http://www.nwda.co.uk/docs/LTP2GuidanceNote

Local Transport Plan 2: NWDA Guidance relating to the Regional Economic Strategy, the Northern Way and other regional economic regeneration issues As part of the draft guidance on Local Transport Plans (second edition, DfT, 2004), the DfT state that “local authorities should demonstrate that their LTPs are consistent with the RDAs Regional Economic Strategy, and we encourage them to develop their policies in partnership with their RDA.” Whilst the DfT does not wish to prescribe the form of evidence required to demonstrate the effort made to show this consistency, they suggest that the use of quotes, maps and cross-references from the RES, clearly linked to LTP schemes and policies, may be helpful.

This Guidance aims to assist local authorities in producing their LTPs in terms of linkages to economic regeneration and the objectives of the Regional Economic Strategy 2003 (RES). The RES provides the economic development framework for the Northwest and sustainable economic development lies at the heart of the strategy. The aim is to improve competitiveness and encourage economic growth, at the same time as protecting and enhancing its diverse environment, using resources prudently, tackling the causes of social exclusion, and recognising the needs and contribution of everyone.

As well as the Vision ‘to transform England’s Northwest through sustainable economic development’, there are three components of the RES - five priorities, ten strategic objectives and a number of key activities. These are closely interlinked. The Skills and Employment priority has few direct linkages with transport but the other priorities – business development, regeneration, infrastructure and image – have a strong relationship with the development of transport policies and schemes.

The business development priority seeks to improve business performance to secure economic growth. The objectives for this sector are to exploit the growth potential of business sectors, improve the competitiveness and productivity of businesses and develop and exploit the region’s knowledge base. Issues to be addressed include improving business performance through innovation and enterprise, inward investment, workforce development and exporting and international trade. In particular, transport can have a potential contribution to business development in three main areas: •

Help to accelerate business cluster development in those sectors with potential for growth (Key Activity 1.1) – the key clusters are: - Aerospace - Automotive - Aviation - Chemicals - Construction - Creative industries - Digital industries - Energy - Environmental technology - Financial and professional services - Food and drink - Healthcare - Maritime - Sport - Textiles - Tourism

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• •

Can assist the development of business incubation facilities to encourage business start-ups and spin-outs from universities, other research and Higher Education Institutions and large companies (Key Activity 1.5); and Can assist in pursuing targeted international trade activity to support business cluster development (Key Activity 1.4) and develop the capability of businesses to realise their international trade capacity, including new exporters (Key Activity 2.4).

The regeneration priority is closely linked to the state of the region’s regeneration priority areas. The objectives for this sector are to deliver urban and rural renaissance and secure economic inclusion. RSS indicates the broad locations of Regeneration Priority Areas. In rural areas, priorities are indicated by Objective 2 areas and Markets Towns. Map-based analysis can be used to identify the more detailed location of regeneration areas (including Regional poles, North West Metropolitan Area, Furness and West Cumbria (URCs), East Lancashire, coastal resort towns, Housing Pathfinder areas, Market Towns Initiative areas and rural Objective 2 areas). Contact Rebecca Riley (Head of Research) or Matt Waltho (Strategic Intelligence Officer) in the Agency’s RIU department for advice on these areas and to obtain relevant maps (Tel: Rebecca on 01925 400281 E-mail: rebecca.riley@nwda.co.uk or Matt on 01925 400296 E-mail: matt.waltho@nwda.co.uk).

Local authorities can then identify the potential influence of LTP schemes/policies to these areas. One example of how transport could help in tackling social exclusion would be by linking areas of job opportunity with areas of need/regeneration areas. In terms of the RES, transport can have a potential contribution to regeneration in several main areas: • •

• •

Can help to implement the strategy/action plans for the Urban Regeneration Companies of New East Manchester, Liverpool Vision and Furness and West Cumbria – Westlakes Renaissance (Key Activity 4.1); Can support the regeneration of the most deprived areas and most deprived wards by strengthening their wider economic base (Key Activity 4.2) and develop the economic strength of the areas of greatest concentration of unsatisfactory and unpopular housing (Key Activity 4.6); Can assist in the development and implementation of proposals for regenerating coastal resorts to support diversification and stimulate business growth including tourism (Key Activity 4.3); Can form part of the implementation of the Regional Rural Recovery Plan through County Action Plans for Cumbria, Lancashire and Cheshire (Key Activity 5.1) and can assist in developing action plans for selected market towns (Key Activity 5.5).

The infrastructure priority strategic objectives are to develop the strategic transport, communications and economic infrastructure and ensure the availability of a balanced portfolio of employment sites. The RES recognises that an effective transport system is of fundamental importance to the region’s economy and that the current transport infrastructure is inadequate to meet present or future needs. Key Activity 8.1 ‘To identify and champion the implementation of strategic transport initiatives required to support economic development and regeneration’ is key. In this context, the text in this section outlines a number of specific areas that need to be addressed in terms of transport infrastructure. These can be used as a foundation for LTP development: • •

Strategic access to, and between the region’s urban centres on the motorway network; Movement within the urban areas and, in particular, access to the conurbation cores;

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• •

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Access to areas that are key to economic regeneration and growth, especially the region’s strategic ports and airports; and North-South movement to London and the South East and through to Europe and the rest of the world via the M6 and the West Coast main line.

Similarly, East-West movements via trans-pennine rail and the M62 also need immediate improvements and future capacity increases; Reliability of service, capacity and speed limitations on the region’s railway network limit the provision of additional passenger and freight movements in order to take pressure off the road network; Secure the development of designated strategic regional sites to boost business growth opportunities (Key Activity 9.1) – see below; and Secure a complementary portfolio of sub-regional and local employment sites (Key Activity 9.2).

Finally, the image priority seeks to develop and market the region’s image. This objective seeks to promote a positive image in the region to increase economic activity, attract further investment and boost business and leisure tourism in the Northwest. This could include the encouragement of major events in the Northwest (e.g. Capital of Culture), encouragement of tourism (e.g. enhanced links to coastal resorts) or improvement of image (e.g. new technology or large scale projects such as a new bridge). Key Activity 10.3 ‘Develop and implement a regional tourism strategy and action plan aimed at improving the region’s tourism offer and its take-up’ is also included in this objective.

The Agency is currently examining the relative priority of various major transport schemes in the region in relation to the objectives of the RES. It has also commissioned from consultants an Economic Futures Study for the Lake District and is currently considering the consultants recommendations.

The Northern Way ’Moving Forward: The Northern Way, First Growth Strategy Report’ (2004) published by the Northern Way Steering Group details the actions required by a variety of northern stakeholders to reduce the £29 billion output gap between the three Northern regions and the rest of the UK. The overarching measure of success will be to achieve national UK average GVA per head within 25 years. The report includes a number of changes identified as necessary to meet the success criteria. These include addressing areas relating to city regions, worklessness, innovation, entrepreneurship, key clusters, skills, access to airports and ports, premier transit systems, sustainable communities and marketing the North to the rest of the world.

The document was submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in September and the detailed recommendations will now be considered by Government over the coming months, as part of a wider consultation with regional stakeholders by the three Northern RDAs. The RDAs have agreed to establish a new joint delivery team, under the leadership of Sir Graham Hall, to drive forward the implementation of the plan and a Northern Way Growth Fund of £100m will help to kickstart the strategy.

In relation to transport, the Northern Way includes the following policies and aspirational targets: • Achieve a target of at least 17.2m business and 6.4m inbound leisure travellers each year through northern airports by 2030 as a key contributor to the overall target of 82 mppa identified in the Future of Air Transport White Paper:

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Increase ship arrivals at northern ports from 22% of the national total in 2002, to around 25% by 2010; Increase throughput of northern ports from 32% of the national total tonnage in 2002, to around 35% by 2010; Reduce congestion on the inter-urban strategic road network to below the national average, where appropriate, by 2010 and to work with Government to improve the speed and reliability of services on the West Coast and East Coast Main Lines; Reverse the decline in bus usage within the city regions by 2007 and to grow patronage by 6% by the year 2010.

The Northern Way also proposes the following actions by working together; •

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Prepare a Northern Airports Priorities Plan; Work with the DfT to secure 5 th freedom rights for Manchester Airport, more slots into the London Airports and consider establishing Route Development Funds; Prepare a Northern Airports Access Plan; Obtain a commitment to increase the capacity of the Manchester Rail Hub and increase platform capacity at Manchester Airport station; Ensure that all of the Airport Area Master Plans will feature investment programmes to provide more airport-related office, warehouse and industrial space in close proximity to the airports; Encourage the DfT to prepare a National Ports Strategy; Complete a Northern Ports Access Plan; Create better integrated public transport services within and between our city regions; Work with local authorities and PTEs to prepare a Bus Partnership Framework, including at least one new project to provide new services in each city region and promote a revised case for light rail schemes; Prepare a specification for a Northern Connect Card and a Northern Community Car Club; Develop proposals to improve the Manchester-Leeds and Sheffield- Manchester city region Trans-Pennine rail links; Prepare an M62 Route Action Plan; Establish a voluntary Northern Transport Compact (an overarching body at panregional level to resolve cross-boundary issues) and three Regional Transport Boards.

The document also proposes that Northern Way principles should guide the preparation of each Regional Spatial Strategy – in particular, each RSS should include specific proposals for each of the eight city regions in the North to demonstrate how best to strengthen their economies. The principles and specific proposals in the Northern Way document will also be considered within the updated RES (from 2005-06).

Sub regional Partnerships Sub-Regional Partnerships are partnerships of key public and private sector representatives in each sub region. They consist of 5 bodies: Cumbria Strategic Partnership, Cheshire & Warrington Economic Alliance, Manchester Enterprises, PanLancashire Partnership and The Mersey Partnership. The Agency is committed to these partnerships and their role to link economic development to other strategic priorities

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through the development of an over-arching sub-regional strategy. The Agency’s Area Offices will continue to develop relationships with sub-regional partnerships within each sub-region. Local Authorities responsible for producing a Local Transport Plan should contact the Agency’s 5 Area Managers for further details on linkages with sub-regional strategies. The area managers are: •

Manchester

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Merseyside

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Cheshire

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Cumbria

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Lancashire

Maurice Gubbins (Maurice.gubbins@nwda.co.uk) Tel: 0161 817 7430 Paul Lakin (paul.lakin@nwda.co.uk) Tel: 0151 242 1006 Chris Koral (chris.koral@nwda.co.uk) Tel: 01925 644225 Stewart Swift (stewart.swift@nwda.co.uk) Tel: 01768 867294 Ian Whittaker (ian.whittaker@nwda.co.uk) Tel: 01772 206007

Strategic Regional Sites The delivery of the Agency’s 25 designated strategic regional sites is critical to the effective implementation of the RES. The Agency is working closely with both public and private sector partners to secure the delivery of the sites and take them through the planning system. Development of these sites will help to support growth of the region’s business clusters and meet regeneration objectives as well as providing high quality locations for both indigenous and inward investment. Good transport connections to these sites are fundamental if they are to achieve these economic objectives and the Agency is keen to see this issue addressed as part of the Local Transport Plan. The attached map gives details of the locations of these sites for reference.

Useful References • • • • • • • • • •

Regional Economic Strategy 2003 (NWDA, 2003) A New Vision for North West Coastal Resorts (Locum Destination Consulting, 2002) Moving Forward: The Northern Way First Growth Strategy Report (Northern Way Steering Group, 2004) http://www.thenorthernway.co.uk/ Mersey Belt Study (DTZ Pieda Consulting, 2002) Mersey Belt Study Policy Statement (NWDA, 2003) Strategic Regional Sites Annual Monitoring Report (NWDA, 2004) Surface Infrastructure of National Economic Importance (Faber Maunsell, 2004) Access to Furness and West Cumbria Study (Mouchel Parkman, 2004) M56 Corridor Scoping Study (Atkins, 2004) A Strategy for Tourism in England’s Northwest (NWDA, 2003)

Key Contacts Claire Walsh – general transport Principal Planner (Transport) Northwest Regional Development Agency Renaissance House 5

Centre Park Warrington Cheshire WA1 1XB Tel: 01925 400381 Fax: 01925 400407 E-mail: claire.walsh@nwda.co.uk Richard Hobbs – rail, Northern Way Planner (Transport) Northwest Regional Development Agency Renaissance House Centre Park Warrington Cheshire WA1 1XB Tel: 01925 400202 Fax: 01925 400407 E-mail: richard.hobbs@nwda.co.uk

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Strategic Regional Sites 1

Ashton Moss, Tameside

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Basford, Crewe

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Cuerden Regional Business Park, Preston/Leyland

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Daresbury Park, Runcorn

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Kingmoor, Carlisle

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Kings Business Park, Knowsley

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Kingsway Business Park, Rochdale

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Omega South, Warrington

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Royal Ordnance Factory, Chorley

10 The Estuary, Liverpool (Speke Garston)

11 Wirral International Business Park

12 Barton, Salford 13 Birkenhead/Twelve Quays 14 Whitebirk 15 Carrington, Trafford 16 Chester Business Park 17 Davenport Green, Trafford 18 Ditton, Widnes 19 Lancaster University/ Bailrigg

20 Liverpool University Edge 21 Central Park, Manchester 22 Parkside Former Colliery 23 Wavertree Technology Park, Liverpool

24 Westlakes, Whitehaven 25 Alderley Park (Astra

Zeneca), Macclesfield

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