Proposal to scrutinise Council’s active travel schemes and initiatives

The Council’s delivery of cycling and walking projects across Reading will be scrutinised under proposals being considered next week.

Under the plans, a cross-party task and finish group will be created to examine the Council’s active travel strategy.

The group of councillors would be able to take evidence from external and internal stakeholders, identify examples of best practice and areas for improvement and make recommendations.

Members of the Council’s Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport (SEPT) committee will consider the proposal at a meeting on Wednesday 12 March  (https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=139&MId=5529).

Active travel is an important element of the Reading Transport Strategy 2040 which aims to reduce private car journeys in the town and improve the health and wellbeing of Reading residents.

The Council has delivered a range of successful cycling and walking infrastructure schemes in recent years and there are more projects in the pipeline.

Cllr Will Cross, Chair of SEPT, requested that a task and finish group be set up to scrutinise the design, funding and delivery of the Council’s active travel schemes and initiatives.

Council committees can set up and appoint task and finish groups, which meet regularly for a limited period to undertake an overview and scrutiny exercise on a specific subject and report back to a future committee meeting.

Cllr Cross said:

“The Council has taken a lot of positive action on cycling and walking in recent years and a cross-party task and finish group would be an effective way of looking at what is working well and where improvements could be made.

“It would be particularly useful to hear the views of interested parties so the group can develop an overarching view of the Council’s active travel strategy and make recommendations on how we can improve on the implementation of its goals and best deliver its objectives.”

Cllr John Ennis, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, said:

“Active travel is a key part of Reading’s local transport plan and its objectives of creating a cleaner and greener town and supporting healthy lifestyles.

“The Council has made great progress with delivering cycling and walking schemes but these projects are dependent on securing funding from central government.

“We have ambitions to develop more strategic and local pedestrian and cycle routes, safer school travel, public space enhancements and much more, and the creation of a task and finish group will help provide a focus on the delivery of these schemes.”