Report to February Branch Meeting; held on 2nd Feb, 1994.
Briefing Notes on the Proposed orbital Road
Protection of Orbital Route from Gedling Bypass to M1 for construction after 2011.
The Orbital Road -
+ is part of a co-ordinated transport strategy;
+ is essential to continued development;
+ improves links to M1, ease pressure on other motorway junctions, remove HGV from other roads;
+ relieves pressure on certain orbital roads within the conurbation;
+ reIeases pressure on the southern and western parts of the Green Belt;
+ provides opportunities for Victoria Park, Gedling and Bingham;
+ cost of £50 million is borne by Govt.; to reject it loses free investment for Notts.;
+ economy's dynamic may take jobs elsewhere if we don't build the road.
but
- the growth of conurbation is not inevitable;
- new roads stimulate even greater growth in traffic;
- accuracy of traffic forecasts should be questioned;
- bad environmental impact at local and global level;
- could encourage the relocation of industry etc. out of town centre; doughnut effect - observed in USA;
- could undermine County's reputation for caring for the environment.
- cost is £50 million; couldn't it be more wisely invested?
Whilst inclined to support the campaign against new roads in general, mechanisms to ensure public transport measures alleviate congestion in Nottingham are not in either the City or County Council's power; we desperately need a change in national policy.
Since the Structure Plan calls only for the land to be reserved, this is the argument that has to be addressed at the County Council and so far I've not seen an argument for not reserving the land.
I oppose the City's call to bring the construction of the road forward from 2011 and I'm pleased to see the County Council's officers have called on the City to clarify the contradictory positions of their press releases and their Planning Committee report. For the Road?
Letter to Planning and Economic Development.
I have asked before for papers outlining the case for the Orbital Road and I think I have all the relevant Committee reports, Consultant's reports and Structure Plan papers. What I'm interested in obtaining is a statement from someone somewhere who is a full advocate of the road so that the meeting I am attending can have heard both sides of the argument. Do you have such a statement? Can you get such a statement to me by next Monday?
For Protecting the route
What are the advantages and disadvantages of protecting the route, if you are inclined to think the road will never be built? It seems churlish almost not to protect the route, but are there penalties to such an action, like planning blight?
District Councils
Has Gedling or the City changed their position on the Orbital?
I hope these notes and the letter inform the debate.
- - - - - - The Budget.
This is preoccupying the County Council at the moment and is to be discussed in Full Council later this month.
Woodthorpe Park
I hope City Councillors will delay any decision on what to do with site "B" until they are seen to have adequately explained why then can sell the land for development in defiance of the 1922 decision; and explained why the money is needed.
Other Issues
- TPP & M1 widening.
- Local Government Review.
- Euro Seat.
- Caunton Avenue.
- Trent House.
Comments