Cabinet considers transport spending
04-MAR-10
Issued by: Jeanette Hedley
Cabinet members will next week to asked to agree how North Tyneside Council should allocate its share of regional transport funding.
A report to the meeting next week (Monday, March 8) explains that the government settlement towards highways and transport initiatives is allocated on a Tyne and Wear basis through the Integrated Transport Authority - a partnership through the five Tyne and Wear local authorities.
However, the share for North Tyneside for 2010-2011 totals £4.1m.
A draft capital programme has been prepared which allocates the cash to the corporate priorities including:
- £540,000 to scheme to make the roads safer through 20mph zones, speed management projects, more pedestrian crossing and general traffic management schemes.
- £120,000 to improve safety around schools with improved puffin crossings
- £10,000 on improved lighting schemes
- £235,000 for borough-wide cycling improvements, such as cycle paths, and an additional £15,000 for cycle training and awareness for borough children.
- Nearly £200,000 to improve highway access for the public, including disabled bays, more dropped kerbs and improvements to public rights of way
There is over £750,000 to maintain the borough's roads and footways, and £900,000 towards work to bridges.
And a £340,000 contribution towards Nexus will support improvements to Tyne and Wear public transport routes, including the creation of Superroutes, accessible bus stop kerbs and improvements to the bus infrastructure.
Councill Ed Hodson, Cabinet member for the Environment said: "As a council we need to ensure that this money is used in the most effective way possible to benefit our residents.
"This draft programme puts forward a solution that delivers ongoing maintenance to our roads, pavements and bridges as well as specific projects to improve safety for pedestrians and motorists, and support more sustainable transport such as cycling."
"The report asks the Cabinet to agree that officers can review the spending plans to take account of the impact on the highway network of the recent sever weather, once a full assessment of the extent of damage to the borough roads is known."