Dorset CAN Transport Team meeting notes Tuesday 24th January 2023

As part of the intros, Belinda advised she is looking into a West Dorset-wide approach to Dorset Council for a project to establish car clubs and e-bike rental hubs around here, linking to Axminster, Seaton, Crewkerne and other places on East Devon and South Somerset which have or will have these facilities. Her perception is that there is more focus at DC for East Dorset transport, and she would like to know what others interested in transport think.  She also advised that Ray Bryan is seaking to the Transport Select Committee, the only Cllr speaking to them.
 
TAG updates

• Nick gave an update on PTAG activities (copy of latest PTAG Newsletter and Purbeck Transport Plan attached), including that PTAG have sent some transport issues to Ray Bryan for raising at the Select Committee.  He als advised there was generally support for a Car Free Day, except for Studland as this would be rather cut off, although it was discussed that such a day could publicise this issue.
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• Diane advised that WeyTAG are still starting up, nad have volunteers for more transport types but not rail.  Beryl suggested contacting either SWR to come and talk about rail, or contacting Friends of Upwey Station.
  
  
• John said WATAG had a lot of rail experts but not so many active travle people!  The WATAG AGM is Thu 26th Jan.  Their main concern at present is regarding changes to bus routes and timings without prior consultation.  This has led to the loss of tow people’s jobs.  THere is also a perception that DC do not listen to WATAG.  It was mentioned the public transport section in DC now has on 2-3 officers in it.  Also there is a discussion about 20mph limits at Bridport TC.  ACTION Dilys to email John the latest 20mph policy and info from the campaign HQ.
  
  
• Giles ran through the key areas of the DTAG meeting on that morning (Draft minutes attached).
  
  

• Plans for Car Free Day coming on, probably 2 dates, one to coincide with Dorset COP on 9/9 (road closures ), and one to coincide with International Car Free Day on 22/9 (close car park and host fun events).
  
  
• Their slightly amended questionaire has gone to 30+ parishes, responses not expected until end Feb.
  
  
• Dorchester TC are hosting a very interesting Walking Festival.
  
  
• DTAG AGM will be held sometime in June as a public meeting again.
  
  

• The levelling up and other funding for Dorset was discussed. £6m from the shared prosperity fund to develop skills training, £19m LU fund for Weymouth harbour - not know if this is to make it suitable for ferries again, plus £110m for flood relief schemes.
  
  
• It was suggested that the TAG leaders meeting should push for recognition as formal stakeholders for transport consultations.
  
  

• Dilys advised Chesil Council as considering 20mph at their meeting next week.

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• Dilys mentioned she has a new stock of wheelie bin stickers  with a 20mph in a heart.  Belinda and Beryl would like some.
  
  

• Frances mentioned a recent trip to Banbury which has implemented 20mph, with Oxfordshire keen on the lower speed limit.
  
  
• Dilys doesn’t know how many Town and Parish Councils have applied for a 20mph limit.  ACTION Belinda to try to find out.
  
  

Feedback on Cargo bikes seminar

• Dilys briefed that this was a really interesting event (link to Youtube video).  There will be a summit on cargo bikes in London on 31/3.  it is emerging that they are not just useful for the last mile, but are actually taking vans off the road where used, reducing carbon as their emissions are 20% that of a Berlingo van.  In Southampton, they have been used for servicing 20 hospital buildings, transporting rubbish, bed linen, etc around using 18 bikes, which has been very succesful.  Waltham Forest Council has partnered with a private E-cargo company, again this is working well.  There were some discussions at the seminar about such bikes in rural areas, such as providing a collection and delivery hub, perhaps using existing and ideally located buildings such as churches.
  
  

HVO as an alternative fuel for freight vehicles

• No update.
  
  

Cordite Way Footpath / Cycleway Update

• Beryl advised she is meeting Katie Black from Dorset Council next week.  This route was publicised in the press last week, and will be added to OS maps when they are updated.
  
  
• Jade-Aden Ltd will replace the bridge and funding is available to provide the new footpath, which will be disability compliant, and it is hoped the landowner will agree to it being a permissive cycleway.  The Poole Harbour Trail and a Friends Group will look after the route.
  
  
• There is an aspiration to link up Rockley Jetty with Rockley Park across the Lychett Gap, but the recent funding application for a feasibility study failed, and Network Rail have ruled against the path sharing the railway bridge across the harbour.  The proposed Upton - Bakers Arms foot and cyclepath (part of the Transforming Cities funding) will now not happen as there is insufficient funding, which is a positive for the Cordite Way route.  
  
  

Co Cars meeting

• Belinda stated she met with Co Cars in December.  The pervious person she spoke to who offered a free car for Lyme has left, and his replacement seems more business like - there was no offer of a free car mentioned.  There is still the probmlem of the fast charger not being sufficient, a rapid one is needed.  CoCars have since sent a proposal to Belinda, but this quotes DC instead of LRTC so needs correcting.
  
  
• An officer in DC has said that Lyme can have as many EV chargers as they want, and that in principle CoCars could use a DC parking space.
  
  
• Ray Bryan’s is thought to consider that before there are a series of bike hubs, the cycling infrastructure should be sorted first.  We think both should be progress, with grass roots demand being made for these hubs; they could link up villages, reduce social isolation, etc.
• DC are likely to stick with Beryl Bikes anyway.
  
  

LGA Decarbonisation Meeting

• Belinda advised there are a series of Action Learning Sets on Transport, more info here.
  
  

Transport Team Strategy

• 20mph countywide and car free days will be progressed in parallel, as they are linked.
• There was not much time for discussion at the meeting, so the next meeting will concentrate on Car Free Days.
  
  
• Helen advised that Planet Purbeck have refined the focus for the Festival and do not really have the resources to plan the Purbeck event, and so she was not really able to commit to leading this.  ACTION Nick offered to contact Sustainable Swanage to see if there is any interest.
  
  
• Dilys advised not to use the term safe, but to use risk assessment, pointing out there is safety in numbers of cyclists and walker - if a car driver is expecting cycles to be over a hill or round a bend, they will drive accordingly.
  
  
• Dilys also repeated that there needs to be a positive message , rather than a car free day there needed to be another name for the events, possibly and Active Transport Day.
  
  
• Frances advised that the opposition to such an event came from businesses in Dorchester, although a Waltham Forest case study indicated a 44% increase in footfall (see attached TfL Evidence Pack for supporting info).
  
  
• Giles and Helen both agreed their Car Free Day documents could be used by other to support their event plans (both attached as a reminder).
  
  

AOB

• Frances mentioned that CPRE are looking at rural bus service improvements, with a 3 phase plan:
  
  

• A Transport Deserts report
  
  
• An Every Village, Every Hour Report
  
  
• Local branches taking action by contacting Town & Parish Councils.
  
  

• Dilys mentioned that her theatre trip for those who haven't used the bus before has proved very popular, with 17 people going to Yeovil Theatre and coming back on the last bus.
  
  
• Colin D provided a Youtube link to a talk he gave about using history to influence an increase in cycle routes; note only the first couple of minutes are in Portuguese!