Agenda and minutes

The Scrutiny noted that Councillor L Bigham was a member of West Midlands Transport Delivery Board and that Councillor R Singh was a Scrutiny Member of the WMCA Transport Sub-Committee

It was also noted that Members are School Governors.

a)  To agree the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 February, 2023

b)  Matters arising

The Minutes of the meeting held on 9 February, 2023 were agreed and signed as a true record.

Further to Minute 30/22, relating to “Empty Dwellings”, the Scrutiny Board noted the comprehensive response and assurances that had been received from the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities in relation to their comments regarding the wording of the Empty Dwellings Strategy.  

Briefing Note of the Director of Transportation and Highways

The Scrutiny Board considered a Briefing Note of the Director of Transportation and Highways, together with a comprehensive presentation at the meeting, which detailed the introduction of five School Streets, using Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), to create a safer environment outside schools during entry and exit times at the start and end of the school day and encourage modal shift.

The proposed School Streets programme is a collaborative initiative between Coventry City Council and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and is funded through the Walking and Cycling Programme. School Streets have been implemented across the UK and 23 School Streets have already installed across Birmingham, Walsall, and Solihull.  The TfWM collaboration is the first regional cross-border School Streets programme.  The existing initiatives have been installed with relatively good outcomes, including increasing walking and cycling. Local Authorities submitted a bid for potential School Streets and these have been prioritised to 16 locations, to be delivered by September 2023, based on a number of criteria including, level of school/local political support, links to LCWIP/cycling and walking infrastructure and existing framework to promote School Streets. Local authorities needed to demonstrate they had a high-level project plan deliverables to demonstrate success, including to measure any benefits.  Coventry received funding of £190k from a total allocation of £410k for the region. 

The School Streets scheme has numerous road safety benefits and secondary benefits include a reduction in air pollution and an increase in walking and cycling, helping to create a healthier and safer place for children and young people. Residents are still permitted to access/egress their property during the times of the restriction using a permit system.  Access is permitted at all times for emergency services.

The proposed School Streets will be introduced using Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs), these differ slightly from traditional TROs as they provide an opportunity to see how the scheme works for a period of up to 18 months, allowing monitoring and assessment to be undertaken before a final decision is made whether they should be made permanent. The first 6 months of operation are also an objection period, allowing parents, residents, drivers etc to see how the scheme works before making comments or objections. 

School Streets is being trialled at five locations. The first scheme has recently been installed in the Knights Templar Way Area (Templars Primary School)  and became operational on 27th February 2023.  This was funded separately and not through the Walking and Cycling Programme and was in response to safety concerns raised by local residents and Councillors

Four further School Street schemes are proposed to be funded through the Walking and Cycling Programme.  The schools selected for the trial are Stanton Bridge Primary School, Southfields Primary School, Ravensdale Primary School and Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School and are supported by Ward Councillors and headteachers.

The Briefing Note detailed the following four key high-level deliverables per school:-

Milestone 1: Official confirmation of school’s interest to local authority and TfWM in delivering a school street. Indicative timescale:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

Report of the Chief Legal Officer

The Scrutiny Board noted their Work Programme for 2022/23.

The Chair, Councillor L Bigham, thanked the Cabinet Member for City Services. Councillor P Hetherton and the Deputy Cabinet Member for City Services, Councillor G Lloyd, together with officers, for their attendance at the Scrutiny Board during 2022/23,and for the comprehensive information provided at meetings throughout the year.

Councillor Hetherton reciprocated those thanks for the support given by the Scrutiny Board in matters relating to her portfolio.

There were no other items of urgent public business.