Further to minute 285 (13 January 2011), which set out the Local Transport Plan Capital Programme settlement for 2011/2012 to 2014/2015, and approved the LTP budget for 2011/2012, the Director of Technical Services reported that whereas it had been anticipated at the time that Wirral’s Integrated Transport Block (ITB) allocation would be in the region of £1,149,000, further discussions with Merseytravel had confirmed that Wirral’s ITB allocation was now expected to be £1,155,000 (subject to final ratification by the Integrated Transport Authority (ITA)).

He reported also that on 21 February 2011 (minute 330 refers), the Cabinet approved an addition to the Capital Programme of £600,000 specifically for schemes which aimed to address identified road safety problems. The funding would be used to implement engineering schemes to reduce accidents and create safe environments for all classes of road user – including more vulnerable modes such as pedestrians and cyclists. Schemes to be implemented would be selected through a prioritisation of those that would deliver effective road safety improvements (road casualty reductions).

The Director set out the proposed breakdown of the combined ITB and Capital Bid funding, which totalled £1,755,000, and outlined the detailed Capital Programme schemes. He informed Members that the determination of suitable schemes and projects within the proposed 2011/2012 Capital Programme and the budget allocation for the ITB, outlined in his report, were prioritised in line with Council Key Priorities and Corporate Objectives, LTP3 Objectives and the results of the recent ‘Living in Wirral Task Force’ public consultation. In addition, the schemes detailed within the report that formed the ITB directly addressed the Council’s Statutory Duties as set out in the Highways Act 1980, Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984, Road Traffic Act 1988, Local Government Act 2000 and the Traffic management Act 2004.

Resolved –

(1)  That the proposed allocation of the Local Transport Plan Capital Programme 2011/2012 Integrated Transport Block between the five identified headings of ‘Improving Road Safety’, ‘Promoting Active Travel and Health’, Promoting Economy and Accessibility’, ‘Reducing Congestion and Carbon Emissions’ and ‘Advance Design and Forward Planning’, be approved.

(2)  That the detailed programmes of schemes and projects under each of the five identified headings of the combined Integrated Transport Block - Capital Programme bid for 2011/2012, set out in Sections 5 to 9 (and summarised in Appendix ‘A’) of the report now submitted, be approved.

(3)  That authority be delegated to the Director of Technical Services, in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Transport Services and Party Spokespersons, to make any necessary adjustments to the priorities within the programme should the need arise due to financial conditions or other factors.