Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services.

This report highlights the centrality of Metrolink connectivity to Stockport to sustain the progress of the town centre over the last decade and catalyse its future role as a major driver of employment and housing growth for the borough and the wider conurbation. (Next Stop Stockport).

The report also provides an update on recent work being undertaken to translate that potential into reality and sets out what is needed to realise the ambition for Metrolink to come to the borough.

The Cabinet is recommended to:-

(1)  Request this report is considered by the MDC Board at its next meeting.

(2)  Request that the Leader and Chair of the MDC meet the Greater Manchester Mayor and invite him to a business leader roundtable to discuss the benefits of Next Stop Stockport and how funding can be secured to deliver these ambitions.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email:

sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services (Councillor Grace Baynham) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) highlighting the centrality of Metrolink connectivity to Stockport to sustain the progress of the town centre over the last decade and providing an update on recent work being undertaken to translate that potential into reality and setting out what was needed to realise the ambition for Metrolink to come to the borough.

RESOLVED – (1) That Chief Executive of the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation be requested to submit this report to the next meeting of the Board of the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation Board for its consideration.

(2) That the Leader of the Council and Chair of the Board of the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation be requested to meet the Mayor of Greater Manchester and invite him to a business leader roundtable to discuss the benefits of Next Stop Stockport and how funding can be secured to deliver these ambitions.

To consider a report of the Director of Place Management

The report highlights the centrality of Metrolink connectivity to Stockport to sustain the progress of the town centre over the last decade and catalyse its future role as a major driver of employment and housing growth for the borough and the wider conurbation. It provides an update on recent work being undertaken to translate that potential into reality and sets out what is needed to realise the ambition for Metrolink to come to the Borough.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:

(a)  comment on and note this report;

(b)  endorse that this report is considered by the MDC Board at its next meeting;

(c)  endorse that the Leader and Chair of the MDC meet the Greater Manchester Mayor and invite him to a business leader roundtable to discuss the benefits of Next Stop Stockport and how funding can be secured to deliver these ambitions.

(d)  ask TfGM to progress the business case development for the Stockport line.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson at sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Place Management submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) highlighting the centrality of Metrolink connectivity to Stockport to sustain the progress of the town centre over the last decade and catalyse its future role as a major driver of employment and housing growth for the borough and the wider conurbation. It provided an update on recent work being undertaken to translate that potential into reality and set out what was needed to realise the ambition for Metrolink to come to the Borough.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was commented that the Greater Manchester Mayor had been elected on a policy of introducing the Metrolink to Stockport and queried why Stockport Council was now required to put forward a business case.

·         In response, it was reported that there were a number of borough’s who expressed an interest in Metrolink access and that the purpose of the business case was to outline Stockport’s case for making the Mayor’s commitment into a reality. It was noted that funding for the business case would be provided by Greater Manchester.

·         Members welcomed the report and commented that any improvement in public transport was a positive outcome for residents.

·         It was commented that it was already easy to travel from the centre of Stockport to Manchester City Centre and that trams would be more useful in certain parts of the borough where train travel is limited.

·         In response, it was stated that the current report outlined the initial step on the road to getting the Metrolink for Stockport and that consideration would be given to extending the routes around the borough. It was commented that it was an ambition to have a tram link from Stockport to Manchester Airport and another to East Didsbury.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.