UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
BUDGET SUB-COMMITTEE
TRANSPORT POLICY SUB-COMMITTEE
6 July 2006
(2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.)
MINUTES
Chair
Present
Apologies
Secretary
Professor Temple, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Resources)
Mr Banks, Mr Barnard, Mr Blackshaw, Ms Harrup, Mr Nightingale, Dr Rich, Dr
Sellens, Mrs Totman.
VP Academic & Welfare, Mr Wakeman.
Estate Management Administration Officer
CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
None
STARRING OF AGENDA ITEMS
Noted
Agenda Items 5 and 14 were starred for discussion in addition to those on the
agenda. The unstarred items of the agenda were then deemed to have been received
or noted and approved by Committee as appropriate.
37/06
Minutes of the 9th February 2006 meeting.
38/06
MINUTES
Approved
MATTERS ARISING
Noted
16/06
A reminder regarding the purchase of tickets after 4.30pm would be included in 39/06
the next Car Parking Information note to be issued in October when pay and
display charges for registered vehicles recommenced.
17/06
40/06
Action completed.
18/06
Action completed.
41/06
19/06
On agenda for discussion under Agenda Item 12.
42/06
20/06
Action held over until November.
43/06
34/06
44/06
Action completed.
2020 TRAVEL PLAN CLUB UPDATE
Noted
A staff / student survey would be carried out in October to determine demand for 45/06
the proposed new 2020 bus route. The route was aimed in particular at staff and
students living on Greenstead and Highwoods. A 2020 survey would be carried out
separately for employees in the other organisations, and also a public survey,
although it was noted that this may raise expectations for deliverance of a route
which may not be realised.
The quarterly meeting with First Bus revealed no complaints from the University 46/06
for the previous three months. C-Bus, the local bus users’ pressure group had
noted an improvement in services in the last quarter.
A new night service had been announced by First. The 999 would be re-instated, in 47/06
conjunction with the Hippodrome and other nightclubs in Colchester, who were
required to provide some form of travel home for their customers under the new
licensing laws. The service commenced on 14th July 2006, would run from 11.45
pm to 3.00 am and would drop off at the Quays. The service would not come on to
campus as this would extend the route too far for compliance with the timetable.
A query was raised regarding a direct link to North Station and whether the 48/06
University could not introduce its’ own bus service. It was confirmed that First
would not restore the link until bus priority measures were introduced to relieve
congestion at North Station. A minibus scheme for the University had been costed
in 2000, at £28k per annum start-up and £18k per annum running costs thereafter.
The problem of congestion would still remain, particularly given that one of the
highest demand for journeys was to and from North Station.
It was suggested that the closure of Boundary Road could be used as a bargaining
tool with the bus companies.
49/06
Action
Continue to lobby First for the re-introduction of a direct link to North Station.
50/06
Noted
The Tuesday Taster presented to staff by Ms Harrup and Ms Brook had been well
received and it was planned to deliver further sessions in the new academic year.
51/06
The general student travel survey was planned for November when the new intake 52/06
would be able to provide more informed answers. Mr Blackshaw offered the
Student Unions’ new website survey software for the travel surveys, and noted that
the new website had the capability of personalised pages which would allow for
the possibility of advertising travel initiatives.
Bike Week – several led rides had taken place, intended to promote the fun aspect 53/06
of cycling. Cycle training would be advertised again in the new academic year,
along with maintenance classes.
One Railways – the discount scheme now available would be discussed under
54/06
Agenda Item 13.
Ms Harrup announced she would be taking 6 months maternity leave from 55/06
August. Cover for her post was unlikely to be full-time, and it was therefore
suggested that now would be an appropriate time to consider the appointment of
the University’s part-time dedicated post, as previously suggested by SubCommittee.
The amalgamated bus map had been completed and was now online.
56/06
SUGGESTED PROJECTS FOR RING-FENCED INCOME (TPSC/06/03)
Noted
Ms Brook requested the addition of a contribution to the proposed 2020 bus route.
Mr Nightingale noted that the importance of the part-time post was now crucial in
order to create some impetus behind initiatives and distribute information.
57/06
Mr Barnard queried the contribution to the 2020 Travel Plan Club, whether this
provided value for money for the University and whether the Travel Plan Club was
effective in its’ work. Ms Harrup confirmed that 2020 was experiencing changes in
roles at the current time, but opined that the Travel Plan Club had been successful
thus far, but that in order to continue that success and develop and pursue a more
strategic agenda, more committed resource was needed from all members.
58/06
Mr Banks proposed that a dedicated member of staff be appointed to be
responsible for transport and co-ordinate work both on and off campus. Professor
Temple noted that commitment to such a post would mean less resource for other
transport related projects. Ms Harrup advised that, in order to be sufficiently
effective, the appointee would ideally be someone with a facilities and / or
environmental background.
59/06
Agreed
A 0.6, £32k per annum pro rata dedicated transport post be recommended to
Budget Sub-Committee, salary costs to be funded from ring-fenced income. Based
in the Estate Management Section, 3 year fixed term, with permanency to be
considered at the end of the fixed term.
60/06
Action
Mr Nightingale to develop and circulate managerial structure and job specification
for the new transport role.
61/06
Noted
Mr Blackshaw noted that the proposed lockers should be for generalised use, not
just for students and that further lockers were required for cyclists. He also
believed that Sub-Committee should be considering more pro-active ways of
reducing car use, such as ensuring that on-campus residents cannot bypass the
system and register to park.
62/06
It was noted that the scheme for design of a decked car park would demonstrate to
car users that income was being redistributed to all transport users and that the aim
of raising funding for a new car park still remained.
63/06
The following projects were approved as priorities for funding, with the starred
items being new additions :
64/06
Approved
Budget for equipment / information / promotion
Lockers for cyclists
Motorcycle parking shelter at North Towers
Lighting at bus stops
Lighting on Boundary Road
Litter Bins for car parks
Design for decked car park.
Noted
These projects would be in addition to the projects approved at the February
meeting.
65/06
ONLINE PUBLISHING OF SUB-COMMITTEE MINUTES
Approved
That agendas, related papers and minutes from Sub-Committee be published
online on the University web pages.
66/06
TRAIN DISCOUNT SCHEME (TPSC/06/08)
Noted
Approved
Ms Harrup explained the scheme, highlighting that providing a larger discount
would create a tax liability. The proposal for larger discounts represented a large
financial commitment for a relatively small amount of users, and the cost would be
likely to increase if the scheme were to prove popular.
67/06
Comment was made that the pertinent issue for travellers was not any discount but
rather travel between stations and the University and that work may be more
appropriately directed towards improving the links from the Hythe Station to
campus once the station improvement programme was completed. It was noted
that initiatives such as this should reflect the other benefits such as reduced car
usage.
68/06
Sub-Committee thanked Ms Harrup for her work in negotiating the discounts and
producing the paper.
69/06
Acceptance of the 5% discount offered by One, pending confirmation from Ms
Harrup that there would be no tax liability with the scheme.
70/06
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Noted
Mr Barnard requested that Sub-Committee consider introducing a bicycle 71/06
stamping scheme for identification purposes. No attempt was made to identify
abandoned bicycles during the summer removal scheme and there were possible
legal implications with this. As the local police routinely offered to postmark
bicycles, it was wondered whether this could be extended to include voluntary
stamping of e-mail addresses onto bicycles, allowing for contact to be made with
the owner prior to disposal.
Agreed
E-mail bicycle identification scheme to be developed by the new Transport Co- 72/06
ordinator, after discussion with Student Support.
Noted
Chair thanked Ms Harrup on behalf of Sub-Committee for all her hard work.
73/06
DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Noted
Tuesday 7th November 2006, 10.00 am – 12.00 pm, in Room 4N.6.10A (Estate 74/06
Management Meeting Room)