Transport & Travel 2nd public consultation 27th April 2016

Notes of feedback following 1st T&T public consultation 10th February 2016

This document was available to those attending the 2nd meeting

The Neighbourhood Plan team has been busy collating the feedback and suggestions following our first round of meetings. There has been some very valuable input to the Transport & Travel topic and it has been possible to work up a preliminary list of ideas for further consideration. It should however be noted that for a town the size of Belper the number of people feeding into the process was disappointing but on the positive side, the lack of quantity was more than made up for by the quality of the response.

The feedback we have received, via email or our forms has been collated and from this distillation a work stream has been identified for each sub-grouping. The results so far are:

1.       Accessing the town by foot.

a.       Concern has been shown regarding the state of the jittys/channels. There has been mention of the fact that they are not cleaned adequately, the surfaces are deteriorating, adjoining fences are prone to vandalism, no gritting in winter. Initial action points are raising these problems with the relevant local councils, mapping jitty’s and identifying a point of contact for each route.

b.      There was more than one suggestion of an enhanced riverside walk. Initial action point to identify this in council or amateur association plans and proposals.

c.       The production of a suggested pedestrian route map for Belper. Initial action point: This has been created by the Transport Group of Transition Belper.

d.      Is the positioning of pedestrian crossing places and lights correct for the pedestrian flows that exist currently or may emerge with future developments. This is specifically aimed at the lights on Chapel Street/Bridge Street but reference has also been made to the unfortunate alignment of bus stop and crossing at the Market Place and the difficulties faced by pedestrians when using the High Street route. Initial action point: Liaise with AVBC and DCC.

e.       Next step to determine points to be included in the draft plan.

Supplied by Transition Belper

2.      Cycling in the town

a.       Once again a riverside route is suggested by more than one respondent and the existence of a Derwent cycle path as an element of a long distance cycle route is noted.

b.      The production of a cycling route map. Initial action point: A map showing suggested cycle routes has been produced by the Transport Group of Transition Belper. This contains new routes that will require funding to so Derbyshire County Council has been contacted and a meeting is being arranged.

c.       There has been mention of electric bicycles and in a town built on hillsides this should be no surprise. The ambition was to popularise electric cycling thus enabling more to use this method of transport and to provide an alternative to car use. Initial action point is to determine how this aspiration could be incorporated into the NP4B.

d.      Next step is to intensify contact with cycling groups and retailers.

Supplied by Transition Belper

Source data: DfT - Graphic by NP4B

Source data: DfT - Graphic by NP4B

3.       Public Transport

a.       Taxis: There has been mention of the seeming dearth of taxis in the town. Of prime concern was the lack of taxis near the railway station; there never being a taxi on the rank at the bottom of King Street; if you don’t book well in advance then it can be a long wait. One respondent asked if there was any restriction on the number of taxi licenses granted by AVBC.  Initial action point: To contact the licensing body and Town, Borough and County Councils for their input. Also to make contact with local taxi firms to gain their perspective. A collation of these views will hopefully indicate possible wording for the draft NP4B.

b.      Buses: There has been quite a lot of feedback on this subject:

                                                               i.      Possible use of smaller buses

                                                             ii.      Concern about loss of DCC funding (current subsidies amounts to 15% of Derbyshire buses).

                                                           iii.      Loss of services for disabled and vulnerable adults.

                                                           iv.      Loss of services to isolated communities

                                                             v.      Possible impact of devolution and formation of an East Midlands Unitary Authority. Initial action point: This point was raised with Anne Western (the leader of DCC) who said that in that eventuality the county would explore the possibility of a franchise based system. Early days yet but devolution might or might not happen.

                                                           vi.      Possible deployment of “Uber” style bus services

                                                          vii.      In the same vein Belper could develop a “dial-a-bus” service that ran more frequently by being flexible on timing and routes.

                                                        viii.      Possible extension of free bus passes via a local initiative (funding problems come to mind but we live in hope that someone will suggest a possible way forward)

                                                           ix.      Production of bus stop map indicating distances from houses.

                                                             x.      The 2011 National Census noted that there were only 400 Belper daily bus commuters. No differentiation was made between those travelling to work outside Belper (for instance Derby) and those who worked in Belper. The same census indicated that 40% of those working in Belper lived outside the town. Initial action point: It has to be determined what relevance this has for the NP4B.

                                                           xi.      Initial action point: There has been an exploratory meeting with the DCC and a meeting with Trent Barton is in the pipeline.

Source data: DfT - Graphic by NP4B

Source data: DfT - Graphic by NP4B

c.       Trains: Again quite a lot of feedback which demonstrates some feeling in the town:

                                                               i.      Desire for more mainline trains to stop at Belper. The efforts of the rail pressure groups in this regard are noted but there is a general feeling that more trains should call at Belper. That there is only one train at 07:29 to Sheffield and one return working back to Belper at 17:36 was felt to be unacceptable. Initial action point: A timetable analysis indicates further intercity trains that could call at Belper without incurring any adverse effect on the timetabling of other trains - - notably late evening trains. A meeting with the relevant railway undertakings is being sought as part of the NP4B process.

                                                             ii.      The Matlock branch should be electrified. (If only the NP4B could make this happen).

                                                           iii.      Belper Station access is mentioned by more than one person. That there are no taxis has already been mentioned but the link with King Street and access for cars through Field Lane car park are also mentioned.

                                                           iv.      One radical proposal was to re-orientate the Lion Hotel filling station thus providing a direct route to the station. This would enable the creation of a bus/rail interchange.

                                                             v.      A similar outcome of a bus/rail interchange was suggested by the demolition of the Poundland building.

                                                           vi.      Possible impact on parking if more trains stop at Belper has been noted.

                                                          vii.      The Nottingham tram network was mentioned and the possibility of linking Belper to the proposed Nottingham – Ripley extension was suggested.

                                                        viii.      Possible action point: The NP4B could explore the idea of an integrated public transport plan for Belper. As the town moves from being a small rural manufacturing town to becoming a busy retail centre perhaps it is time for such a thorough rethink of the transport options available to commuters, shoppers, scholars and visitors.

Imagine something like this shuttle bus servicing the estates in the evening

 The use of cars (and car parks)

                                                               i.      There is a very real concern about car parking and traffic in the town with contributing factors:

                                                             ii.      Loss of Derwent Street car park following housing development

                                                           iii.      Additional car parking required following opening of Aldi/B&M development

                                                           iv.      Proposal to create visitor car park incorporating tourist information, toilets, RV and caravan hook ups and electric vehicle charging points.

                                                             v.      Park and ride was mentioned at 1^st public consultation meeting.

                                                           vi.      Car park charges --- feedback was both for and against but the sample being so low this is inconclusive and would suggest that this may not be an issue for the NP4B.

                                                          vii.      Initial action point: NP4B to collate the car parking strategies of the various levels of local government and compare with public feedback.

                                                        viii.      Proposal to introduce 20 mph restriction on certain sections of road or blanket town centre speed limit.

                                                           ix.      Proposal for a restriction on HGV’s using the town as a through route, especially via the High Street/Market Place/Nottingham Road route.

                                                             x.      Concern was voiced about the apparent increase in traffic levels even though annual traffic monitoring figures published by the DCC show a gradual decline over the past 15 years. Perhaps the DCC traffic survey is not picking up local traffic movements.

                                                           xi.      A proposal was made that a car sharing initiative could be of benefit to the town.

                                                          xii.      “Why doesn’t the town have a bypass” was mentioned; a well-worn subject. Who can forget the Tesco debate? However – Initial action point the meeting with DCC to include reference to future traffic strategy along the Derwent Valley.

                                                        xiii.      Perhaps an overriding concern shared by many respondents was the perception that not enough consideration was given to potential growth of traffic when planning applications were being accessed.

                                                        xiv.      In the same vein, many were concerned that traffic growth was not a more prominent feature of the 2011 -2028 Core Strategy. 

Heavy goods and other commercial vehicles

                                                               i.      It is noted that there has been a decline in the number of HGV’s using all routes through the town and this must reflect the decline in industry in the town.

                                                             ii.      The DCC traffic surveys reflected fewer HGV’s passing through the town but there had been a significant rise in the number of small vans and light trucks.

                                                           iii.      There is concern that large vehicles are delivering to shops and all too frequently result in bottle-necks to the free flow of traffic.

                                                           iv.      Planning, in relation to the growth of Belper as an emergent retail centre should take into account the likely impact of increased commercial vehicle traffic.

4.       Pollution included in the T&T section of the NP4B because transport is the main source of pollution in the town.

                                                               i.      It was suggested that the use of electric vehicles should be encouraged including hybrid buses and of course electric cars to be encouraged.

                                                             ii.      Local companies to be encouraged to use electric delivery vehicles where possible.

                                                           iii.      Tree planting as defence against pollution. (Treeconomics)

                                                           iv.      Initial action point: To determine the level of pollution there is in Belper Streets by referencing relevant government agencies and, if necessary, creating the means to monitor and report pollution levels in the town.

                                                             v.      Initial action point: To explore the possibility of including target pollution figures in the NP4B.