Agenda item

A Member asked for a written explanation as to what caused the five-month delay in completing the works on Riverside Bridge, as this had inconvenienced residents and workers there. It was also requested that a written update on the replacement of the inclinator at Millennium Bridge House be provided and sent to all Members. 

A Member asked, as the Red Badge consultation had concluded, when the results of this would be published. An Officer explained that the results were being analysed and would be reported to the Director by the end of October 2023. The Officer added, that if there were changes to be submitted to the Committee, this would be in the early 2024.

A Member raised an issue following an urgent decision from the Streets and Walkways Committee to release £650,000 from the on-street parking reserve for the Bank Junction to look at the traffic and timing review. The Member enquired whether a report should be submitted to the Planning and Transportation Committee before being submitted to the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee. She stated that this would enable the full cost of the motion approved at the Court of Common Council, to be considered as well as how it impacted officer resources, and the knock-on impact this had on other projects. The Member also suggested that the weekday Bank Junction restrictions should be in force at weekends, so visitors had the opportunity to explore the City safely. An Officer explained that the financial breakdown would be part of a report to the Planning and Transportation Committee. Officers were responding to the decisions from the Court of Common Council in the context of priorities and the costs in terms of officer time, and the work done to deliver these pieces of work would be quantified. The responses to the questions raised would be a part of the report, and Officers had been tasked to report back to the Court before the end of the year. The report would be submitted to the Planning and Transportation Committee before being submitted to Court and, regarding the prioritisation in releasing the funding, these budgets needed to be signed off by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee.

The Chairman asked for the traffic order component to be separated as a cost, and for officers to articulate benefits that resulted from that. An Officer explained that this was included in the final report for the traffic order review, which went to Court of Common Council. The review of all traffic orders which had been completed and reported to Court of Common Council, and it set out the costs associated there. It was noted that not all of the budget that was allocated to it was spent as part of the review, some of it was spent on implementing changes too. Officers stated that they would include the costs for the Bank Junction traffic and timing review as part of the report.

The Chairman noted that the report identified a number of traffic orders for further investigation, of which details of their outcome had not been shared. Officers explained that this was undergoing work and that if updates were required they would be submitted to the Street and Walkways Sub-Committee. It was also noted that not all the traffic order changes were required to come to be submitted to the Sub-Committee. The Chairman asked for an update on this to the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee.

A Member raised concern that Members had taken a decision at the Court of Common Council without a budget. He started that a report should go back to the Court and explain the expense that had been incurred. Another Member raised concerns of the implication of decisions taken at the Court of Common Council without debate.