Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendation with the inclusion of an additional recommendation as detailed below:

That Welsh Government be requested that super-fast broadband be made available for local businesses.

Councillor Thomas introduced the report which proposed a response to Welsh Government (WG) consultation on the A55/A494/A48 Deeside Corridor.

            The consultation began in March 2017 on two possible options to improve the key route of the Deeside Corridor into North Wales from England. Details of the two options, the Blue Route and the Red Route, were appended to the report.

            At a recent Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee a third route which had been proposed by some residents was discussed and referred to as the Green Route.  Councillor Thomas explained that this was not one of the options put forward by WG those residents had been advised to submit that option direct to WG.

            Since the agenda had been despatched the Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) had been contacted by the Business Forum who requested that Superfast Broadband be provided in the area as part of the scheme which was supported by Cabinet Members and would form part of the formal response.

            The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) explained the options appraisals that had taken place on both routes with the favoured route being the Red Route.  However, there were a number of elements from the Blue Route that the internal study concluded would significantly improve the overall network by their inclusion in the final design layout for the overall project.  The internal study therefore recommended that the final decision should be a hybrid of the two options which would include key improvements along the route taken from both of the two options.  He also thanked WG for the extension to the consultation closing date which had been requested due to the local elections and the temporary suspension of Council meetings.

            Councillors Attridge and Jones welcomed the report and the proposed hybrid option.  Councillor Jones also commented on the need for the replacement of the Dee Bridge.

            Councillor Roberts said his main concern was the traffic from Northop towards Halkyn which currently had frequent tailbacks and if the Red Route was adopted then work should be undertaken to increase the capacity in that area.  The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) explained that this was contained in the response as “additional ‘Crawler Lane’ along the incline West bound section of the A55 towards Halkyn” and was deemed an essential requirement.

            Councillor Bithell welcomed the scheme which would benefit the whole of North Wales including benefitting the local economy and tourism.  He raised a similar concern to that of Councillor Roberts which related to the traffic problems from Oakenholt to Northop.  The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) said that would be emphasised in the final response.

            Councillor Shotton thanked the Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) on the work undertaken on the proposals through the full options appraisals.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Council’s own options appraisal for the two proposed routes be approved and the proposed formal Council response to the Welsh Government be as shown in Appendix 2; and

(b)       That Superfast Broadband be requested as part of the scheme.