South Hampshire transport plan consultation
Friday, 21 December 2012
Public consultation on a new transport delivery plan for South Hampshire closes on 14 January 2013.
Transport for South Hampshire (TfSH) - a partnership between Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils, which aims to improve transport for the South Hampshire area - is now consulting on a new transport delivery plan.
The current transport delivery plan - 'Towards Delivery' - was published in 2008 and includes a number of schemes that went on to be successfully funded, including two Portsmouth schemes - £19.5m for the Tipner Interchange and Park & Ride and £11m for Northern Road Bridge - and £20m for the Bus Rapid Transit phase 1 between Gosport and Fareham. In addition, TfSH and its partners such as the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership have been successful in securing a further £80m of Government transport improvement funding, such as £18m from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund; £4.5m from the Better Bus Area Fund; and £10.9m for the Platform Road to De Vere Roundabout improvement scheme in Southampton.
Now, building on previous consultation exercises, TfSH is consulting with the public on a new Transport Delivery Plan (TDP) to reflect the current economic situation and the shift in focus towards supporting economic growth, creating jobs, tackling congestion and cutting carbon. The TDP will make it clear which new transport schemes will support this, as well as preparing the ground for further public funding bids, by concentrating on value-for-money which is now more vital than ever. The TDP uses a robust evidence-based process to show how South Hampshire's urban areas, ports and airport will be strengthened and its economic assets protected.
The consultation period closes on 14 January 2013 and comments can be made via the TfSH website as an e-consultation. After analysing the responses TfSH will make final amendments to the plan and adopt it at its February Transport for South Hampshire Joint Committee meeting. The Isle of Wight Council plans to join TfSH and the TDP will then be updated accordingly.
Councillor Mel Kendal, Chairman of Transport for South Hampshire and Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Hampshire County Council, said:
"Success in winning Government money this year has been a real boost for South Hampshire as a whole, including Portsmouth and Southampton, and has made a significant difference to our ability to keep South Hampshire moving and provide a solid foundation for our economy. Now the Transport Delivery Plan will put us in a strong position to pursue new funding opportunities from a secure base. It will also enable us to clearly see which transport schemes should be prioritised in order to solve current or future transport problems and ensure good value for money. It is a flexible plan that will adapt to changes in circumstances so we can take advantage of any opportunities as they arise.
"The TDP will yield many benefits. It will help us promote and improve public transport and other alternatives to the car, strengthen existing urban areas by encouraging sustainable patterns of living and working, and target improvements to the highway network where these bring the biggest economic gains. These improvements are important to support continued employment growth, housing development and the performance of our international gateways such as airports and seaports."
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