Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Assistant Director City Development.

Scrutiny Committee – Economy considered the report at its meeting on 11 September 2014 and its comments will be reported.

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The report of the Assistant Director City Development was submitted updating Members in relation to transport initiatives and issues affecting Exeter. The emphasis this year was on rail, with new stations opening soon and more certainty in relation to the franchising process; also electric vehicles, with a strategy being presented to Members for endorsement.

Members welcomed the installation of the electric charge points in the city and acknowledged that the ownership of electric cars was increasing.

In response to Members, the Principal Project Manager stated that it was not practical to have real time information at all bus stops although it was anticipated that information would be available via an application on smart phones in future. New proposals for a Park and Ride site at Alphington were expected to come forward in due course.

A Member stated that Devon County Council was waiting for a price for a replacement canopy for the Central Station forecourt.

Scrutiny Committee – Economy considered the report at its meeting on 11 September 2014 and the comments of the Members were noted.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)        the Council’s involvement in the initiatives outlined in the report be supported; and

(2)        the Electric Vehicle Strategy, as a strategy for promoting the ownership and use of electric vehicles within Exeter, be endorsed.

To consider the report of the Principal Project Manager (Infrastructure Management & Delivery).

The Principal Project Manager (Infrastructure Management & Delivery) presented an annual report to update Members in relation to transport initiatives and issues affecting Exeter. The emphasis this year was on rail, with new stations opening at Newcourt and Cranbrook and more certainty in relation to the franchising process.  The report also included an electric vehicle strategy, promoted by the Low Carbon Task Force to ensure a consistent approach to issues arising as electric vehicles become more widely used.

In response to questions from Members, the Principal Project Manager clarified the following –

·           Services provided by Sustrans have included revision of the Exeter Walking Map and inspection and maintenance of the Green Circle signage and vegetation.

·           The Council’s electric vehicles have prompted positive feedback from drivers, and no particular problems with pedestrians not being aware of their presence. The Equalities Impact Assessment has highlighted that there could be issues over visually impaired people being aware of the vehicles, but there were potentially significant health benefits from the reduction in harmful emissions.  An EU directive for electric vehicles to have synthetic sound would not come into effect until 2019.

·           Preparation of the Electric Vehicle Strategy has prompted considerable interest from the business community.

·           Electric vehicles will be added to the Council’s fleet in cases where they are projected to generate savings. Exeter was leading by example with the Introduction of charging points, which has been funded by grant aid and sponsorship. He added that the current range achieved by the electric fleet was more than adequate for travel around the city.

·         The creation of an orbital bus route around the boundary of the city was no longer being considered. The current strategy is to divert some journeys on radial routes to serve employment areas, and this was creating some orbital links.

·         The Council is currently lobbying for improvements to the A303 and A30. There may be an opportunity to suggest the inclusion of solar panels along the route as part of the design stage.

Scrutiny Committee – Economy offered their continued support for the Council’s involvement in the initiatives outlined in the report, and requested that Executive endorse the Electric Vehicle Strategy, as a strategy for promoting the ownership and use of electric vehicles within Exeter.