Agenda and decisions

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Elaine Taylor, Dan Costello, Tracey Rawlins, James Gartside, Paul Prescott, Warren Bray and Hamid Khurram.

To receive declarations of interest in any item for discussion at the meeting. A blank form for declaring interests has been circulated with the agenda; please ensure that this is returned to the Governance & Scrutiny Officer 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

That it be noted that as an employee of Keolis Amey Metrolink, Councillor Phil Burke declared a prejudicial interest in item 6 – Bikes on Metrolink Policy.

RESOLVED/-

1.    That it be noted that TfGM has finalised the contractual details with KAM and has welcomed an extension to the Metrolink Operations and Maintenance contract with KeolisAmey Metrolink Ltd (KAM), which would see the company continue to operate and maintain the UK’s largest tram network from July 2024 until July 2027.

2.    That it be noted that a letter has been issued to Mark Harper, Secretary of State for Transport issued requesting an urgent update of Department for Transport (DfT) Circular 01/2007:  Use of speed and red-light cameras.

3.    That it be noted that a meeting has been arranged with the Chief Constable to discuss the challenges and opportunities of developing and taking forward a locally agreed approach prior to the DfT publishing a refreshed Circular and develop a plan to deliver Greater Manchester’s ambition for Vision Zero.

4.    That it be noted that the second tranche of bus franchising was due to commence on Sunday 24^th March.

5.    That the update in relation to Tranche 1 services be noted.

6.    That it be noted that data relating to the punctuality of buses on the Bee Network would be published on X (formerly called twitter) on a weekly basis.

To consider the approval of the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2023.

RESOLVED/-

That the minutes of the Bee Network Committee held on 14 December 2023 be approved as a correct record.

Report of Peter Bolton, Head of Highways, TfGM

RESOLVED/-

1.      That the contents of the strategy be noted.

2.      That the draft Vision Zero Strategy and the commencement of a period of engagement with stakeholders and the public be endorsed.

3.      That it be noted that a supporting Action Plan would be developed and brought to this Committee following the period of stakeholder and public engagement on the strategy.

4.      That it be noted that the finalised Vision Zero Strategy and Action Plan would be reported to Bee Network Committee and then to the GMCA for formal adoption and approval in November 2024.

Report of Danny Vaughan, Head of Metrolink, TfGM

RESOLVED/-

1.      That the contents of the report be noted.

2.      That the proposal of a guided pilot to test various scenarios for the carriage of non-folding bikes on Metrolink be endorsed.

3.      That it be noted that a further report would be presented to the Bee Network Committee in summer 2024 on the outcomes of the pilot, together with ongoing technical studies, and proposals on as to how to safely enable the carriage of non-folding bikes on Metrolink.

Report of Simon Elliott, Head of Rail, TfGM

RESOLVED/-

1.      That the performance of the Greater Manchester rail network be noted.

2.      That the progress of the capital rail delivery programme be noted.

3.      That the following updates in relation to the capital rail delivery programme be noted :

a)      Work was underway with Stockport and Wigan Council to develop proposals for a new rail station in Cheadle and in Golborne.

b)      The current proposal for Golborne Station, subject to a public consultation that commenced on 4th January 2024, was to build a new station near to the site of the previous Golborne Station which would have an hourly service between Wigan and Stalybridge; and the relevant documentation required to secure Government approval of the Outline Business Case for the scheme would be submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) for review by the end of January 2024.

c)      That the following works were noted as part of the Access for All programme:

·         The commencement of detailed design works on Daisy Hill and Irlam stations with completion and handover expected in early 2025 and;

·         The conclusion of the outline design for Swinton and Next Tranche stations (Reddish North, Hindley, Bryn) with detailed design work set to commence early 2024 with overall completion expected in 2027, subject to railway possessions and access be received and;

·         In terms of minor accessibility intervention, the installation of Customer Information Systems (CIS) in 14 GM stations were underway with expected completion by the end of March 2024; the installation of the access ramp at Bredbury Station had been completed and the drop off work at Rose Hill Station was currently underway with expected completion by the end of February 2024.

d)      Following delays to the enhancement scheme for Salford Central Station, work was now planned to commence from early 2025 for 10 weeks.

e)      Heaton Chapel, Altrincham, and Trafford Park were identified as stations with buildings that could be redeveloped and brought back into use.

f)       Redevelopment masterplans were now in place for Stockport, Stalybridge and Rochdale Station.

4.      That the progress of strategic rail programme be noted.

5.      That the following updates in relation to the strategic rail programme be noted as below :

a)      Following the publication of the Williams Shapps Plan for Rail in 2021 and the subsequent creation of the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT), a Trailblazer partnership has been set-up between Greater Manchester and GBRTT.

b)      That work was underway to develop a prospectus for the 6 central stations within Manchester and Salford, along with proposals for an enhanced station at Stockport as part of the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) be noted.

c)      To support the GM-GBR’s Fares, Ticketing and Retail (FTR) programme roll-out and the Trailblazer Devolution Deal commitment of integrating rail into the Bee Network by 2030, a Customer Integration Delivery Group (CIDG) consisting of industry partners (GBRTT, DfT, Network Rail, Northern and Transpennine) has been set up to support the delivery of this vision.

d)      Two main strategic rail studies ‘The North of  ...  view the full decision text for item 7.

Report of Chris Barnes, Infrastructure Pipeline Programme Director, TfGM

RESOLVED/-

1.    That the current position in relation to CRSTS1 and CRSTS2 be noted.

2.    That the intended submission of the Outline Business Case for the new Golborne Station project to the Department for Transport (DfT) in January 2024 be noted.

3.    That the drawdown of £0.72m of CRSTS funding to enable progression of the ‘Improving Journeys – Orbital Bus Routes: Pedestrian Crossing Upgrades’ scheme – to upgrade existing pedestrian crossings across the Improving Journeys: Orbital Bus Route corridors be approved; and

4.    That it be noted that the GMCA would be recommended to approve the addition to, and the subsequent drawdown from, the 2023/24 Capital Programme of £4.438m for local highways maintenance activities, noting the split between Local Authorities based on the previously agreed (GMCA 26 May 2023) core maintenance allocations.

·         22 February; 2 - 4 PM

·         21 March; 2 - 4 PM

·         22 February; 2 - 4 PM

·         21 March; 2 - 4 PM