To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 15 March 2023, as a correct record

Resolved: That the Minutes of the previous meeting of the Sevenoaks Joint Transportation Board, held on 15 March 2023 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

For reasons of transparency, County Cllr Streatfeild declared for Item 4 – Applications for Disabled Persons (Blue Badge) Parking Bays (Minute 4) that he was also the District Local Member in respect of the application in St Peter’s Row, Fordcombe.

Members noted the completed action.

Members considered a report which presented representations that had been received during the informal consultation to proposed disabled persons (blue badge) parking bays (DPPBs) within the District. The Board was asked to consider the applications and representations received and decide whether to support the Officers’ recommendations to set aside the representations to the proposed DPPBs in St Peter’s Row, Fordcombe and agree to the introduction of an interim parking bay at the location.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

          Resolved: That

a)    the application for a disabled persons parking bay inDane Road, Otford which was declined as it did not meet KCCs assessment criteria and Mill Lane, Sevenoaks which was declined as the parking area was not part of the public highway be noted; and

b)   as no representations were received for the application in Crampton’s Road, Sevenoaks, an interim parking bay be marked; and

c)    the objection received for the application in St Peter’s Row, Fordcombe be overruled and an interim parking bay be marked.

The Principal Infrastructure Delivery Officer (SDC) presented the report which updated the Board on the progress of the Sevenoaks Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).

In 2022, the Council had hired consultants Sustrans to undertake the District’s first LCWIP covering Sevenoaks urban area. This was designed to strategically identify walking and cycling routes throughout the District with a view to developing networks over the longer term. Sevenoaks District Council and Kent County Council were successful in securing £15,000 from Active Travel England’s Capability Fund to contribute towards the study. The Plan was completed in 2023.

Members were informed that the Sevenoaks Urban Area LCWIP identified 8 walking, wheeling and cycling routes, and prioritised them in terms of benefits and likelihood of achievement. The top 3 prioritised routes were:

Sevenoaks Town East to West Route (LCWIP route 3)

Sevenoaks to Otford Route (LCWIP route 1)

Sevenoaks to Seal to Otford Route (LCWIP route 6)

Following on from the success of the Sevenoaks Urban Area LCWIP, the Council had secured a further £25,000 from Active Travel England to undertake an LCWIP for Swanley Urban Area in partnership with KCC and work was underway.

Members asked questions of clarification focused on the incorporation of updated traffic data at the Bat and Ball junction following improvements made as part of a live planning application. The Principal Infrastructure Delivery Officer explained that the routes could be revised with updated traffic data to improve the delivery of the scheme.

            Resolved: That the report be noted.

Members considered a report which updated the Board on Active Travel Projects in progress. Projects included the Sevenoaks East/West cycle, walking and wheeling route improvements and the Otford to Sevenoaks North/South cycle, walking and wheeling routes.

The Active Travel Manager (KCC) updated the Board on the progress of the Sevenoaks Town East to West cycling route. A series of workshops had been held to include members of the cycling community, access groups and local schools. In addition, a cycle and walkthrough of the route took place in April 2023 involving Local Members. The Board were advised that the detailed designs of the route had been drawn up and the Council was consulting on the scheme from 1 June 2023 for a period of 6 weeks. The feedback would then be analysed and presented to a future meeting of the Board for endorsement to proceed. Members were informed that it was hoped construction of the scheme could be completed by early 2024.

The Active Travel Manager explained that KCC and the Council were working closely to design and plan the Otford to Sevenoaks Route along with Member engagement. Once scheme designs were progressed sufficiently, a public consultation would take place.

Members discussed the report and the design of the proposed routes. In response to a query, the Active Travel Manager advised that he would respond directly to questions raised through email by a Member. Officers also noted the suggestion that the consultation should include the spur routes to Knowle Academy and to the station that had been identified in route 1.

            Resolved: That the report be noted.

The Chairman introduced the report which presented an update on the Sevenoaks Townwide 20mph scheme.

At its meeting on the 15 March 2023 the overlap between the proposed Sevenoaks Townwide 20mph Scheme and the planned cycling routes and the benefits and practicalities of integrating the two schemes was discussed.  The Board recommended to KCC that the scheme proceed to an informal consultation of the revised 20mph speed limit area in Sevenoaks Town and pedestrian crossing on the A225 with due consideration to Sevenoaks’s emerging Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).

A further meeting between the Sevenoaks Joint Transportation Board Chairman, KCC Member for Sevenoaks Town and KCC Officers took place to discuss how best to progress the consultation.  As indicated in the report, there was a desire to progress the town 20mph proposals at the earliest opportunity and proceed to an informal consultation, however, due to an existing heavy workload, KCC was unlikely to be able to commit to a consultation until September or October 2023 at the earliest. 

Furthermore, funding had not been identified for a further consultation or the implementation of the Sevenoaks Townwide 20mph scheme. 

The Chairman explained that in view of the pace of progress being made on the cycling routes, and the recent significant funding awarded for the development of the Otford to Sevenoaks cycling route and consultation, the need to consider the proposed Town 20mph scheme as part of the big picture to deliver Active Travel to the town had become even more relevant.

The Chairman also outlined that due to this requirement it was considered important to incorporate further consultation on the Sevenoaks Townwide 20mph scheme within the proposed cycling route consultations. 

Members discussed the report and asked questions of clarification. Some Members expressed the importance of integrating the Sevenoaks LCWIP into the Sevenoaks Townwide 20mph scheme. Other Members expressed concern as to the length of the timetable for the implementation of the scheme.

It was moved by the Chairman and duly seconded that a New Member Working Group be set up with KCC and SDC Officer support to develop a consultation plan for the LCWIP which incorporated the Sevenoaks Townwide 20mph scheme to report back to the next meeting of the Board. Members of the Boardwere encouraged to get in touch with the Chairman or Democratic Services Team should they wish to be a part of the Working Group.

Resolved: That a new Member Working Group be set up of JTB Members, with KCC and SDC Officer support, to develop a consultation plan for the LCWIP which incorporated the Sevenoaks Town wide 20mph scheme to report back to the next meeting of the Board.

The Sevenoaks Highways Manager (KCC) provided an update to Members on pothole reporting and how KCC dealt with them.

There were 23,000 reports of potholes since January 2023 across Kent, 2000 of which were reported in Sevenoaks District. KCC had earned funding to tackle pot holes through a ‘pothole blitz’ scheme which would include patching and repair works across the District. Repairs were due to begin in Summer 2023. Most of the work would focus on A road and B road networks which would require night-time working to reduce travel disruption.

Potholes could be reported online via Kent.gov.uk or by calling 03000 418181. Members were advised to direct pot hole reports to KCC this way. Each report would be investigated by KCC officers and would be dealt with provided that they met the correct intervention levels, set out within the existing KCC policy.

Members thanked the Sevenoaks Highways Manager for the update and discussed the pothole reporting and patching solutions. Some Members were impressed by the speed of the service but also explained that sometimes engineers left humps within the road repairs which required further patching. The Sevenoaks Highways Manager explained that any temporary repairs would be followed up with permanent fixes.

            Resolved: That the report be noted.

The Board considered the report which gave an update and summary of schemes that had been scheduled for delivery in 2022/23.

Members asked questions of clarification. It was confirmed that the drainage repair work in Knatts Valley had been completed. It was also confirmed that the casualty reductions measures due to take place on the A225 Shoreham Road, were sited at the double bend located at Preston farm.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

The Work plan was noted with the following additions:

20 September 2023

·       Sevenoaks LCWIP & Sevenoaks Town-wide 20mph Scheme Consultation Plan Working Group Report

·       Update on Sevenoaks LCWIP

·       Concrete Road Re-surfacing Information Report

·       Road Works & Emergency Road Works data in the District update

·       Highways Forward Works Programme 2023/24

·       SDC Off-Street EV Charging Points Update
(To bring when there is an update)