Managing Local Transportation Assets - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... Approximately 6% (004) of all peak hour journeys to Leeds are made by bus; the main form of urban and inter-urban public transport in the District.
In 1991, Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority adopted a 0 year Transport Strategy which has resulted in a range of transport improvements across the city. More recently the Vision for Leeds (004- 0) has defined the long-term aims for transport in Leeds:
West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan (LTP) supports these objectives and has developed up-to date policies and strategy to provide a detailed action plan for 006 to 011 for delivering a package of integrated transport improvements in Leeds and across West Yorkshire and replaces the previous plan adopted in 001. LTP is structured around the nationally agreed 'shared priorities' for transport, which include tackling congestion, improving accessibility, better road safety and air quality. Considerable consultation has taken place to inform the development of the final plan, which was submitted, to the Department for Transport at the end of March 006.
The Local Authorities trust that the lighting system gives adequate attention to the need to ensure good road safety and to reduce street crime. Good, well-designed lighting is an effective practical way to reducing road accidents, crimes and the fear of crime, to aid greater uptake of public transport, and to enhance transport and community safety. Lighting also has an important role in helping to create good conditions for mobility, particularly walking and cycling. This helps in creating an environment that is pleasant and interesting as well as satisfying the basic functional objectives for lighting.

By integrating the Government's policy on planning control and light pollution, this would otherwise help reducing the impact of light pollution for a number of reasons, including the effects of lighting on people, wildlife and countryside character. The Government should consider solving problems arising from artificial lighting by raising awareness, providing advice and by encouraging more effective use of existing planning powers. Provision of indicative allocations of funding for street lighting as part of any future local transport plan settlements and consideration of further measures are required to ensure progress in this important area.

Street lighting should not be the poor relation to road and pathway maintenance they are all part of a safe and secure street unenvironment. At present the Government's funding for street lighting replacement comes trough formula grant and PFI credits for specific street lighting projects. In March this year the Government announced a bidding round for an additional 300 million of PFI credits for street lighting projects.

Local Transport Plan

The Local Transport Plan process provides authorities with indicative allocations for capital maintenance as a whole and integrated transport improvements as a whole. The system replaced annual Transport Policies and Programme submissions, which allocated money on a more project specific basis to a finer sub-division of project types. The change to Local Transport Plans provides authori ...Download file to see next pagesRead More