Agenda item

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways introduced the report which asked Cabinet to approve actions to progress the implementation of four schemes within the Reducing Congestion Programme. The Cabinet Member pointed out that congestion was the greatest concern picked up in the Viewpoint Survey and the Council was taking action. He noted that there would be some land acquisition with the Upton Scheme.

Increasing population and economic activity meant that there was an increasing demand on highways so road capacity needed to be increased. All the funding was in place for the reducing congestion projects. Other forms of transport as subsidies for buses or community transport continued to be encouraged.

During the discussion the following points were made:

·  Addressing the issues at Hoobrook in Kidderminster was long overdue but would be great for residents. Upton and Eckington residents would be pleased about the Upton improvements

·  The proposed actions fitted well with the walking and cycling agenda and the County Council were thanked for the investment in Bromsgrove

·  Members from outside the Cabinet said that the improvements would be wonderful for Upton, Malvern and Pershore although a rationalisation of speed limits should take place and there were concerns that no traffic lights were being planned for Wilden Lane in Kidderminster.

Cabinet:

(a)  noted progress on the four named schemes in the report within the Reducing Congestion Programme and endorsed the actions taken to date;

(b)  approved the continuation of activities to progress their implementation;

(c)  authorised the purchase of land necessary to complete the A38 Upton Roundabout Scheme (shown in red on the plan at Appendix 2) and delegated authority to the Strategic Director of Commercial and Change and Strategic Director of Economy and Infrastructure in consultation with the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways to revise the extent of the land required to deliver the Scheme if necessary;

(d)  should it not be possible to acquire all the land by negotiation, authorised the acquisition of necessary land and rights over land through the making of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) and authorises the Strategic Director of Commercial and Change and Strategic Director of Economy and Infrastructure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways, to finalise the details and make such a CPO including any compulsory acquisition of rights required, and authorises the Strategic Director of Economy and Infrastructure and the Strategic Director of Commercial and Change to approve any Statement of Reasons in relation to the land, that must accompany any CPO submitted for the confirmation to the Secretary of State for Transport, and noted that this will be approved prior to making of the CPO;

(e)  delegated the award of contracts and agreements required for the schemes to the Strategic Director of Economy and Infrastructure in consultation with the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways; and

(f)    approved expenditure in line with funds allocated to the Reducing Congestion Programme in the Capital Programme.