Sustainable Transport Taskforce membership confirmed

Cheshire West and Chester Council has confirmed membership of a new taskforce, which will seek to identify and make recommendations to the Council on ways to create high quality places and communities that support town centre economies.

This, together with general health and wellbeing through the improved delivery of ambitious inclusive walking, cycling, public transport and integrated transport projects across Cheshire West and Chester.

The taskforce will also be asked to consider the first set of data gathered in relation to the A5116 Liverpool Road and A51 Boughton trial active travel lanes.

These schemes form part of the government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund initiative, which are being evaluated using dedicated road monitoring, engagement with road users and the new independent taskforce. Bus and cycle lanes are an established part of successful modern cities, and the Council is exploring the role they can play alongside other measures to help protect the environment.

The experimental active travel lanes came into operation on 5 October. The six-month trial is being monitored daily and will have an initial review after the first two months of operation. The lanes are a result of the Government’s ‘Gear Change’ vision, to accelerate active travel. Councils were told to re-allocate road space for significantly increased numbers of cyclists and pedestrians, with some corridors for buses and cycles only.    

Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport said: “The Taskforce will be able to review the monitoring and data objectively and ensure that there is independent oversight of the experimental schemes. I look forward to the feedback from the Taskforce which will add to the ongoing engagement with residents, commuters and businesses. I would like to thank all those who have freely given their time and for engaging with the Council in this process.”

A call for evidence will be held in which wider representatives will be invited to submit their evidence to the taskforce for consideration.  This shall include community groups and professional bodies that are both for and against the current sustainable transport projects. Minutes from the taskforce meetings will be published to share their findings widely.

Representatives from the following resident groups, business and travel experts have received member invitations to the first meeting of the taskforce on Thursday 12 November 2020:

• Chester University
• Marketing Cheshire
• Sustrans
• Chamber of Commerce
• Chester Residents’ Associations Group
• Huntington Parish Council
• British Cycling
• Sustainability Forum
• Youth Senate
• Cheshire & Warrington LEP
• Active Travel Forum
• NHS Cheshire CCG
• Transport Focus
• Poverty Truth Commission
• Chester BID
• Road Freight Representative
• Sustainable Travel for Tourism
• Upton-by-Chester Parish Council
• Great Boughton Parish Council

The taskforce, monitoring and evaluation activities are in addition to ongoing discussions with other interested groups and individuals. Anyone wishing to comment on the trial active travel lanes can email: transportstrategy@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.