Gloucestershire Strategic Partnership

1. Gloucestershire Strategic Partnership

2. “Tackling the transport (and access) issue”Report of “virtual” Transport Working Group Peter Bungard Executive Director Gloucestershire County Council

3. Who says it’s a problem? Everyone! • 6 District LSPs and GSP partners • Every survey we’ve ever undertaken How does it fit with GSP structure? • Transport and access to services are relevant to all of the themes, e.g. economy, learning, safety, health, thriving communities

4. What has the “virtual” group done? • Listened: looked up every reference to transport in GSP work to date • Drawn up a “what’s broke list!” • Recognised that transport is the day job of several partners • Asked the embarrassing question: “if it’s already your day job, why is it still broke?” • Honed in on GSP territory – where the problems are lack of ownership and engagement by other partners • Produced a “draft” action plan from partner views (still missing health and police input) • Tried to spot whether: • Easy or tough • A solution in mind, or still a challenge

5. A quick health warning • Most statutory transport responsibilities lie with the County Council as a highways or transport authority • If transport continues just to be seen as primarily GCC’s problem, we are still likely to have most elements of the current problems in 5 years’ time • I should stress that the words in the action plan which I’m about to present are either from partners or frontline transport service providers – not me!

6. The day job bits: • “The state of our roads”! • Road safety: children and motorcyling focus • Poor rail services • Street lighting • The quality of our “street scene” • Missing infrastructure and unreliable journeys: • A417 missing link • M5 closed every week • Poor access into the Forest of Dean • No railfreight facilities in Gloucestershire • Public transport: perceived high cost; reliability?; too remote for many • Building new sustainable communities; regeneration • The journey to work – 14 miles and growing – and car dependent • Poor travel information Mostly live initiatives in place – but several where GSP partner discussion would add value

7. The partner bits: We’ve got plenty You’ll ruin my bus if I let you play with it Transport: well, it’s about vehicles! So have I • Growing the Gloucestershire • Minibus Scheme • Car share initiatives • Mobile services to communities

8. Poor access for people with mobility problems • Public Transport: • Low floor, “kneeling” buses • – old stock being replaced • Bus stop improvements • Get more out of community transport • – usually fully accessible • Make community transport mainstream • Accessibility planning • Highway Infrastructure: • Develop a guide • It’s the small things that matter • – the car blocking the pavement, • puddles, etc.Buildings: • DDA has come in • – major improvements, or withdrawals It’s about getting on public transport No, it’s the footways, blocked by bushes, full of potholes, and no dropped kerbs But I can’t get into the buildings when I get there

9. Fear of crime on public transport (and walking) • Statistically public transport • is safe, but perceptions count • CDRP work • Better lighting at bus stops • Help points at major bus stops • More usage = more security • More door to door • transport solutions • CCTV on buses? • Special late night services … at bus stops … poor street lighting Safety on buses at night Drug problems at interchanges … limited police presence

10. Rural access to education It’s ok up to 16, what’s the problem? • Work by post-16 • Education Partnership • Accessibility planning • Jump2Ed initiative • Colleges using • Glos minibus scheme? • More use of community • transport • The role of internet/distance • learning But I’ve taken the course that I could reach, not the one for my career ambitions

11. Access to health care (particularly rural) • Success of Integrated Transport • Health Project in South Cotswolds • Plan to roll out to whole county • Co-ordination between appointment • times and available transport • initiatives – the Newent example • Greater ownership of “transport • medical services” by NHS • Hospital “postcode” appointment • booking, e.g. Friday a.m. for Dursley • Accessibility planning work Most people can get to their GP ok Access to hospital is a much greater challenge, particularly Gloucester Royal

12. Lack of evening and Sunday bus services I’ve not got a car – I’m isolated • Improved information about • existing services • Think community based solutions • through partnerships: car schemes, • minibuses, taxis, even mopeds • Government initiative of “kick start” • for evening and Sundays • Extend Jump Start to urban areas Younger people can’t go anywhere in rural areas Really impacts on people with mobility problems

13. Inability to access leisure and make social trips I can reach essential services, but this is not enough • Accessibility planning to identify • and understand demand • Growth of Glos Minibus Scheme • Taxilink services for Forest, • Painswick and Chedworth • And replicate if successful There are no facilities for spontaneous activities among people with mobility impairments, especially young people with disabilities

14. Declining bus use in Stroud! Why? Bus use growing in every other district • Ongoing debate with bus companies • Some recent growth • A bus quality partnership? • Multi-agency engagement to sell the potential • Review the shape of the network

15. Driving attitude, road rage and flaunting traffic laws Citizenship issues A declining volunteer base, but a future based on community transport! • Volunteer recruitment/retention • strategy developing • Pooling of volunteers needed • Need to recruit from new areas • – younger people • Convince employers of the benefits of • staff engagement – offer training • Behaviour issues – CCTV on buses • Travel training project in November • Driving attitude – not that bad • in Gloucestershire • New Traffic Management Act • more powers to control poor roadworks Volunteering in transport started with hospital cars – but now journeys are too long Misbehaviour on buses; vandalism

16. Road safety Ageing population; statistically more accidents, often eyesight related • Older drivers • – the County Council SAGE programme • Can we get more eye/health checks • for older drivers? • Expand education with young drivers • Speeding – make it as socially • unacceptable as drink driving, but • most political parties are backing • away from hardline speed reduction Cheltenham’s “boy racer” problem! Speeding is socially acceptable!

17. Night-time economy Why can’t you link nightclub licensing with the transport problems they cause? • Pilots of nightclub buses for • Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud • Add a responsibility to venues to tackle • end of night transport issues and the • consequences of alcohol related disorder Taxi capacity is exceeded at pub and nightclub closing times

18. It will get worse … road building out of fashion … but economy will grow Traffic continues to grow …. Car occupancy is falling (1.2) CONGESTION • Why is this a partnership issue? • biggest transport problem to solve • if every partner/major employer takes • ownership, it could make a real difference • Ideas: • Workplace parking charges • – and spend on buses • Even more work with schools • 9 day fortnights or home working • Major employer travel plans • – economy loses from congestion • More promotion of alternatives • Congestion charging? Kids no longer walk to school – major traffic growth of last 20 years Health … walking and cycling … obesity Health … air pollution … congestion … asthma