2.1 Introduction ...... 10 2.2 Sustainable Communities Plan...... 12 2.3 Milton Keynes & South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy ...... 13 2.4 Regional Spatial Strategy for the East Midlands (RSS8)...... 14 2.5 Regional Transport Strategy (RTS)...... 16 2.6 Northamptonshire Sub-Regional Economic Strategy (RES)...... 17 2.7 North Northants Development Company...... 20 2.8 West Northants Development Corporation (WNDC) ...... 22 2.9 Northamptonshire Integrated Local Employment Strategy ...... 23 2.10 Community Strategies ...... 24 2.11 Northamptonshire Local Transport Plan...... 25 2.12 Summary ...... 26 3 The Need for Northamptonshire To Be Connected...... 30

3.1 The Economy...... 30 3.2 Future Growth...... 33 3.3 The Need for Transport Connectivity...... 34 3.4 Northamptonshire’s Current Transport Connectivity ...... 36 4 A Spatial Framework ...... 44

4.1 Description...... 44 4.2 Revised Framework...... 45 5 Current Movement within Northamptonshire ...... 47

6 The Transport Strategy Framework...... 50

6.1 Introduction ...... 50 6.2 Development of objectives ...... 50 6.3 Development of strategic connectivity need / impact ...... 50

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6.4 Development of specific transport contribution / impact ...... 51 6.5 intervention identification ...... 51 7 The Scoring Mechanism ...... 59

7.1 introduction ...... 59 7.2 The scoring mechanism ...... 59 8 Creating A Prioritised List...... 67

8.1 Simplification of the List of Schemes...... 67 8.2 Undertaking Analysis of the Scored Framework...... 67 8.3 Collect Evidence...... 67 8.4 Develop Packages of Schemes...... 68 9 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 68

9.1 Conclusions ...... 68 9.2 Recommendations...... 68 Appendix A The Full List of Schemes ...... 72

Appendix B Shortened Scheme List ...... 77

Appendix C Framework of Scored Schemes...... 84

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 AIMS OF THIS STUDY The County of Northamptonshire is experiencing significant growth, particularly around the main urban areas. The main driver of growth in the County is the Government’s Sustainable Communities Plan and the Milton Keynes and South Midlands (MKSM) Sub-Regional Spatial Strategy. That plan has outlined significant housing growth targets for Northamptonshire particularly in the key growth towns of Northampton, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough. An innovative delivery structure is being implemented to implement the growth plans.

The aim of this study is to develop an evidence-based integrated Transport Strategy Framework to complement the housing growth and the associated economic growth and regeneration that is necessary to ensure a sustainable future for Northamptonshire. Its purpose is to avoid potential threats to the transport system resulting from growth, in particular overloading and congestion and at the same time take advantage of the opportunities that significant investment in transport infrastructure and services could provide. It will do this by providing a coherent structure for sieving and prioritising transport interventions and projects ensuring that they:

a) complement policy objectives (specifically the wider social, environmental and economic ones), b) complement each other, and c) are aligned with funding and delivery options.

This transport strategy framework must be set within existing and emerging economic, environmental and social strategic frameworks so that it can focus on supporting these aims and objectives, primarily intended to result in a prosperous, sustainable and healthy Northamptonshire in the future.

Without the coherent framework proposed, pressure from developers is likely to result in the funding and delivery of transport infrastructure in an uncoordinated and potentially sub-optimal way focused on individual

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developments rather than the County as a whole and not delivering on the wider policy objectives of Northamptonshire. This would be a missed opportunity. It is essential that key stakeholders such as the Government Office, the East Midlands Regional Development Agency and Regional Assembly, Borough and District Councils, the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation and the North Northants Development Company are fully engaged with the framework and that it fits with their planning and economic policies. Transport providers, including the Highways Agency and train and bus operators are also key participants in the process.

The framework is there to provide a structure for the decision making process and to input into it, it is not a replacement for good decision making and the politically led decision making processes within the County Council.

Regional Priorities

Stakeholders Peer Group

Evidence LTPs, RTB, Base RSS, etc.

Government. Policy

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1.2 METHODOLOGY How interventions and projects are identified is of major concern for strategic investment decisions. The traditional approach for transport is analytical and problem-based, identifying transport problems. This can be considered a bottom-up approach and the challenge is whether a collection of projects identified on an individual basis will aggregate to form a truly strategic plan for investment.

For the situation emerging in Northamptonshire, a more top-down approach is considered appropriate. This is policy-based and objective led with a broad view on what contributes to specific policy objectives, including economic, social and spatial concerns.

While many strategy and policy documents exist in the region, in the sub region and at the County level, there is a need to relate the many objectives contained within them more clearly to connectivity needs and from there to specific transport interventions. In this case, the top-down approach consists of a review and synthesis of policy documents and the development of a “Strategic Proposition” which relates the analysis of policy to connectivity needs and forms the core of the Strategic Transport Framework. The strategic proposition is in effect a “step-down” between the higher level policy documents and the Local Transport Plan and specific investments and interventions.

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Policy Documents

Strategic Proposition

Prioritisation Evidence Base

The strategic proposition is intended to serve two roles. The first is to provide the next level of definition of the policy documents, elaborating more precisely the role of transport in achieving identified objectives. The strategic proposition, in this case, has also taken account of the output of the Eddington Review.

The second aspect of a strategic proposition is to serve as the organising structure for the evidence base and prioritisation of individual transport interventions. The strategic proposition builds the argument for certain types of investment and as such outlines the basic rationale for why they should be taken. In this way it provides a basic framework with which to structure the development of more robust evidence in concert with prioritisation. For prioritisation, the strategic proposition will serve as the reconciliation point between the top-down policy-based objective led approach and bottom-up, project identification approach.

The proposition is intended to maintain a strategic and long-term view and considers how a set of projects or interventions will ‘hang’ together. The

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proposition explores how projects relate to one another and to other initiatives that are being undertaken.

Crucial to the success of the Strategy Framework is “buy in” from stakeholders including elected representatives, transport providers, the development industry and regional partners. To achieve this “buy in” the framework process and development were tested through a series of workshops, seminars and meetings. This process was time consuming as it was highly iterative but without the support of the key stakeholders it would have been extremely difficult to move the process forwards and develop an affordable and deliverable evidence based transport strategy that provides the necessary interventions to secure the sustainable economic and housing growth for the county.

Typical Process

Prioritisation Framework Decision-Making

Dynamic Iterative Process

Prioritisation Framework

Decision-Making

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1.3 CONTEXT The scale of the growth proposed for Northamptonshire is unprecedented. For example Northampton itself has grown at twice the national rate over the last ten years, putting considerable strain on the town's infrastructure. Over the next twenty years or so, Northampton will continue growing, from a population of 200,000 to around 300,000 further increasing the pressure on the town's ability to cope. This growth does however create many opportunities as well as threats for the future.

It is very important that the housing growth is matched with a growth in accessible jobs for the future sustainability of the area. Spatially locating the areas for new housing development with areas of current and future employment and good transport links will be crucial to the delivery of the strategic framework. Northamptonshire’s key employment is currently in the logistics and manufacturing areas, however the county is looking to diversify and grow its economy by attracting the knowledge based, financial and other high value added (HVA) employers as well as improve its service sector jobs both in the public and private sectors. All these sectors demand good strategic linkages particularly the HVA and to attract them the county will need to enhance its physical connectivity at all levels; international, national, regional and local, as well as virtual connectivity. Strong urban centres act as economic hubs, creating and attracting people, jobs and investment. For these reasons, particular focus is placed on Northampton which will strengthen its role as County Town and work to develop its own ‘city region’ within a polycentric system connecting it in particular to the other three growth towns of Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough.

The vision is to develop Northampton as a vibrant and viable county town centre with increased employment, an improved retail offer and new cultural facilities, with benefits for the whole County. To achieve this vision, the town will need to attract more employers and investors and therefore must enhance its place competitiveness. Connectivity at all levels is a driving force for urban competitiveness and Northamptonshire’s infrastructure needs are evaluated in relation to its objectives and aspirations. This transport strategy framework seeks to maximize the opportunities that can be realised from

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improved connectivity and to minimise the threats to the social economy caused by poor internal and external connectivity.

Figure 1 Northamptonshire’s International Connections

Source: Invest Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire stands at the east/west and north/south crossroads of the East and South Midlands and has other large growth areas around its borders, for example Milton Keynes and Luton. Milton Keynes with its strong car bias and good connections to London is a major competitor for investment in key sectors. There is also competition between the County’s towns as there are a large number of towns of similar sizes and offerings rather than one dominant regional centre. The Northern Way growth strategy has shown that more can be achieved through regional cooperation, connectivity and marketing than by destructive and wasteful competition within a region so that

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nowhere prospers. Improved internal and external connectivity would benefit the whole of Northamptonshire and facilitate the development of an integrated and complementary economy that is attractive to investors and residents alike.

The County’s international connectivity offers great potential for the future, being surrounded by the airports of Birmingham, Nottingham East Midlands and Luton, with Heathrow and Stansted also within reach. Improving the surface transport linkages to these airports is important to gain the benefits for the future of the good international connectivity they can offer. Northamptonshire’s strategic road network, including the M1 and A14, is congested at critical times of the day. Poor perceptions of public transportation and a culture of car transport have also created congestion problems in Northamptonshire. For the county to compete as an attractive location for retail and entertainment investment, good transport linkages and ease of access are vital. The requirement for town centre regeneration and accessible jobs imposes further stresses on the existing and often inadequate transport networks. Improving the internal and external transport connectivity is a key component of town centre regeneration and creating accessible jobs.

Section 2 of this report provides a flavour of the range of strategic plans affecting the county dealing with economic, spatial, environmental and social matters that are relevant to transport and a brief summary of these. It then sets out the broad distilled objectives that form the first part of the Transport Framework.

Section 3 then provides transport connectivity analysis; it also looks at current travel patterns within the county.

Section 4 provides a spatial framework within which the transport framework must sit. It proposes two tiers of transport connectivity and spatial relationships.

Section 5 provides an analysis of existing travel patterns.

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Section 6 moves into the framework proper with a commentary of its development through the workshop stages.

Section 7 provides the scoring mechanism for the framework.

Section 8 provides a commentary on using the strategy framework to turn the very long list of schemes into a prioritised list suitable to deliver the growth requirements.

Section 9, the final section, sets out our conclusions and recommendations.

2 AN OVERVIEW OF EXISTING POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

2.1 INTRODUCTION The Transport Strategy Framework must work within the existing policy context and form an essential part of the success formula for achieving the wide ranging objectives of the various strategies. The Government’s Sustainable Communities programme has a particularly strong impact on Northamptonshire through the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub- Regional growth area which will substantially increase the population and employment levels in the county. This in turn will have a significant impact on the transport infrastructure and equally an integrated transport strategy will be necessary to ensure that the opportunities that the growth offers are locked in.

The key challenge is to develop a framework that addresses the wider objectives of the county through enhanced connectivity. There are a wide range of strategies and plans relevant to this Strategy Framework, developed by a range of agencies from national government down to individual Boroughs and Districts. Figure 2 below illustrates the relationship between the key plans and strategies affecting Northamptonshire demonstrating the complexity of the institutional framework for delivering the growth agenda. The following section provides an overview of the key strategies.

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Figure 2 The relationship between key institutions, plans and strategies

National Planning Policy Statements (ODPM, etc.)

Sustainable Communities: Public Service Agreements (PSA) Building For the Future ODPM

East Midlands Integrated Regional MKSM Sub-Regional Strategy Strategy East Midlands Assembly 3 RAs

EERA and SEERA RSS Regional Spatial East Midlands Regional Strategy Economic Strategy East Midland Regional Assembly (EMDA) Smart Growth: The Midlands Way East Midland Regional Assembly Regional Northamptonshire Transport Sub-Regional Economic Strategy Highways Strategy EMRA Transport Agency Task Group

SRA/DfT Rail

Local Development Community Strategies Local Transport Plan Framework Northamptonshire County Council

Northamptonshire North Northants County/Borough/District West Northants Together Councils Development local authorities, Corporation Catalyst Corby, English Partnership Joint Planning Unit and East Midlands Development Growth Delivery Plan Agency, County North Northamptonshire Council Joint Core Spatial Strategy

National plans & strategies

Regional plans & strategies

Local plans & strategies

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2.2 SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PLAN The Sustainable Communities Plan (SCP) was launched by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) in 2003 and it set out a long term programme for delivering sustainable communities. In particular it aimed at tackling housing supply issues in the South East and low demand elsewhere. The Plan sets out an increase in resources (£22bn), a new approach to what is built and how it should be built, and importantly, major reforms to housing and planning.

Milton Keynes and the South Midlands (MKSM) is identified within the SCP as one of the major growth areas that will accommodate housing growth. With a strong position within the MKSM growth area, Northamptonshire must respond to the opportunities and challenges that the growth initiative brings.

The majority of development in Northamptonshire should be concentrated in the Northampton Implementation Area and the neighbouring growth towns of Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough. Beyond these main urban centres development will be focused at the Sub-Regional centre of Daventry, the smaller towns of Desborough, Rothwell, Burton Latimer, Rushden, Higham Ferrers and Irthlingborough and the rural service centres of Towcester, Oundle, Raunds, Thrapston and Brackley.

Figure 3 Northamptonshire Growth Towns

Growth Towns

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2.3 MILTON KEYNES & SOUTH MIDLANDS SUB-REGIONAL STRATEGY Northamptonshire is positioned at the heart of the MKSM growth area, an initiative promoted by the ODPM and led by Government Offices. The purpose of the MKSM Sub-Regional Strategy is to provide a clear, agreed, sub-regional strategy for the period 2001-2021, and a long-term spatial vision for the sub-region towards the year 2031, as part of the Government's SCP. It also aims to provide guidance for delivery bodies on the scale, location and timing of the development and the associated transport, employment and social infrastructure needed to achieve the vision of sustainable communities.

The Strategy emphasises the creation of sustainable communities, well designed places where people want to live, with jobs, facilities, services, and strong communities. A key aim is to introduce a step change in housing supply, including affordable housing and provide strategic direction for local authorities, delivery vehicles and other organisations within the growth area. The overriding aim is to deliver well over 200,000 new homes between 2005 and 2021 in the sub-region. The key drivers are housing shortages and the need to provide not just new homes, but to create sustainable communities and to spatially plan the economic growth of the region.

The largest segment of growth in the MKSM Growth Area will be in Northamptonshire. The MKSM strategy states that housing provision for the period 2001 -2021 in Northamptonshire should be made at an annual average rate of 4,975 providing land for nearly 100,000 new houses. For planning purposes (though without commitment) significant further growth is identified for the period 2021-2031, amounting to a further 45,000 homes in Northamptonshire.

The strategy recognises that a flourishing local economy is essential if the growth areas are to meet the objective of developing as sustainable communities. Housing growth is therefore to be monitored against growth in employment, with “reference levels” set in the strategy. For North and West Northamptonshire growth of 81,000 jobs in the period 2001-2021 is identified.

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2.4 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGY FOR THE EAST MIDLANDS (RSS8) The Regional Growth agenda for the East Midlands is set out in Regional Spatial Strategy 8 (RSS8) which provides a spatial vision for the sustainable development of the region up to 2021. Northampton is identified in RSS8 as one of the East Midlands’ five Principal Urban Areas (PUAs). These are conurbations which have been identified as having the potential to develop into sustainable urban communities where people wish to live, work and invest. They have the potential for: • A variety and choice of high quality, healthy, affordable and sustainable living and working environments; • A sufficient number and variety of jobs to meet employment needs, along with associated education and training opportunities; • Modern urban transport networks and modal interchanges with an emphasis on public transport provision; • Vibrant city, town and local centres to serve communities with high quality services, to promote identity and social cohesion and to drive economic growth and • Improved infrastructure capacity, including healthcare, recreational and other facilities, for example public open space.

The RSS has been developed within the overall vision of the East Midlands Regional Assembly’s Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS) whose objectives cover the social, economic, environmental and spatial themes of sustainable development. The RSS is guided by 10 regional core objectives identified from the policy context and outlined in Figure 5.

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Figure 5 Regional Core Objectives Development Plans, Local Development Frameworks, Local Transport Plans and Economic Development Strategies will seek: 1. to address social exclusion, through the regeneration of disadvantaged areas and reducing regional inequalities in the distribution of employment, housing, health and other community facilities; 2. to protect and where possible enhance the quality of the environment in urban and rural areas so as to make them safe and attractive places to live and work; 3. to improve the health of the region's residents, for example through improved air quality, the availability of good quality well designed housing and access to leisure and recreation facilities; 4. to promote and improve economic prosperity, employment opportunities and regional competitiveness; 5. to improve accessibility to jobs, homes and services across the region by developing integrated transport, ensuring the improvement of opportunities for walking, cycling and the use of high quality public transport; 6. to achieve effective protection of the environment by avoiding significant harm and securing adequate mitigation where appropriate, and to promote the conservation, enhancement, sensitive use and management of the region's natural and cultural assets; 7. to bring about a step change increase in the level of the region’s biodiversity, by managing and developing habitats to secure gains wherever possible, and ensuring no net loss of priority habitats and species; 8. to promote the prudent use of resources, in particular through patterns of development and transport that make efficient and effective use of existing infrastructure, optimise waste minimisation, reduce overall energy use and maximise the role of renewable energy generation; 9. to take action to reduce the scale and impact of future climate change, in particular the risk of damage to life and property from flooding, especially through the location and design of new development; and 10. to promote good design in development so as to achieve high environmental standards and optimum social benefits.

Objectives 5 and 8 are directly related to transport and highlight the need for an integrated and strategic approach to transport planning and delivery. The spatial strategy sets out policies to guide the location of future development in the region. The locations for growth relate to those identified the MKSM Sub- Regional Strategy and include the Northampton Implementation Area, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough. The housing growth rates for Northamptonshire are also based on figures from the MKSM SRS which state that the County should provide new homes at an annual average rate 4,975, the majority of which should be concentrated in Northampton and the

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neighbouring growth towns of Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough. The development policies are very much linked to and depend on transport connectivity and indicate the need for an integrated transport strategy to optimise opportunities and mitigate threats.

• Locational Priorities for Development o Sites that are or will be well served by public transport • Sustainability Criteria o The accessibility of development sites by non-car modes and the potential to improve such accessibility to town centres, employment, shops and services. o The capacity of the existing infrastructure, including the highway network, public transport, utilities and social infrastructure to absorb further development. • Promoting Better Design o Access from new development to local facilities on foot, by cycle or by public transport. • Concentrating development in Urban Areas o Locate significant new development in the regions 5 Principal Urban Areas, of which Northampton is one. o Locate significant levels of new development in the 3 growth towns of Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough

These policy priorities in the RSS show that there are significant development opportunities for Northamptonshire for major investment and development; however, this could be constrained by a lack of public transport provision and increasing congestion on the roads. The Transport Strategy Framework can help with identification of suitable sites for development against the locational priorities for development.

2.5 REGIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY (RTS) The Core Strategy of the East Midlands RTS is based on: • Reducing the need to travel, especially by car, and reducing traffic growth and congestion; • Promoting a step change in the level of public transport; • Making better use of existing networks through better management; and

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• Only developing additional highway capacity when all other measures have been exhausted.

The Regional Transport Objectives that Local Authorities are to pay attention to in their Local Transport Plans and Local Development Plans are: • Support sustainable development in the region’s Principle Urban Areas (PUA) and Sub-Regional Centres • Promote accessibility and overcome peripherality in the region’s rural areas • Support the region’s regeneration priorities • Promote improvements to inter-regional and international linkages that will support sustainable development in the region. • Improve safety across the region and reduce congestion, particularly within the region’s Principal Urban Areas and on major inter-urban corridors • Promote opportunities for modal shift away from the private car and road based freight transport across the region.

These broad objectives have been further refined into Sub-Area Objectives and the Southern Sub-Area (for Northamptonshire) are: • Developing the transport infrastructure and services needed to accommodate major planned housing and employment growth consistent with MKSM • Developing the transport infrastructure and services needed to support Northampton’s role as one of the region’s 5 PUAs • Developing the transport infrastructure and services needed to support the regeneration of Corby as a place to both live and work • Developing opportunities for modal switch away from road based transport in the nationally important freight distribution sector. • Improving access by all modes to the East Coast ports of Felixstowe and Harwich.

2.6 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE SUB-REGIONAL ECONOMIC STRATEGY (RES) The Sub-Regional Economic Strategy sets a vision for Northamptonshire to be one of the most successful and competitive sub-regions in Europe by 2015. The key objectives, priorities and actions required to achieve this vision are provided in a framework for action. The three economic drivers of

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the Regional Economic Strategy focus on: Enterprise and Innovation, Employment, Learning and Skills and Climate for Investment.

The objectives of the Sub-Regional Economic Strategy are the following: 1. Achieve continual business growth, economic diversification and high levels of competitiveness 2. Create and sustain a dynamic and flexible labour market 3. Support and enhance community cohesion 4. Achieve additional economic advantage through effective relationships 5. Develop and promote a strong Northamptonshire Brand The core indicator and measurement of success for achievement of the vision is Gross Value Added (GVA) per head. The overall target for the strategy is to achieve GVA per head in Northamptonshire which is 10 percentage points above the national UK rate. Currently, GVA per head in Northamptonshire is 0.7 percentage points ahead of the UK rate (2001).

Competitiveness is a main driver of the RES and transport connectivity plays a vital role in a location’s competitiveness. One of the RES’s key priorities is to ‘develop and supply an effective and broad range of ‘hard infrastructure to support the development of a larger, more competitive and higher value added business base, including high specification office and industrial premises in easily accessible locations’ (NSRES, May 2005).

The RES makes the link between lack of transport connectivity and socio- economic deprivation and claims it is hindering economic development. Evidence from researchers would suggest this is correct and Professor Michael Parkinson1 states that internal and external transport connectivity is one of the five critical features identified for competitive European cities. Therefore, to achieve continual business growth, economic diversification and high levels of competitiveness the physical infrastructure for business is vital. Transport infrastructure to new sites and improved public transport routes between key polycentric settlements and employer locations is necessary to

1 Professor Michael Parkinson et al (January 2004), Competitive European Cities: Where do the Core Cities Stand? Commissioned by the ODPM

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provide easily accessible locations and to support the development of a larger, more competitive and higher value added business base in Northamptonshire. The linkage between housing growth areas and access to jobs must be planned effectively to ensure both place competitiveness and sustainability. High quality and frequency bus corridors linking the growth towns together and connecting into improved local bus networks would help to ensure sustainable housing and corresponding jobs growth.

Figure 6 Areas of Multiple Deprivation

Source: Northants SRES A lack of access to services can cause and exacerbate socio-economic disadvantage which impacts negatively on individual economic performance

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and ultimately on sub-regional performance. This Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) does not include access issues as a factor, although the key factors of income deprivation, employment deprivation, health deprivation and education and skills deprivation are directly affected by access or lack of access. Although access deprivation is not included in the IMD ranking, it is more than likely that areas of high deprivation in this figure are also areas of poor accessibility. Some communities in Northamptonshire experience constrained access to services, both in urban and rural areas; this is partly due to limited public transport. The RES has shown that competitiveness is enhanced where socio-economic disadvantage is minimised and that good transport connectivity is a vital component in supporting local economies and promoting economic inclusion. The RES articulates a demand for a transport strategy that will foster a ‘more flexible transportation system’. Specific transport interventions stated as possible actions to achieve the key objectives and priorities of the RES are:

• Community transport initiatives • Develop orbital public transport networks • Improve Gateways and route ways into the County • Enhance access to Nottingham East Midlands and Birmingham International Airports.

2.7 NORTH NORTHANTS DEVELOPMENT COMPANY North Northamptonshire relates to the area that is covered by Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire Councils. These councils along with Northamptonshire County Council have established a Joint Planning Unit (JPU) to create an overall land-use planning strategy for the area. This will be known as the North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy. This will then form a key part of the local development framework. Each individual council will then produce more detailed plans for their own area; these may consist of actions plans, urban extensions and other areas of change. North Northants Development Company is the vehicle created to deliver this work. The plans are informed by the RSS for East Midlands. The

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key driver is to deliver infrastructure and jobs led growth as a pre-requisite to achieving sustainable communities.

The Draft Objectives are:

• Infrastructure - To provide the services and facilities need to sustain and enhance existing communities and support the development of North Northamptonshire. • Economy - To diversify and strengthen the economy of North Northamptonshire through providing the locations and skilled workforce to attract new businesses and new sources of employment and to meet the needs of existing companies • Employment needs - To ensure that the provision of new housing is accompanied by the creation of at least 43,800 new jobs, to meet indicative employment needs to 2021. • Strategic housing need - To meet strategic housing needs for 52,100 new dwellings by 2021 including 34,100 new dwellings in the neighbouring growth towns of Corby , Kettering , Wellingborough and to ensure that an appropriate proportion is affordable and accessible to those in need. • Distinctive communities - To maximise the opportunities to strengthen and enhance the hearts of existing towns, villages and neighbourhoods • Sustainable transport - To ensure new development maximises and strengthens existing public transport links and create attractive alternatives to car use • Urban design - To ensure that new development is of the highest standards of design (including sustainable construction methods) to minimise environmental performance and community safety and encourage healthy lifestyles • Efficient use of land - To ensure the efficient use of land and maximise the contribution of brown field land to new development and to promote regeneration • Environment - To protect and enhance North Northamptonshire’s historic and environmental assets and ensure these encourage local distinctiveness. • Green Infrastructure - To provide a network of green spaces, parks, river and other corridors within and around settlements that connect

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them to the Rivers Nene, Ise and Welland, the Rockingham Forest and the wider countryside.

The connectivity and accessibility needs that will enable North Northants to achieve these objectives are addressed in the draft North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy around the following levels of connectivity: Strategic, Area, Local and Neighbourhood Connectivity. The priorities for investment that come out of this plan are incorporated into the analysis.

2.8 WEST NORTHANTS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (WNDC) The WNDC has been established to ensure that the growing towns of Northampton, Daventry and Towcester become a model of sustainable community planning and development. It was set up by Government to work with local authorities and partners to make the area more a competitive, cohesive and quality place to live, which are also the WNDC’s three key sustainability objectives. WNDC has identified 10 areas for action (listed below) to work to achieve its objectives and it is clear that connectivity is key to the success of each of these areas. While connectivity is directly and indirectly linked to all the areas for action, focus on the area of action specifically related to improved external and internal connectivity is required. West Northamptonshire has good external and poor internal connectivity. It is a key centre for logistics and related sectors. Internal movement between the main settlements and other key employment, leisure and service locations is often restricted, reducing quality of life for some and suppressing economic activity. There is a high reliance on car use, leading to congestion hotspots where the road network lacks capacity. With future growth this will worsen without a strategic and integrated transport network.

Figure 7 Ten areas for action A – Improved and diversified economic base F – Creating inclusive communities B – Transformed; more vibrant town centres G – Developing a high quality skills base C – More; well designed, diverse houses H – Quality built and natural environment D – A more recognisable sense of place I – Well managed environmental resource E – Improved external/internal connectivity J – A thriving and secure rural community

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2.9 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE INTEGRATED LOCAL EMPLOYMENT STRATEGY The Northamptonshire Integrated Local Employment Strategy (NILES) was developed to identify areas of labour market weakness in the county and ways to address it. The NILES research found the following employment evidence for Northamptonshire:

• Northamptonshire has a relatively poor skills base with overall low levels of achievement of higher level qualifications, especially Level 4 qualifications. • The incidence of training take-up in the County has also been found statistically to be comparatively low. Both employees and employers appear reluctant to engage in developing the skills base. • Northamptonshire generally, has an unusually high rate of employment through agencies. The high incidence of employment through agencies has caused concern that workers are loosening their attachment to the labour force and therefore their commitment to developing career skills and that employers are less interested in workers with whom they have no permanent attachment or sense of investment.

The overall objective of the NILES employment strategy is to address these issues and to ensure that there is a quality, well-paid job available to everyone who wants one. The report identified limited internal public transport in some parts of the county, especially in rural areas as a key issue causing disadvantage in the labour market. It provides a barrier to labour market participation, especially for women (particularly those with children) young people and disadvantaged groups. Many people lack their own transportation and public transportation is often reduced in the evenings when many people can attend training courses and other learning activities. The strategy states that a more ‘employment focused’ approach to public transport is required. It suggests the following actions would improve access to work and reduce discrimination:

• Key partners and stakeholders must lobby local transport companies to provide public transport links to relevant sites where employment is clustered. • Companies could potentially become involved in subsidising or sponsoring transport schemes.

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• Shuttle-buses between the FE colleges and some of the large employment areas (such as industrial parks) or smaller population centres are options. • Identifying opportunities for shared spaces to provide training in under-served areas.

2.10 COMMUNITY STRATEGIES Across Northamptonshire, community strategies are drawn up by each locality. The drivers behind all the community strategies are to improve quality of life for Northamptonshire’s communities by:

Economy • Using the driver of SCP growth investment to diversify the local economy • Increased business activity and an improved skills base, a key weakness • Encouraging enterprise in deprived areas

Safer & Stronger Communities • Supporting sustainable investments in the voluntary and community sector • Managing neighbourhood action plans against clear floor targets • Tackling anti-social behaviour through positive engagement • Increasing community use of local facilities (esp. neighbourhood renewal areas)

Healthier & Older People • Promoting healthier lifestyles, country wide and targeted areas and issues • Helping older people live more independent and active lives • Implementing the Local Transport Plan Accessibility Strategy with this block particularly in mind

Children & Young People • Improving the life chances of children • Developing the skills base of younger people

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• Maximising the community & educational potential of the extended schools model

2.11 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN The County Council’s Local Transport Plan 2 (LTP2) was published in March 2006. The overall purpose is to “make Northamptonshire an excellent place to live and work” and the Council have set out seven objectives to guide the plan: • To maintain the country’s highway assets in the most economically and environmentally sustainable long-term manner. • To reduce the number and severity of casualties in road accidents. • To reduce the congestion experienced by road users essential to the prosperity of Northamptonshire. • To improve access to workplaces, education, health, shopping and other facilities for all the population. • To provide the transport system necessary to support and manage growth in the County, ensuring it is integrated with the planning system to create a sustainable and viable future environment. • To minimise and wherever possible reduce the effect of traffic and transport on the built and natural environment. • To encourage healthier travel choices by the people of Northamptonshire. The long-term vision is to improve the quality of life for existing residents whilst successfully managing growth required as part of the MKSM sub- regional strategy.

The need to deal with traffic growth and its potentially damaging impacts on competitiveness are highlighted in the LTP. Government has introduced the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) to support measures to deal with these problems nationwide. This is potentially a very important funding mechanism for the local authority over the longer term and the Council worked with sub- regional partners to submit for pump-priming money to examine the effects of road user charging in the sub-region. While this bid was unsuccessful, the application of the demand management objectives of the TIF with an appropriate package of transport improvement measures will still form an essential part of any future strategy. The TIF may also support projects to

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enhance national productivity through improved connectivity, which is also likely to be relevant in the Northamptonshire context.

2.12 SUMMARY The wide ranging objectives in each of the different strategies and plans, highlighted above, affecting the region were pulled together to form draft generalised key objectives, see Figure 8. These became the starting point of the Transport Strategy Framework. Each key objective has connectivity and transport implications, obviously some more than others. Indeed although transport will have a role to play in the delivery of all of them, it might not be the most important intervention and in some e.g. improving skills other interventions of a non transport nature will be far more important. The following section of this report goes into more detail on the importance of connectivity.

The number of strategies and plans affecting the region coupled with the future growth rates demonstrate the need for an integrated Transport Strategy Framework if the right transport interventions are to be delivered in the correct order. Figure 8 summarises the strength to which each of the strategies supports the overall generalised key objectives. The strongest objectives running through almost all of the strategies are: Growth and Diversification of the economy; Improving Quality of Skills & Jobs; Sustainable Communities; and Accessibility and Connectivity. These generalised objectives were tested at a workshop with key stakeholders and were developed further to form the revised objectives in Figure 9. It is these objectives in Figure 9, which have been agreed by stakeholders and have a demonstrable link to the multi layers of strategies in Northamptonshire, which provide the starting point for the Transport Strategy Framework.

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Figure 8 Linking the Objectives of Key Institutions, Strategies and Plans affecting Northamptonshire

Sector Objective Key Strategies ODPM MKSM RSS RTS RES NNT WNDC NILES Community LTP Strategies Housing Housing Growth 333 333 33 33 333 333 Location in 4 main 333 333 333 333 growth towns Sustainable 333 33 333 333 333 333 333 33 form/location of development Economy Growth and 33 33 333 333 333 333 Diversification Strong Competitive 333 33 333 333 333 region Improve Quality of 33 333 333 333 333 333 333 Skills/Jobs Vibrant Urban Centres 333 333 333 Social Regeneration 3 33 333 33 333 333 Social Inclusion 333 333 333 333 333 33 Environmental Protect Countryside 333 333 333 333 Quality infrastructure 33 333 333 333 333 Air quality & 33 333 33 333 greenhouse gases Transport Accessibility 333 333 333 333 333 333 333 Connectivity 33 333 33 333 333 333 Sustainability (mode 333 333 333 333 33 333 change & reduce need to travel)

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Figure 9 Set of Revised Aims, Objectives and Sub-objectives following workshops and feedback

Aims First Tier Objective(s) Second tier Objective(s) Housing Deliver the Housing Deliver land allocations for the Housing Requirement Provide for the 99500 new dwellings in Northamptonshire Growth Requirement Provide a mixed housing type including affordable housing appropriate to the location Deliver adequate levels of community support services to Accessible town centres underpin the housing numbers e.g. education, health, retail, leisure and communications Accessible services and employment Support a thriving evening economy Improve virtual connectivity Creation of quality spaces and improve the attractiveness of Improve the urban form and sustainability of locations places Support the implementation and delivery of the spatial Support the urban focus of the spatial strategies strategies Support the rural spine and market town spatial focus Economic Economic Stability Support for the existing economic base Provide support for the logistics industry Diversification and Growth Provide support for the manufacturing industry Support for the Tourism and leisure industries Diversification into new employment sectors Create new jobs in the Education FE/HE sector Support for entrepreneurship Growth of retail employment and other service sectors Improve skills base Encourage and support a HVA business base Grow the Knowledge based economy Grow the finance based economy Grow the Environmental technologies industries Grow Advanced manufacturing industries Grow the high end / engineering / design automotive industry Increase in Higher quality jobs

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Aims First Tier Objective(s) Second tier Objective(s) Safer and stronger communities Create high quality safe Create stronger and more sustainable communities Better access to jobs and secure communities for all members of society Better access to education Better access to services Reduced fear of crime Greater feeling of safety Create stronger and more sustainable rural communities Environment To maintain and enhance Minimise Pollution including CO2 Emissions Improve local air quality the built and natural environment Reduce pollutant emissions Reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions Reduce noise, vibration and light pollution Minimise the environmental impact of development from Minimise Use of Greenfield Land for Development the growth strategy Reduce water pollution Reduce risk of flooding Improve Levels of Biodiversity Reduce natural resource use Reduce use of non renewables Make better use of natural resources Marketing / branding Promote Encourage new inward investment Northamptonshire as a great place to live and do business Promote civic pride Encourage participation and involvement in decision making Prevent leakage of investment

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3 THE NEED FOR NORTHAMPTONSHIRE TO BE CONNECTED

3.1 THE ECONOMY Northamptonshire’s current strongest sectors are in logistics, distribution and manufacturing. The sub-regional economic strategy provides evidence that most of the jobs in these sectors in the county are lower-skilled jobs. While these sectors are important, diversification of sectors and attracting the knowledge based sector is necessary to strengthen the resilience of the local economy and create skilled, high quality jobs for the population. There are some large financial services employers on the outskirts of Northampton and these sectors should also be supported and attracted.

Northampton has 16 industrial parks, many located near the M1 motorway which particularly attracts logistics and distribution centres keen to be on the ‘Golden Triangle’ for distribution linking Northampton, Coventry and Leicester. With the town made famous by its position at the heart of the national motorway network on the M1 and close to the A1/A6 interchange, the importance of this connectivity cannot be overestimated. However, the attraction of other business sectors with different connectivity needs, such as rail connectivity to London and Europe and national and international air connectivity, will help Northamptonshire to diversify its economy and become less dependent on car and road-based business.

Invest Northamptonshire have identified the key sectors that the County should seek to attract: • High Performance Engineering • Food & Drink • Print & Publishing • Construction • Logistics • Professional Services • Shared Service Centres • Contact Centre • Public Services

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All of these sectors require varying levels of connectivity from international to virtual connectivity. The logistics and manufacturing sectors, for example, require good surface access to the ports of Felixstowe, the Haven Ports and to London. The knowledge and technology based sectors would be attracted by the Oxford to Cambridge (O2C) Arc benefits of knowledge transfer, business development and higher learning opportunities.

Poor connectivity in key corridors, due to congestion or lack of physical connections could threaten economic performance of these key sectors. A city region’s location competitiveness for attracting knowledge and technology based sector investment is directly related to its external and internal connectivity and its skills base.

Retailing needs to be given specific consideration. Northampton is already an important regional shopping centre, however, neighbouring Milton Keynes, which has significantly improved its retail offer, is a strong competitor. The vision for Northampton is for a “prosperous, vibrant, safe and attractive town centre of regional significance”. To develop a vibrant and dynamic town centre that attracts new and current residents as well as visitors, Northampton will need to attract the retail and entertainment sectors. Improvements to the image of the town through high quality gateways, quality urban design, pedestrianisation and closed circuit television all work towards this goal. Traffic congestion in the city is a recognised problem that affects town centre retailers and consumers.

Northampton will need to decide whether it plans to compete with Milton Keynes on car-based retail or offer an alternative experience. As convenience retail gets less convenient due to traffic congestion, destination shopping is growing. This trend can be witnessed in parts of North America where destination shopping centres are reviving some of the best characteristics of historical town centres: they are safe, convenient, and pedestrian in scale. They appeal to a wide variety of customers with diverse leisure activities: specialty shopping, dining and entertainment, all grouped into a modern town square. Improving access to the town centre and internal movement through an integrated internal transport network, coupled with

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strong traffic demand management to reduce congestion will encourage people into the town centre and make an attractive offer for these sectors.

Northamptonshire’s strategic position close to London and other large growth areas such as Milton Keynes offers both opportunities and threats, and perhaps more opportunity can be gained from connectivity to those growth areas than disconnecting. Access to London is important for attracting investment of knowledge based industries and would support new local businesses too. Linkages to Milton Keynes would enable Northamptonshire to absorb some of the spill-over success of Milton Keynes as well as attracting visitors, businesses and jobs.

Although Northamptonshire has high employment rates, the range and skills level of employment in the County is low. It is statistically more likely that those who work in Northamptonshire work in relatively low-skill jobs compared to England and Wales as a whole2. The County has a low proportion of its working age population qualified to degree level and the current qualifications profile may be a deterrent to attracting more knowledge intensive industries. The sub-regional economic strategy and the NILES aim to redress this imbalance and to increase the skills level of the County. Barriers to labour market participation and skills development can be related to poor access to workplaces by public transport. Improved public transport services and community transport initiatives would improve access to work and skills development and encourage economic inclusion. The future growth in jobs required by the MKSM strategy does not specify where these jobs should be located or which sectors they will come from. Further study into the location of future employment centres in the County and their connection to existing and future residential areas would further understanding of the spatial linkages between areas of low skills and poor access to work and enable transport policy to directly respond to areas of need.

As well as improving the internal and external connectivity of the County, Northamptonshire wants to improve its external profile and be actively promoted as an attractive location for business and residential location.

2 Northamptonshire Sub-Regional Economic Strategy (Consultation Draft), May 2005

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Gateways to the county are important for marketing the brand to the world. The quality of these gateways, including transport arrival points and interchanges strongly influence the image and perceived attractiveness of the location. Transport gateways are an excellent opportunity not only to provide high-quality facilities but also to showcase cultural activity, local businesses and regional attractions, stimulating the economy and encouraging visitors to return. Gateways also have a crucial role to play in the land use planning system, where they can provide the focus of higher density developments and also development that is travel intensive. Railway stations, bus stations, interchanges, interregional roads (particularly those connecting to ferry ports and airports) can all be used as gateways.

3.2 FUTURE GROWTH The MKSM Sub-Regional Strategy states that housing provision for the period 2001-2021 in Northamptonshire should be implemented at an annual average rate of 4,975 providing land for nearly 100,000 new houses within the period; to be complemented by over 80,000 new jobs. The majority of this development should be concentrated in Northampton and the neighbouring growth towns of Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough, creating a polycentric system of towns that will need to be closely connected. These are substantial growth rates over the long-term and present major opportunities and challenges for the county. The challenge for Northamptonshire is not only to meet these targets, but to ensure that the growth is made to deliver the economic, social and quality of life benefits to the area. The threat is that the housing growth outstrips jobs growth in Northamptonshire and it becomes a commuter belt for the stronger economies of Milton Keynes and London and faces the congestion and other difficulties that that scenario presents without the economic and social benefits.

Traffic has been growing at a fast pace in Northamptonshire and congestion and pollution are already serious problems. Evidence from the Northampton Multi-Modal Study (2004) showed that traffic in Northampton is predicted to grow by 31% between 2002 and 2016. However, the study did not take account of the housing and jobs growth planned for in the MKSM strategy. In

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2001 there were 80,800 households in Northampton Borough3 with traffic growth predicted to be 31%. With an additional 30,000 new homes planned for by 2021 that are not for accounted in that figure, the predicted rate of traffic growth could be well over 40%. Modelling work for North Northants has suggested an increased demand for peak hours’ trips of around 50% over the period to 2021. The implications of this level of traffic growth will be detrimental to all other efforts to secure investment and development in the county and will threaten not only the economy, but also its communities and environment. Clearly, such growth in car traffic and the resulting increase in congestion is neither a practical nor a sustainable option, and therefore good city-region public transport routes will be vital if the growth of the Northampton economy is not to be constrained.

Significant improvements to transport infrastructure and services, efficient management of both existing and new infrastructure, travel demand management and integrated land use and transport planning are all essential tools to ensure that growing congestion does not suffocate the opportunities to be gained from housing, employment and economic growth. The focus of the concept of sustainable communities, the key driver of the growth initiative, should be to reduce the need to travel, particularly by car. To do this, land use planning that enables people to live and work in closer proximity and an integrated and modern public transport system will be required. At the same time, good connectivity provided by an effective and efficient transportation infrastructure is a critical element in the provision of optimum economic conditions for business growth.

3.3 THE NEED FOR TRANSPORT CONNECTIVITY Transport connectivity relates to the ability for people and goods to connect spatially and temporally, as well as the interconnectedness of different transport modes. Good international, national, inter-regional and intra- regional connections are vital for economic growth. It is important to note that transport connectivity concerns much more than just transport infrastructure projects, it focuses on the ease of movement and includes soft measures

3 Northampton Multi-Modal Study (2004)

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such as travel demand management to reduce congestion. Therefore, good connectivity means predictable and reliable movement of people and goods that can be achieved by a combination of improved transport infrastructure and travel demand management.

Internal and external transport connectivity is one of the five critical features identified by Professor Michael Parkinson4 for competitive European cities. It must be recognised that while good international, inter-regional and intra- regional connections are critical for urban competitiveness, they are not themselves guarantors of successful cities and regions. Transport connectivity is an enabler of city competitiveness, but needs other ingredients to create the recipe for success e.g. a highly skilled workforce and innovation in firms and organisations. Nevertheless, there are very few examples of successful regions that do not have good transport connectivity, or of successful regions which do not have well connected cities at their heart. This is particularly important for Northamptonshire if it is to succeed in diversifying its economy and attracting new industries, particularly in the knowledge and technology based sector. To prosper, the county’s businesses need to be able to compete both in national and international markets. They rely on transport links to exploit their competitive advantages. They must be enabled to efficiently access markets, suppliers, sources of capital and skills; regionally, nationally and internationally. The transport framework should support the county’s ability to attract, accommodate and maintain this future growth.

4 Professor Michael Parkinson et al (January 2004), Competitive European Cities: Where do the Core Cities Stand? Commissioned by the ODPM.

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3.4 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE’S CURRENT TRANSPORT CONNECTIVITY

Figure 10 Northamptonshire’s Current Transport Connections

3.4.1 International Connectivity Successful city regions benefit from and create the demand for regular frequent air services to international business centres as well as tourist destinations. Global accessibility is becoming a key factor for business location and economic performance in all regions of Europe. Good access to air services can enhance the growth potential of a region, which in turn will increase the demand for air travel, creating a ‘virtuous circle’ of growth. The

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“Future of Air Transport” White Paper5 acknowledges the increasing dependence placed by the UK economy on air travel and the role of airports as an important focus for the development of local and regional economies. The paper comments “(regional airports) attract business and generate employment and open up wider markets. They can provide an important impetus to regeneration and industrial development. And they are increasingly important transport hubs, especially for the logistics industry. Many airports increasingly act as a focal point for ‘clusters’ of business development. By offering the potential for the rapid delivery of products by air freight and convenient access to international markets through the availability of flights for business travel, they can attract inward investment to a region”.

Research by Arup Consulting on behalf of the Department for Transport6 drew the following general conclusions: that air-travel routes from UK regional core cities are likely to be a facilitating factor in economic development in a variety of ways; that core cities are increasingly dominated by knowledge economy industries where demand for international travel is significant and growing; that direct air routes to other European cities are also likely to produce significant growth in the tourism sector in core cities; and, economic growth attributable to new aviation linkages will be city specific and core cities needs should be assessed on a city by city basis.

Northamptonshire is surrounded by international airports with Luton, Nottingham East Midlands, Birmingham, Heathrow and Stansted airports all 70 miles away or less. All offer both tourism and business connections and destinations. Congestion on the road network accessing these airports could, however, result in increasingly unreliable journey times and threaten the attractiveness of Northampton as a place with good international connectivity when compared to its competing neighbours. Improving surface access by public transport to the major airports serving Northamptonshire would contribute to increased productivity as a result of improved international connectivity, place competitiveness and sustainability.

5 Department for Transport (December 2003), The Future of Air Transport. 6 Arup Consulting (September 2003), Aviation, Connectivity and the Core Cities, Working Paper by Arup Consulting for the Department of Transport

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Ports also provide international connectivity and are a vital part of Northamptonshire’s core sectors; logistics and manufacturing and therefore to jobs and economic growth. Improved access to Felixstowe will drive up productivity in these core sectors and attract new business. The A14 links North Northamptonshire to the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich, while the A45 links Northampton to the ports. The A14 is a trunk road and improvements to it are prioritised on a national basis reflecting its importance as a key strategic international route. Its effectiveness for this purpose is however restricted by serious congestion at key points.

Direct rail freight links from Corby and Daventry offer an alternative or complementary strategic connection to Europe, encouraging some freight from the roads onto rail. This should form a key part of a ports connectivity strategy for Northamptonshire. However, the freight industry is poorly served by rail in the region, not by lack of rail routes, but by lack of access to the rail network. A further threat to a sustainable freight policy is the gauge constraint on the Midland Main Line which can only accommodate the standard UK container height of 8’6”; it cannot carry the 9’6” continental containers that will soon dominate the market. Failure to capture this potential sustainable freight connection would inhibit the development of rail connected industry in the key growth areas, particularly the North of the County.

3.4.2 National Connectivity At the general level, national road and rail links are essential in providing connections to major airports and ports thereby strengthening links to the international economy and in providing links between major city regions, enabling access to extensive labour markets, clients, suppliers and markets. Rail in particular also supports the increasingly important role of the visitor economy of city centres, by providing access to and from enlarged visitor catchments e.g. in bringing visitors to both leisure attractions and business- orientated conference venues. This is important for Northampton’s vision to develop a vibrant retail, leisure and cultural offer.

Northamptonshire’s current national road linkages are heavily congested at peak times of the day and will not meet the challenges of the increased

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growth in housing, jobs and the economy. Strategic routes into and out of the region are the M1 and the A14. The A14 constitutes the major East to West route in the area, connecting Northamptonshire to the M1 and the Midlands as well as Cambridge and the eastern ports. It is a heavily congested route and is close to overcapacity already and the MKSM study advocates widening it to a three lane standard. The Oxford to Cambridge (O2C) arc now describes itself as the ‘European Hi-tech Capital for Knowledge-based industries’. Northamptonshire is well-placed in the middle of this arc to grow its knowledge based sector through good connectivity to the arc. Providing improved public transport connections between Northampton and the O2C arc could contribute to easing congestion, promoting connectivity and enhancing economic productivity.

While Northampton is linked to Milton Keynes and London on the West Coast Main Line, the east of the region and particularly the growth towns of Corby, Wellingborough and Kettering are less well connected to London. The quality of the connections to London including journey time reliability, quality of service and gateways needs to be developed. Improvements to rail services from Northamptonshire (Northampton and Corby) to London would improve national and international connectivity and could boost the growth and development required by the sustainable communities plan. Catalyst Corby, Corby’s urban regeneration company, have made the re-opening of Corby station and a passenger rail link to London St Pancras a priority for regional, national and international connections as it will link into the new Eurostar base at St Pancras due to start operating in November 2007.

Re-opening the Northampton to Bedford rail line would offer an alternative route to London, better access to Luton (including the airport) and improve regional connectivity within the county. It would boost the local economy, help to attract inward investment to the area and provide an alternative to the congested rail and road routes to London via Milton Keynes. The MKSM Sub-Regional Strategy has made upgrading the Midland main line and the West Coast main line regional transport investment priorities. The Northampton Station Interchange and the South of Northampton Interchange are ‘under consideration’, as gateways. They would not only improve

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transport interchanges and connectivity, but could also improve the image and brand of Northamptonshire as a place to invest and live in.

Both National and International connectivity are likely to be affected by problems arising outside the county. Any connectivity strategy is likely to involve lobbying through Regional and National bodies for improvements elsewhere.

3.4.3 Regional Connectivity Inter-regional networks enable businesses to assemble large and diverse workforces from extensive geographical areas. This is essential to create the economies of scale and agglomeration of business activities that are common features of successful city economies and which are attractive to knowledge intensive businesses. The British Chamber of Commerce’s survey7 found that 99% of businesses use road transportation to some extent, with 84% deeming it to be essential to their business and its operations. 96% use road transportation networks for business travel; 90% for staff commuting; 89% to receive goods or documents and 88% to deliver goods or documents. The same survey showed that 66% of businesses use the rail network, with almost all businesses using this mode of transport doing so for business travel (60%). Across the country, 23% of businesses have employees who commute to work by train. Road transportation is dominant but with growing congestion there are and will continue to be problems. Rail plays a significant role in the markets where it is competitive, but there is significant potential to grow.

The transport links between Northampton and the growth towns of Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough in the North of the county require improvements to facilitate the development of a connected polycentric city region. Improvements to the road network need to be complemented by high quality bus services, including significant priority and/or segregated running, interchanges and marketing.

7 British Chamber of Commerce (February 2004), Getting Business Moving: A Transport Survey by the British Chambers of Commerce.

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These regional connections need to be integrated into local networks as discussed under ‘local connectivity’ below, to provide the opportunities to access residential areas and non-town-centre locations. These can then address some of the wider social and environmental objectives, including better access to employment and training.

3.4.4 Local Connectivity Local connectivity will be crucial in influencing the travel choices people make when leaving their home to undertake any activity, whether work, shopping, education or social and leisure pursuits. It should be given primary attention in looking at ways of reducing the need to travel, encouraging sustainable travel choices and developing the overall concept of sustainable communities. Without appropriate action at the local level, wider connectivity and sustainability objectives will not be achievable.

The first step is to maximise the choices available to people without needing to travel. This is not so much a transport policy as a land use and planning policy. Encouraging the provision of local shops and local services will provide choices for undertaking activities close to home. Urban design will influence how the opportunities, e.g. high density housing is more likely to provide the critical mass to support shops within a reasonable walking radius; and high quality and safe pedestrian routes will encourage people to walk. For the Northamptonshire growth areas these policies will need to be built into the masterplanning, development control and local economic development policies, and will require close liaison with stakeholders such as the health service and potentially retail organisations.

However, it will not be possible to satisfy all needs locally, and good local connectivity, for example to employment areas will be needed for both potential employees and employers to maximise their opportunities. This connectivity will be maximised through maximising the use of public transport, since: • High levels of car use will exacerbate problems of congestion for both local and strategic traffic; and • Car dependency excludes social groups without car access from employment and other activities.

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Local connectivity needs to integrate with regional and national strategic networks, through appropriate interchange and access points for all modes. Through effective integration of this kind, the range and potential of the economies across Northamptonshire will be extended, as their labour markets are extended and the accessibility of the services they provide is maximised.

Recent European and Government studies have shown how poor transport contributes to and reinforces social exclusion. Poor accessibility can act to reinforce exclusion by limiting access to employment by those already most disadvantaged. Travel by all public transport modes is essential in enabling communities to access the opportunities presented by the town centres and other locations where services and jobs are based. The ODPM Social Exclusion Unit’s report on “Transport and Social Exclusion”8 puts forward an important agenda designed to improve the ability of transport services to connect people with the facilities they need to reach on a daily basis. The report calls for greater emphasis to be given in future to tailoring local transport networks to meet the needs of local communities and introduces the specific requirement that accessibility planning be built into Local Transport Plans. Northamptonshire’s LTP2 sets out the ways in which the Council will address local accessibility and connectivity issues to deliver the local transport objectives.

3.4.5 Virtual Connectivity Virtual connectivity concerns the ability to undertake transactions remote from the physical location of the supplying organisation. This is made possible via telecommunications and IT networks. Improvements in physical connectivity improve access by reducing the time, costs and/or physical effort needed to travel to undertake activities. Improvements in virtual connectivity improve access by providing the means to undertake activities remotely and/or at non- traditional times. This in turn precludes the need to travel to/or from facilitates and can make more efficient use of the transport service and/or other services (e.g. reduced volume of trips or peak spreading). This further

8 ODPM (February 2003), Making the Connections: Final Report on Transport and Social Exclusion, Report by the Social Exclusion Unit.

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supports the sustainable communities approach outlined under the ‘Local Connectivity’ heading above.

Public and private sector services are increasingly being supplied on-line. Within the realm of local authority service provision the key central government policy driver is the Implementing Electronic Government (IEG) initiative and reporting process in England and Wales. This initiative is set in the context of transforming the ways that the public and other interested parties communicate with the Council (demand side) as well as transforming the back office systems and procedures into joined-up and targeted services which meet these needs (supply side). This is leading to widespread adoption of customer relationship management tools, on-line interfaces to services and implementation of smart card schemes which allow on line authentication. Examples in Northamptonshire are the Customer Relationship Management activities linking Contact Centres, MyCouncil information points, One-stop shops, Telephone contact and joined-up information provision.

Virtual connectivity with business will also be further reinforced following the 2004 European Community eProcurement Directive which requires all public sector eProcurement to be available on-line in 2006/7.

3.4.6 Summary This analysis shows the importance of international, national, regional, local and virtual transport connections and corridors and their potential contribution to strategic objectives. It also shows how Northamptonshire could benefit from its geographical position in the country and really build on its central position. Addressing issues relating to congestion and ensuring the new jobs are well connected locally to the new housing will be crucial if the County is to grow in a sustainable manner. Modal shift will also be critical, not just for new development, where ambitious modal share targets will be required but also within the existing populous where the high number of local short journeys undertaken by car are causing congestion that if it continues unabated threatens the economic growth that Northampton is trying to achieve.

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4 A SPATIAL FRAMEWORK

4.1 DESCRIPTION As discussed earlier, if Northamptonshire is to compete with Milton Keynes and London and other surrounding conurbations and not just become a dormitory county for commuters to these places, it will need to work collectively as a county and not compete internally. This form of polycentric development is suitable in Northamptonshire as it does not have one large dominant centre. Northampton is the county town and is the largest urban area but the difference in size between it and its county neighbours is not as dramatic as say Leicester is in Leicestershire. The other urban areas are all of a similar size and relatively close together. A recent example of this approach working effectively is the Northern Way Growth Strategy, where the concept of city regions working together to compete with other parts of the country and not with each other was put forward as a way in which the three Northern Regions of the UK could close the economic gap on the South. This type of polycentric framework in relation to Northamptonshire can be seen in figure 11 below.

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Figure 11 A Polycentric Spatial Framework for Northamptonshire

Leicester

Peterborough

Coventry Corby

Kettering

Wellingborough

Northampton Cambridge Daventry

Milton Keynes

4.2 REVISED FRAMEWORK The proposed framework in figure 11 above was presented to stakeholders at a workshop held at Northampton Rugby Club. It created considerable discussion. Following the discussion a revised framework was prepared which is shown below in figure 12. Stakeholders felt it important to demonstrate the links from Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough to Peterborough in particular, as they felt this link was as, if not more, important for residents than links to Northampton.

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Figure 12 A Revised Polycentric Spatial Framework for Northamptonshire

Leicester

Peterborough

Corby NORTH Coventry Kettering NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Wellingborough Daventry Northampton Cambridge

Towcester WEST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Milton Keynes

Figure 12 shows a two tiered polycentric framework for Northamptonshire, the first tier is the same as in figure 11 where the whole of Northamptonshire working as a single unit spatially to enable it to compete with the rest of the region. It is at this level the importance of international, national and regional connectivity comes into play.

The second of the spatial framework is a sub division of Northamptonshire between North (Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough) and South and West Northamptonshire (Northampton, Towcester and Daventry). At this level it is the importance of regional, sub regional and local connectivity that comes to the fore. The need to link the two areas is vital in both cases.

The spatial relationships in Northampton and the importance of different levels of connectivity relating to those spatial relationships forms the basis of our analysis in section 8.2 below.

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5 CURRENT MOVEMENT WITHIN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

To help make sense of the spatial framework and aid in working out future transport and connectivity need it is crucial to investigate current and past trends in movement in and around Northamptonshire.

We undertook research into information from the 2001 Census, the Northamptonshire Travel diary survey and other sources to investigate how trends in travel patterns might affect the future and also to provide a snapshot of current patterns.

Figure 13 Average distances and times travelled by Northamptonshire Residents (Source: Northamptonshire Travel Diaries Survey Jan/Feb 2005)

Average distance Average travelled travelling per time per Average Average person person trip trip per day per day distance duration (miles) (minutes) (miles) (minutes) S Northants 37.4 73.2 15.3 29.9 Daventry 26.5 53.2 11.1 22.4 Kettering 21.2 49.0 8.1 18.7 Corby 15.6 46.4 6.7 20.0 E Northants 15.5 39.9 5.5 14.0 Wellingborough 13.4 37.0 6.4 17.6 Northampton 10.4 32.8 5.8 18.3 Northamptonshire 19.2 46.0 8.3 20.0

The above table shows just how short both in terms of distance and temporally the average trip is for a Northamptonshire resident. This would indicate that apart from South Northamptonshire with its easy access onto the M1, most trips are local in nature and connectivity beyond the sub regional is not currently vital for the bulk of existing residents.

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Figure 14 Average trip time as a % of all trips by Northamptonshire Residents (Source: Northamptonshire Travel Diaries Survey Jan/Feb 2005)

Trip duration (minutes) 35%

30% 28% 29%

25% 22%

20%

15% 9% 10% 4% 5% 3% 3% 2% 1% 0% 0 to 2 3 to 7 8 to 14 15 to 30 to 45 to 60 to 90 to 120+ 29 44 59 89 119

Figure 15 Average trip length as a % of all trips by Northamptonshire Residents (Source: Northamptonshire Travel Diaries Survey Jan/Feb 2005)

Trip length (miles)

25 + < 1 7% 10 to 24.9 19% 14%

1 to 1.9 5 to 9.9 16% 16%

2 to 4.9 29%

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Figures 14 and 15 provide further evidence of the very localised nature of trips made by the residents of Northamptonshire. Eighty three percent of trips are less than half an hour in duration and 64 percent of trips are less than 5 miles in length. This would indicate the vast majority of trips by residents are within the boundaries of Northamptonshire and that connectivity beyond the county and its close surrounds is not currently relevant to the residents. Worryingly when these figures are looked at in relation to mode share as shown in figure 16, the level of car dominance and the unsustainability of trips becomes all to apparent. With such large numbers of trips being less than 5 miles and taking less than 15 minutes, one might expect a sizable proportion of cycle and bus trips but this is clearly not the case. This situation is made worse by the level of through traffic in Northamptonshire, which although we could find no figures will be substantial given the major strategic routes like the M1 and A14 that pass through the county. On the basis of this evidence the need for major transport investment both for local and strategic trips is apparent.

Figure 16 % of trips by mode by Northamptonshire Residents (Source: Northamptonshire Travel Diaries Survey Jan/Feb 2005)

County Northampton Kettering East South Welling Corby Daventry Northants Northants borough Car (driver) 60.4 51.7 60.5 59.2 69.4 54.9 63.2 65.4 Walk 19.4 18.4 19.0 29.1 16.3 21.7 14.7 15.1 Car (passenger) 12.1 10.5 15.1 8.1 11.0 14.7 11.3 15.1 Bus 4.3 12.9 2.5 1.5 1.4 4.6 5.0 0.7 Taxi 1.5 2.7 1.4 0.1 0.0 1.3 4.3 0.8 Cycle 0.8 2.1 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.7 Rail 0.5 0.6 0.4 0.8 0.8 0.2 0.3 0.6 Other 0.5 0.8 0.0 0.2 0.3 1.3 0.7 0.7 Motorcycle 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.3 0.6 Community Transport 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.3

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6 THE TRANSPORT STRATEGY FRAMEWORK

6.1 INTRODUCTION The structure of the Transport Strategy Framework is inspired by DfT’s Surface Infrastructure of National Economic Significance (SINEI) framework. This approach is relevant to Northampton in that it is an objectives-led framework that helps to consider transport and connectivity investments in context; as part of a wider solution related to a wide set of objectives, rather than as transport solutions to transport problems.

The framework is modelled on the basic structure of the Primary Framework used in SINEI. This consists of a table with cascading objectives, sub- objectives, criteria and measures so that the specific transport contribution of an intervention can be traced back to broader objectives. Basically, the framework for growth proposes a set of principles against which individual transport interventions, initiatives and projects can be selected and prioritised. The aim is to ensure that the projects that come forward both meet the objectives of the various plans and strategies outlined in the previous chapters and are consistent with each other.

6.2 DEVELOPMENT OF OBJECTIVES The objectives and sub-objectives were agreed following consultation with stakeholders after an initial set were proposed by us. These are shown in figure 9 in Section 2 above. These objectives have the backing and support from stakeholders so crucial for developing the framework further and for the actual prioritisation of the interventions.

6.3 DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC CONNECTIVITY NEED / IMPACT Having created the tiered objectives the next requirement is to link these objectives to a strategic connectivity need, contribution or impact. Basically, in connectivity terms what is it that is needed very broadly to deliver this objective e.g. access to international air connectivity, access to ports or access to a skilled workforce. We created a series of connectivity

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contributions and impacts for this purpose and again tested them with stakeholders. The connectivity need was often repeated as in many cases it helped achieve a variety of objectives. The repetition of connectivity need provides a basic form of weighting as connectivity needs that are repeated on many occasions (because of their ability to fulfil a range of objectives) will eventually provide a higher score for projects that fulfil that need and thus help deliver on a wider number of objectives. The full list of connectivity needs can be seen in column 4 of figure 17 below.

6.4 DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC TRANSPORT CONTRIBUTION / IMPACT The development of specific transport contributions followed the process for the strategic need outlined above. However, the requirement was to develop a series of specific identifiable transport requirements rather than a broad strategic one. This led to more identifiable transport type schemes e.g. high quality public transport, good quality cycle routes or access to the strategic road network.

Like the examples shown in section 6.3 there was a degree of repetition as clearly the requirements identified were the same. The full list is shown in column 5 of figure 17 below.

Having developed and identified the aims, objectives, sub objectives and the transport impacts (both strategic and specific) we were able to draw up the left hand columns of the transport framework. This is shown below in figure 17.

6.5 INTERVENTION IDENTIFICATION Identifying all of the possible interventions was a major undertaking and included input from the client, stakeholders and MRCMH research. Schemes were drawn from the LTP, RTS and many other documents. A full list of schemes is shown in Appendix A of this report.

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Figure 17 Transport Framework, aims, objectives, strategic connectivity needs and specific transport contribution/impact HOUSING AIM HOUSING FIRST TIER HOUSING SECOND TIER STRATEGIC CONNECTIVITY SPECIFIC TRANSPORT CONTRIBUTION/ OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES NEEDS / IMPACT IMPACT Deliver the Housing Growth Deliver land allocations for Provide for the 99500 new Key strategic sites linking to existing Access to regional and local transport Requirement the Housing Requirement dwellings in and improved transport networks Northamptonshire infrastructure and services Deliver modal shift targets High quality public transport, walking and cycling networks Reduce the need/requirement to Services and facilities delivered locally travel Demand management Provide a mixed housing type Location of new housing Access to high quality public transport, including affordable housing development in relation to pre- walking and cycle networks, local services appropriate to the location defined strategic transport spines, and jobs linking to main urban, employment and activity centres Rail Connectivity and Accessibility to stations with regional and pan regional services Planning policy to minimise travel High quality walking and cycle routes Virtual connectivity Demand management Deliver adequate levels of Accessible town centres Accessible high frequency public High quality public transport, walking and community support services transport services cycling networks to underpin the housing numbers e.g. education, health, retail, leisure, comms. Accessible services and Planning policy to locate housing in employment accessible locations Support a thriving evening economy Improve virtual connectivity Broadband Connections to Housing Realtime Transport Information Improve the urban form and Creation of quality spaces Improve streetscape and transport High Quality Gateway Interchanges sustainability of locations and improve the stations/interchanges attractiveness of places Avoid car domination and encourage High quality walking and cycle routes sustainable modes Demand management Increase access to Town Centre for High quality public transport, walking and pedestrians, cyclists and by bus cycling networks High quality streetscape and High Quality Gateway Interchanges transport interchanges High standards of highway and streetscape maintenance Support the implementation Support the urban focus of Accessible high frequency public High quality public transport, walking and and delivery of spatial the spatial strategies transport services cycling networks strategies High quality streetscape and High Quality Gateway Interchanges transport interchanges

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High standards of highway and streetscape maintenance Increase access to Town Centre for High quality public transport, walking and pedestrians, cyclists and by bus cycling networks Support the rural spine and Accessible high frequency public High quality public transport, walking and market town spatial focus transport services cycling networks ECONOMIC AIM ECONOMIC FIRST TIER ECONOMIC SECOND TIER STRATEGIC CONNECTIVITY SPECIFIC TRANSPORT CONTRIBUTION/ OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES NEEDS / IMPACT IMPACT Economic Stability Support for the existing Provide support for the Journey time reliability Predictable Journey times on road and rail Diversification and Growth economic base logistics industry links to ports and airports Predictable Journey times on road and rail links to London, B'ham and rest of UK Demand management on strategic routes at peak times Access to Ports and airports Access to Strategic N-S and E-W road and rail routes linking to Ports and airports Access for 9'6" containers on rail links to ports Access to East Midlands and Heathrow airports Access to Major National and Access to key strategic road and rail routes - European Destinations A14 corridor, N-S corridor, London and ports Provide support for the Access to Strategic N-S and E-W road and manufacturing industry Access to Ports and airports rail routes linking to Ports Access to East Midlands and Heathrow airports Access to Major National and Access to key strategic road and rail routes - European Destinations A14 corridor, N-S corridor, London and ports Access to International Access to Strategic N-S and E-W road and Markets/Suppliers rail routes linking to Ports Access to East Midlands and Heathrow airports Rail Connectivity and Accessibility to stations Access to skilled workforce with regional and pan regional services Access from high quality public transport, walking and cycle networks Support for the Tourism and Access to/from Airports and ports Access to airports - Heathrow, Luton, leisure industries Standsted and East Midlands Reliable and fast surface access by road and public transport to major airports Good Gateways for International Arrivals Access from Europe by high speed Access to St Pancreas and Eurostar rail Good Gateways for International Arrivals Access from rest of UK Access to Strategic N-S and E-W road and rail routes Good Gateways for National Arrivals

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Diversification into new Create new jobs in the Access to and for skilled workforce Accessibility from existing residential areas employment sectors Education FE/HE sector and new growth areas Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes

Support for entrepreneurship Virtual connectivity Growth of retail employment Access to skilled workforce Accessibility from existing residential areas and other service sectors and new growth areas Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes Increase access to Town Centre for High quality public transport, walking and pedestrians, cyclists and by bus cycling networks Accessible high frequency public High quality public transport, walking and transport services cycling networks Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes High quality streetscape and High Quality Gateway Interchanges transport interchanges High standards of highway and streetscape maintenance Improve skills base Access to Higher/Further Education Reliable and convenient public transport and other training Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes High quality public transport, walking and cycling networks Encourage and support a Grow the Knowledge based Access to/from Airports Access to airports - Heathrow, Luton, HVA business base economy Standsted and East Midlands Access to and for skilled workforce High quality of comfort and service on strategic road and rail links High Quality and Reliable Local Public Transport Networks Accessibility from existing residential areas and new growth areas Accessibility Between Key Centres Connectivity between Cluster developments and airports - O2C Arc Grow the finance based Access to London economy Access to WCML and MML Access to key strategic N-S road routes High quality secure parking at gateway PT interchanges Access to/from Airports Access to airports - Heathrow, Luton, Standsted and East Midlands Grow the Environmental Access to and for skilled workforce Accessibility from existing residential areas technologies industries and new growth areas Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes Connectivity between Cluster developments Accessibility Between Key Centres and airports - O2C Arc Access to/from Airports Access to airports - Heathrow, Luton, Standsted and East Midlands Grow Advanced Access to National Predictable Journey times on road and rail manufacturing industries Markets/Suppliers links to rest of UK

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Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes Access to East Midlands and Heathrow airports Accessibility Between Key Centres Access to Strategic N-S and E-W road and rail routes Access to and for skilled workforce Accessibility from existing residential areas and new growth areas Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes Grow the high end / Accessibility Between Key Centres Access to East Midlands and Heathrow engineering / design airports automotive industry Predictable Journey times on road and rail links to rest of UK Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes Access to and for skilled workforce Accessibility from existing residential areas and new growth areas Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes Increase in Higher quality Access to and from High Quality High quality public transport, walking and jobs Housing and Recreation cycling networks Access to Higher/Further Education Access to Strategic Road and Rail Routes High Quality and Reliable Local Public Transport Networks Access to a high quality environment High quality public transport, walking and and a quality of space with reduced cycling networks car dependency Demand management Availability of Latest Access to electronic services for individuals Communications Infrastructure and businesses Networks and Capacity SAFER AND STRONGER SAFER AND STRONGER SAFER AND STRONGER STRATEGIC CONNECTIVITY SPECIFIC TRANSPORT CONTRIBUTION/ COMMUNITIES AIM COMMUNITIES FIRST TIER COMMUNITIES SECOND NEEDS / IMPACT IMPACT OBJECTIVES TIER OBJECTIVES To create high quality safe Create stronger and more Better access to jobs Location of new housing High quality public transport, walking and and secure communities for sustainable communities development in relation to pre- cycling networks all members of society defined strategic transport spines, linking to main urban, employment and activity centres Rail Connectivity and Accessibility to stations with regional and pan regional services Accessible high frequency public High quality public transport transport services Planning policy to locate housing in High quality public transport, walking and accessible locations cycling networks Better access to education Location of new housing High quality public transport, walking and development in relation to pre- cycling networks defined strategic transport spines, linking to main urban, employment and activity centres

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Accessible high frequency public High quality public transport transport services Better access to services Location of new housing High quality public transport, walking and development in relation to pre- cycling networks defined strategic transport spines, linking to main urban, employment and activity centres Accessible high frequency public High quality public transport transport services

Planning policy to locate housing in High quality local public transport networks, accessible locations walking and cycling routes Avoid car domination and encourage Demand management sustainable modes

Reduced fear of crime High quality streetscape and High Quality Gateway Interchanges transport interchanges High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes Promote modal shift High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes Well designed urban realm and High standards of highway and streetscape streetscape maintenance Greater feeling of safety Avoid car domination and encourage Demand management sustainable modes Traffic calming and road safety engineering High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes High quality streetscape and High Quality Gateway Interchanges transport interchanges High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes Create stronger and more Location of new housing High quality public transport, walking and sustainable rural development in relation to pre- cycling networks communities defined strategic transport spines, linking to main urban, employment and activity centres Accessible high frequency public High quality public transport transport services Planning policy to locate housing in High quality public transport, walking and accessible locations cycling networks ENVIRONMENTAL AIM ENVIRONMENTAL FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL SECOND STRATEGIC CONNECTIVITY SPECIFIC TRANSPORT CONTRIBUTION/ TIER OBJECTIVES TIER OBJECTIVES NEEDS / IMPACT IMPACT To maintain and enhance the Minimise Pollution including Improve local air quality Reduce the need/requirement to Demand management built and natural environment CO2 Emissions travel Avoid car domination and encourage Demand management sustainable modes High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes

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Promote modal shift High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes Reduce the need/requirement to Demand management Reduce pollutant emissions travel Location of new housing High quality local public transport networks, development in relation to pre- walking and cycling routes defined strategic transport spines, linking to main urban, employment and activity centres Reduce CO2 and other Reduce the need/requirement to Demand management greenhouse gas emissions travel Avoid car domination and encourage Demand management sustainable modes High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes Promote modal shift High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes Reduce noise, vibration and Reduce the need/requirement to Demand management light pollution travel High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes Minimise traffic intrusion into 'sensitive' areas Avoid car domination and encourage High quality local public transport networks, sustainable modes walking and cycling routes Demand management High quality streetscape High standards of management and maintenance Promote modal shift High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes Demand management Minimise the environmental Minimise Use of Greenfield Greater Use of Management and Demand management impact of development from Land for Development Softer Measures the growth strategy Higher density development to High quality local public transport networks, support PT use walking and cycling routes High Quality Virtual Connections Reducing the Need to Travel Reduce water pollution High quality streetscape High standards of management and maintenance Reduce risk of flooding High quality streetscape High standards of management and maintenance Improve Levels of Promote modal shift Minimise traffic intrusion into countryside with Biodiversity high landscape value Reduce levels of traffic in sensitive areas Demand management High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes

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Reduce natural resource use Reduce use of non Promote modal shift High quality local public transport networks, renewables walking and cycling routes High quality streetscape Use of sustainable construction techniques Make better use of natural Promote modal shift High quality local public transport networks, resources walking and cycling routes High quality streetscape Use of sustainable construction techniques BRANDING AIM BRANDING FIRST TIER BRANDING SECOND TIER STRATEGIC CONNECTIVITY SPECIFIC TRANSPORT CONTRIBUTION/ OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES NEEDS / IMPACT IMPACT Promote Northamptonshire Encourage new inward High quality access to jobs, A modern sustainable reliable transport as a great place to live and investment recreation and housing network do business Promote civic pride Encourage participation and Virtual access to democratic involvement in decision processes making Real access to council offices High quality local public transport networks, walking and cycling routes Prevent leakage of High quality access to jobs, A modern sustainable reliable transport investment recreation and housing network

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7 THE SCORING MECHANISM

7.1 INTRODUCTION Clearly the main purpose of the transport framework is to aid in the prioritisation of interventions and schemes to enable the client to focus their attention on promoting and developing schemes that accord with the wider policy framework and not waste effort on interventions that fail that test. To do that prioritisation it is necessary to score the interventions against the framework and to do that a clear set of scoring notes are required.

7.2 THE SCORING MECHANISM The scoring mechanism is shown in figure 18 below.

Positive scores are given one to three ticks to show the relative strength of an intervention’s contribution to the policy objective. Likewise negative scores are given one to three crosses to show the relative weakness of an intervention’s contribution to the policy objective.

The intent of the scoring guidance is to achieve more consistent scoring across interventions and to communicate the general expectations on what is required for a positive or negative score. It must be recognised that interventions will have highly specific issues and benefits, and hence the guidance must be considered as just that, guidance. It is recommended that scoring notes be included for each intervention indicating the rationale for the score. Where scoring may diverge from the guidance, more detailed notes should be included to explain the rationale and justification.

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Figure 18 Scoring Guidance SPECIFIC +3 +2 +1 0 -1 -2 -3 TRANSPORT CONTRIBUTION/ IMPACT Access to Direct connection Secondary Minor / convoluted No Minor Moderate Severe regional and to access regional connection to connection to connection to reduction in reduction in severance of local transport or local networks regional or local regional or local network. access to access to connection to networks networks networks regional or regional or regional or local local networks local networks networks High quality Major new high Marked Minor No effect on Minor Moderate Major reduction public quality bus improvement to improvements to public reduction to reduction to to bus service, transport, service, cycle or existing bus bus service, cycle transport, bus service, bus service, walking or walking and walking network. service, cycle or or walking network. walking or walking or walking or cycle capacity. cycling New station or rail walking network. cycling. cycle cycle capacity. Loss of rail networks service. Improved rail capacity. Minor reduction service, station services. to rail services. closure. Services and Major growth in Moderate growth Minor growth in Status quo. Minor Moderate Major reduction facilities local services and in local services local services and reduction in reduction in in local services delivered facilities and and facilities and facilities and access local services local services and facilities locally access to them. access to them. to them. and facilities and facilities and access to and access to and access to them. Major them. Minor them. severance in severance in Moderate communities. communities. severance in communities. Demand Major restrictions Moderate Minor restrictions in No demand Minor Moderate Major increases management in terms of restrictions in terms of capacity, management increases in increases in in terms of capacity, county terms of very localised effect terms of road terms of road road capacity, wide congestion capacity, town congestion capacity, capacity, (additional charging, wide congestion charging, reduction increase in increase in car lanes, dualled reduction of car charging, of car parking car parking parking bypasses etc) parking capacity reduction of car capacity and or capacity and capacity and or increase in car and or price parking capacity price increases. or price price parking increases. and or price decreases. decreases. capacity and or increases. price decreases.

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Access to high Major new high Marked Minor No effect on Minor Moderate Major reduction quality public quality bus improvement to improvements to public reduction to reduction to to bus service, transport, service, cycle or existing bus bus service, cycle transport, bus service, bus service, walking or walking and walking network. service, cycle or or walking network. walking or walking or walking or cycle capacity. cycle New station or rail walking network. Minor growth in cycling. cycle cycle capacity. Major reduction networks, service. Improved rail local services and No growth in capacity. Moderate in local services local services Major growth in services. facilities and access local jobs or Minor reduction in and facilities and jobs local services and Moderate growth to them. services. reduction in local services and access to facilities and in local services local services and facilities them. access to them. and facilities and and facilities and access to access to them. and access to them. them. Rail Major new rail Improved rail Minor No Slight Moderate Major loss of Connectivity services to services to improvements to connection to reduction to reduction to rail rail services to and London and rest London and rest rail services to rail stations. rail services services to London and Accessibility to of UK. Direct of UK. London and rest of to London London and rest of UK. stations with connections to rail Secondary UK. Indirect and rest of rest of UK. Station closure, regional and stations. New rail connections to connection to rail UK. Reduced Reduced access severe pan regional stations. rail stations. Rail stations. Minor / access to to stations, severance to services station cosmetic station stations. station closure. station access. improvements. improvements High quality Major new high Marked Minor No effect on Minor Moderate Major reduction walking and quality cycle or improvement to improvements to walking or reduction to reduction to to walking or cycle routes walking networks. existing cycle or cycle or walking cycling. walking or walking or cycle capacity. Substantial walking network. cycle capacity cycle capacity. Removal of increases in networks. or facilities. facilities and existing provision, routes. including capacity and other facilities. Virtual Broadband fully Broadband Broadband No relevance Minor Moderate Major reduction connectivity accessible to all. available to available to over to virtual reduction in reduction in in broadband Network of digital most. Some 75% of population, connection broadband broadband access villages and digital villages. a scattering of access access digital villages.

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Realtime Realtime info Realtime info Realtime info No relevance Reduced Major reduction Removal of all Transport available via web available via web available via web to realtime realtime of realtime transport Information and at majority of and at all PT and at major PT info. transport transport realtime info. PT stops and interchanges, the interchanges and information. information interchanges. On strategic highway on Trunk highway most of the main network as well network as well as highway network as some other at a selected few as well as other strategic strategic locations. strategic locations, major locations, major office office developments, developments, retail etc retail etc High Quality New build or Substantial Minor Non gateway Reduced Closure of bus Closure of rail Gateway major refurbishment of refurbishment of related. numbers of stations, stations, Interchanges refurbishment of main rail main rail stations, bus stops, severance to extreme main rail stations, stations, bus bus stations, park lower levels passengers severance to bus stations, park stations, park and ride sites. of routine accessing urban centres and ride sites. and ride sites. maintenance urban centres from gateways. Some new build. at from interchanges. interchanges. High Carriageways free Carriageways Carriageways free Non Carriageways Carriageways Carriageways standards of of defects and free of most of major defects. maintenance contain some contain many contain highway and debris. defects and Constructed to related. defects and minor and numerous streetscape Constructed to debris. appropriate untidy verges some major major defects, maintenance high standards Constructed to standards. / streetscape. defects and high levels of with appropriate high standards litter apparent. litter and very quality materials. with appropriate untidy verges / quality materials. streetscape.

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Predictable High level of Some certainty Some certainty on No effect on Some level of Some level of High level of Journey times certainty on on most journey journey times in off journey uncertainty certainty on uncertainty on on road and journey times times outside peak only times. on journey journey times most journey rail links to throughout the main peaks times during especially in times most of London, B'ham day. peak times peak periods the day and rest of UK Demand RUC and ramp RUC and ramp Ramp metering and No relevance Some minor Some moderate Major new management metering on metering on other TM measures to strategic new capacity level of new capacity for on strategic strategic routes at strategic routes at peak times. network for peak capacity for peak periods routes at peak peak and at peak times capacity periods built peak periods built times shoulder times built Access to Strategic Strategic Strategic highway No access Minor Moderate Severe Strategic N-S highway / rail highway / rail / rail with minor or improvement reduction in reduction in severance of and E-W road with direct links with secondary distant links to access to access to connection to and rail routes to access to links to access access to airports strategic links strategic links strategic links linking to airports or ports to airports or or ports Ports and ports airports Access for 9'6" Major access Moderate access Minor access No access Minor Moderate Severe containers on improvement to improvement to improvement to improvement reduction in reduction in reduction in rail links to allow 9’6” access allow 9’6” access allow 9’6” access to access for access for 9’6” access for 9’6” ports to ports. to ports. ports 9’6” boxes boxes boxes Access to East Strategic Strategic Strategic highway No access Minor Moderate Severe Midlands and highway / rail highway / rail / rail with minor or improvement reduction in reduction in severance of Heathrow with direct links with secondary distant links to access to access to EM connection to airports to access to EM links to access access EM or strategic links and Heathrow EM and and Heathrow EM and Heathrow airports airports. Heathrow airports Heathrow airports airports Access to key Direct access to Secondary Minor and or No access Minor Moderate Severe strategic road strategic highway access to distant access to improvement reduction in reduction in severance of and rail routes / rail with access strategic highway strategic highway / access to access to connection to - A14 corridor, to London and or / rail with access rail with access to strategic links strategic links strategic links N-S corridor, ports to London and London and or London and or ports ports ports

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Access to Strategic Strategic Strategic highway No access Minor Moderate Severe airports - highway / rail highway / rail / rail with minor or improvement reduction in reduction in severance of Heathrow, with direct links with secondary distant links to access to access to connection to Luton, to access to links to access access airports airports airports. airports Standsted and airports airports East Midlands Reliable and Strategic Strategic Strategic highway No access Minor Moderate Severe fast surface highway / rail highway / rail / rail with minor or improvement reduction in reduction in severance of access by road with direct links with secondary distant links to access to access to connection to and public to access to links to access access airports airports airports. airports transport to airports airports major airports Good High quality Substantial Minor Non gateway Minor Closure of bus Closure of rail Gateways for (new) refurbishment of refurbishment of related. severance at coach facilities, stations, International interchanges at main rail main rail stations, key severance to extreme Arrivals rail stations, bus / stations, bus / bus stations, park gateways, passengers severance to coach stations, coach stations and ride sites. reduced accessing urban centres high quality and facilities, access times. urban centres from gateways. tourist coach park and ride Rail service from facilities improved sites. reductions to interchanges. town and city from London centres Access to St Major Moderate Minor No Slight Moderate Severe Pancreas and improvements to improvements to improvements to improvement reduction of reduction of reduction of Eurostar services on MML services on MML services on MML to MML MML services MML services MML services Access to Direct access to Secondary Minor and or No access Minor Moderate Severe Strategic N-S strategic highway access to distant access to improvement reduction in reduction in severance of and E-W road / rail strategic highway strategic highway / access to access to connection to and rail routes / rail rail strategic strategic routes strategic routes routes Good New build or Substantial Minor Non gateway Reduced Closure of bus Closure of rail Gateways for major refurbishment of refurbishment of related. numbers of stations, stations, National refurbishment of main rail main rail stations, bus stops, severance to extreme Arrivals main rail stations, stations, bus bus stations, park lower levels passengers severance to bus stations, park stations, park and ride sites. of routine accessing urban centres and ride sites. and ride sites. maintenance urban centres from gateways. Some new build. at from interchanges. interchanges.

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Accessibility Direct access Secondary access Minor access from No access Minor Moderate Severe from existing from existing and from existing and existing and new improvement reduction in reduction in reduction in residential new residential new residential residential areas to access from access from access from areas and new areas to a areas to a limited range of existing and existing and existing and growth areas substantial range substantial local and regional new new residential new residential of local and range of local services and residential areas to areas to regional services and regional facilities areas to a substantial substantial and facilities services and limited range range of local range of local facilities of local and and regional and regional regional services and services and services and facilities facilities facilities High quality of New and New and New and No changes Use of older Use of older Use of older comfort and refurbished trains, refurbished refurbished trains, to quality. rolling stock rolling stock on rolling stock on service on coaches and trains, coaches coaches and buses on a few some routes. most routes. strategic road buses on most and buses on on a few routes. routes. and rail links routes. Major some routes. Minor improvements at Improvements at improvements at laybys and service laybys and laybys and service areas. service areas. areas. Connectivity Provides direct Provides Provides indirect No Minor Moderate Severe between connectivity from secondary connectivity from connectivity reduction in reduction in reduction in Cluster clusters to connectivity from clusters to airports improvement connectivity connectivity connectivity developments airports and O2C clusters to and O2C from clusters from clusters to from clusters to and airports - airports and O2C to airports airports and airports and O2C Arc and O2C O2C O2C High quality Major new / Substantial new/ CCTV at existing Unrelated to Removal of Reduction of Removal of secure parking refurbished car refurbished car car parks, some car parking. security car parking at parking at at gateway PT parking at key parking at key improvements. cover, CCTV gateway gateway interchanges interchanges with interchanges at parking interchanges. interchanges. secure car park (CCTV coverage) locations award. Traffic calming Substantial Moderate Minor reduction in Status quo Minor Moderate Substantial and road reduction in non reduction in non non essential traffic increase in increase in non increase in non safety essential traffic essential traffic and a reduction in non essential essential / essential / engineering and a reduction in and a reduction accidents / through through traffic through traffic accidents in accidents traffic and and accidents and accidents accidents

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Minimise Substantial Moderate Minor reduction in Status quo Minor Moderate Substantial traffic reduction in non reduction in non non essential traffic increase in increase in non increase in non intrusion into essential traffic essential traffic non essential essential / essential / 'sensitive' / through through traffic through traffic areas traffic Minimise Substantial Moderate Minor reduction in Status quo Minor Moderate Substantial traffic reduction in non reduction in non non essential traffic increase in increase in non increase in non intrusion into essential traffic essential traffic non essential essential / essential / countryside / through through traffic through traffic with high traffic landscape value Use of Use of sustainable Use of Use of sustainable Non N/A N/A N/A sustainable construction sustainable construction construction construction techniques construction techniques techniques throughout the techniques throughout some of entire project throughout most the project of the project

A modern Deliver a modern Deliver a modern Deliver a modern See traffic See traffic See traffic sustainable and sophisticated and sophisticated and sophisticated growth growth growth reliable transport system transport system transport system in negatively negatively negatively transport throughout the throughout part a few areas of the affect the affect the affect the network whole of the of the County County growth of the growth of the whole County County main centres main and market town centres

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8 CREATING A PRIORITISED LIST

8.1 SIMPLIFICATION OF THE LIST OF SCHEMES Clearly the list of 200 plus schemes shown in Appendix A is unmanageable and does not create any sense of priority at all. We recommended that the client shortened it by removing any duplicate schemes or by packaging groups of schemes together e.g. Town Centre Strategy packages for the main growth towns or by merging schemes where the output was likely to be similar. The results of this exercise together with the explanation behind the changes are shown in Appendix B. This created a much shorter list of around 70 schemes that could be scored using the guidance shown above against the wider objectives and connectivity requirements. The results of this scoring are shown in Appendix C.

8.2 UNDERTAKING ANALYSIS OF THE SCORED FRAMEWORK Grouping the top scoring schemes to the left of the framework and the lowest scoring schemes to the right gave a simple but clear view of what type of interventions were scoring well. An analysis across the framework horizontally also identified which objectives were not being scored against very often and can be used to identify possible gaps in the list of interventions. As part of extending the analysis to take account of the spatial relationships and the different connectivity needs we undertook an analysis based on links between the scheme and its ability to deliver each aspect of the connectivity need. Basically this analysed schemes’ and how they scored in relation to the strategic connectivity need i.e. International and National Connectivity, Regional Connectivity, County Connectivity and local connectivity. The results of this analysis demonstrated a relationship between the need for greater external connectivity (International, National and Regional) to support the economic objectives and the need for improved local connectivity (Sub regional and local) to support the social and environmental objectives. This analysis also provided vital background support for the final recommendations included in section 9 of this report.

8.3 COLLECT EVIDENCE Much of the scoring has have been made on professional judgements without necessarily any strong evidence to support the score, although evidence from modelling and other scheme development work has been used. The need to continually collect and develop an evidence base will be critical to demonstrate how interventions do help achieve the wider objectives. This will be particularly important when seeking Government funding. It

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would be helpful to collect any supporting evidence from scheme promoters on the effects the intervention might have on, in particular, job numbers or environmental considerations.

8.4 DEVELOP PACKAGES OF SCHEMES Using the framework to identify the strongest schemes for each set of objectives, a package or a set of packages of schemes can be developed. This has already been carried out for schemes with a town centre relationship for the main growth towns but additional geographical or mode based packages could also be developed. These packages could be tailored to provide a balanced investment approach across the objectives but ensuring the strongest projects in policy terms were delivered together. This would have the benefit of providing a set of interventions that would help achieve the whole spectrum of wider objectives.

9 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

9.1 CONCLUSIONS Following a technical workshop on 13th September, it became apparent that to deliver the housing growth required by the MKSM strategy in a sustainable fashion, it would be necessary to deliver the jobs growth in Northamptonshire to prevent the scenario of a dormitory County providing housing for London, Milton Keynes and the East Midlands and all of the congestion that that would bring. To that end the framework has to concentrate on delivering economic growth and in particular jobs but in a sustainable manner with jobs provided locally to the housing but also fulfilling the wider aspirations of higher value added employment. To do this there has to inevitably be a focus on the schemes that deliver the wider connectivity that will be required to bring about the investment necessary to deliver the higher value added jobs. There also has to be a focus on schemes that will bring about cuts in congestion and provide the journey time reliability that is vital to those needing access to airports, ports and the wider strategic road and rail networks. This will require significant levels of modal shift using a combination of improved public transport and demand management.

9.2 RECOMMENDATIONS Our recommendations are provided in the following tables, they are split into schemes that support the wider objectives and offer the best opportunity to deliver the growth, ones where the evidence is lacking and although they may aid the growth further work is

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required and finally schemes that in our view do not support the growth objectives and will not contribute to delivering the wider objectives. It must be recognised that this process has been about prioritisation and is an aid to the decision making process, it is not about making the decisions nor is it about scheme appraisal. The tables below provide an objective and independent list of interventions based upon our analysis of the evidence presented and the ability of a scheme to deliver the wider social, environmental and economic objectives agreed by the numerous stakeholders. Most if not all of the interventions will require an appraisal to demonstrate value for money amongst other things.

TABLE 1 PRIORITISED SCHEMES FOR INCLUSION IN THE GROWTH STRATEGY Road 3 M1 J19 Junction rebuild, proposed start date 2007/2008 4 M1 J16 – Section 278 7 A45 Stanwick to Thrapston dualling and grade separated junction – not committed, RSS8 timetable 2011/2016 9 A5/A43 Roundabout 12 A43 Corby link road and dualling 13a A427 Weldon Bypass 17a A14 Kettering Bypass Collector Distributor Roads 21 A509 Isham Bypass and IWIMP

29 Towcester Bypass (A5 SW Relief Road) including new junction on A43 – County Council scheme, developer led. 31 Wellingborough Eastern Distributor Road 40 A45 Wilby Way Junction Grade-Separation 46 A361 Daventry – M40 traffic management and downgrade to B road 49 A43 Round Spinney Grade-Separation 50 A43 Moulton Bypass 52 A43 Northampton to Kettering Dualling 55 A45 Weedon, Flore and Upper Heyford Bypass (and dualling thro’ to Daventry) 68 B4036 (A5-Long Buckby station) road improvements 75 Rothwell Link Road Car Parks 206 Review of rail station parking Bus 94 Quality Inter-Urban Bus Network 104 Development of rural service routes (current daily, but less than hourly) 115 Provision of evening and Sunday services on all core bus routes

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133 Real Time information Rail 135 Provision of 2-fast rail services from Northampton to London Euston in under 45 minutes 136 Restoration of half-hourly service to Birmingham New Street 137 Restoration of through services between Long Buckby and London Euston 138 Provision of hourly through services between Northampton and North-West England 139 Provision of additional capacity on Midland Main Line services calling at Kettering and Wellingborough 143 Re-opening of Northampton – Wellingborough rail line 159 Re-opening of Kettering to Corby Passenger Rail, through services to St Pancras, new station at Corby 163 Northamptonshire Airport Rail Links improvements with high quality PT hubs TDM Measures 193 TDM at journey origins and destinations – new housing developments, employment, retail and leisure locations – marketing, information, smartcards, travel plans, incentives and/or road charging 198 Joint parking strategy for all Northampton parking 201 Buzz smartcard – integrated ticketing 203 HOV priority on A45 Town Strategies 209 Wellingborough Town Strategy 210 Kettering Town Strategy 211 Corby Town Strategy 212 Northampton Town Strategy 213 Daventry Town Strategy 214 Towcester Town Strategy

TABLE 2 SCHEMES THAT REQUIRE FURTHER EVIDENCE AND / OR INVESTIGATION Road 5 Upgrade M1 J14-J19 (to D4M) 18 A508 Roade Bypass 19 A508 Upgrade from Northampton NW bypass to A14 26 A361 Improvements North of Daventry 35 M1 J15a new south-facing slips 39 A45 London Road widening to D3AP in Northampton 44 A422 Farthinghoe Bypass 56 A605 (A14-A1) Dualling 72 Northampton: Eagle Drive to Ransome Road link Bus 98 Feeder Services around the rural service spine Rail 145 New rail freight terminal in Northampton area

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146 New rail freight terminal in Wellingborough area 149 New station on Northampton Loop south of Northampton (M1 Park & Ride)

160 Corby to Peterborough/Leicester Passenger Rail re-opening Cycling 192 Extend cycle network to rural areas TDM Measures 200 A14 Road user charging at Kettering

TABLE 3 SCHEMES THAT DO NOT DELIVER WIDER OBJECTIVES Road 13 A43 Weldon Bypass 15 A14 Upgrade – M1 to Kettering (D3) 17 A14 Kettering to Ellington including Kettering Bypass (D3) – not committed, timetable 2016-2021 25 A6116 Improvements to Corby town – A14 33 Northern Wellingborough Access Road (access to proposed Pulse Park and link to WEAST) 36 M1 J17 northern access to M45 45 A361 Wardington, Chipping Warden and Byfield Bypasses (i.e. upgrade whole link), or. 47 A428 Harlestone Bypass 53 A43 on-line improvements between Corby and Stamford 54 A43 Collyweston/Easton on the Hill Bypass 57 A6 Finedon Bypass 58 A510 Finedon Bypass Rail 140 Provision of ‘high-frequency’ local rail service between Corby and Wellingborough

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APPENDIX A THE FULL LIST OF SCHEMES

Highways Agency Scheme

Developer Funded Scheme

Northamptonshire County Council Scheme

Community Infrastructure Fund

Road 1 Northampton Multi-storey car park (location tbc) 2 Northampton Orbital Schemes 3 M1 J19 Junction rebuild, proposed start date 2007/2008 4 M1 J16 – Section 278 5 Upgrade M1 J14-J19 (to D4M) 6 M1 J10a – New Junction with southbound connection to the A6 7 A45 Stanwick to Thrapston dualling and grade separated junction – not committed, RSS8 timetable 2011/2016 8 A45 Northampton to Stanwick Junction Improvements (more detail below) – not committed 9 A5/A43 Roundabout - not committed 10 A43 Northampton/Kettering dualling & junction improvements 11 A43 Improvements to A1 access (Corby – A1 dualling or upgrade inc Collyweston & Easton on the Hill bypasses) 12 A43 Corby link road and dualling 13 A43 Weldon Bypass 14 A14 Huntingdon – Thrapston Junction improvements (D3) 15 A14 Upgrade – M1 to Kettering (D3) 16 M1 Collector Distributors (CDs) (Junctions 9-10 linking A6 to new Isham Bypass) 17 A14 Kettering to Ellington including Kettering Bypass (D3) – not committed, timetable 2016- 2021 18 A508 Roade Bypass 19 A508 Upgrade from Northampton NW bypass to A14 20 21 A509 Isham Bypass and IWIMP 22 A509 Wellingborough Western Bypass Dualling 23 A509 Isham to Wellingborough Improvement County/Developer funded. 24 A509 Future dualling to connect Isham bypass to Wellingborough 25 A6116 Improvements to Corby town – A14

26 A361 Improvements North of Daventry 27 Corby Northern Orbital Road 28 Wilby Way Roundabout CIF 29 Towcester Bypass (A5 SW Relief Road) including new junction on A43 – County Council scheme, developer led. 30 Midland Road Bridge (Wellingborough) 31 Wellingborough Eastern Distributor Road 32 Wellingborough Inner Relief Road (Link Station to Finedon Road and eventually to the A510 in N Wellingborough) 33 Northern Wellingborough Access Road (access to proposed Pulse Park and link to WEAST) 34 Provide additional lorry parking facilities

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35 M1 J15a new south-facing slips 36 M1 J17 northern access to M45 37 A43/A5 improvements to Towcester junctions 38 A43 grade separation of Blisworth and Tiffield Junctions 39 A45 London Road widening to D3AP in Northampton 40 A45 Wilby Way Junction Grade-Separation 41 A45/A509 Junction Improvement 42 A45/A6 Roundabout Grade-Separation 43 A45 Improvements at Thrapston 44 A422 Farthinghoe Bypass 45 A361 Wardington, Chipping Warden and Byfield Bypasses (i.e. upgrade whole link), or. 46 A361 Daventry – M40 traffic management and downgrade to B road 47 A428 Harlestone Bypass 48 A427 Wilbarston and Stoke Albany bypasses 49 A43 Round Spinney Grade-Separation 50 A43 Moulton Bypass 51 A43 Moulton – Kettering Dualling 52 A43 Corby Link Road (and Dualling) 53 A43 on-line improvements between Corby and Stamford 54 A43 Collyweston/Easton on the Hill Bypass 55 A45 Weedon, Flore and Upper Heyford Bypass (and dualling thro’ to Daventry) 56 A605 (A14-A1) Dualling 57 A6 Finedon Bypass 58 A510 Finedon Bypass 59 Northampton North-West Bypass 60 Northampton Town Centre Link Road 61 Northampton Town Centre Junction Improvements 62 Northampton Talavera Way / Great Billing Way Dualling 63 Sandy Lane Relief Road and improvements 64 Cross Valley Link Road, Northampton 65 Road schemes around Corby as recommended by transportation study 66 Junction capacity improvements generally 67 Daventry town centre highway improvements 68 B4036 (A5-Long Buckby station) road improvements 69 Highway mitigation works related to Norton 70 Highway mitigation works related to Dodford 71 Northampton – junction improvements on southern ring road 72 Northampton: Eagle Drive to Ransome Road link 73 Northampton – upgraded radial routes 74 Northampton: St James Mill Road to Towcester Road link 75 Rothwell Link Road 76 Road widening under Northampton Road and Rothwell Road bridges, Kettering 77 A605 Barnwell roundabout 78 A43 Lumbertubs Way roundabout 79 Towcester Bypass (A5 SW Relief Road) 80 Midland Road Bridge (Wellingborough) 81 Wellingborough Eastern Distributor Road 82 East of Kettering Bypass 83 Link Road West of Wellingborough Tran Station 84 Improvements to the Elsden/Senwick/Midland Road Junction 85 Junction Improvements on the Wellingborough Ring Road 86 Car Parks 87 Daventry town centre car parking 88 Better car parking in Towcester

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89 Wellingborough town centre 90 Wellingborough station (east side) Bus 91 Modern Public Transport linking existing and development areas with frequent services 92 Bedford-Rushden-Irthlingborough-Burton Latimer-Kettering-Rothwell-Desborough-Market Harborough bus route 93 Peterborough-Oundle-Thrapston-Raunds-Higham Ferrers and Rushden- Wellingborough- Northampton bus route 94 Quality Inter-Urban Bus Network 95 Strategic Bus Corridor Development (bus priority & traffic management systems) 96 New network based on Wellingborough and Rushden 97 Development of Corby Star and Kettering Connect networks 98 Feeder Services around the rural service spine 99 Centrally located bus interchanges at Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Rushden 100 Multi modal interchanges at the three rail stations 101 Midland Road Bus Priority 102 Local Bus improvements (see more detail below) 103 Wellingborough Town Centre Bus Priority/Capacity Improvements 104 Development of rural service routes (current daily, but less than hourly) 105 Development of rural feeder services into core network (DRT or otherwise) 106 Development of high-dependency transport network (Community Transport) 107 Development of rigorous bus priority measures on core network in Northampton 108 Expansion/development of Corby urban bus network 109 Expansion/development of Kettering urban bus network 110 Expansion/development of Wellingborough urban bus network 111 Upgrading/expansion/development of Daventry urban bus network 112 Daventry – expansion/upgrading of bus station (or relocation) 113 Corby – new bus interchange to replace George Street 114 Development of orbital bus services/mini-interchanges in Northampton 115 Provision of evening and Sunday services on all core bus routes 116 Park & ride for Northampton 117 Park & Ride for Kettering 118 Bus lanes for Kettering 119 Guided bus link WEAST Neighbourhood Centre to Wellingborough Town Centre 120 Bus lanes for Wellingborough 121 Third access from WEAST (to A45) 122 Wellingborough Bus Network 123 Northampton New Bus Station 124 Towcester New Bus station 125 Wellingborough Bus Station Multi-modal interchange 126 Rushden Bus Interchange 127 Daventry Bus Station improvements 128 Parking facilities with adequate bus services 129 Demand Responsive Transport initiative 130 Park and Ride Bus Priority Routes 131 Riverside Park and Ride 132 Park and Ride – Upton, Grange Park, Dallington Heath (developer funded) 133 Real Time information Rail 134 Provision of regular-interval rail services at Kings Sutton (hourly to Marylebone and Banbury or Birmingham), 2-hourly to Oxford

135 Provision of 2-fast rail services from Northampton to London Euston in under 45 minutes 136 Restoration of half-hourly service to Birmingham New Street

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137 Restoration of through services between Long Buckby and London Euston 138 Provision of hourly through services between Northampton and North-West England 139 Provision of additional capacity on Midland Main Line services calling at Kettering and Wellingborough 140 Provision of ‘high-frequency’ local rail service between Corby and Wellingborough 141 Increased rail connections to St. Pancras 142 Provision of rail shuttle services between Northampton station and Delapre Park/Brackmills 143 Re-opening of Northampton – Wellingborough rail line 144 Retention/upgrading of Brackmills branch line for rail freight use 145 New rail freight terminal in Northampton area 146 New rail freight terminal in Wellingborough area 147 New parkway station on WCML at Blisworth (RT link to town centre) 148 New station at Roade (WCML or Northampton Loop) 149 New station on Northampton Loop south of Northampton (M1 Park & Ride) 150 New station at Little Irchester 151 New station close to Grendon Junction (MML) 152 New station close to Oakley Vale (Corby) 153 Restoration of 3rd rail track Kettering – Wellingborough 154 Longer-term restoration of 4 rail tracks throughout Bedford – Grendon Junction 155 Improved parking and public transport access to stations 156 Wellingborough Station (Interchange) 157 Kettering Station (Interchange) (NB KBC have a master plan for the station area) 158 Long Buckby Railway Station Improvements 159 Re-opening of Kettering to Corby Passenger Rail, through services to St Pancras, new station at Corby 160 Corby to Peterborough/Leicester Passenger Rail re-opening 161 Desborough New Station 162 Northampton Station Interchange 163 Northamptonshire Airport Rail Links improvements with high quality PT hubs 164 South Northampton New Station and Interchange 165 WCML – influence re-franchising as service is very poor 166 WCML – modernisation and enhancements to MK and Northampton services 167 MML - influence re-franchising as service is very poor 168 Re-opening Bedford-Northamptonshire line (as extension of First Capital Connect network) 169 Northampton Rapid Light Rail – ULTRA or similar PRT system Rapid Transit: 170 Tramway system for Northampton 171 Ultra light-rail for Daventry 172 Ultra light-rail for Northampton 173 Ultra light-rail for Corby 174 Parry People Mover for Rushden-Higham Ferrers 175 Guided bus network for Northampton Footpaths 176 Build new and widen existing footways to retail/employment centres 177 Improve road crossing facilities 178 Improve frequency of road crossing services 179 Improve information services 180 Cultural mile town centre streetscape improvements 181 Infill missing footways, esp. in 1970s/1980s development areas 182 Systematic provision of dropped kerbs to improve wheelchair/buggy access 183 Review historic RoW network left in urban areas, and fit to current use 184 Grade-separated crossing of A45 between Wootton and East Hunsbury Cycling 185 Complete and further develop cycle network in Wellingborough

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186 Implement Towcester cycle master plan 187 Implement Kettering cycle master plan 188 Develop and implement cycle master plan for Northampton 189 Develop and implement cycle master plan for Rushden / Higham Ferrers 190 Develop and implement cycle master plan for Corby 191 Develop and implement cycle master plan for Daventry 192 Extend cycle network to rural areas TDM Measures 193 TDM at journey origins and destinations – new housing developments, employment, retail and leisure locations – marketing, information, smartcards, travel plans, incentives and/or road charging 194 ITB (Integrated Transport Block) scheme 195 Getting Northampton to Work" LTP scheme 196 Kettering and Wellingborough Intelligent Transport CIF bid scheme 197 Freight Quality Partnerships 198 Joint parking strategy for all Northampton parking 199 Digital Daventry – bus priority, smart cards, etc. 200 A14 Road user charging at Kettering 201 Buzz smartcard – integrated ticketing 202 Intelligent traffic lights and flow systems 203 HOV priority on A45

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APPENDIX B SHORTENED SCHEME LIST

Road 3 M1 J19 Junction rebuild, proposed start date 2007/2008 4 M1 J16 – Section 278 5 Upgrade M1 J14-J19 (to D4M) 7 A45 Stanwick to Thrapston dualling and grade separated junction – not committed, RSS8 timetable 2011/2016 9 A5/A43 Roundabout 12 A43 Corby link road and dualling 13 A43 Weldon Bypass 15 A14 Upgrade – M1 to Kettering (D3) 17 A14 Kettering to Ellington including Kettering Bypass (D3) – not committed, timetable 2016-2021 18 A508 Roade Bypass 19 A508 Upgrade from Northampton NW bypass to A14 21 A509 Isham Bypass and IWIMP 25 A6116 Improvements to Corby town – A14 26 A361 Improvements North of Daventry 29 Towcester Bypass (A5 SW Relief Road) including new junction on A43 – County Council scheme, developer led. 31 Wellingborough Eastern Distributor Road 33 Northern Wellingborough Access Road (access to proposed Pulse Park and link to WEAST) 35 M1 J15a new south-facing slips 36 M1 J17 northern access to M45 39 A45 London Road widening to D3AP in Northampton 40 A45 Wilby Way Junction Grade-Separation 44 A422 Farthinghoe Bypass 45 A361 Wardington, Chipping Warden and Byfield Bypasses (i.e. upgrade whole link). 46 A361 Daventry – M40 traffic management and downgrade to B road 47 A428 Harlestone Bypass 49 A43 Round Spinney Grade-Separation 50 A43 Moulton Bypass 52 A43 Northampton to Kettering Dualling 53 A43 on-line improvements between Corby and Stamford 54 A43 Collyweston/Easton on the Hill Bypass 55 A45 Weedon, Flore and Upper Heyford Bypass (and dualling thro’ to Daventry) 56 A605 (A14-A1) Dualling 57 A6 Finedon Bypass 58 A510 Finedon Bypass 68 B4036 (A5-Long Buckby station) road improvements

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72 Northampton: Eagle Drive to Ransome Road link 75 Rothwell Link Road Car Parks 206 Review of rail station parking Bus 94 Quality Inter-Urban Bus Network 98 Feeder Services around the rural service spine 104 Development of rural service routes (current daily, but less than hourly) 115 Provision of evening and Sunday services on all core bus routes 133 Real Time information Rail 135 Provision of 2-fast rail services from Northampton to Euston in under 45 mins 136 Restoration of half-hourly service to Birmingham New Street 137 Restoration of through services between Long Buckby and London Euston 138 Provision of hourly through services between Northampton and NW England 139 Provision of additional capacity on Midland Main Line services calling at Kettering and Wellingborough 140 Provision of ‘high-frequency’ local rail service between Corby and Wellingborough 143 Re-opening of Northampton – Wellingborough rail line 145 New rail freight terminal in Northampton area 146 New rail freight terminal in Wellingborough area 149 New station on Northampton Loop south of Northampton (M1 Park & Ride) 159 Re-opening of Kettering to Corby Passenger Rail, through services to St Pancras, new station at Corby 160 Corby to Peterborough/Leicester Passenger Rail re-opening 163 Northamptonshire Airport Rail Links improvements with high quality PT hubs Cycling 192 Extend cycle network to rural areas TDM Measures 193 TDM at journey origins and destinations – new housing developments, employment, retail and leisure locations – marketing, information, smartcards, travel plans, incentives and/or road charging 198 Joint parking strategy for all Northampton parking 200 A14 Road user charging at Kettering 201 Buzz smartcard – integrated ticketing 203 HOV priority on A45 Town Strategies 209 Wellingborough Town Strategy 210 Kettering Town Strategy 211 Corby Town Strategy 212 Northampton Town Strategy 213 Daventry Town Strategy 214 Towcester Town Strategy

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Schemes not to be scored Scheme Reason for not scoring and removal Code Scheme Title from list Road 1 Northampton Multi-storey car park (location tbc) Included in item 205 2 Northampton Orbital Schemes Included in Town Strategies 6 M1 J10a – New Junction with southbound connection to Incorrect title - should have read A14 the A6 J10a. Now included in item 17 8 A45 Northampton to Stanwick Junction Improvements Included in item 7 (more detail below) – not committed 10 A43 Northampton/Kettering dualling & junction Reinstated as item 52 improvements 11 A43 Improvements to A1 access (Corby – A1 dualling or Included in items 53 and 54 upgrade inc Collyweston & Easton on the Hill bypasses) 14 A14 Huntingdon – Thrapston Junction improvements (D3) Included in item 17 16 M1 Collector Distributors (CDs) (Junctions 9-10 linking Incorrect title - should have read A14. A6 to new Isham Bypass) Now included in item 17 22 A509 Wellingborough Western Bypass Dualling Included in item 204 23 A509 Isham to Wellingborough Improvement Included in item 21 by presumption 24 A509 Future dualling to connect Isham bypass to Repeat of item 23 Wellingborough 27 Corby Northern Orbital Road Already funded 28 Wilby Way Roundabout CIF Already funded 30 Midland Road Bridge (Wellingborough) Included in Town Strategies 32 Wellingborough Inner Relief Road (Link Station to Included in Town Strategies Finedon Road and eventually to the A510 in N Wellingborough) 34 Provide additional lorry parking facilities Not a strategic issue relevant to Growth Strategy 37 A43/A5 improvements to Towcester junctions Included in item 9 38 A43 grade separation of Blisworth and Tiffield Junctions Not Strategic - Local casualty reduction scheme 41 A45/A509 Junction Improvement Duplication - see item 40 42 A45/A6 Roundabout Grade-Separation Included in item 7 43 A45 Improvements at Thrapston Included in item 7 48 A427 Wilbarston and Stoke Albany bypasses Already Built 59 Northampton North-West Bypass Included in Item 2 60 Northampton Town Centre Link Road Route not available - see item 204 61 Northampton Town Centre Junction Improvements Included in item 204 62 Northampton Talavera Way / Great Billing Way Dualling Included in item 2 63 Sandy Lane Relief Road and improvements Already funded 64 Cross Valley Link Road, Northampton Already funded 65 Road schemes around Corby as recommended by Included in item 204 transportation study 66 Junction capacity improvements generally Included in item 204

MRC Mclean Hazel 79 Transport advice, concepts, and solutions Northamptonshire Transport Strategy for Growth October 2006 Northamptonshire County Council

67 Daventry town centre highway improvements Included in item 204 69 Highway mitigation works related to Norton Local development requirement 70 Highway mitigation works related to Dodford Local development requirement 71 Northampton – junction improvements on southern ring Part of GNTW road 73 Northampton – upgraded radial routes Included in item 204 74 Northampton: St James Mill Road to Towcester Road link Included in town strategies 76 Road widening under Northampton Road and Rothwell Included in item 204 Road bridges, Kettering 77 A605 Barnwell roundabout Not Strategic - Local casualty reduction scheme 78 A43 Lumbertubs Way roundabout Not Strategic - Local casualty reduction scheme 79 Towcester Bypass (A5 SW Relief Road) Duplication - see item 29 80 Midland Road Bridge (Wellingborough) Duplication - see item 30 81 Wellingborough Eastern Distributor Road Duplication - see item 31 82 East of Kettering Bypass Included in item 31 83 Link Road West of Wellingborough Tran Station Duplication - see item 32 84 Improvements to the Elsden/Senwick/Midland Road Included in item 32 Junction 85 Junction Improvements on the Wellingborough Ring Included in item 204 Road Junction and Link improvements in main towns to Included in Town Strategies 204 accommodate growth Car Parks 87 Daventry town centre car parking Included in item 205 88 Better car parking in Towcester Included in item 205 89 Wellingborough town centre Included in item 205 90 Wellingborough station (east side) Included in item 206 205 Review of growth town centre car parking Included in Town Strategies Bus 91 Modern Public Transport linking existing and Included in item 207 development areas with frequent services 92 Bedford-Rushden-Irthlingborough-Burton Latimer- Included in item 94 Kettering-Rothwell-Desborough-Market Harborough bus route 93 Peterborough-Oundle-Thrapston-Raunds-Higham Included in item 94 Ferrers and Rushden- Wellingborough- Northampton bus route 95 Strategic Bus Corridor Development (bus priority & traffic Included in Town Strategies management systems) 96 New network based on Wellingborough and Rushden Included in items 94 and 207 97 Development of Corby Star and Kettering Connect Included in item 207 networks 99 Centrally located bus interchanges at Corby, Kettering, Included in Town Strategies Wellingborough, Rushden, Towcester and Daventry 100 Multi modal interchanges at the rail stations Included in Town Strategies

MRC Mclean Hazel 80 Transport advice, concepts, and solutions Northamptonshire Transport Strategy for Growth October 2006 Northamptonshire County Council

101 Midland Road Bus Priority Included in item 107 102 Local Bus improvements (see more detail below) Included in item 94 and 104 103 Wellingborough Town Centre Bus Priority/Capacity Included in Town Strategies Improvements 105 Development of rural feeder services into core network Included in item 104 (DRT or otherwise) 106 Development of high-dependency transport network Not strategically linked to growth (Community Transport) agenda 107 Development of rigorous bus priority measures in the Included in Town Strategies main growth towns (BRT) 108 Expansion/development of Corby urban bus network Included in item 207 109 Expansion/development of Kettering urban bus network Included in item 207 110 Expansion/development of Wellingborough urban bus Included in item 207 network 111 Upgrading/expansion/development of Daventry urban Included in item 207 bus network 112 Daventry – expansion/upgrading of bus station (or Included in item 99 relocation) 113 Corby – new bus interchange to replace George Street Included in item 99 114 Development of orbital bus services/mini-interchanges in Included in item 207 Northampton 116 Park & ride for Northampton Included within item 130 117 Park & Ride for Kettering Included in item 130 118 Bus lanes for Kettering Included in item 107 119 Guided bus link WEAST Neighbourhood Centre to Included in item 107 Wellingborough Town Centre 120 Bus lanes for Wellingborough Included in item 107 121 Third access from WEAST (to A45) Included in item 31 (Highway scheme) 122 Wellingborough Bus Network Included in item 207 123 Northampton New Bus Station Included in item 99 124 Towcester New Bus station Included in item 99 125 Wellingborough Bus Station Multi-modal interchange Included in item 99 126 Rushden Bus Interchange Included in item 99 127 Daventry Bus Station improvements Included in item 99 128 Parking facilities with adequate bus services Included in item 205, 206 and 130 129 Demand Responsive Transport initiative Included in Items 98 & 106 130 Park and Ride with Bus Priority Routes Included in Town Strategies 131 Riverside Park and Ride Included in item 130 132 Park and Ride – Upton, Grange Park, Dallington Heath Included in item 130 (developer funded) 134 Provision of regular-interval rail services at Kings Sutton Not linked to Northants growth towns (hourly to Marylebone and Banbury or Birmingham), 2- hourly to Oxford 207 Quality Urban Bus Network Included in item 95 Rail

MRC Mclean Hazel 81 Transport advice, concepts, and solutions Northamptonshire Transport Strategy for Growth October 2006 Northamptonshire County Council

141 Increased rail connections to St. Pancras Included in item 139 142 Provision of rail shuttle services between Northampton Included in Town Strategies station and Delapre Park/Brackmills 144 Retention/upgrading of Brackmills branch line for rail Included in item 145 freight use 147 New parkway station on WCML at Blisworth (RT link to Included in item 149 town centre) 148 New station at Roade (WCML or Northampton Loop) Included in item 149 150 New station at Little Irchester Considered to be to small and disruptive in respect of MML service 151 New station close to Grendon Junction (MML) As outlined in item 150 152 New station close to Oakley Vale (Corby) As outlined in item 150 153 Restoration of 3rd rail track Kettering – Wellingborough Justified on basis of service improvements included elsewhere 154 Longer-term restoration of 4 rail tracks throughout Justified on basis of service Bedford – Grendon Junction improvements included elsewhere 155 Improved parking and public transport access to stations Included in item 100 and 206 156 Wellingborough Station (Interchange) Included in item 100 and 206 157 Kettering Station (Interchange) (NB KBC have a master Included in item 100 and 206 plan for the station area) 158 Long Buckby Railway Station Improvements Subject of a CIF bid 161 Desborough New Station As outlined in item 150 162 Northampton Station Interchange Included in item 100 and 206 164 South Northampton New Station and Interchange Included in item 100 and 206 165 WCML – influence re-franchising as service is very poor Detailed proposals included elsewhere 166 WCML – modernisation and enhancements to MK and Detailed proposals included Northampton services elsewhere 167 MML - influence re-franchising as service is very poor Detailed proposals included elsewhere 168 Re-opening Bedford-Northamptonshire line (as extension Existing bus service is seriously of First Capital Connect network) under utilised the project is unlikely to be economically viable.

169 Northampton Rapid Light Rail – ULTRA or similar PRT Included in item 172 system Rapid Transit: 170 Tramway system for Northampton Included in Town Strategies 171 Ultra light-rail for Daventry Included in Town Strategies 172 Ultra light-rail for Northampton Included in Town Strategies 173 Ultra light-rail for Corby Included in Town Strategies 174 Parry People Mover for Rushden-Higham Ferrers Unproven technology, unknown track and routing availability, uncertain passenger base, and adequate conventional bus provision can be provided.

MRC Mclean Hazel 82 Transport advice, concepts, and solutions Northamptonshire Transport Strategy for Growth October 2006 Northamptonshire County Council

175 Guided bus network for Northampton Included in item107 Footpaths 176 Build new and widen existing footways to Included in Town Strategies retail/employment centres 177 Improve road crossing facilities Included in Town Strategies 178 Improve frequency of road crossing services Included in item 177 179 Improve information services Included in Town Strategies 180 Cultural mile town centre streetscape improvements Included in Town Strategies 181 Infill missing footways, esp. in 1970s/1980s development Included in Town Strategies areas 182 Systematic provision of dropped kerbs to improve Included in Town Strategies wheelchair/buggy access 183 Review historic RoW network left in urban areas, and fit Included in Town Strategies to current use 184 Grade-separated crossing of A45 between Wootton and Included in Town Strategies East Hunsbury Cycling 185 Complete and further develop cycle network in Included in item 208 Wellingborough 186 Implement Towcester cycle master plan Included in item 208 187 Implement Kettering cycle master plan Included in item 208 188 Develop and implement cycle master plan for Included in item 208 Northampton 189 Develop and implement cycle master plan for Rushden / Included in item 208 Higham Ferrers 190 Develop and implement cycle master plan for Corby Included in item 208 191 Develop and implement cycle master plan for Daventry Included in item 208 194 ITB (Integrated Transport Block) scheme LTP scheme 195 Getting Northampton to Work" LTP scheme Almost Finished 196 Kettering and Wellingborough Intelligent Transport CIF Included in Town Strategies bid scheme 197 Freight Quality Partnerships Neither Strategic or justifiable in its own right 199 Digital Daventry – bus priority, smart cards, etc. Included in Town Strategies 202 Intelligent traffic lights and flow systems Included in Town Strategies 208 Develop cycle network in growth towns Included in Town Strategies

MRC Mclean Hazel 83 Transport advice, concepts, and solutions Northamptonshire Transport Strategy for Growth October 2006 Northamptonshire County Council

APPENDIX C FRAMEWORK OF SCORED SCHEMES

MRC Mclean Hazel 84 Transport advice, concepts, and solutions Northamptonshire Transport Strategy for Growth 210 209 211 135 159 193 115 212 213 149 140 143 94 104 136 198 214 163 203 98 133 138 160 137 201 72 50 75 4 192 49 68 9 139 35 40 3 13 17 145 146 52 12 200 29 21 46 206 557 18312653571525455433445856195 363947

a s s d c e w EAST) e network to rural areas rural to e network gborough Town Strategy Town gborough Kettering Town Strategy Kettering Town Wellin Corby Strategy Town Strategy Town Northampton Daventry Strategy Town Strategy Town Towcester Provision of 2-fast rail services rail from 2-fast of Provision 45 in under London Euston to Northampton minutes Passenger Corby to Kettering of Re-opening new Pancras, services St to through Rail, Corby at station and destinations – ne origins journey at TDM information, locationsleisure – marketing, plans, incentives travel and/or smartcards, charging road evening services of and Sunday on Provision busall core routes Loop south of on Northampton station New Ride) & Park (M1 Northampton service local rail ‘high-frequency’ of Provision and Wellingborough Corby between – Wellingborough Northampton of Re-opening line rail Network Bus Inter-Urban Quality (current service routes rural of Development lessdaily, but hourly) than service to half-hourly of Restoration Street New Birmingham all Northampton for strategy Joint parking parking Links Rail Airport Northamptonshire hubs high quality PT improvements with on A45 priority HOV service spine rural the around Services Feeder Time information Real services between through hourly of Provision England and North-West Northampton Passenger Peterborough/Leicester to Corby re-opening Rail Long services between through of Restoration Buckby and London Euston ticketing – integrated Buzz smartcard Road Ransome to Drive Eagle Northampton: link Moulton Bypass A43 Link Road Rothwell M1 278 J16 – Section cycl Extend Grade-Separation Spinney Round A43 road Buckby station) (A5-Long B4036 improvements Roundabout A5/A43 capacity additional of on Midland Provision and Main Line services calling Kettering at Wellingborough slips south-facing M1 J15a new Wilby Way Junction Grade-Separation A45 date start M1 proposed J19 Junction rebuild, 2007/2008 Bypass Weldon A43 including Kettering Ellington to Kettering A14 2016- committed, timetable – not Bypass (D3) 2021 area in Northampton terminal freight rail New are in Wellingborough terminal freight rail New Dualling Kettering to Npton A43 and dualling link road Corby A43 Kettering at charging user Road A14 Road) Relief SW Bypass (A5 Towcester Coun – County junction on A43 including new scheme, led. developer Isham BypassA509 management and – M40 traffic Daventry A361 road B to downgrade parking station rail of Review Bypas Heyford and Upper Flore Weedon, A45 Daventry) to dualling thro’ (and dualling and grad Thrapston to Stanwick A45 committed, RSS8 junction – not separated 2011/2016 timetable Bypass Roade A508 Road Distributor Eastern Wellingborough Daventry of Improvements North A361 and Corby improvements between on-line A43 Stamford Bypass Finedon A6 (D3) – M1 Kettering to Upgrade A14 – A14 town Corby Improvements to A6116 and Warden Chipping Wardington, A361 or. link), whole Bypasses upgrade Byfield (ie Bypass Hill on the Collyweston/Easton A43 (acces Access Road Wellingborough Northern and link W to Park Pulse proposed to Bypass Farthinghoe A422 Bypass Finedon A510 Dualling (A14-A1) A605 bypass NW Northampton from Upgrade A508 to A14 D4M) M1 J14-J19 (to Upgrade accessM1 M45 J17 to northern in D3AP to widening London Road A45 Northampton Bypass Harlestone A428 housing an developments, employment, retail

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