Creating a Better Transport System

We want to improve access and communication with our customers in response to the Better Access to Better Services initiative and our Best Value Review of Highway Services concluded in 2002. Building upon work already undertaken, such as our new telephone contact number “Roadline”, we will finish a number of initiatives this year. These include the development of on-line roadworks information and the introduction of highway patrols to provide a quick response to highway defects. In this way we aim to increase customer satisfaction levels.

Funding restrictions over many years have caused a backlog of road repairs and, as a result, we have a long term programme to make sustainable improvements, improve the condition of our main roads and remove the backlog of worn out carriageway by 2010. As part of this we will develop an Asset Management Plan to ensure that funds are directed to the areas most in need of improvement.

Following our Best Value Review we are introducing a new procurement strategy for highway works which may involve increased use of private sector partnerships. We plan to have new arrangements in place for the start of 2006/07 for improved cost and quality.

We are moving into a new 5 year Local Transport Plan period and are working towards submitting a provisional plan to Government in July 2005 with a final version in place by March 2006. We want to produce a Plan with a well integrated programme of significant improvements during the five year period and secure a high rating from the Department of Transport.

The police are withdrawing their traffic warden service which could result in increased illegal parking and disruption to traffic. We will therefore move as quickly as possible to introduce countywide decriminalised parking enforcement in partnership with the District Councils. The next steps are to develop a project plan, review existing traffic regulation orders and put future administrative arrangements in place.

We have already achieved our target of 95% of Leicestershire people having an hourly or better bus service. We now need to improve service quality and usage so that the network has maximum benefit and is affordable over the long term. We aim to increase bus usage through better public awareness and improved service quality and as part of this we will implement a marketing programme and integrated ticketing. We need to continue our investment programmes with bus company partners, implement our bus information strategy and carry out improvements to bus stops to improve usage and user satisfaction.

Government guidance on social deprivation underlines the need to continue our good progress in improving access for people who do not live on the hourly bus services network. We must develop the work we have carried out so far using partnerships with other agencies, for example the Health Service and Job Centre Plus.

Based on the 1994/98 average our 2004/05 figure for the total number of people killed and seriously injured in Leicestershire fell by 27%. This compares with a national reduction of  22% and includes a 58% reduction in chld casualties which is also better than the national reduction of 40%.

We are on track to meet our PSA target of 28% for 2005, but we must take further steps to ensure our performance is maintained. We will continue to work across a range of road safety activities, for example new investigation techniques, and the installation of vehicle activated signs, which will also ensure we meet casualty reduction targets in the new Local Transport Plan.