‘Let’s all work together on Thame’s Travel Plan’

FOLLOWING the first public meeting to talk about the progress of Thame’s Transport Plan Working Group (TPWG), Thame’s Town Clerk is now asking for help from the community to plan the future of travel and transport around the town.

In a message aimed at those who attended the meeting on February 28, but with a wider message for everyone, the Town Clerk, Graham Hunt wrote: “Thank you for your continued interest in the work of the Transport Plan Working Group (TPWG). For those of you who were able to attend the first meeting of the TPWG, thank you all for your specific contributions on the night. For the benefit of those newly involved, we attach the Thame Travel Plan – discussion paper June 16  (as prepared as input to the Green Living Plan by the RSA Thame Group). This, along with various other inputs, provided some of the basis for the four proposed frameworks for the TPWG to work within (Walking & Cycling, Traffic Management, Public Transport and Parking provision).

“The meeting on Tuesday (28/02) confirmed again the complexity of what we are trying to achieve and in particular the significant overlap with the good work already underway by the RSA Thame Group as they draft the transport aspects of the Green Living Plan (Ed. A project that forms part of the Thame Neighbourood Plan), working with the Green Living Plan Working Group (GLPWG).

Deciding and co-ordinating responsibilities

“The TPWG Terms of Reference (LINK HERE) confirms the need to ensure basic responsibilities are allocated between the various Working Groups. As we drill down, there will be some aspects that the RSA Thame Group take forward, with or without TPWG support, as an integral part of the Green Living Plan. Others will be more of a collaborative effort and in other cases there will be items that the TPWG moves forward on its own. Whatever, it is essential that we establish agreement of which group is responsible for what as we progress.

“In the same way that our Market Town Co-Ordinator, Becky Reid, has taken on the chairmanship of the Town Centre Working Group (TCWG), Graeme Markland, our Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Officer, will now take over from the interim Chairman, Cllr Bob Austin, in taking a lead on the TPWG and ensuring relevant co-ordination (in agreement with TPWG members) and allocation of responsibilities. Some will also overlap with the work of the TCWG and he will work with Becky on those. Graeme already has regular meetings with the RSA Thame Group and is involved in the GLPWG which will also help.

Volunteers & comments needed to help take the next step

“The next step is to seek all of your further input into the four TPWG frameworks. Are they the right set? How will they work together? Is there anything that needs adding to them? We would welcome any written comments, so that they can be refined further. There was some progress in establishing separate leaders (on behalf of the TPWG aspects) for each of the four frameworks – if anyone else wishes to volunteer to have a greater lead role then that would be appreciated too. If you don’t have time for that, then it would be good to at least know which of the four frameworks you would most like to be involved in – it could be one, two, three or all four of them. Can everyone please just spend up to 15 minutes over the next week or so to reply in some way…[I have set replies to go to Graeme by default as he will be co-ordinating from now on].

Money is there – help Thame to spend it wisely!

“There were 47 attendees at the first meeting. That was amazing. Other towns are jealous of the way that so many people want to get involved to find ways of making our town even better than it is. I know that by working together (and also engaging even more with the District and County Councils in this area) we will make Thame a better place, with the appropriate infrastructure to support all its residents, workers and visitors. There is significant funding we can call on – let’s get it spent wisely, based on all our inputs.”