Issue - meetings

Portfolio Holder – Councillor Carole Jones

The draft Ipswich Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (‘LCWIP’) identifies an Ipswich-specific vision to encourage walking, wheeling and cycling across the Borough. The term ‘wheeling’ refers to people who use wheelchairs, mobility scooters, pushchairs, non-motorised scooters, rollerblades and similar forms of wheeled mobility who may not identify with walking. 

The draft Ipswich LCWIP supports both the national and local objectives of reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and increasing physical activity.  It also consists of a prioritised list of schemes which has been prepared by collating, appraising and prioritising all the walking and cycling schemes identified in the adopted Ipswich Local Plan (2022), Cycling Strategy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and Ipswich Town Centre and Waterfront Public Realm SPD.

The schemes have been cross-referenced with the Ipswich schemes contained in Suffolk County Council’s more strategic, Suffolk-wide LCWIP.  There is alignment between the two, but the Ipswich LCWIP drills down to a finer level of detail with the result that more town centre improvements are identified.

The report seeks approval to undertake public consultation on the draft Ipswich LCWIP.

74.1.     Councillor Jones introduced the report which sought to consult on a draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) as part of a countywide initiative; SCC had already produced its own LCWIP and had requested that district/borough authorities produce their own local based plans.
The Ipswich LCWIP provided a list of schemes to enable SCC to bid for funding to support these schemes as and when funding opportunities arose; the schemes had been prioritised on the basis of what would be useful for most people. Councillor Jones thanked the Planning Policy Team for all the work undertaken to produce the draft plan.

74.2.     In accordance with Part 4, Section 4, Paragraph 3.9 of the Constitution, the following question was asked:

Question 7 – Councillor T Lockington

Noting the 3.6 Figure 10 Healthy Streets indicator, could the Portfolio Holder ensure that the Draft LCWIP Consultation specifically includes frailer people and people with conditions such as stroke or Parkinson’s Disease regarding safe pedestrian surfaces that would enable “relaxed” and “safe” walking in and around Town, and that people with limited mobility or stamina are consulted on the identification and installation of appropriate rest places to assist planned walks?

74.3.     Councillor Jones thanked Councillor Lockington for the very helpful question because it was a signpost for how the Council should go ahead to consult. The Council would be making sure that it would proactively consult with as many groups as possible. Councillor Jones noted that Councillor Lockington had raised a range of groups that it would be good to pay attention to, and would welcome any contacts that Councillor Lockington had being sent to Officers so that the groups could be approached and asked specifically for their comments. Councillor Jones suggested that the Communities Manager be asked to review the groups that should be consulted with Councillor Lockington’s question in mind, as this question would help the Council to reach larger numbers of people than it would otherwise have done.

74.4.     Councillor Fisher was concerned about rushing to prioritise some of these schemes without considering the wider implications: the provision of a crossing on Star Lane/Key Street that prioritised non-car traffic could increase congestion in the one-way system and worsen air quality; reducing car trips to the town centre by 50% by 2030 would seriously impact car park income and the Council’s finances.

74.5.     Councillor Jones commented that, whilst being aware of air quality and its impact on young children, the aim of the Ipswich LCWIP was to improve the streets and make them safe and pleasurable for people to cycle/walk in and therefore improve people’s health by getting them out and about rather than being in a car.

74.6.     Councillor P Smart commented that it would be helpful to look at the LCWIP alongside SCC’s Local Transport Plan; the Council had requested a greater Park and Ride provision in the consultation on the Local Transport Plan as it was not a matter of preventing car use but looking at the proportion  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74