Hi Folks,
About 2 weeks ago PA/E Council officers provided the PortBUG Committee with an opportunity to review and comment (on a confidential basis) on Council’s new draft 5-year Walking & Cycling Plan. We only had a few days to read the draft and comment, but we managed to provide Council with a reasonably comprehensive 14-page response!
There is a great deal in the new Plan that is positive and indeed, that incorporates recommendations we’ve made previously. However we felt compelled to strongly express a number of concerns, focussed principally on:
- some methodological weaknesses & an insufficient data provision
- significant omissions from the recommended priorities
- an excessive focus on main-road bike lanes with insufficient consideration of alternatives
- insufficient focus on functional network connectivity
- lack of focus on effective community engagement & participation.
We understand that a revised draft will go to Councillors at their May or June meeting for ratification and will then be made available for community consultation & comment!
The PortBUG looks forward to participating further in this important process & we’ll do everything we can to ensure forum members have the opportunity to do so as well!
Your PortBUG Committee.
