Report re Accessibility Strategy

 

 

The Southey Owlerton Accessibility Strategy aims to promote good access to jobs, services and facilities for the community of Southey Owlerton. It will also be used to identify and address actions, to improve accessibility, that are not being addressed by other schemes in the area. The Strategy was developed with the community and endorsed by the Owlerton Southey Green Area Panel and SOAR Board in May 2007. 23 Action Points are identified in the Strategy, which it states will be used to develop ‘Annual Action Plans’ for the implementation of the Strategy.

 

We have recently received feedback from the Council’s Disability Access Officer, who was concerned that the interests of all users should be more specifically represented in the Strategy. As this has always been intended to be an evolving document we propose, based on this feedback:

·        An amendment to Action Point 10 - "Improve local car parking, and ensure sufficient provision for disabled people".

 

Request: Area Panel and SOAR Board endorsement for new Action Point 1a and amendement to Action Point 10 in the Southey Owlerton Accessibility Strategy.

 

The priority for the Southey Owlerton Accessibility Strategy for 07/08 was agreed as the Scraithwood crossing, to improve access across Herries road between the community of Scraithwood Drive and local facilities including Cookson Park and nearby bus stops. All available Local Transport Plan (LTP) funding identified for the Accessibility Strategy in 07/08 and 08/09 was committed to delivering this crossing. It will be built in Spring 2008.

We are also working with Officers from across the Council to ensure that the Southey Owlerton Accessibility Strategy is promoted within, and that any projects carried out through the Strategy are complimentary to, other work going on in the area. Schemes in 2007/08 that are linked to the Strategy’s Action Points in this way are also summarised within the Progress Report to provide a fuller picture of what is being achieved overall towards improving accessibility in the area.

 

There is no guarantee of future LTP funding therefore we needed to identify where parts of the Strategy can be taken forward with no additional funding, but also what should be done if funding was found.

 

Over the last few months we have attended the SOAR Housing, Crime and Community Safety Theme Group, the Owlerton Southey Green Area Panel and SOAR Board, and the SOAR Environment and Liveability Theme Group, as well as talking to colleagues with an interest in the area. We have used these opportunities to provide updates on the Strategy and also to ask for ideas on how it should be progressed and priority issues.

 

From this we have produced an Overarching Implementation Plan for the Strategy (2007/08 – 2011/12), outlining the years in which particular Action Points within the strategy could be addressed. We have also produced a Detailed Implementation Plan for 2008/09 illustrating how this could be taken forward over the next year, with the input of the SOAR Environment and Liveability Theme Group.

 

Action Points that cover issues raised as priorities have been listed for development in 08/09, as well as Action Points that may be achieved without additional funding. Where delivery of the Action Point would require funding this will be identified and projects prioritised so that details may be used in the future to try and identify funding and incorporate with other ongoing work in the area.

Other Action Points have been spread across the period until 2012 taking into consideration likely timescales for development, availability of funding and resources.

 

Request: Area Panel and SOAR Board endorsement of the 08/09 Detailed Implementation Plan and Overarching Implementation Plan until 2011/12 for the Southey Owlerton Accessibility Strategy.

 

Additional LTP funding has been specifically identified for the delivery of Action Point 9, ‘Investigate viability of developing a local transport information booklet/map including all forms of transport and develop if feasible’ in 08/09.  This is relatively low cost and deliverable within the financial year. It also links with work currently being developed by the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) to produce a local area bus guide. We will work with the SYPTE and the Environment and Liveability Theme Group to develop this. Any other opportunities for schemes / funding that would deliver on Action Points within the Strategy will be investigated if and when they come up.

 

The points summarised above (with the exception of the Annual Progress Report 07/08 which has been developed since the last meeting) have been discussed and supported by the SOAR Environment and Liveability Theme Group.

 

Implementation of the Accessibility Strategy is an ongoing process and we would like to hear about any issues, comments or ideas that you have at any time.

 

Thanks and Best Wishes,

 

Jenny Longden and Gemma Carl

Transport Planning

Transport and Highways

Sheffield City Council

Howden House

1 Union Street

Sheffield

S1 2SH

0114 2734192

jenny.longden@sheffield.gov.uk

gemma.carl@sheffield.gov.uk