SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY MINUTES OF THE 64th BOARD MEETING 18th APRIL 2005 
Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton 
 
Present:  
Juliet Williams - Chairman 
Cathy Bakewell - Board Member 
Nick Buckland - Deputy Chairman 
Christine Channon - Board Member 
Nigel Costley - Board Member 
Alan Courts - Board Member 
Brian Kemp - Board Member 
Jonathon Porritt - Board Member 
Christine Reid - Board Member 
Judith Reynolds - Board Member 
Colin Skellett - Board Member 
Harry Studholme - Board Member 
 
In attendance: 
 
Geoffrey Wilkinson - Chief Executive 
Suzanne Bond - Director of Strategy and Communications 
Nick Lewis - Director of Corporate Services 
Colin Molton - Director of Operations and Development 
Stephen Peacock - Director of Enterprise and Innovation 
Claire Gibson - Head of Planning, Transport and Environment 
Dan Okey - Transport Manager 
Jeff Chinnock - Corporate and Parliamentary Affairs 
Caroline Bloodworth - Corporate and Parliamentary Affairs 
Kay Homer Head of Operations, Bournemouth, Dorset, Poole and Somerset (item 6 only) 
Rob Thompson - WS Atkins (item 5 only) 
Cliff Baston - GOSW (item 5 only) 
Esther Scott - Development Manager, Somerset team (item 6 only) 
 
Apologies: 
 
Eric Thomas - Board Member 
 
1. WELCOME 
 
The Chairman highlighted a number of issues that had arisen since the March Board meeting: 
 
Duncan Hames had resigned as a Board member due to his selection as the Liberal Democrat candidate in the Westbury constituency; 
 
Judith Reynolds, Harry Studholme and Eric Thomas had each had their term of office extended by three years (to Dec 2008); 
 
The Board had noted advice forwarded to them on the restricted period before the General Election on May 5; 
 
Nigel Costley agreed to become the Agency's Design Champion. 
 
The current situation regarding MG Rover, Longbridge was outlined. The Board was briefed on the likely impact on South West companies involved in the Rover supply chain. A regional task force would be established to coordinate support to business affected in the region. It was considered important that SW RDA should use the experience to build its own contingency plan for use in the event of key businesses in the SW region being placed in a similar position. 
 
2. MINUTES FROM 63RD MEETING AND MATTERS ARISING 
 
The minutes of the 63rd meeting were agreed. There were no matters arising. 
 
3. TRANSPORT AND THE SOUTH WEST RDA 
 
Nick Buckland provided an overview of national and regional policy on transport issues. He outlined the four key communication infrastructure strategic priorities that had been agreed by the Board in January 2004 and which were underpinned by a well functioning Infrastructure Advisory Group. The Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) was being revised, as part of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), with the Agency's role being to prepare economic evidence to support such plans, identify innovative forms of funding, tackle congestion in urban areas and reduce the need to travel. Nick Buckland also underlined the importance of the RDA's role in lobbying for improvements in transport policy. 
 
 
4. KEY ECONOMIC ISSUES FOR THE EMERGING REGIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY (RTS) 
 
Dan Okey, SW RDA Transport Manager, outlined the key economic issues which arise from the emerging RTS - demand management, freight transport, rural transport and accessibility to jobs and training, together with finding innovative forms of funding for transport schemes. Specific mention was made of the portfolio of rural transport projects that the Agency had taken over from the Countryside Agency. To aid effectiveness these schemes would be assessed over the coming 12 months prior to making longer term funding decisions.  
It was suggested that the paper presented should place more emphasis on the supply of transport, especially public transport, as demand management needed to go hand in hand with the supply of an integrated transport infrastructure. Public authorities would need to use their powers to drive improvements in infrastructure.  
 
Nationally, there was economic research available on demand management and it was considered important that the Agency shared and learned from this. Particular reference was made to Peterborough. 
 
The Agency's work on ICT was no longer focussed on improving access to broadband but was now moving towards helping business to use the technology and to understanding how ICT impacted on the need to travel.  
 
A critical issue was the level of investment required to solve the region's transport problems. It was accepted that it was unrealistic to expect that all problems would be resolved through central government funding. It was suggested that there needed to be a stronger emphasis on sustainability in the document tabled. It was felt that there was some good practice in the region which should be considered further.  
 
The impact of tourism on the region's transport infrastructure was also discussed with significant delays being caused in the summer months, particularly on the M5. There was concern that the importance of rail transport, the impact of climate change, particularly around Dawlish, and the threat of closure of the rail branch lines had been underplayed. 
 
The government's proposal to establish regional indicative budgets was discussed. This included the Highways Agency's classification of all the region's strategic roads apart from the M4 and M5 north of Bristol as being of regional as opposed to national importance. This meant that funding for the regional routes would form part of the regional indicative budget and be considered alongside local transport investment proposals. Other transport issues outside the region would also impact on the South West - for example, during the construction of the new Crossrail link in London, 30 minutes would be added to travel times to London from the region.  
 
It was important that the region spoke with a single voice on the economic importance of transport, but this would be difficult to achieve.  
 
Discussion also took place on the impact of the Working Time Directive on freight transport in the peninsula and on the way the police handle serious incidents as crime scenes on the region's strategic routes.  
 
Claire Gibson explained that the Regional Assembly was working hard to produce the RTS and the Agency's role was to help provide the economic evidence for transport investment as well as to contribute to the debate on regional transport priorities. The points raised at this meeting would be fed into this process. Claire Gibson also explained that the paper focused on demand management to enable the Board to agree whether or not it supported this concept. This would then complement the RDA's already agreed support for the supply of strategic transport infrastructure improvements. 
 
Board decision 
 
The Board noted the contents of the paper and the work undertaken by the RDA to progress each of the key issues identified. The Board endorsed the concept of demand management as a tool to support the Regional Spatial Strategy, recognising that further detailed work was required to develop appropriate measures at the local level. It was agreed that the RDA needed to effectively articulate the investment that the region's transport network needed, acknowledging that not enough had been achieved over the past 8 years despite the acceptance that transport links were essential for a functioning economy in the region. The Board encouraged the development of a lobbying strategy on transportation issues.  
 
5. GREATER BRISTOL STRATEGIC TRANSPORT STUDY (GBSTS) 
 
Claire Gibson explained that the GBSTS was jointly funded by the RDA, Highways Agency, the Department for Transport and the 4 unitary authorities (Bristol City, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset). Rob Thompson from WS Atkins and Cliff Baston from GOSW were introduced 
 
The study looked at practical, affordable and implementable transport strategies for Greater Bristol through to 2031. Three transport themes had been developed to understand the potential effects of different measures on future travel patterns - the themes were better public transport, controlling the demand for travel by car, and better roads. The advantages and disadvantages of each theme were summarised, and advice given that the best transport strategy for Greater Bristol would be a combination of measures from each theme. 
 
It was hoped that there was a genuine political will within the four unitary authorities involved to work together and make progress on this important issue. It was reported there had been good progress at a recent meeting. 
 
There was general concern that the possible measures outlined would only maintain the status quo and that the study might be more effectively used as a starting point for a more ambitious, bolder move to make a real difference to the Greater Bristol transport system. This would begin from a different starting point; one where the car was not the dominant form of transport in the area.  
 
Claire Gibson suggested further discussions take place with Jonathon Porritt on how to develop a truly sustainable transport solution for Greater Bristol. 
 
Board decision 
 
The Board noted the progress made on the study.  
 
6. THE SW RDA'S ROLE IN SUPPORTING REGIONAL AIRPORTS 
 
Claire Gibson introduced the paper which detailed the RDA's role to date in supporting airport infrastructure at the region's main airports. She explained that the Agency proposed to continue this role which would benefit all airlines and passengers. It was noted that key business air services had been established from the region's airports without a route development subsidy. These included Bristol to New York, Exeter to Paris, and Plymouth/Newquay to London Gatwick.  
 
Board decision  
 
The Board noted the support previously given by the RDA to the region's airports and agreed that the RDA should continue its current strategy in support of the region's airports. It should not, at the present time, establish a South West Route Development Fund.  
 
7. TAUNTON VISION 
 
Cathy Bakewell explained that the Taunton Visioning process had begun in 2002 with both Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council supporting it. The resulting public consultation process had led to an aspirational plan being drawn up for the town. The RDA had approved just over £1m funding for feasibility work and core costs. 
 
The Board took a walking tour of the regeneration sites in Taunton town centre. 
 
It was agreed that the Board would consider further the RDA's investments in Taunton at a later date.