Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED: that all items on the agenda be webcast.

No apologies were received.

There were no Substitute Members.

Councillor Mrs Gooch was present for Agenda Item 8.

Mr Sean Carter, Chairman of South Maidstone Action for Roads and Transport (SMART) was present to speak on Agenda Item 8.

Rob Jarman, Head of Planning and Development was in attendance for items 8 and 9.

Tim Hapgood and John Bunney from JMP Consultants were in attendance for item 8.

There were no disclosures.

RESOLVED:  That all items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 February be approved as a correct record of the meeting and duly signed by the Chairman.

A revisit of the Cost Benefit Analysis for Park and Ride.

Interviews with Rob Jarman, Head of Planning and Development and Tim Hapgood, Transport Consultant, Spatial Policy

The Chairman introduced the item for discussion and explained the Draft Integrated Transport Strategy had been presented to the Planning, Transport and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January 2014.

The purpose of revisiting the draft strategy was to clarify the options considered for the park and ride and the cost benefits of each along with the practicalities involved in establishing an effective park and ride service in Maidstone.

The Chairman welcomed Rob Jarman, Tim Hapgood and John Bunney to the meeting.

Mr Hapgood introduced his report and explained the Draft Integrated Transport Strategy presented to the Committee in January set out the direction the strategy was moving and the steps necessary to develop it further.

Mr Hapgood explained the test transport measures used were based on the growth outlined in the Draft Local Plan and was very much work in progress.

Mr Hapgood highlighted the cost/benefit analysis showed Option 3 (a combination of Option 1 plus additional measures) to be the best performing, with park and ride considered to be the most effective tool focussing on ‘on demand’ measures.

Mr Hapgood reported on his research visit to Chelmsford where the council operated a very successful park and ride scheme.  80% of Chelmsford’s park and ride users reported they switched from using their car to using park and ride.  The visit highlighted to Mr Hapgood what needed to be in place to create a successful park and ride scheme.  This included:

·  Inter party cooperation

·  A good quality service to the customer

·  Location – close to key routes

·  Few and large sites

·  Pay on the bus – rather than on site

·  Cost and convenience

·  Supported by a robust town centre parking strategy.

Mr Hapgood stated that park and ride was the right measure for Maidstone but acknowledged more work needed to be carried out.  A north/south park and ride spine was proposed and the exclusion of London Road and Willingdon Street park and ride schemes would need to be considered.

Mr Jarman stated he could see the benefits of retaining a park and ride scheme at London Road, Allington and believed it was successful because it used bus priority measures.

The Committee acknowledged receipt of a letter from Mr N Yandle of Gallagher regarding the park and ride site at Eclipse Park.

In response to concerns raised regarding the availability of the proposed park and ride site at Eclipse Park at junction 7 of the M20 motorway Mr Jarman explained the Draft Local Plan referred to two draft locations for park and ride sites; Eclipse Park and Linton cross roads.  The Linton cross roads proposals in the policy did not refer to any enabling development.

Mr Jarman reported as with any land at a motorway junction there were issues with the cost of the land at Eclipse Park.  The land in question at Eclipse Park was an allocation in the Council’s current adopted Local Plan from 2000, and that policy was saved in 2007.

Mr Jarman further reported Newnham Court had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 115.

Report attached together with draft Future Work Programme and List of Forthcoming decisions for consideration.

The Committee considered the draft Future Work Programme and a request from the Planning Department to move planned meeting dates in June and September to provide time for Scrutiny to discuss the following issues:

·  The results of a further Call for Sites and proposed additional sites for inclusion in the Local Plan;

·  Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy;

·  Open Space Standards and possibly action plan;

·  Update on the Integrated Transport Strategy.

RESOLVED: That the Planning, Transport and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee hold two additional meetings on 9 June and 30 September 2014 and the Future Work Programme updated to include the following:

·  15 April 2014

o  Evaluations of Cabinet Member Priorities for 2013/14 Municipal Year

o  Planning Enforcement and MKIP – invites to be extended to all Councillors

·  May 2014 – no date planned

o  Possible training session on Planning Enforcement – to be confirmed

·  9 June 2014

o  Results of further Call for Sites and proposed additional sites for inclusion in the Local Plan

·  24 June 2014

o  Update on the Integrated Transport Strategy

o  Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy

o  Open Space Standards and possibly an action plan

·  30 September 2014

o  Draft Local Plan and other reports.

The meeting closed at 21:25hrs