The Economic Development, Transport and Climate Emergency Scrutiny Commission of Leicester Council met on Wednesday 26 August 2026 to discuss the proposed transport capital works programme for 2027-28, initiatives for young person's bus travel, and the commission's future work programme. The meeting also included a review of previous minutes and an update on the local transport grant.

Young Persons Bus Travel

The commission was scheduled to receive a report from the City Transport Director regarding work undertaken on young person's bus travel. This report was to highlight local and national initiatives and outline the next stages of work in this area. The report noted that previous discussions had identified the high cost of public transport as a barrier for young people, impacting their access to employment, education, and social opportunities. Concerns were also raised about bus timetabling, fleet deployment, and bus stop locations, which created difficulties for some users, including issues with the city centre's free bus service, the Hop. The report indicated that the Leicester Buses Enhanced Partnership, a collaboration between the city council and bus operators, had focused on Great Value initiatives. These included a reduction in the flexi-fare ticket to £6.20 and a new £68 four-weekly ticket option for students, alongside a reduction in the annual student ticket cost. These schemes were funded by government grants, such as the Local Authority Bus Grant. The report also mentioned national developments, including free travel for under 16s during August and the planned reintroduction of a £2 fare cap from January 2027. The report stated that the partnership would continue to assess the impact of these initiatives and engage with the Young Persons Council for feedback.

Local Transport 2027/28 Programme

A report was presented detailing the proposed transport capital works programme for the 2027-2028 financial year, amounting to £28.9 million. This programme is supported by the Local Transport Grant and aims to address various transport outcomes, including a reduction in road casualties, an increase in bus patronage and reliability, and a rise in walking, cycling, and wheeling trips. The programme includes significant investment in highway maintenance, with an allocation of £10.1 million for resurfacing works on roads such as Fairfax Road, Braunstone Lane East, and Jermyn Street, as well as bridge maintenance and streetlight upgrades. Passenger transport initiatives are allocated £6.3 million, focusing on the delivery of capital projects from the Enhanced Partnership plan, including new buses, real-time information systems, and traffic signal upgrades. The Future City workstream has £5.8 million allocated for projects like the Krefeld Way/Anstey Lane Junction improvement, Great Central Street development, and biodiversity support. Active travel initiatives are set to receive £2.4 million, including the replacement of temporary schemes with permanent facilities, expansion of cycle parking hubs, and replacement of the cycle fleet. The Healthier Neighbourhoods programme has £2.2 million for pedestrian crossing improvements, neighbourhood investment, 20mph zone delivery, and resident parking zones. Additionally, £700,000 is designated for City Connectivity projects on the Outer Ring Road, and £800,000 for City Centre works, including maintenance in the Cultural Quarter and design work for Charles Street. The report highlighted that ward member priorities, expected funding levels, and internal delivery capacity were considered in developing the programme.

Work Programme

The commission was asked to consider its work programme and suggest additional items. The report indicated that the work programme would be revisited in the new municipal year. The previously agreed work programme included discussions on Young Persons Bus Travel and the Local Transport Grant Programme for the current meeting. Future planned items included updates on Local Transport Scheme Programme, Air Quality, Residents Parking Programme, NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) updates, and Market Place updates. Further ahead, the programme was set to cover Capital and Revenue Budgets, Get LLR Working, and Connect to Work, as well as Road Safety, the Pedestrian Crossing Programme, and Skills Commissioning. Suggested forward plan items included School Streets, Walking and Cycling Behaviour Change Programmes, YPC Survey Findings, Labour Market issues, the Textiles Sector, and an update on the Railway Station.

The meeting also included standard procedural items such as welcoming attendees, noting apologies for absence, and declarations of interest. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 April 2026 and a special meeting on 6 August 2026 were scheduled for confirmation.