"Every city, even those without an elected mayor, should appoint a cycling commissioner to push home reforms." ('Manifesto pt.8).
The policy document that sets out the transport vision for Greater Manchester is known as Local Transport Plan (LTP3), which unsurprisingly follows on from LTP1 and LTP2 and runs from 2011 to 2016. The LTP3 document contains some positive policy statements about the importance of increasing the levels of cycling and walking to help:
Improve access to work:"There are further opportunities for increasing cycling to work, particularly by improving the environment for cyclists along key routes to major employment destinations, such as The Corridor, Manchester City Centre and the other major town centres, by re-routing general traffic, reallocating road space to buses and cyclists and investing in cycle infrastructure and parking." (Page 30).
Improve health: "For shorter journeys, or for access to the public transport network, we recognise the huge potential of walking and cycling in providing a low cost, healthy travel option." (Page 48)."Like walking, cycling has great potential to improve public health. The overall aim will be to enable people to cycle safely throughout the on and off-road network. However, we recognise the need to focus our investment where it is likely to achieve the greatest impact, informed by our analysis of local travel markets. Our policies will help to create a pro-cycling culture by providing safer cycle routes; more parking and training; and traffic management that reduces speeds and gives greater priority to cyclists. In particular, we see great value in prioritising cycle access to Manchester City Centre, town centres and public transport interchanges, supported by improved cycle parking at these locations." (Page 52, Priority: A network of safe cycle routes in support of greatly increased levels of cycling across Greater Manchester).
Reduce CO2 emissions: "In promoting “smarter choices”, this Plan recognises the need to encourage a shift from singleoccupancy car use to walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing. Our proposals set out ways to improve the pedestrian environment, remove barriers to cycling, improve cycling infrastructure, enhance the coverage and quality of public transport, and manage the highway network. This will help to encourage more car users to change the way they travel, and also make it easier for people who do not have access to a car to travel to key facilities." (Page 50, Priority: Delivery of lower carbon travel options).
Which all sounds great, but lets get back to that issue of leadership. Despite having strategic responsibility for active travel (walking and cycling), the Terms of Reference for the TfGM Committee (a committee of 33 councillors from all 10 GM local authorities that is responsible for the oversight and scrutiny of TfGM policy, operations and expenditure) does not include any specific reference to active travel (walking and cycling).
On 31st March 2011, Manchester Friends of the Earth wrote to the TfGM committee raising concerns about how this could make clear oversight and leadership more difficult. The letter argued that:
"for Greater Manchester to meet the active travel and sustainable transport policy objectives outlined in the Local Transport Plan (LTP3), the TfGMC Terms of Reference should clearly define the leadership, oversight and scrutiny mechanisms in relation to active travel policy development and service delivery of measures aimed at increasing walking and cycling levels in Greater Manchester."
The response stated:
..."the recently GMCA approved Third Local Transport Plan (LTP 3), which sets the overall transport strategy for Greater Manchester, has a whole Chapter outlining the agreed approach to Active Travel. This is explicit in stating that ‘Active Travel will have a central role in the LTP strategy;’ thus given all TfGMC’s functions need to be exercised in accordance with the agreed policies and budgets of the GMCA and its Local Transport Plan, there will plainly be a role for TfGMC in this regard, alongside that of the highway authorities.
This role however is one primarily of oversight, co-ordination and monitoring TfGM in its activities in implementing LTP objectives, rather than TfGMC becoming involved in the detail of any particular Active Travel scheme, and TfGMC members have been advised accordingly. Specifically, it is set out in the Operating Agreement and the Constitution whereby TfGMC is to ensure that TfGM implements those actions delegated to it for promoting the economic, social and environmental well-being of Greater Manchester and its residents pursuant to Section 99 of the Local Transport Act 2008. This role will extend beyond just the LTP, for example to overseeing TfGM in the LSTF bid and implementation process."
Which basically means that as Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) officers are responsible for delivery of the Active Travel objectives, as outlined in LTP3, the TfGM Committee will be able to provide sufficient oversight by monitoring the reports from Officers on the progress of LTP3.
Manchester Friends of the Earth disagreed and recommended that:
"the Terms of Reference identify a TfGMC Committee Chair, or other appropriate board member, with specific responsibility for reporting on active travel (cycling and walking) policy development and progress of any subsequent active travel service delivery measures. "
Showing leadership means, amongst other things, taking responsibility and being open & transparent about who has that responsibility and what they have (or haven't) done. Currently, it is not at all clear that the TfGM Committee is demonstrating clear leadership on Active Travel (cycling and walking) issues.
For example, at the recent TfGM Committee meeting, the £237 million TfGM budget was discussed (*). However, it is not clear how TFGM Committee members can provide effective oversight and scrutiny of Active Travel (cycling and walking) policies and developments when the Budget does not contain a single mention of the terms "cycling", "walking", "Active Travel", "Smarter Choices" or "sustainable".Action: If you think it might be useful for the TfGM Committee to show a little more leadership on cycling issues across Greater Manchester, why not write a (polite) email to Andrew Fender (email), the Committee Chair and/or the Councillors from your local authority who represent you on the TfGM committee highlighting your concerns.
We look forward to next year's budget with unabated enthusiasm......
(*) The term "discussed" is used in its loosest possible sense as the budget item was concluded within approximately 60 seconds, with not a single question, comment or objection raised by any of the Councillors present.
