Object

Representation ID: 22168

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Norwich Liberal Democrats

Number of people: 3

Overall we believe that Policy 4 – Strategic Infrastructure lacks ambition in supporting the transition to a low carbon future by achieving modal shift. Although the policy makes reference to achieving modal shift it does not fully recognise the need to integrate transport and land use policies. This relates to the need to embed rail and bus services over road building and the continued use of private cars.
This is evident in the promotion of the Village Clusters model. There would be an increased need to travel for work, education and to access services such as health provision, particularly by private car, due to lack of viable and clean public transport. Given the Climate Change Statement in the Plan, it is impossible to see how the proposed additional allocation of sites for housing in Village Clusters can be justified in areas where there is little or no public transport.
There is no mention of ‘mobility hubs’ as part of a sustainable transport network which are currently being developed through the Transforming Cities Programme.
We believe that improvements to bus services is the key to sustainable transport for the Greater Norwich Area. Key to delivering the climate change agenda and to ensuring the majority of the population have access to reliable, affordable public transport. Also key to achieving this is a plan for a ‘car free’ Norwich city centre. This would help fight multiple public health, environmental and ecological crises – air pollution, child obesity, mental and physical health, biodiversity and of course the climate crisis. Hopefully this ambitious target will be part of the review for Transport for Norwich through the Local Transport Plan.
At the time of writing we still do not know the outcome of the Transforming Cities Bid and the opportunity for Great Norwich to realise a multi-million pound investment in public transport. However if we are to reach a zero carbon target by 2030 the County Council as the Highways Authority must place emphasis on the development of bus services.
Without a comprehensive plan to promote bus travel, for growth of public transport in existing settlements and new developments there will not be investment from the bus companies in electric and hybrid fleets. This investment is needed to improve air quality and to improve the image of bus travel for modal shift to be effective.
The emphasis in Policy 4 is on continued road expansion including commitment to the Western Link Road following on from the completion of the Northern Distributer Road. We strongly object to this emphasis.
There is also a commitment to build a Cross Valley Bus Link between the UEA and the NNUH and the Research Park. Although this is essentially aimed at buses it still involves the building of a new, very expensive bridge to replace the existing one that currently carries cyclists and walkers. Intrusion into the Yare Valley at this point with motorised traffic is unwelcome and unnecessary. This quiet route, with its surrounding wildlife will be lost to another road building scheme. The current roads linking UEA to the NNUH and research Park are adequate. The few minutes of savings in bus times when there is congestion on these roads will be unnecessary once there is a shift to more commuters using Park & Ride and there being better connectivity by rail with a station at Thickthorn serving the Research park and the NNUH. We oppose the building of the Western Link and the Yare valley bus link.
This emphasis on road building contradicts the aim to ‘promote modal shift’ by seeking ‘improvements to the bus, cycling and walking networks,’ and contradicts the plan’s aim in Section 4 of mitigating climate change.
The support for growth of Norwich Airport again is another example of such contradiction. We do not support the growth of Norwich Airport.
With rapid economic growth and substantial new housing developments taking place it is vital that rail travel plays a substantial and sustainable role in transporting people to and from greater Norwich and improving connectivity to Cambridge. Improved Rail transport would help reach carbon reduction targets for Norwich as well as reducing congestion and improving air quality. Yet there is only one statement ‘promoting enhancement of rail services, including improved journey times and reliability to London and Cambridge, supporting the East-West Rail link and innovative use of the local rial network’. There is no detail as to how this will be achieved.
It is hoped that as a consequence of the consultation to the draft Norfolk Rail Prospectus there will be a greater commitment to rail services from the County Council and the LEP and the part they can play in economic and social development of Norfolk and Greater Norwich in particular.