Report To: Joint Transportation Board
Date: 27th July 2011
Report Title: Maidstone Transport Strategy
Report Author: Peter Rosevear
Summary:
This report describes the current position with regard to the preparation of a Transport Strategy in support of the Core Strategy of the MBC Local Development Framework
Decision: Report for Information and Comment
Affected Wards: All
Recommendations: Members of this Board are invited to comment and contribute to the evolution of the Transport Strategy
Financial Implications:
The measures that will emerge into the final version of the strategy will be funded from a variety of sources, mainly through new development, and including Kent County Council (via the Local Transport Plan), and Maidstone Borough Council.
Purpose of the Report
1. Update Members on the Maidstone Transport Strategy
Background
2. Kent Highway Services and Maidstone Borough Council have been working together on the evolution of a Transport Strategy that would support the expectations of growth identified in the LDF Core Strategy, and address existing and newly created transport issues.
3. MBC are taking their Core Strategy to Cabinet on 10th August. It will therefore be in the public domain soon after the date of this JTB meeting.
4. The Core Strategy will be accompanied by a Transport Strategy which will support the Core Strategy through the public participation process, which is due to start at the beginning of September.
5. Members of this Board participated in a Transport Workshop in March, and will be aware of the dilemmas at the heart of the transport issues. If there is little or no attempt to address the current congestion, existing residents and businesses will be adversely affected, and future regeneration is likely to be inhibited by the reduced accessibility of potential development sites. However, the measures that might be used to promote sustainable transport and less reliance on the private car may also be a deterrent to the inward investment required to fulfil the LDF Core Strategy’s growth aspirations.
Views of Local Members
6. All members representing Maidstone wards will be invited to comment,
both through this Board and the wider consultation in the autumn.
Views of Statutory Consultees
7. All stakeholders and interested parties will have the opportunity to
make representations through the public participation process.
Conclusion
8 As previously reported, most of the issues on the highway and transport networks are not new, and many have been the subject of much discussion at this Board and elsewhere. The opportunity now exists to set these issues into the context of the Borough Council’s long term spatial planning objectives, and seek to coordinate public and developer funding streams towards potential solutions. The next steps are imminent, being the publication by MBC of the full LDF Core Strategy proposals. In addition, a schedule of transport measures that will be implemented to mitigate the impact of growth will also be the subject of public participation, starting in September.
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Contact: Peter Rosevear – Kent Highway Services
Email: peterrosevear@maidstone.gov.uk or peter.rosevear@kent.gov.uk
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