Active Travel Board meeting: 3 December 2020

The Board discussed updating the Terms of Reference (ToR). It was agreed that both advising and scrutinising on targets should be added to the advising and implementation section of the ToR. It was also agreed that the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act should be explicitly stated in the ToR.  

The Board were presented with an overview of progress in relation to the administration management of the Active Travel Fund. It is the Welsh Government’s intention that the Active Travel Fund will be managed by TfW on behalf of Welsh Ministers from 2021-22. They are currently finalising work on a new grant management portal which will allow local authorities to prepare and submit their applications electronically, which will also become a platform for submitting quarterly claims.

TfW are also being tasked with providing a broader level of support to local authorities in their work including:

• scheme development and bid preparation
• preparation of active travel network maps
• evaluation and monitoring
• consultation and engagement

The Board discussed whether multi-year funding programmes could be offered, ensuring collection of data from local authorities is done for multiple benefits to ensure effectiveness of resources and collaborative working with highways colleagues.   

Public Health Wales (PHW) provided an update from the Active Travel to Schools Sub Group. This included a range of research that PHW has undertaken to determine the effectiveness and issues with current behaviour change interventions and campaigns.

Following the presentation the Board discussed several areas including:

• the provision of cycle training for adults
• school Streets and how they are intended to be a focus in the Safe Routes in Communities programme for 2021-22
• whether a national roll out of decriminalisation of moving traffic offences would be more effective than individual local authorities pursuing this measure
• communicating the principles of school streets to council members
• data for secondary schools
• the requirement to reflect on interventions which have not worked to determine the reasons why 

The Board was given a brief overview of the discussions from the Behaviour Change Sub Group. The sub group is currently liaising on updating their Terms of Reference (ToR). The sub group discussed how behaviour change is essential in being considered in all other areas and should provide a base and connect with all other areas of work. A set of principles will be shared with the Board once finalised.   

There was a brief update to the Board, highlighting the draft paper on training. This includes ensuring a wider audience of practitioners, planners, engineers etc. receive training along with peer to peer review, which will bring together transport leads and professionals. The sub-group have also tried to capture training which is currently available. There is also the appeal to bring in wider membership to the sub-group, from professional institutions and academia to assist in accreditations for courses.

The Board was presented on the new Wales Transport Strategy which is currently open for consultation. The WTS concentrates on a new way of delivering change in transport in Wales, with a key focus on people and climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic has also influenced the new strategy, bringing with it both challenges and opportunities. Engagement has been undertaken with a wide variety of groups and individuals to draft the strategy and ensure the ideas will address the transport needs of those in Wales.

Following the presentation, the Board discussed the interpretation of 'integration' used in the strategy, how these plans will enable change and how to ensure disability requirements are considered so that transport infrastructure is suitable for all people in Wales.

The Board were given a presentation on supporting transport decarbonisation in relation to the Welsh Transport Strategy. This includes quantifying the carbon gap and how active travel can contribute. The Board were advised the research will focus on how increasing investment in active travel will make a difference. There is currently a model built for England which will be adapted for Wales in order to assist with analysing this work.

There was a brief discussion on e-bikes and how the Cycle to Work scheme can support an increase in uptake of e-bikes in Wales.

Date of the next meeting 4 March 2021.