Residents are being invited to help shape the Royal Borough’s new Local Transport Plan by giving their views on its proposed key themes, helping to develop the plan’s overall vision.
The plan will be a long-term strategy covering all forms of transport and will set out a range of policies that will determine how this is provided within the borough as a whole.
As a first step, the council is seeking residents’ views on the key areas it has chosen to focus on. These are health and wellbeing, economic growth, environment, and connectivity with several ambitions within each area. A four-week consultation has been launched today on this first phase, and residents have until Wednesday 22 March to give their views.
The council’s current Local Transport Plan runs until 2026. Once adopted, the new plan will be the council’s strategy on achieving the right local transport solutions for residents and businesses. It will include the potential introduction of new policies, a list of projects to be funded by the Royal Borough to achieve its ambitions - both in line with the Corporate Plan as well as the Environment and Climate Strategy objectives - as well as further projects that would require delivery but would be subject to external funding.
The plan will be an overarching document pulling together the progress made in recent years as well as building on recently adopted new strategies, including the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. It will be used by government departments to determine funding provision for the council.
Following this first consultation, and based on the feedback received, further work will be undertaken to develop a long list of ideas and options of what could be achieved in the proposed plan period, from 2024 to 2039.
A second consultation on this long list would then be carried out in the autumn this year and from this a shortlist would be compiled. It is anticipated the consultation on the draft plan and consideration by Full Council will take place in 2024.
Councillor Phil Haseler, Cabinet Member for Planning, Parking, Highways & Transport, said: “We want to provide the right transport solutions in the right areas for our residents, visitors and businesses, and ensuring we have a Local Transport Plan which is up-to-date and reflects the needs and aspirations we have as a borough is vital in helping to achieve this.
“We want to continually improve our transport network to ensure safe and efficient journeys can continue to be made across the borough, as well as deliver new transport infrastructure and solutions to support growth and connectivity, helping provide access for people to key services and activities. We want to reduce transport emissions through facilitating more walking, cycling and encouraging use of public transport in order to protect our valuable local environment and climate. This includes a desire to invest in active travel solutions as a safe, practical alternative to motoring and to support healthy lifestyles.
“This initial consultation is the first step in creating a new plan for the borough and we’d like to hear your views on the themes we’re looking to focus on, and our ambitions for each of these areas. It’s important we hear your feedback at this early stage on the areas we’ve prioritised before more detailed work takes place, so please do get involved and take part.”
For full details and to respond to the consultation visit, http://rbwmtogether.rbwm.gov.uk/ltp-vision-and-themes or use the public-access computers available at all local libraries, where staff are happy to help if needed. Written comments can be submitted to: FAO: Transport Service Lead, Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1RF.
A hard copy of the consultation, documents and paper response forms are available upon request at libraries in the borough.