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.
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| 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.
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| Supplied by Transition Belper |
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| Source data: DfT - Graphic by NP4B |
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| 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.
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| Source data: DfT - Graphic by NP4B |
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| 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.
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| 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 1st
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.
