Purpose

The
Seymour Grove Phase 2 scheme is a Trafford Council (TC) promoted
scheme, to be funded through tranche 1 of the City Region
Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), and to provide a
strategic, high-quality cycle and walking route from Talbot Road
through Trafford to Chorlton.
 
The
Seymour Grove Scheme was originally proposed by TC in 2019 as part
of Mayoral Challenge Fund (MCF) application and was later split
into a Phase 1 and Phase 2. The Seymour Grove Phase 1 scheme, at
the junction at Seymour Grove and Talbot Road, was funded through
the MCF and is scheduled for completion in December
2025.
 
The
report summarises the outcomes of the consultation of the proposed
Seymour Grove Phase 2 Scheme and to recommend that the proposed
scheme and progress to detailed design stage and, subject to all
necessary CRSTS business case approvals, proceed to delivery as per
the programme of works.

Decision

1)   
That the content and findings of the consultation
report, be noted.
 
2)   
That it be noted that the scheme, incorporating
enhancements following input from the consultation, be progressed
to detailed design, and thereafter, subject to all necessary CRSTS
business case approvals, proceed to delivery.

 
3)   
That the programme as set out in Section 5 of the
report, be noted.

 
4)   
That the Corporate Director of Place, in
consultation with the Director of Finance and Systems, be delegated
authority to negotiate and finalise the grant funding agreements,
construction contracts and any other contracts or documents
required to implement the decision.
 
5)   
That the Director of Legal and Governance be
delegated authority to enter any contracts or other documents
required to implement the decision.

Reasons for the decision

The
Seymour Grove Phase 2 Scheme will support and encourage sustainable
modes of transport for the surrounding communities, help to deliver
Trafford’s vision for inclusive and accessible neighbourhoods
and provide both the local and wider connections to other
high-quality strategic walking and cycling infrastructure along
GM’s Bee Active Network.
 
This
report forms part of an approval process of securing CRSTS funding
for the delivery of the scheme.
 
It
is recommended that the Seymour Grove Phase 2 Scheme progress to
detailed design stage and, subject to all necessary CRSTS business
case approvals, proceed to delivery as it supports Trafford’s
objectives of providing alternative sustainable active travel modes
of transport being used across the Borough that will benefit health
and wellbeing and air quality.

Alternative options considered

The
alternative options would include retaining the existing
arrangements, continuing to incur the costs of superficially
maintaining the outdated infrastructure and negative perceptions of
having unsafe pedestrian crossings and increasing levels of
severance along Seymour Grove.
 
A
second alternative would involve reducing the scope of the scheme
altogether; this would risk the scheme, not achieving its desired
objectives, not demonstrating sufficient economic benefits to
secure the CRSTS funding criteria and well as potentially not
future proofing this area as development occurs around it as
forecast.
 
Both
alternatives are missed opportunities to achieve the stated
outcomes as in the councils Walking, Wheeling, and Cycling strategy
of improving infrastructure and support towards reducing carbon
emissions. They would also impact on Trafford’s reputation
for securing future funding bids for other sustainable grant Active
Travel 9 opportunities that aim to encourage residents to be more
active and supporting people out of poverty by enabling affordable
transport.