Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Nicholas Pontone  01753 875120

Items
No. Item

9.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

No declarations were made.

10.

Minutes of the meeting held on 16th July 2015 pdf icon PDF 69 KB

Minutes:

Resolved –  That the minutes of the Berkshire Local Transport Body (BLTB) held on 16th July 2015 be approved as a correct record.

11.

Financial Approval 2.09.01 National Cycle Network (NCN) 422 pdf icon PDF 147 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The BLTB considered a report recommending giving scheme 2.09.01 National Cycle Network (NCN) 422 financial approval for £4,200,000 over the period 2016/17 to 2018/19.  The scheme would deliver NCN 422 between Newbury and Windsor, following the A4/A329 corridor and serving town centres such as Newbury, Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell as well as several key employment sites.

 

The report set out details of the schemes compliance with steps 1-5 of the full Assurance Framework, which had been approved by the DfT for use in allocating capital funds for transport schemes.  A correction to the recommendation was noted that the terms of the funding agreement were set out at paragraph 11 of the report, not paragraph 12 as stated.  The BLTB funding of £4.2m was as stated, however, the Council funding contribution was higher than had been stated in the report and the table at paragraph 10 was corrected as follows:

 

Activity

Funder

Cost (approx)

Scheme development

The five councils

 

Major scheme funding

Berkshire Local Transport Body

£4.20m

Council funding

Bracknell Forest, Reading, Wokingham, West Berkshire and Windsor and Maidenhead Capital programmes

£1.63m

Private sector funding

s.106 and other sources

0

Total

 

£5.83m

 

The section on ‘contributions from other funders’ at paragraph 11 step 5 should read as follows:

 

“Contributions from Other Funders: there will be capital programme contributions of  £600,000 from Wokingham Council in 2015/16; £428,300 from Wokingham Council, £50,000 from Reading Council, £50,000 from West Berkshire Council in 2016/17, £50,000 from Bracknell Forest Council and £30,000 from Windsor and Maidenhead in 2016/17; £171,700 from Wokingham Council, £50,000 from Reading Council, £50,000 from West Berkshire Council in 2016/17, £50,000 from Bracknell Forest Council and £50,000 from Windsor and Maidenhead in 2017/18; and £50,000 from Windsor and Maidenhead in 2018/19.”

 

After due consideration, the BLTB agreed to give financial approval to the scheme on the terms set out in the report, noting the above amendments.

 

Resolved –  That scheme 2.09.01 National Cycle Network 422 be given full financial approval in the sum of £4,200,000 over three years (2016/17 to 2018/19) on the terms of the funding agreement set out at paragraph 11 step 5 of the report and noted the adjustments to the other contributions.

12.

Financial Approval 2.09.02 A4 Cycle pdf icon PDF 158 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The BLTB considered a report recommending giving scheme 2.09.02 A4 Cycle full financial approval for £700,000 in 2016/17.  The scheme would provide a safe and convenient cycle route between Slough and Maidenhead via South Buckinghamshire including part shared-use footway, cycleway and part on-carriageway cycle lanes.

 

The report set out details of the schemes compliance with steps 1-5 of the full Assurance Framework, which had been approved by the DfT for use in allocating capital funds for transport schemes.  A transposition error on ‘capital programme’ and ‘private sector funding’ was noted in the table in paragraph 13 of the report, and was corrected as follows:

 

Activity

Funder

Cost (approx)

Scheme development

Slough and Windsor and Maidenhead Councils

 

Major scheme funding

Berkshire Local Transport Body

£0.700m

Capital programme

Slough and Windsor and Maidenhead Councils

£0.770m

Private sector funding

s.106 and other sources

£0.110m

South Buckinghamshire sections

Bucks Growth Deal and local capital programme and s.106

£1.729m

Total

 

£3.308m

 

Members were informed that the Benefit to Cost Ratio (BCR), detailed in paragraph 12 of the report, indicated Medium Value for Money.  However, the BCR had been calculated on a 10 year scheme life assessment, and the programme allowed scheme benefits to be calculated on a 30 year basis which would raise the BCR above 2.00 indicating High Value for Money.  The BCR had only taken the two Berkshire sections of the route into account and the further ‘marriage value’ of including the middle Buckinghamshire section would further enhance the benefits of the scheme.  Officers were therefore recommending full financial approval for the scheme despite the Medium BCR.

 

(Ian Frost joined the meeting)

 

The BLTB welcomed the promotion of strategic cycling schemes within the programme and recognised the benefits to the A4 corridor linking two Crossrail stations.  It was agreed to give full financial approval to the scheme on the terms set out in the report.  Members also asked that the revised BCR calculation that took into account the 30 year assessment of the benefits be formally reported to the BLTB in a future update on the scheme.

 

Resolved –  That scheme 2.09.02 A4 Cycle be given full financial approval in the sum of £700,000 in 2016/17 on the terms of the funding agreement set out in paragraph 14, step 5 of the report.

13.

Financial Approval 2.11 and 2.12 Reading South Reading MRT Phases 1 and 2 pdf icon PDF 150 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The BLTB considered a report seeking financial approval for schemes 2.11 and 2.12 Reading: South Reading MRT Phases 1 and 2.  The scheme had previously been split into two phases, however, it would now be managed as one scheme through to completion.  The scheme involved the construction of sections of segregated bus-only highway alongside sections of the A33 in south Reading from M4 junction 11 to the Island Road junction.  It had been designed to increase the capacity of the A33 and encourage modal shift from private car to buses.

 

The report set out details of the schemes compliance with steps 1-5 of the full Assurance Framework, which had been approved by the DfT for use in allocating capital funds for transport schemes.  The report had recommended giving financial approval conditional on the independent assessor being satisfied that the scheme had a recalculated BCR of 2.00 or more following a review of the BCR methodology.  Since the agenda had been published, the independent assessors had confirmed in writing that this process has been concluded and the BCR had been recalculated as 2.58, indicating High Value for Money and amending the recommendation to give full financial approval to the scheme.

 

Members agreed that the scheme was important in improving the connectivity between key strategic and employment sites and they therefore welcomed the conclusion of the review of the BCR calculation methodology.  It was agreed to award the scheme full financial approval, and the written confirmation of the revised BCR from the independent assessors would be sent to the Clerk and placed on record.

 

Resolved –  That schemes 2.11 and 2.12 Reading: South Reading MRT Phases 1 and 2 be given full financial approval in the sum of £4,500,000 over two years (2016/17-2017/18) on the terms of the funding agreement set out in paragraph 12 step 5 of the report.

14.

Financial Approval 2.19 Bracknell Town Centre Regeneration Infrastructure Improvements pdf icon PDF 157 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The BLTB considered a report seeking financial approval for scheme 2.19 Bracknell Town Centre Regeneration Infrastructure Improvements.  The scheme aimed to bring forward transport infrastructure improvements linked to the town centre regeneration which would deliver at least 3,540 retail and leisure jobs.

 

A correction was made to the funding profile set out in the report.  The statement in paragraph 14, step 5 that: “Contributions from Other Funders: there will be £740,000 of s.106 contributions secured by Bracknell Forest Council in 2016/17 and a further £380,000 in 2017/18” was incorrect.  It was confirmed that as per paragraph 13 of the covering report Bracknell Forest Council would be contributing £4.382m all in 2015-16 from its capital programme.

 

It was recommended that the scheme be given conditional financial approval as further technical work was required to produce a WebTAG compliant Full Business Case.  The unresolved issues were set out fully in the report, however, the independent assessor was confident that the scheme overall was sound with a predicted initial BCR of 3.651 representing High Value for Money.  The scheme promoter informed Members that four of the eight issues raised had already been resolved since publication of the agenda and work was ongoing to address the remaining issues.  Members discussed the strategic importance of the scheme and the value for money of individual elements of the scheme, specifically the low BCR of the Met Office Signalised Roundabout.  It was confirmed that the BLTB was permitted to consider the value for money of the scheme as a whole in considering it for financial approval.

 

The BLTB was advised of the process for the scheme to move from conditional to full financial approval, as had been adopted with other schemes in the programme, and it was noted that the independent assessors would need to be satisfied that all of the conditions had been met before providing a certificate to confirm their assessment.  Noting the process, the BLTB agreed to give the scheme conditional financial approval and further agreed that the Chair and Vice-Chair be given delegated authority to formally award full financial approval if the independent assessors were satisfied the conditions set out below had been met.

 

Resolved –

 

(a)  That scheme 2.19 Bracknell Town Centre Regeneration Infrastructure Improvements be given conditional financial approval in the sum of £2,000,000 in 2015-16 on the terms of the funding agreement set out at paragraph 14 step 5 in the report.

 

(b)  That the condition that would have to be met in order to gain full financial approval was that the independent assessor be satisfied that the following elements of a fully compliant Full Business Case had either been supplied or a properly documented reason for their absence had been supplied:

 

  i.  Linsig Junction Assessments: an explanation of the application of this technique, the assumptions made, the validation used and the mitigation of any limitations;

  ii.  Future Year Modelling: an explanation of the choice of future years used, the calculations employed and the derivation of future traffic flows;

  iii.  Interpeak Modelling: an explanation of the application of this technique, the assumptions made, the validation used and the mitigation of any limitations;

  iv.  WebTAG Dependent Development Unit: an explanation of the way this unit had been applied to the North section of the town centre redevelopment, the access to the new car park, and the new signalised junction of Millennium Way;

  v.  Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT): an explanation of the application of this technique, the assumptions made, the validation used and the mitigation of any limitations;

  vi.  Station Way Signalisation: Information on the surveys and validation of the Linsig at this junction;

  vii.  Low and High Growth scenarios: an explanation of how these have been analysed, the assumptions made, the validation used and the mitigation of any shortcomings;

  viii.  Air quality and noise assessments: an explanation of the evidence presented, the assumptions made, the validation used and the mitigation of any limitations.

 

(c)  That the Chair and Vice-Chair be given delegated authority to formally give full financial approval to the scheme, following confirmation from the independent assessors that the conditions in (b) had been resolved.

15.

Thames Valley Berkshire Local Growth Deal 2015/16 to 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 118 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The BLTB considered a report on the progress of the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Growth Deal, with particular reference to the schemes included in the Transport Packages of the Strategic Economic Plan.

 

The report provided detailed progress updates on all schemes included in Growth Deals 1 and 2 which totalled £102.1m.  Funding of £13.325m had been approved for spending in 2015/16 and £12.275m approved for specific years in 2016 to 2019.  The remaining £76.5m had been indicatively approved for future years between 2016/17 to 2020/21.  Members were informed that the overall programme remained on track with positive progress being made on a range of schemes.

 

The BLTB considered the detailed progress report on each of the programme entry schemes as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.  Verbal updates were provided on any significant or additional issues since publication of the agenda:

 

  • 2.01 Newbury:  Kings Road Link Road – update noted.  Work would begin fully in spring 2016 and the spending profile was unchanged.  There had been a Network Rail delay with the replacement rail bridge adjacent to the site but this was additional to the scheme.

 

  • 2.02 Bracknell:  Warfield Link Road – update noted.  Good progress was being made.

 

  • 2.03 Newbury:  London Road Industrial Estate – update noted.  The scheme had moved from ‘amber’ to ‘green’ and a start date in the new year had now been confirmed.

 

  • 2.04.2 Wokingham:  North Wokingham Distributor Road – update noted, including ongoing and positive discussions with the Department for Transport on all three 2.04 schemes.  A refined route had been considered by the Council’s Executive in September.

 

  • 2.04.3 Wokingham: South Wokingham Distributor Road – update noted.  Negotiations with Network Rail were ongoing about the delivery of a new bridge over the railway.

 

  • 2.04.4: Arborfield Relief Road – update noted.  Negotiations with landowners had started.

 

  • 2.05 Newbury: Sandleford Park – update noted.

 

  • 2.06 Reading: Green Park Railway Station – the risk rating of the scheme had become ‘red’ as the outcome of the Network Rail programme review on the timescale for electrification was awaited, possibly on 25th November 2015 alongside the Spending Review.  It had been envisaged for the new station to open at the same time as electrification was completed and there was the risk of a delay to the electrification between Reading and Basingstoke.  The BLTB was asked for its view on whether to retain the current timescale for the scheme.  Significant lobbying had taken place and the scheme itself had the necessary funding package and planning in place.  Members from both the LEP and local authorities agreed on the strategic importance of the scheme and therefore confirmed their support to maintain the planned timetable.

 

  • 2.07 Bracknell: Coral Reef Roundabout – update noted.  Good progress was being made on site.

 

  • 2.08 Slough: Rapid Transit Phase 1, 2.10 Slough: A332 Improvements and 2.17 Slough: A355 Route – update noted.  A contractor had been selected and the construction programme was under review to meet the spend profile with works beginning in December 2015.

 

  • 2.09.1 Sustainable Transport NCN 44 – as discussed under Minute 11 of the meeting.

 

  • 2.09.2 Sustainable Transport A4 Cycle Route with Bucks – as discussed under Minute 12 of the meeting.

 

  • 2.11 and 2.12 Reading:  South Reading MRT phases 1 and 2 – as discussed under Minute 13 of the meeting.

 

  • 2.13 Reading: Eastern Park and Ride – update noted.  Public consultation events had been held and a planning application was being developed for submission in mid-2016.

 

  • 2.14 Reading: East Reading MRT – update noted. The Reading Transport Model was being updated to enable the Business Case to be progressed.

 

  • 2.15 Bracknell: Martins Heron Roundabout – update noted.  Work on the Business Case was progressing well.

 

  • 2.16 Maidenhead: Station Access – update noted.  Discussions had taken place to seek to resolve some of the land ownership issues and bring forward a strong scheme to support the wider regeneration of the town.  Some short term measures may be required for the start of Crossrail services.

 

  • 2.19 Bracknell:  Town Centre Regeneration Infrastructure Improvements – as discussed under Minute 14 of the meeting.

 

  • 2.21 Slough: Langley Station Access Improvements – update noted.  Discussions with rail partners on coordination of the scheme with other infrastructure projects in the Langley area were underway.  A stakeholder group had been established and designs were being drawn up.

 

  • 2.22 Slough: Burnham Station Access Improvements – update noted.  Financial approval would now be sought at the meeting in March 2016.  An experimental scheme was on site and detailed design work was progressing.

 

Resolved –  The progress made on schemes given programme entry status, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be noted.

16.

BLTB Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 68 KB

Minutes:

The BLTB Forward Plan for the period to March 2017 was considered and noted.  The Plan included an adjustment to the timing of the Financial Approval of 2.22 Slough: Burnham Station Improvement which was now due to be considered in March 2016.  The BLTB reiterated its willingness to arrange an additional meeting or move an existing meeting if required to meet the key timescales of Growth Deal 3 scheme prioritisation.


Resolved –  That the Forward Plan be noted.

17.

Date of Next Meeting

Thursday 17th March 2016, 4.00pm at The Centre, Farnham Road, Slough

Minutes:

Resolved –  That the next meeting of the BLTB be held on Thursday 17th March 2016 at 4.00pm in Slough.