York Civic Trust welcomes the Council’s Local Transport Strategy draft Implementation Plan as a positive step forward – but it is far too small a step for York if the city is to meet the council’s ambition to be net-zero carbon by 2030.
The Civic Trust strongly believes that the businesses and the people of York urgently need more certainty about what the Council is planning over the next six years to achieve its ambition. The Local Transport Strategy draft Implementation Plan presented to the Council’s Economy, Place, Access and Transport Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 24th September only includes commitments to 2026, and many of these are vague and uncertain. The Council committed in the Local Transport Strategy approved by the Council Executive in July to producing a five year Implementation Plan to 2029 – which is what is now needed.
Tony May, of York Civic Trust’s Transport Advisory Committee commented to the scrutiny committee; ‘This is a very short-sighted approach. We know that Mayors will receive additional funding, and that the government will encourage reduced car dependency. Strategically minded councils will be setting out their aspirations for these changes; so should York.’
Allied to this implementation plan are six further plans to be delivered by late 2025 and late 2026. These key plans, including a Movement and Place Plan and a Sustainable Transport Plan, are the groundwork on which city’s future will be built. There is already an influx of new planning applications in anticipation of approval of the Local Plan. Without a Sustainable Transport Plan it will be difficult to oppose applications for car-based developments. . The city urgently needs to have all its plans in place, so that it can meet its carbon reduction targets, and businesses, residents and developers can plan with confidence. The Council has a month to review its draft Implementation Plan before it is presented to the Executive. The Civic Trust urges officers to review it in detail, drawing on expert advice, so that it is action-based, specific, and demonstrates that targets will be met.