Provisional LTP July 2005

The Transportation Strategy for the Metropolitan Area provides a coherent framework for each Authority’s vision for its area.  It supports the delivery of objectives for housing, economic regeneration, health and environment, both for local authorities and other agencies that have an impact on the West Midlands.

The adoption of the Strategy across the Metropolitan Area enables a greater focus on strategic objectives, and provides greater effectiveness than uncoordinated programmes of individual schemes.

We have developed this Strategy by building on current and past successes, and our experience of previous LTPs.  We want to ensure that this LTP2 avoids repeating any past mistakes or missed opportunities.

Our key focus is on supporting the sustainable regeneration of the Metropolitan Area.  We will create the opportunities and quality of environment that will support the Regional Spatial Strategy’s aim of reversing population dispersal from urban areas into the surrounding shires.  Our Transportation Strategy will support new land use patterns by aiming to:

• halt the rise of congestion in the Metropolitan Area
• deliver good accessibility to jobs, education and services for all
• improve road safety, especially for the most vulnerable
• produce better air quality for everyone

The Strategy has three principal elements, which are to:

(a)  make the best use of the existing transport network

(b)  enhance the quality of public transport

(c)  target investment in infrastructure to support regeneration

These elements will be achieved by greater focus on:

• creating a more efficient road network through stronger management and by using new technology
• accommodating extra trips on better public transport or through walking and cycling,
• managing demand e.g. by controlling and managing parking provision in accordance with the agreed joint policy framework ⁱ,  national guidance and local needs

Specific, detailed modal approaches, including the Bus Strategy and individual District strategies are set out in the appendices.

(a)  Making best use of the existing transport network

This is the starting point.  Our proposals will help cut congestion, reduce air pollution, improve accessibility and support our road safety programme.  This aspect of the Strategy contains six elements:

• Smarter Choices
• Red Routes
• Urban Traffic Management & Control improvements
• Park & Ride
• Enhancing Transport Information
• Managing the Network Assets
• Demand Management

Smarter Choices

People need information which enables them to choose the travel mode which has least impact on congestion and the environment.  This is potentially the best value-for-money way of managing demand.  Relatively small changes in modal split in favour of public transport, walking and cycling can significantly improve the efficiency of the network. 

A programme of awareness raising and promotion of sustainable travel modes is underway, with a target of achieving a 5% modal shift from car to non-car journeys by 2011.  Achieving this is critical to ensuring we are able to provide for the extra trips we anticipate in ways that are not harmful to both the environment -both locally and globally.  This programme  supports the successful TravelWise initiatives promoted by individual authorities.  These include the successful Company Travelwise scheme.

We have engaged professional communicators to ensure a coordinated, common approach which makes people aware of new facilities and how to use them.  This will see targeted campaigning to promote public transport, walking and cycling and capitalise on the synergy that can be created between local initiatives.  It is essential to ensure the maximum return on capital invested in infrastructure improvements and this will be an early focus of this work e.g. ensuring people are aware of the opportunities provided by a new bus showcase route.

People with mobility difficulties are of particular concern as they often have limited choices and their needs and restricted range of potential choices needs to be recognised.

'Smarter Choices' also aims to increase car occupancy, which improves network efficiency.  We will experiment with measures such as High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. 

We will continue alliances with bodies with common interests, such as Regeneration Companies and Health Agencies, in order to maximise the potential of 'Smarter Choices'.  The Help2Travel (MATTISSE) information system, which delivers real time information on road, rail and some bus services, will also help more people make 'Smarter Choices'.

Red Routes

Red Routes are intended to improve highway efficiency and the local environment.  They are essentially Urban Clearways with strict controls on stopping, parking and loading, and which also offer improvements in road safety and the 'street scene'. They are widespread in London. A pilot Red Route on the A34 through Solihull has improved highway efficiency, safety and the local environment.   Further pilot schemes are being developed.  Following the success in Solihull, it is intended to improve efficiency on all strategic roads` through a network of Red Routes.

Urban Traffic Management and Control Improvements

Traffic signals and other control systems are critical to network efficiency.  Junctions are the major source of delays. Pollution associated with delays is a major contributor to poor air quality.  Small improvements in junction efficiency will bring noticeable benefits and we propose to:

• upgrade hardware and software
• improve management capability
• establish clear performance criteria

Major Schemes funding is being sought as part of the £1 billion pledged in the Government’s response to the West Midlands Multi Modal Study ( WMAMMS).  We will also seek new and innovative approaches to demand management in partnership with the DfT and HA, and identify solutions that are appropriate for our Area and compatible with measures on the national highway network

The new Traffic Managers appointed by the Metropolitan Authorities are vital to this aspect of our Strategy.  Their day-to-day role is to manage local highway networks to the benefit of all highway users, including pedestrians.  Their work will contribute to the delivery of our objectives and targets, especially those related to congestion.  Our detailed approach is set out in the Congestion Strategy Annexe.

Park & Ride

This is a way of enabling car users to switch to public transport for the final part of their journey into congested inner urban areas.  It is another way of making better use of the network.  Park & Ride is important for longer journeys both within our Area and from the surrounding shires.  We will expand existing sites and develop new facilities, where necessary in partnership with adjoining authorities.  Improvements to local sites will continue to meet local demand.

Enhancing Transport Information

We will ensure that travellers are aware of the options available.  The 'Help2Travel' website offers real time information on road, rail and some bus services and is a key tool in ensuring that transport networks are used more efficiently.  Development of new ways to deliver travel information, for example by mobile phone, is underway.  Trustworthy real time information gives people greater confidence to make 'Smarter Choices'.

Managing Network Assets

Our aim is to identify the best allocation of resources for managing, operating, maintaining and enhancing our road infrastructure.  Good maintenance is essential to delivering better transport networks, whether for walking, cycling or for higher quality and more comfortable journeys by bus.  Our approach embraces the whole highway network including carriageways, footways, structures and cycle ways, together with non-highway assets owned by local Authorities such as car parks.

We have identified two key principles which embrace VFM and asset management:

• maintenance work must be done in good time so that costs are controlled and assets prevented from deteriorating so much that routine maintenance is no longer possible
• whole life costs of new infrastructure are considered carefully and compared against  alternatives which could be more economic, such as medium or long-term maintenance

Demand Management

Spreading the demands on the transport network to make most efficient use of it has been practiced for many years.  In public transport the most obvious example is pricing where off peak travel is encouraged by lower prices.  On the highway network a long standing example has been using car parking provision and / or pricing to limit demand in peak periods.  The competitiveness of the area is undermined by increasing congestion, as well as the quality of the environment being diminished.  As the nature and extent of the problem varies across the area it is anticipated that a range of approaches, tailored to local circumstances will be pursued.  One approach could be to lessen the impact of the 'school run' by adjusting school hours.

We need to build a consensus with stakeholders as to innovative ways of using the highway network more efiiciently in the future.  It is imperative that any such discussions take account of our economic competiveness as well as the alternatives needed if people are to change their behaviour.

(b)  Enhancing the Quality of the Public Transport Offer

Public transport needs to play a major role in providing for extra trips, if our target of no increase in congestion is to be achieved and problems relating to air quality, safety and accessibility are not to be made worse.  This is important against a background of rising car ownership and use. We need to improve customer service and the operating environment.

Many elements of customer service are outside the control of the Authorities and need to be tackled in partnership with public transport operators.  These include cleanliness, customer care, enforcement of no-smoking regulations, security, and the image and attractiveness of public transport.  One element that we can share is the provision of good travel information.  We have a long history of successful partnerships and we will continue to explore how we can help operators achieve higher standards.

Buses

Improving the operating environment for buses is mostly about achieving better reliability, punctuality and journey speeds.  Buses are the most used form of public transport  and are at the heart of our Strategy.  We have made significant investment in bus infrastructure in recent years, using a variety of tools such as bus gates, traffic management exemptions, bus lanes and new bus stations.  We will continue to enhance network efficiency.

Our main areas of activity will be to expand Quality Bus Networks, introduce Bus Rapid Transit and improve specific routes to Showcase standard.  Our aim is to help operators provide services that people will choose to use.

Metro

Light rail can provide a step change in the quality, reliability and attractiveness of public transport in key corridors.  Future expansion is a critical element of our overall approach and will be carefully phased to build a cohesive network.  Our plans will reflect deliverability, affordability and policy priorities and be responsive to changing requirements.  Light rail schemes have a proven record of attracting motorists, thereby reducing congestion and improving accessibility, air quality and road safety.  The ability to support modal shift is particularly important in ensuring the area can accommodate extra trips from successful regeneration without congestion damaging our aspirations.

Currently two extensions to Metro Line 1 - Birmingham City Centre and to Brierley Hill - are planned to begin construction during the LTP2 period.  A programme for further expansion of the network has been agreed in principle and includes a further Black Country route - the '5W's' - linking important centres and radial routes serving Birmingham along corridors such as Coventry Road and Hagley Road.  In the long term, completion of the Metro network is seen as critical to regeneration of our Area.  Initial work on the Black Country Study sees Metro as a core public transport mode linking the Black Country centres.  It is anticipated that longer term Metro proposals will emerge from the three sub-regional studies underway.

Heavy rail

Heavy rail forms an increasingly important part of the public transport offer, and this is recognised in the Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) produced by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA).  Patronage has risen and is projected to continue to do so.  This has led to overcrowding on trains and at stations.  The RUS recommends a number of options for increasing capacity and Centro will work with the SRA to seek ways of delivering these options.  Proposals to enhance Birmingham New Street, Coventry and Wolverhampton stations are all in the Major Schemes programme.  Providing more and better quality Park & Ride facilities at stations is another important part of the Strategy.   In some instances we will look to adjoining Authorities to provide facilities, such as the proposed Worcester Parkway station, and the Coleshill Interchange which is under construction.

The re-franchising of the Central Trains franchise, changing rail responsibilities of PTEs and re-organisation of national rail responsibilities all bring uncertainty at present.  However, the Authorities want to work within the new arrangements to enhance rail capacity and to deliver higher quality and reliability.

These measures will provide value-for-money ways of  providing attractive and viable alternatives to the car, whether for whole trips or Park & Ride journeys.  They will support  the Strategy in making best use of the existing transport network.

(c)  Targeting Investment in Infrastructure to support Regeneration

Regeneration and renewal of the Metropolitan Area requires investment in the transport infrastructure.  Our LTP2 supports schemes arising from Housing Renewal Areas,  Regeneration Zones and High Technology Corridors.

An example of how our LTP2 supports the objective of job creation on brownfield land is the provisionally approved Darlaston Strategic Development Access Major Scheme in Walsall.  Other examples of proposals which support industry and employment are the Wobaston Road and Chester Road Major Schemes, both supporting investment by Advantage West Midlands and the private sector.  The proposed Quality Bus Network in East Birmingham will support the objectives of the East Birmingham & North Solihull Regeneration Zone.

National and international links are critical to the success of the West Midlands.  The Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International Airport proposals are among the enhancements in our programme in support of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and Regional Economic Strategy (RES).

To summarise, the three elements of our longer term Strategy provide a framework within which we can undertake  programmes that tackle the issues of congestion, accessibility, air quality and road safety.  Our Major Schemes are focused on these elements and are designed to produce multiple benefits.  Packages of policies will also be introduced on key corridors. 

Our approach supports the RSS, RES and Regional Housing Strategy.  The ambition is to create a quality of life within the Metropolitan Area which ensures that the dispersal of jobs and people, creating less sustainable development, is halted.  High levels of traffic and congestion degrade our quality of life.  This LTP2 sets out a Strategy which provides for the extra trips generated by renewal and regeneration without further degrading our environment.  The following paragraphs set out how our Strategy addresses the four themes of the Transport Shared Priority.