Councillor Howard Sykes, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, notes that Covid-19 has impacted our local travel. 

Councillor Sykes has suggested a five-point programme to Council Bosses.  This could kickstart our local transport needs in a green direction.  The Council could be been given up to £500,000 by the Mayor of Manchester to make streets safer.  The five points are a solid guide on how to spend that money.  These are listed below:

1. A commitment to provide additional financial support to our local public transport network. 
2. Power for Highways Authorities to introduce dedicated cycle lanes.
3. Councils should be able to solve problem areas by changing the limit where appropriate.
4. Protection for Local Authorities using the enhanced Traffic Reduction Orders against legal challenge.
5. Get the government to commit to giving local highway authorities across England access to additional powers.

“Public transport is down whereas car usage is now on the up.  Less cars on the road at the start of the crisis was welcome.  Less vehicles made air quality better as well as making it safer for cyclists and pedestrians,” said Councillor Sykes.

“Maintaining these safe and healthy streets will be a crucial part of the Covid-19 recovery phase.  Local councils will play a critical role in this.”

Notes – copy letter below identical one sent to GM Mayor Andy Burnham.

Sent: 29 May 2020 07:50
Subject: Five points for green transport recovery in Oldham Borough and beyond (Our Ref 4307)

Dear Carolyn Wilkins,

Re: Five points for green transport recovery in Oldham Borough and beyond

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on our daily lives, including on our travel.  At the same time, the reduction in numbers of cars on the road has led to a welcome improvement in air quality and safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

I hope you agree with me that maintaining these safe and healthy streets will be a crucial part of the Covid-19 recovery phase.  Local councils will play a critical role in this.

Sleeves will need to be rolled up; the Department for Transport, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will need to assist.

I think the following five points are needed:

1. A commitment to provide additional financial support to expand the capacity of the public transport network.  There will be long-term social distancing effort in a post Covid-19 world, and we need to keep it running and affordable.
2. Power for Highways Authorities to introduce dedicated cycle lanes.  Follow similar successful attempts in other countries equally seeking to embed environmental gains.  Good example cities would be Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Utrecht.
3. A simplified system for speed reduction. Reduced traffic leads to higher road speeds.  Councils should be able to solve problem areas by changing the limit where appropriate.
4. Protection for Local Authorities using the enhanced Traffic Reduction Orders against legal challenge, so that councils can have the confidence to govern.
5. A commitment to ensure that local highway authorities across England to have access to additional enforcement powers.  We ask that Government work rapidly to pass the secondary legislation required to make the powers outlined in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 (civil enforcement of moving traffic offences) available to all councils outside of London.  This goes hand in hand with the first three points.

I look forward to hearing your view on this matter.

Yours sincerely – Howard Sykes

REPLY BELOW:

Sent: 16 June 2020
Subject: Five points for green transport recovery in Oldham Borough and beyond

Dear Cllr Sykes,

Thank you for your email, and for raising these important issues relating to funding, enforcement and the role of local government in transport recovery.

We are working hard within the Council, and with colleagues across Greater Manchester, under Chris Boardman’s guidance to respond to the challenges that pedestrians and cyclists experience regarding social distancing during the pandemic.

This is a fast moving situation, so we are taking an approach that we hope will deliver both quick wins and longer term benefits for cycling and walking in the borough. Interventions for quick wins will focus on those areas where the current need for additional space for cycling and walking is highest (around our busiest town centres), expanding out as the lockdown is relaxed. We’re looking at a range of interventions, from road markings to the de-cluttering of street furniture, to dedicated cycle lane development.

In the longer term we are working closely with TfGM colleagues to maximise the opportunity for Oldham across a range of bidding opportunities including The Government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund and the Mayors Challenge Fund, both of which have a focus on cycling recognising the need to consider alternative modes of travel by encouraging safe cycling and walking spaces. This approach to deliver safer streets includes a range of measures which are designed to meet the needs of each scheme and where appropriate speed restrictions will form part of the overall package.

I agree with the point you raise around the expansion of public transport , but it’s important the approach is informed by analysis already underway to more accurately understand the lasting impact of changes around our working lives, and social activities. This will be necessary to assess the business case which will direct the appropriate investment needed to deliver future expansion. At this point in time patronage increases across bus and Metrolink have been noted over the last week with volume increases on the highway being relatively stable and active travel seeing the largest % increase

As regards enforcement, whilst additional powers would be welcomed it would need to be accompanied by appropriate resource as a failure to recognise the additional work placed on local government officers would present a risk of our inability to match against public expectation and would not provide an effective mechanism to control speeding.

Regards

Dr. Carolyn Wilkins OBE, Chief Executive, Oldham Council, Accountable Officer, NHS Oldham CCG