Have your say about Shropshire’s transport plans

Shropshire people can now have their say about Shropshire’s transport and highways objectives and policies for the next 15 years, and about how the council plans to spend its highways budget over the next four years.

Shropshire Council’s provisional new Local Transport Plan (LTP) was approved by the council’s Cabinet today (16 March) and people have until 10 June 2011 to say what they think.

The plan covers all aspects of transport and highways in the Shropshire Council area, including walking, cycling, public transport, car-based travel and freight, plus highways maintenance and management.

It includes:

• policies for keeping the county’s roads safe and maintained in the most cost-effective way.
• policies for maintaining and improving travel options for people without a car or with mobility issues.
• policies to encourage and enable more active travel to improve health.
• policies relating to traffic growth and its environmental impact.

It also looks at ways to improve the safety of Shropshire’s roads and road users.

A supporting implementation plan covers detailed transport priorities and an outline capital programme for the next four years, showing how the council plans to spend its highways and transport budget.

Under its capital settlement for 2011/12 to 2014/15, Shropshire Council will receive a significantly reduced amount of money from the Government to spend on transport and highways projects.

The total received for transport and highways in 2011/12 is £15.1m, falling to £14.35m in 2014/15.  Funding for highways maintenance is 13% lower than received for the four years between 2006 and 2010.  Funding for transport improvement works is 58% lower.

However, Shropshire Council will seek additional grants to supplement the Government’s settlement, and grants of £810,000 towards projects in the next two years have already been secured.

Despite the funding cuts, the draft LTP proposes significant investment in safety improvements including village and rural speed limits and safer routes to schools.

It proposes two major projects in Shrewsbury town centre to improve traffic flow and enhance pedestrian and cycle access at the Chester Street gyratory system by the rail station, and at the junction of Raven Meadows and Smithfield Road, by the bus station.

It also includes funding for the construction of a new footway and cycleway alongside the A488 between Minsterley and Pontesbury, helping to connect these communities.  

Councillor Martin Taylor-Smith, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and IT, said:

“I encourage local people to have a look at the local transport plan and let us know their thoughts and comments. Transport decisions and actions impact on a wide number of issues including safety, the economy, the environment, health and quality of life.  A key role of the LTP is to set out how we plan to develop, manage and maintain our transport networks in a way which will contribute to Shropshire’s wider economic, environmental, health and social objectives.”

The consultation into the LTP runs until 10 June. People can view the Plan and submit comments at www.shropshire.gov.uk/traveltransport.nsf.