SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL REFERENCE GROUP (STRG)
The final meeting of the STRG, apart from a workshop on the design, traffic management and modelling due on 14th November, took place 5 days before the launch of the engagement period. Formulation of the draft survey questionnaire only ever reached a single review status and the final published outcome was never offered for agreement. Stakeholders did not co-produce what is in use.
The content of the survey, its approach of only wanting to portray perceived benefits and failing to be frank about the disadvantages, comes across as a biased engagement, not a consultation. It lacks opportunities for the public to critique the finer details of many of the design vagaries. e.g.,
The final meeting of the STRG, apart from a workshop on the design, traffic management and modelling due on 14th November, took place 5 days before the launch of the engagement period. Formulation of the draft survey questionnaire only ever reached a single review status and the final published outcome was never offered for agreement. Stakeholders did not co-produce what is in use.
The content of the survey, its approach of only wanting to portray perceived benefits and failing to be frank about the disadvantages, comes across as a biased engagement, not a consultation. It lacks opportunities for the public to critique the finer details of many of the design vagaries. e.g.,
- what are your perceptions of the acknowledged increase in travel times?
- is it a safe plan to expect vehicles to rat run where cycle facilities have not been improved?
- what do you feel about pedestrians being required to share so much of the available space?
- Engagement: the involvement and enthusiasm of participants
- Consultation: the process of discussing something with someone in order to get their advice or opinion about it