Decision details

To consider the report of Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport in association with the Cabinet Member for Resources, seeking approval for relevant funding approvals detailed below, to progress the Eastern Cycle Route Project.

The Project will provide a direct cycle route from the  East of the City to the City Centre and Central Station.  The route will encourage more cyclists and and include safer facilities that would benefit those with less confidence, thus creating the ability to travel in and out of the City sustainably.

LSTF funding to the value of £888,000 was added to the E&T Capital Programme in November 2012 to cover a 3-year period 2012-2015. 

The project requires 100% of match funding and approval is requested  for a further £888,000 to be added to the Capital Programme to be met from site specific Section 106 contributions, the Sustrans (DfT) Cycle Safety Fund and the 2014/15 LTP Integrated Transport allocation.

Approval is sought for the total capital expenditure for the project, which is estimated at £1.776 m.

Modified recommendations:

(i)  To rename the existing capital scheme called the “LSTF - Super Cycle Highways” to “Eastern Cycle Corridor (LSTF)” contained within the Environment & Transport Capital Programme and to increase the scheme, from £888,000 to £1,901,000 an increase of £1,013,000, funded by the following capital additions:

(a)  The addition of £358,000 of Site Specific Section 106 Contributions to the scheme.

(b)  The acceptance and addition of £375,000 of Department for Transport (DfT/Sustrans) Cycle Safety Fund government grant to the scheme.

(c)  The addition of £280,000 of LTP government grant (2014/15 allocation) to the scheme.

(ii)  To approve total capital expenditure of £1,901,000 for the Eastern Cycle Corridor (LSTF) scheme phased £1,121,000 in 2012/13 £996,000 in 2013/14 and £667,000 in 2014/15.

Financial Procedure Rules require that funding is added to the capital programme and approval to spend is secured to enable the delivery of projects within the Council’s Capital Programme.

An option is not to approve the additional funding.  This would result in not being able to construct the full phase 1 part of the scheme, elements of which have to be completed by February 2014 due to the terms of DfT/Sustrans Funding.  The planned works are programmed with the Central Bridge Maintenance scheme as part of the Bridges to Prosperity Project and the window of opportunity for construction would be lost.  Furthermore to not accept the funding would create reputational risk with Sustrans who are a partner of the Council.