Issue - meetings

To consider and agree the consultation response to Surrey County Council.

The Committee considered a report setting out the Council’s proposed response to the consultation by Surrey County Council on the draft Local Transport Plan (LTP4) for 2022 to 2032.  The LTP4 sets out the County’s vision for Transport and the objectives to tackle climate change and work towards net zero carbon by 2050.

The proposed response was generally supportive of the document. There were some key points that the Council wished to raise in response generally and also specifically to the borough, such as air quality management.  It was suggested that more should be done to monitor/improve air quality at the lynch traffic points and that Surrey County Council’s support should be sought.  The Chair supported the idea of an additional air monitoring point in the borough and suggested this was added to the forward plan for consideration.  Cllr Fidler believed that Spelthorne is responsible for air quality monitoring equipment.

The Committee asked that additional information was added on a number of matters including improvements to the local bus network and learning from the success of TfL, access to Heathrow airport and in particular from the south, improvements to the rail service and the addition of Spelthorne to the Oyster zone / contactless payment system.

The Committee resolved the consultation response should be amended by the Strategic Planning Manager in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair to incorporate the additional comments and views expressed by members. The response would then be circulated to members before being issued to Surrey County Council on behalf of Spelthorne Borough Council.

Reason for decision

The draft Local Transport Plan (LPT4) considers the key challenges facing Surrey in relation to transport and sets out the approach to reduce carbon emissions towards net zero carbon by 2050. The consultation is an opportunity to ensure the Council’s views are captured as the draft progresses to the final Plan.