The Head of Transport Strategy & Planning presented a report to update the Transport Delivery Overview and Scrutiny committee with an update on the £1.05Bn West Midlands City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (‘CRSTS’) programme. He shared with the committee an update on the program's progress.
He communicated the significant events impacting the program, including change in guidance and advice from the Department for Transport (DfT); he outlined the requirements for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and reporting within the CRSTS program; and provided an update on the overall progress.
During the discussion that followed, Councillor Robert Alden raised a concern regarding the absence of risk information, expressing that this lack makes scrutiny challenging. He suggested that future reports should delve into more detailed information, a recommendation supported by Councillor Tim Huxtable. Councillor Tim Huxtable also noted the absence of scrutiny items related to the park and ride programme and proposed its addition to the work program. He further mentioned the ongoing efforts of the Executive Director for TfWM in developing improved dashboard reporting, which is anticipated to be ready by Q4 of the next year.
Councillor Martin McCarthy requested an update on the North Solihull/Arden Cross projects, and the Head of Transport Strategy & Planning confirmed that a connectivity study was currently underway. The study aimed to identify areas in North Solihull, East Birmingham, and other regions with poor connectivity where improvements can be made. The Executive Director for TfWM expected the study to be completed by April 2024.
Councillor Hyatt raised concerns about mitigating the effects of inflation. In response, the Head of Transport Strategy & Planning clarified that the rebaseline was designed to address inflationary impacts, with some delivery and design projects having undergone reassessment, with funding redirected towards larger or earlier projects.
(1) The contents of the report were endorsed by the committee, including:
(a) The status of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement change control application submitted to Department for Transport.
(b) The terms, process and content of the CRSTS 1 programme re-base submission approved by WMCA Board on 15th September 2023.
(c) The M&E and reporting requirements associated with the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement.
(d) The Quarter 2 FY23-24 progress reported.