Home > Local Transport Plans > Provisional LTP July 2005 (version for comments) > Opportunities

Opportunities to Reduce Congestion

In our 2000 LTP, we developed a range of supply and demand management measures tailored to local circumstances. We have a growing evidence base of measures that reduce congestion in specific areas and meet our objective of accommodating travel growth without increasing congestion.

On the supply-side, we acknowledge that general road-building is not the best way forward. On the other hand, there are specific cases where an inadequate supply of road space and / or access restrictions are inhibiting economic growth, or where roads are needed to bring relief to specific areas such as town centres or residential areas. The principal opportunity will be to make more efficient use of existing infrastructure, by maximising the use of new technology, techniques and legislation.

Evidence

A ‘West Midlands Commercial Vehicle Driver’s Atlas’ was published in March 2005. This helps reduce congestion by providing drivers with information about the most appropriate routes to reach key destinations.

Our Red Routes programme is based on evidence from London and will reduce congestion by introducing strict parking controls on key urban roads. We have successfully piloted a Red Route on the A34 in Solihull, where evidence suggests freer flowing conditions and fewer accidents. The pilot will assist the roll out of the Red Routes network. We will use evidence from the limited examples of High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes and No Car Lanes elsewhere in the country to see if these can help us make more efficient use of road space.

Our local consultation revealed that congestion is the top transport problem. This gives us the opportunity to open the debate as to how we may deal with it beyond the timeframe of this LTP. This will need to take a close look at when and by what means we travel and what additional investment and measures are required to alter people’s behaviour whilst ensuring that our economic competiveness is not compromised.

Evidence

Average journey times for traffic have reduced by 7.2% (10% for buses) and reliability has improved by 6% (7% for buses) whilst early indications are that accidents have fallen by 50% between February 2003 and April 2004.

Source: Before and after surveys by Faber Maunsell on pilot Red Route on A34 Stratford Road, Solihull.

There is high demand for local rail travel, especially into central Birmingham at peak periods. Centro has worked with train operating companies to help lease extra carriages on the Cross-City, Walsall and Snow Hill lines. Analysis of this initiative will show whether it can be expanded for use elsewhere.

Centro is working through the West Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy to identify locations where platforms extensions could accommodate increasing passenger numbers. Working towards better rail services accords with the top priority identified in public consultation in 2004.

Evidence from passenger surveys on Midland Metro line 1 and from other British and European LRT systems is helping us with proposals to extend the Metro network. This would increase the supply of what is a popular alternative to the car for many local journeys. We are also examining other approaches to LRT, such as Bus Rapid Transit, as possible ways to reduce congestion.

Evidence

The 2003 user survey indicated that 87% of Metro passengers support the building of a number of new lines to form a Metro network which provides convenient, economic, quick access to more destinations and stations, and which improves reliability and reduces traffic congestion.

Centro works continuously with local bus companies to seek innovative and cost effective ways of increasing the level and standard of service, in order to lure motorists out of cars and improve benefits for existing bus users.

Evidence

In Coventry, cooperation between Centro and bus operator has led to the introduction of Bendi-buses on routes 17, 21 and 27, providing more capacity for passengers.

Park and Ride facilities have been expanded over the years. We analyse existing sites and, where they are heavily used, seek to expand them. In supply terms, Park and Ride gives motorists access to a sustainable mode of transport whilst in demand terms, it removes them from the most congested parts of the network.

Evidence

This opportunity-led approach has been successful: between 2003/04 and 2004/05, we have provided 162 more spaces and average occupancy has increased by 221, from 80% to 82%.

In town and city centres, parking charges and overall provision can be set at levels which encourage access by public transport. Managing parking demand frees up road space for journeys for which there are no alternatives.

Government guidance recognises car parking availability as a major influence on how people choose to make journeys. Some studies suggest that levels of parking are more significant than levels of public transport in determining choice of travel mode, particularly for commuting. The Guidance places emphasis on parking as a key demand management tool. Alongside other planning and transport measures, it can promote sustainable transport choice, reduce reliance on the car and reduce congestion.

We recognise the importance of parking policy, balanced with the need to maintain the vitality and viability of the Area’s centres. The Metropolitan Authorities have drawn up and agreed the following policy framework:

‘The seven District Councils are committed to working together on their transport strategy, developing policies and programmes that embrace the principles established in Regional Planning Guidance to enhance the Metropolitan Area. This will contribute to regeneration of the economy, attention to the environment and take into account the interaction between transport and land use. An important part of Regional Guidance is recognised as the need to co-operate on parking policies, encouraging use of public transport, while enhancing the viability of existing centres.

Although the ability of parking policy to influence the total demand, the modal share of trips and the attractiveness of the centre will be different for each of our varied centres (due to the presence of private non-residential parking and private sector run parking), the following policies are jointly agreed:

Car Clubs are a way of having access to a car without owning one. They suit people who do not need or want to use a car every day. The idea works well in areas where there are limited residential parking facilities. The emphasis on increasing residential development in the Metropolitan Area, and particularly in centres, makes Car Clubs a policy tool to consider.

We have worked with other agencies to help people make Smarter Choices about both the need for a specific journey and the appropriate mode. Company TravelWise helps employers and employees realise the benefits of regular or occasional home- or tele-working, reducing travel demand. Our pioneering work with MATTISSE, originating from collaborative work undertaken in the European Commission 4th Framework Programme, is improving access to multi-modal travel information, giving people greater confidence in public transport and reducing demand for road space.

Evidence

The MATTISSE public website is branded as Help2Travel (www.help2travel.co.uk) and provides up to the minute traffic and travel information for the Midlands area. We have seen continued growth in the number of visits. The average number of hits is in excess of 40,000 per day. Over a six month period from September 2004 to March 2005, we recorded 1,978,269 hits, 663,364 files accessed and identified 41,530 unique visitors to the site.

We have had significant success with workplace-based Travelwise initiatives, which seek to reduce congestion at peak periods by encouraging people to car share or travel by public transport, cycle or on foot. We will continue to work with local organisations to identify opportunities to influence modal choice.

Evidence

When the BBC relocated from its Pebble Mill site on the A38 corridor to the Mailbox in Birmingham city centre, there was an opportunity to reconsider how staff travelled to work. The provision of fewer parking spaces and promotion of personal travel plans has encouraged staff to leave their cars at home.

A TravelWise initiative led to a version of the Help2Travel website being created to help BBC staff form their new travel plans during and after relocation. The web site is delivered directly via desktop PCs and can be accessed from home. It provides real time travel information for the area around the Mailbox and other information relevant to BBC staff. The web service has proved a success and could be replicated with other major employers.

Evidence

In March 2003, some 450 employees moved from Mitchell and Butlers’ Smethwick Cape Hill plant and two regional offices to a site in Birmingham city centre. A TravelWise initiative led to car commuting being reduced by 29%, the company having set a stretching target of 40%.

These initiatives have led the Metropolitan Authorities to fund a pilot study extending TravelWise to other sites that attract regular use, such as places of worship and leisure centres. The lessons will be evaluated before further implementation elsewhere.

Smarter Choices also presents opportunities to reduce congestion by providing healthier ways of getting to and from school. We have a substantial programme of Safer Routes to Schools which encourage parents to allow children to walk or cycle, supported by appropriate training and investment in infrastructure such as pedestrian crossings and traffic calming. This will also help children become more active and healthier.

Evidence

To date, 119 schools in Birmingham have produced travel plans in order to obtain Safer Routes to School funding. Their approach is starting to show results. Yorkmead Primary School has 14% more children walking to school since it produce a travel plan in Spring 2004 and introduced a Safer Routes to School scheme. St Francis CE Primary school has seen car travel fall from 45% to 30% for the journey to school and from 46% to 33% for the journey home.

Research by University College London found that children use more calories walking to and from school than in the recommended amount of P.E. of two hours per week. Walking to school is the perfect opportunity for parents and children to increase physical activity and lead healthier lives. Travel plans contribute towards the Healthy Schools Standard.

Our work with communications consultants has raised awareness of the issues. However, it is difficult to be sure whether this awareness has directly contributed towards reduced congestion. However, we are certain that this and other avenues of communication with businesses do lead to new TravelWise schemes and give aid to less formal practices such as flexi-time working, which spreads demand away from peak periods.

Evidence

Of the 25 organisations that joined TravelWise in Birmingham during 2004/05 eight, learnt of TravelWise through communications such as the City’s web site, council officers or from neighbouring organisations.

Source: Birmingham City Monitoring

There may be opportunities to tackle congestion in more innovative ways in future. We are keen to exploit new opportunities and we will initiate discussions with the DfT over ways in which innovative approaches to demand management, that reflect the circumstances of the West Midlands, can be advanced. These discussions will pave the way for work, using the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF), to study the applicability of different approaches.

The Bus Strategy is an important element in reducing congestion and is a complementary document to the main LTP. It has three over-arching objectives, one of which is directly focused on alleviating congestion:

‘To encourage transfer of car use to public transport in the Metropolitan Area at busy times to reduce congestion and at other times to maintain public transport’s universality and commercial viability.’

This objective is supported by a number of Service Delivery policies. The four most relevant to our LTP2 are:

To encourage the provision of efficient, integrated and stable bus services in the West Midlands which meet bus user expectations and supports the economic vitality of the area

To encourage the use of mainstream services and to reduce the number of children being taken to school by car

To ensure comprehensive bus links with key destinations outside the West Midlands

secure tangible improvement in bus services provision through effective partnership working, including statutory agreements with quality contracts also being considered if this is the only practicable way of delivering the Bus Strategy

Our congestion objective is also supported by a policy on User Confidence, including bus real time information, and policies relating to Infrastructure & Schemes, Showcase and the development of Bus Rapid Transit services on key routes.

The Bus Strategy aims to encourage better buses and more Showcase services that are most likely to attract car users. It details Key Action Areas to support each of its sixteen policies.

An example is Centro’s commitment to continue subsidising socially necessary bus services. This policy contributes towards accessibility objectives. Many people want to make one half of their journey at peak times and the other half at off-peak. Ensuring that there are buses at off-peak times means people can avoid buying a car, which they otherwise might need because of a lack of a bus service for one half of their journey. This too helps to reduce congestion.

Evidence

In 2003/04, Centro provided subsidy of £5.7m for socially necessary services which carried 8 million passengers. The projected subsidy for 2005/06 is £6m.