Part 1 / ITEM NO.
4b

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REPORT OFTHE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR FOR SUSTAINABLE REGENERATION

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TO THE LEAD MEMBER FOR PLANNINGON20MARCH 2012

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TITLE:BLOCK 3 TRANSPORT CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2012/13

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RECOMMENDATION:

That the Lead Member for Planning approves:

  1. The proposed programme of Transport Capital Expenditure for 2012/13, in order to enable further design work and public consultation to take place, as necessary.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

This report presents the proposed Block 3 Transport Capital Programme for 2012/13.

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BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:

(Available for public inspection)

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KEY DECISION:YES

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DETAILS:

1.The 2012/13 Local Transport Capital Expenditure Settlement was announced by the Government in its letter of 22 December 2011. This confirmed the indicative figures as stated in its letter of 13th December 2010, which also announced indicative allocations for 2013/14 and 2014/15. In the settlement, Salford City Council received an allocation of £2.468 million for transport capital maintenance for 2012/13, which is the City Council’s share of £26.153 million allocated to the Greater Manchester area.

2.The Government also made available a further £22.893 million to Greater Manchester as its Integrated Transport Block allocation. However, this figure will be fully utilised by the AGMA agreed topslice contribution towards the Greater Manchester Transport Fund for major schemes, for which expenditure has already been committed on the Metrolink extension projects. Consequently, the districts will not receive any additional minor works capital funding from the Integrated Transport Block allocation. For information, Salford’s share,based on historic levels (and had it not been topsliced), would have been expected to be of the order of approximately £2.300 million.

3.However, the LTP capital maintenance allocations are not specifically ring-fenced to maintenance works in any given year, although the Government expects that, ultimately over time, expenditure will be broadly in line with that for which it has been allocated. As such, the City Council is able to utilise its available transport capital funding on a general programme of transport improvements, all as it considers will best suit the current financial situation, and its local transport priorities and needs.

4.A Capital Gateway bid has also been submitted for prudential borrowing to provide additional transport funding, specifically towards highway maintenance (highways investment and network recovery), and the street lighting “invest to save” initiative. These programmes will be the subject of separate reports to Lead Member in due course. A further £0.377 million of unsupported borrowing is also available to fund the enabling works for the Victoria Street and Greengate improvements. In addition, a further £0.770 million of unsupported borrowing will be made available to fund the Pendleton Way improvement scheme, which will also receive developer funding contributions.

5.The proposed Block 3 Transport Capital Programme for 2012/13 is shown in the attached Annex 1. The programme is also summarised in the table below:

Summary of Proposed

Transport Capital Programme -2012/13

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Budget

(£000s)
Victoria Street / Greengate Enabling Works / 377
Pendleton Way Improvements / 770
Local Safety Schemes / 795
Schemes to Assist Cyclists / 185
Other Minor Works / 220
Devolved Budget Schemes – Committed Prior to 2011/12 / 323
Devolved Budget Schemes – Committed During 2011/12 / 109
Further Devolved Budget allocations for 2012/13 / 400
Bridge Assessment and Strengthening / 345
Design Costs for Future Schemes / 91
Total / 3615

6.Within the proposed Transport Capital Programme for 2012/13, points of particular note include:

  • a continued commitment towards reducing road casualties, with £0.795 million allocated to local safety schemes. This includes £0.300 million to install a new concrete safety barrier along the A580 East Lancashire Road, under the Irlam’s O’th Height Roundabout;
  • funding for supporting works to enable the Victoria Street and Greengate improvements to progress;
  • funding for the Pendleton Way Improvement scheme;
  • £0.185 million to provide improved cycling facilities, including match funding to support the Local Sustainable Transport Fund schemes to improve cycle routes to Salford Quays; improved routes to Salford Quayscycle parking facilities; and improved cycle route links to Manchester City Centre;
  • additional devolved budget provision, with a further allocation of £0.400 millionfor 2012/13, to be split between the Community Committeesand;
  • £0.100 million to continue with the Subways Improvement Programme.

7.The proposed allocation for the funding of Community Committees’ devolved budgets schemes for 2012/13 is £400,000 (£50,000 for each Community Committee). This funding will need to be committed and spent in year, unless the Planning Lead Member authorises otherwise. In addition there is £432,000 of expenditure on committed schemes in Community Committee areas identified in the 2011/12 budget at the start of the financial year, which rolls forward into 2012/13, for reasons outside the control of the Community Committees. These schemes will be delivered in 2012/13.

8.The proposed programme also includes funding for the advanced design of future years’ schemes, in order to help better plan for new schemes over a steady programme, and to provide for a more even spend profile over the following financial year, 2013/14. If necessary, it may be possible to bring forward one or more of these schemes as a reserve scheme, should any of the programmed schemes become delayed for some reason, in order to ensure a full spend of resources during 2012/13.

KEY COUNCIL POLICIES:

Local Transport Plan;

Local Road Safety Strategy and;

Sustainable Transport Strategy.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND IMPLICATIONS:

The proposed programme includes for improvements to assist people with disabilities, and also improvements for pedestrians, cyclists and buses, all of which will assist people without access to a car.

ASSESSMENT OF RISK:

Medium. Failure to spend Transport Capital Allocations on initiatives in line with Government guidelines will impact on future settlement levels, both for the City Council and for AGMA as a whole.

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SOURCE OF FUNDING:

£2.468 million of funding has been allocated by the Department for Transport, via the LTP funding process.

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LEGAL IMPLICATIONS: Supplied byTony Hatton Ext 2904

No specific Legal implications. The LTP capital maintenance allocations are not specific to any given year which gives the City Council some flexibility to look at its transport improvements and prioritise as necessary. Other resources referred to in the Report will contribute to improvement works, safety schemes, highways maintenance, street lighting and subways improvements, together with better non-vehicular facilities / routes, and an encouragement for Community Committees to identify and prioritise schemes which were unable to be implemented last year.

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FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Supplied by Joanne Hardman X 3156

The capital programme which was approved by Council on 21/2/12 incorporates funding for:

- block 3 capital programme;

- Victoria St & Greengate enabling works;

- Pendleton Way improvement works;

which will fund the proposed programme of works.

Expenditure on each of the proposed schemes will need to be carefully monitored to ensure that the overall programme is delivered within its allocated resources.

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OTHER DIRECTORATES CONSULTED:

No other Directorates have been consulted.

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CONTACT OFFICER:Darren FindleyTEL. NO.0161-793 3849

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WARD(S) TO WHICH REPORT RELATE(S): All wards

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Paul Walker

Strategic Director for Sustainable Regeneration

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