Mobility Strategy
Perth and Kinross Council · 23 October 2024
Back to Climate Change and Sustainability Committee — 23 October 2024 and its agenda
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PERTH AND KINROSS COUNCIL Climate Change and Sustainability Committee 23 October 2024 MOBILITY STRATEGY Report by Strategic Lead - Economy, Development & Planning (Report No. 24/289) 1. PURPOSE 1.1 The purpose of the report is to seek approval for the Consultation Draft Mobility Strategy and associated Draft Action Plan. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee: • Approve the Mobility Strategy (Appendix 1) and the associated Action Plan (Appendix 2). • Note the supporting documentation (Consultation Note, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), and Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA). 3. STRUCTURE OF REPORT 3.1 This report is structured over the following sections: • Section 4 – Background • Section 5 – Context • Section 6 – Mobility Strategy • Section 7 – Action Plan • Section 8 – Co-ordination with City Centre Visioning • Section 9 – Engagement and Consultation • Section 10 – Conclusion • Appendices 4. BACKGROUND 4.1 Perth & Kinross Council’s Corporate Plan 2022-27 (Report No. 22/311 refers) includes a list of local, regional and national strategies and plans which set out the context for how we deliver the priorities contained in the Corporate Plan. A Mobility Strategy has been identified as a key strategy in delivering two Corporate Plan priorities: tackling climate change and supporting sustainable places; and developing a resilient, stronger and greener local economy.
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4.2 The Mobility Strategy is one of three place-based strategies which shape how places develop over the long-term: the others being the Local Housing Strategy and the Local Development Plan. All three strategies aim to deliver the Council's Corporate Plan vision of a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well free from poverty and inequalities. The three place-based strategies are visualised in Figure 1, along with their corresponding national strategies. 4.3 In addition, of specific relevance is the Council’s Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (December 2021) which identified six overarching principles that will shape our long-term approach to Climate Change. The first principle focuses on achieving a net zero Perth and Kinross, aligned with Scottish Government targets. This identified the need to develop a Mobility Strategy to deliver the best return on investment in the Council’s journey to net zero. 4.4 The National Transport Strategy 2 (February 2020) sets out an ambitious vision for Scotland’s transport system for the next 20 years. The vision is underpinned by four priorities: Reduces Inequalities, Takes Climate Action, Helps Deliver Inclusive Economic Growth and Improves our Health and Wellbeing. It is proposed that Perth & Kinross Council’s Mobility Strategy adopts these key priorities, ensuring they are fundamental to the development and delivery of the strategy. The Strategy’s Transport Planning Objectives (TPOs) are also aligned with Tactran’s ministerial approved Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) and the Council’s Corporate Plan Priorities. Figure 1 - Place based strategies
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Figure 2 – Alignment of Objectives 4.5 Each objective has undergone a detailed development process and forms the basis for creating an organisational framework to inform decision-making, planning, and strategic leadership. The TPO’s are shown in Table 1 below: Table 1 – Transport Planning Objectives
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5. CONTEXT 5.1 The Mobility Strategy is a local transport strategy which will set out Perth & Kinross Council’s vision for managing and developing the transport and active travel network over a 15-year timescale. The Mobility Strategy considers all modes of transport for the movement of people and goods across Perth and Kinross’s rural and urban settings, to help achieve national targets and local objectives. The Strategy will respond to the climate change agenda and other known drivers of change. 5.2 The Mobility Strategy considers the impact on transport networks and people’s travel patterns of emerging technologies, digital services, housing, inclusion, poverty, health, climate adaptation, economic growth, air quality, and place making. 5.3 A simple three-stage approach was used to produce the Mobility Strategy. Stage 1 – Let’s Talk Transport – (Approved March 2023) Stage 2 – Develop Consultation Draft Mobility Strategy – (Approved May 2024) Stage 3 – Finalising the Mobility Strategy – (Adoption) 6. MOBILITY STRATEGY 6.1 The Mobility Strategy (Appendix 1) marks the final step in the Council's planned three-stage approach. This follows on from an 8-week consultation, allowing for diverse stakeholders to share their thoughts on the documents. 6.2 The Mobility Strategy (Appendix 1) is structured as follows: Figure 3 – Mobility Strategy Sections
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6.3 Throughout the development process, insights from Let’s Talk Transport have been important in informing the policy document combining analysed data and perspectives gathered through the documents’ consultation. This has ensured that the Mobility Strategy is robust, relevant, and adaptable to the diverse needs and dynamics of Perth & Kinross. 7. MOBILITY STRATEGY ACTION PLAN 7.1 The Mobility Strategy Action Plan (Appendix 2) will enable the Council to plan, programme, and deliver actions to achieve the Mobility Strategy’s Transport Planning Objectives. Aligned with the Avoid Shift Improve (ASI) Framework outlined in the Mobility Strategy (Appendix 1 - page 23), this plan aims to enhance, facilitate, and promote sustainable transport and active travel choices. 7.2 A strategic appraisal of actions has been conducted, utilising Transport Planning Objectives and various criteria including implementation, public perception, environmental impacts, and more. The key themes of the action plan, used to organise strategic actions, are shown in Table 2 below: Table 2 – Action Plan Themes
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7.3 Given its scope and magnitude, the Action Plan will be developed and implemented over a 15-year timescale. Some actions will require robust business case development and will be dependent on external funding, while others can be executed in the short term. The timeline for each action depends on its progress, size, scale, and the required resources. Identifying such actions early in the planning process ensures strategic alignment, accelerates development and delivery, mitigates risks, and encourages external funding. 8. CO-ORDINATION WITH PERTH CITY CENTRE DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN FRAMEWORK 8.1 The Mobility Strategy covers all of Perth and Kinross and has been developed alongside the Perth City Centre Development & Design Framework that has been recently approved for consultation (report 24/241 refers). 8.2 The Mobility Strategy and Action Plan will both support and enable many of the ambitious proposals across Perth City. 9. ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION 9.1 The engagement and consultation on the Mobility Strategy and associated Action Plan has dovetailed with the Local Development Plan focused Big Place Conversation, ensuring mobility was not considered in isolation from wider place-based issues. Figure 3 – Engagement and Consultation 9.2 Following consideration by Committee, the Draft Mobility Strategy and Action Plan underwent 8 weeks of public consultation using the Council’s Consultation Hub platform. Officers conducted 6 in-person promotional stalls across Perth and Kinross, along with using a variety of promotional tools both physical and digital.
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9.3 The findings from the consultation have been summarised in the Consultation Findings Report (Appendix 3), which also explores proposed changes to the documents following feedback from the consultations. The recent draft Mobility Strategy consultation exercises led to changes to the action plan in response to participant feedback. 10. NEXT STEPS 10.1 Following approval of the Mobility Strategy and its Action Plan, officers will work with internal delivery teams to allocate actions to the appropriate teams and individuals, ensuring action leads are identified and monitored throughout the strategy’s timeline. 10.2 The information provided within the Action Plan on timescales, partners, and costs, will enable action leads to prioritise and determine what is required for successful development and delivery. 10.3 This will align with the emerging Monitoring and Evaluation Plan to track progress, identify constraints, and address any foreseeable issues which will be reported on at appropriate intervals. 11. CONCLUSION 11.1 Following consultation on the draft Mobility Strategy Policy Document and Action Plan, the collated feedback has been used to finalise the Mobility Strategy. General endorsement was received showing support for the Mobility Strategy, the 11 TPOs, and the Action Plan, in preparation for its adoption. Authors Name Designation Contact Details Elliot Williamson Niall Moran Lead Mobility Strategy Officer, Planning, Transport & Housing Strategy Team Leader, Transportation & Development (01738) 475000 EPLCommitteeReports@pkc.gov.uk Approved Name Designation Date David Littlejohn Strategic Lead - Economy, Development & Planning 9 October 2024
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APPENDICES • Appendix 1 – Mobility Strategy • Appendix 2 – Mobility Strategy Action Plan and Methodology • Appendix 3 – Consultation Note
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ANNEX 1. IMPLICATIONS, ASSESSMENTS, CONSULTATION AND COMMUNICATION Strategic Implications Yes / None Community Plan / Single Outcome Agreement Yes Corporate Plan Yes Resource Implications Financial None Workforce None Asset Management (land, property, IST) None Assessments Equality Impact Assessment Yes Strategic Environmental Assessment Yes Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) Yes Legal and Governance No Risk Yes Consultation Internal Yes External Yes Communication Communications Plan Yes 1. Strategic Implications Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement 1.1 This report supports all of the priorities within the Community Plan 2022-27: (i) Reducing Poverty (including child poverty, fuel poverty and food poverty) (ii) Mental and physical wellbeing (iii) Digital participation (iv) Skills, learning and development (v) Employability Corporate Plan 1.2 This report supports the objectives within the new Corporate Plan: - i) Children and young people grow up safe, respected, well-educated, and confident in their ability to realise their full potential; ii) People and businesses are increasingly able to prosper in a local economy which support low carbon ambitions and offers opportunities for all; iii) People can achieve their best physical and mental health and have access to quality care and support when they need it; iv) Communities are resilient and physically, digital and socially connected;
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v) Perth and Kinross is a safe and vibrant place, mitigating the impact of climate and environmental change for this and future generations. 2. Resource Implications Financial 2.1 There are no direct financial implications arising from this report. Infrastructure actions from the Mobility Strategy Action Plan will be appropriately incorporated into the Council’s 30-year Investment Plan. 2.2 The finalised Mobility Strategy and associated Action Plan will also be used as a key tool in supporting and securing external funding opportunities. Workforce 2.3 There are no direct workforce implications regarding this report. Project staff resourcing is being provided through existing posts and budgets and will be regularly reviewed. Asset Management (land, property, IT) 2.4 There are no direct asset management implications regarding this report. 3. Assessments 3.1 The Mobility Strategy has considered appropriate impact assessments using the Council’s new Integrated Assessment Toolkit. 3.2 A full Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has been finalised and reviewed by the Scottish Government consultation authorities via the SEA Gateway. 3.3 An Integrated Impact Assessment is finalised and adopts a similar approach to Tactran’s Regional Transport Strategy. Legal and Governance 3.4 There are no direct legal implications in this report. Risk 3.5 Risks associated with the delivery of the Mobility Strategy are identified within a project risk register.
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4. Consultation External 4.1 Figure 3 visualises the different exercises used to engage with stakeholders throughout the development of the Mobility Strategy. Internal 4.2 Internal engagement between council officers played a key role in developing the strategy, this collaboration is governed through the Council’s Mobility Working Group. 5. Communication 5.1 A Communication Plan was developed and delivered. 2. BACKGROUND PAPERS 2.1 All documents that have been relied on in preparing the report are already referenced within the main body of the report.