Freedom of information response

1. Has your authority commenced or completed a revision or replacement of its Local Transport Plan (LTP) since the Government published its Transport Decarbonisation Plan in July 2021?

The council has yet to adopt a new Local Transport Plan. The Thurrock Transport Strategy is valid until 2026, and work is underway on a new Transport Strategy for adoption in 2024, prior the issuance of new guidance from the Department for Transport for Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4). The Government guidance for LTP4 has not yet been published.

2. Which of the following describes the current status of your authority's LTP?

d) Internal work on a new or revised version is underway, with publication of a consultation draft LTP to follow (If possible, please give date of expected publication of consultation draft)

A) It is new or has recently been revised (please give date of publication).

B) A draft has been subject to public consultation that has now closed, with feedback now under consideration. (If possible, please give expected publication date for the final version or indicate if another round of public consultation is expected)

c) A draft is currently subject to public consultation (please give a link to the consultation and its closing date)

d) Internal work on a new or revised version is underway, with publication of a consultation draft LTP to follow (If possible, please give date of expected publication of consultation draft)

e) Our current LTP was published before July 2021 and work to update or replace it has not yet commenced

f) Other (please state)

3. Does your current LTP or latest draft LTP (if more recent) include targets or performance indicators relating to:

The Thurrock Transport Strategy 2013-2026 includes aims and objectives relating to all of the following

1. Reductions in volume of motorised vehicles – Aim - Tackling Congestion Thurrock Council will manage the demand for travel in Thurrock through a policy of encouraging sustainable development patterns and use of public transport, walking and cycling.

Policy CON 4 To minimise traffic growth

2. Increase the volume of pedestrians and cyclists – Aim - Tackling Congestion Thurrock Council will manage the demand for travel in Thurrock through a policy of encouraging sustainable development patterns and use of public transport, walking and cycling

Policy CON 1 To encourage a modal shift away from the private car to walking, cycling and public transport, especially to work and school

3. Reduction in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from motorised traffic will be a target. Aim - Improving Air Quality and Addressing Climate Change To contribute towards the mitigation of climate change and reduce the vulnerability of the transport network in Thurrock to climate change impacts, whilst also protecting human health from the adverse effects of air pollution.

Policy AQ&CC 2 To reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions from transport

4. Reduction in casualty numbers – Aim - Safer Roads Thurrock Council will work to achieve a reduction in the number of casualties on the Borough’s transport network.

Policy SAF 1 To reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in Road Traffic Accidents

If yes to any of the above, what are these targets or indicators?

The Transport Strategy did not identify targets, but sets out overarching policies.

4. What is the name, job title and email address for the officer with overall responsibility for your authority's Local Transport Plan?

We ae unable to provide this information under S40.

5. Do you have an email address for inquiries about the Local Transport Plan? If so, what is this?

[email protected]

Unfortunately we are unable to provide in full the information you have requested.  We do hold the information but an absolute exemption applies.  Personal Information (Section 40,2) 

Personal data of any other person (third party data) is exempt under section 40(2) if disclosure would breach one of the data protection principles. This aspect of Section 40 is an Absolute Exemption and is therefore not subject to the Public Interest Test. 

The names of officers working for the Council is personal data specific to them. It is therefore subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act. Information can be withheld if its disclosure would be likely to breach one or more of the Principles of the Data Protection Act. There is no prior expectation on the part of team Managers (or other officers working below the level of Director) that their names and job titles / positions would be published into the wider public domain under FOI. A disclosure made under FOI constitutes a publication to the world at large. We believe that to disclose this would be likely to breach the first Principle of the Data Protection Act by unfairly contravening their right to privacy and confidentiality in the work place.  

However, in the interests of transparency we are able to share details relating to senior officers (Director  level and above). For these officers, there is already a greater expectation of openness about their role given their level of accountability for service provision and budgetary decision making.  

For your information please see the following link which outlines staff details of Director and above: https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/chief-executive-directors-and-services