the conurbation (particularly for
leisure and tourism) should be considered.
Q4
Our Connectivity Plan proposes alternatives to private car use by
joining up other forms of transport for easier journeys door to
door. Do you agree with this approach? (Yes, in full; Yes, in part;
No, not at all; Don’t know)
Yes
in full
This
approach is suitable for providing a viable alternative to private
car use. It is vital that public transport and shared mobility
modes are affordable and well integrated to provide seamless
multi-modal journeys. Similarly, integrating walking and cycling
infrastructure with transport interchanges will help to support
first/last mile connectivity. As part of joining up forms of
transport for easier door-to-door journeys, it is important to
consider how journey planning, payment and ticketing can help to
make multi-modal journeys a seamless experience. It will also be
important to consider how further investment and improvements can
be made to transport for journeys starting or ending outside of the
conurbation, particularly commuting and leisure trips to and from
nearby towns and cities (e.g. York, Harrogate, Selby,
Skipton).
Q5
Do you agree with the ambition set out in the Mass Transit 2040
Document for a new form of high quality, high-capacity public
transport? (Yes, in full; Yes, in part; No, not at all; Don’t
know)
Yes,
in full
A
high quality, high capacity mass-transit system can provide a
higher-level experience for users and help to encourage greater
modal shift, whilst improving accessibility and journey time
reliability. The cost, construction time and scale of construction
should be taken into consideration for each option, to ensure that
value for money is achieved, and that a mass-transit system can be
implemented and utilised without delay, as it is imperative that
transport emissions are reduced as soon as possible.
Q6
Do you think the Mass Transit Vision 2040 document identifies the
right places to connect by Mass Transit? (Yes, I agree; Neutral;
No, I disagree; Don’t know)
·
East
Leeds
·
Bradford -
Leeds
·
South Leeds
– Dewsbury
·
Bradford –
Dewsbury
·
Huddersfield
– Dewsbury
·
Bradford –
Halifax
·
Wakefield and
Five Towns
·
Bradford and
North West Leeds
·
North
Leeds
Neutral
Mass
transit will work most successfully in connecting locations
particularly underserved by other modes of public transport (rail
and bus); it will be important for mass transit to support
connectivity to transport hubs to provide seamless multi-modal
travel, along with integrating walking and cycling with mass
transit stations.
It
is important to ensure that any new form of mass transit enhances
the public transport offering in an area, and does not abstract
journeys from one mode of public transport to another.
Q7
The Strategic Bus Network Review identifies several highway and bus
service improvements which include:
·
Improving the
Core Bus Network - increasing priority for bus on the roads &
using more environmentally friendly buses
·
Increasing
priority for bus on our roads – to make all bus journeys,
regardless of service frequency, faster and more
reliable
·
Improving the
quality of the buses
·
Expanding the
bus network – to allow more communities to access a bus more
frequently.
Do
you agree that these are the correct priorities for the bus
network?
(Yes, in full; Yes, in part; No, not at all; Don’t
know)
Yes,
in full
These
are the correct priorities. In addition to this, there may be
consideration for how bus integrates as part of a wider public
transport network, facilitating multi-modal travel across the
region, including improvements to interchange facilities.
Furthermore, there should be consideration for how ticketing,
payment and information is part of the offering, helping to provide
a seamless transport experience for users, including those outside
of the WYCA boundaries.
The
proposed bus priority measures on key routes will have a positive
impact on those services operating cross boundary to and from West
Yorkshire most notably from Selby, York, Harrogate and
Skipton.
Proposed
service improvements need to consider additional journey
opportunities to cross boundary passengers for example improved
links from Wetherby to Thorp Arch offering opportunities for
journeys from Harrogate and York.
As
the DfT has recently released its National Bus Strategy, it will be
of value to consider how key changes in national policy may
influence the Connectivity Infrastructure Plan.
Q8
The key objectives for the Rail Vision are outlined below. How
strongly do you agree with the objectives? (Yes, in full; Yes, in
part; No, not at all; Don’t know)
·
Economy –
increasing access to jobs, education and amenities, connecting to
areas of growth, and supporting businesses provide goods and
services
·
Social –
Expanding travel horizons for communities, connecting deprived
communities with opportunities, and expanding the role that rail
plays in our region.
·
Environmental
– supporting transition to a zero-carbon economy, encouraging
use of sustainable modes, and helping to reduce emissions and
improve air quality.
·
Quality of life
– supporting a high quality of life, improving health and
well-being, and enhancing sense of place within transformed cities,
towns and neighbourhoods.
Yes,
in full
The
quality of life objective will likely come as a result of the
economy/social/environmental objectives if met, so it is important
that each objective is not viewed in a silo, but considered as part
of an interconnecting system. There may be an opportunity for
considering how connecting new developments with rail can help
futureproof sustainable transport for developments.
Q9
In considering how rail can help to achieve our objectives, we have
developed a set of high level principles to help shape our ambition
for the new Rail Vision:
·
Address key
capacity issues across the rail network
·
Improve
passenger experience to create high-quality journeys
·
Provide a
consistent rail service throughout the region
·
Create an
integrated transport network with easy door-to-door
journeys
·
Improve the
environmental performance of the rail network.
To
what extent do you agree with the ambition for rail set out in the
Rail Vision? (Yes, in full; Yes, in part; No, not at all;
Don’t know)
Yes
in part
These
principles are appropriate for the rail vision; additional
consideration may be valuable for journeys to and from West
Yorkshire by rail, especially from nearby towns and cities (such as
Skipton, Harrogate, Selby and York), particularly for commuting and
leisure purposes.
The
rail strategy for West Yorkshire needs to be able to fully identify
and develop wider proposals for whole routes, and not just those
within the Combined Authority area. Engagement on cross-boundary
rail routes have been good in the past and NYCC would expect this
to continue as the rail strategy is developed.
Q10
Please state whether you agree or disagree with the following
statements (in relation to the LCWIPs). (Agree; Neutral; Disagree;
Don’t Know).
·
The Connectivity
Infrastructure Plan is correct in aiming to put walking and cycling
as the first choice for local journeys
·
I would walk and
cycle more if there was less traffic in my area
·
I would cycle
more if there was a network of safe cycle routes in my area that
connected where I wanted to go
·
I would support
the development of more pedestrian crossing points along busy
streets in my area
·
I would like to
see more money spent on walking and cycling facilities in my
area.
Agree
with all
Many
journeys (especially in urban areas) are short in length so there
is scope for many to be taken by active modes, helping to reduce
private car use, congestion and pollution, and improving the health
and wellbeing of local residents.
As walking and cycling are at the heart of the Connectivity
Infrastructure Plan, it is vital that walking and cycling receives
sufficient investment to improve facilities across the
region.
As
demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, reduced
traffic on roads partly contributed to a more cycling and
walking-friendly environment, along with improved wellbeing (e.g.
less traffic noise and pollution).
Creating
a network of safe cycle routes is vital for encouraging more
journeys by cycle for all journey purposes and ages.
Q11
How did you find out about this engagement?
Other
– WYCA Website
Q12
Please provide the first half of your postcode
DL7
Q13
Terms and conditions/privacy policy
I
have read and understood the privacy policy
Q14
Please select the sector that best describes your group or
organisation
Local
Government
Q15
Please select the sector that best describes your
business
Local
Government
Q16
Please tell us about the group, organisation or business you
represent
Name
of Organisation – North Yorkshire County Council
Your
position in the organisation – Transport Planning
Officer
Q17
How do you describe your gender identity?
Not
Applicable
Q18
What age category do you fall within?
Not
Applicable
Q19
Are your day-to-day activities limited because of a health problem
or disability which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12
months?
Not
Applicable
Q20
Which of the following activities best describes what you are doing
at present? (employment status etc.)
Not
Applicable
Q21
What is your ethnic group identity?
Not
Applicable
Q22
Preferred method of contact for more info
LTP@northyorks.gov.uk
