Congestion Management Plan
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Congestion Management Plan 1 FOREWORD My Renewal Plan for the West Midlands set The West Midlands is at the heart of transport out my ambitions to deliver a transport system innovation. We need to ensure we make best that the region could be proud of, one which use of new technologies such as connected allows people to prosper, by connecting our and autonomous vehicles, and support our communities to opportunities in employment, universities and industry partners to be global learning, housing and leisure. leaders in devising the new ways in which we will move around on our transport system. We also A transport system that has a positive impact need to be innovative in future mobility services on the quality of life, the environment, supports that will meet rising demand for individual businesses to reach their potential and aids journeys in different ways and ensure that these inclusive growth in the region by removing are made in the most sustainable way. constraints and managing congestion. To ensure we have a joined up approach to The West Midlands Combined Authority managing congestion, we will continue to work (WMCA) and I have new powers shared with local very closely with our transport partners to have authorities in relation to managing congestion, a joined up approach to managing congestion Andy Street air quality and road safety. including Highways England, Network Rail and Mayor of the West Midlands key public transport operators as well as the Collectively, working with local authorities and operators of the M6 Toll. other key partners such as Highways England, we need to keep our roads moving. This, however, This Congestion Management Plan is built on is not about continuing as we have always done, three core pillars providing an holistic approach but about giving residents the choice to travel in to how we tackle existing congestion and sustain different ways. an increase in the demand for journeys as our population and economy grows. We must not just tackle the points of congestion, but we all must take responsibility for our actions These core pillars are: through changing how and when we travel. • Improve Capacity; This Congestion Management Plan identifies the causes and issues of congestion and how we will • Improve Efficiency; and deliver the step change that we need. • Manage Demand. 2 3 FOREWORD CONTENTS The West Midlands is our home. Over the next By improving public transport capacity and few years our region will be transformed with making walking and cycling more attractive we changes that are seen as once in a lifetime can provide real and sustainable travel choices through investments in HS2, and our road, rail that will enable residents, businesses and Foreword 3-4 and tram systems. Over the last few years we visitors to travel differently and reduce impacts have achieved a great deal to bring forward new on congestion. Executive summary 6 investment in our public transport system. The WMCA, together with partners, has set out a We need to ensure that we keep pace with Introduction 7-13 clear plan to invest £5bn to deliver a world class population growth and meet the future transport network by 2026. demand for journeys, in a way that does not The Congestion Management Plan 14-15 increase congestion further. We are delivering extensions to the tram system - Improving Capacity 16-28 creating a cross-regional line from the Black A robust congestion management plan will Country to Solihull. We are working with rail introduce wide-ranging, coordinated measures - Improving Efficiency 29-36 partners to deliver additional rail capacity on to manage congestion and enable our region services and stations and the West Midlands Bus to thrive. - Managing Demand 37-41 Alliance is driving forward improvements to our Summary 42-43 bus services. But we all have a role to play. As well as policy Roger Lawrence and decision makers improving the performance Delivery timeline 44-45 We are currently developing Sprint - one of the of the integrated transport system, we must Leader - City of Wolverhampton Council largest bus rapid transit networks in the UK - and all consider how and when we travel so that Portfolio Holder - Transport WMCA Monitoring success 46-47 also making it easier to walk and cycle through we can all play our part in keeping the West initiatives such as the bike sharing scheme and Midlands moving. implementing the Cycling Charter. 4 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE INTRODUCTION The Congestion Management Plan will:- 1. Tackle congestion hotspots through further investment in roads The West Midlands is enjoying a renaissance, of our bus network and investing in our integrated 2. Push for greater traffic management The West Midlands Strategic Economic Plan Midlands Connect is also developing proposals Based on current travel habits this growth could with an upturn in economic performance, ticketing options, making it easier and cheaper powers, including moving traffic (SEP) sets out the vision, objectives and actions to provide better inter-regional connectivity add an additional 1.2 million trips to our network a strong economic plan and leading the UK to travel. We have tackled some of the worst offences to improve the quality of life for everyone who between the East and West Midlands through each weekday, increasing car kilometres by 34%. in terms of exports, creating employment congestion hotspots on our road network and are lives and works in the West Midlands. It aims improvements to road and rail networks. As opportunities, speeding up the delivery of tackling more, but further work needs to be done 3. Invest in technology to help monitor to deliver this within the context of expected part of the Midlands Engine this initiative Congestion on the region’s roads is already a housing and investing in our infrastructure. We to improve both capacity and efficiency to meet performance and manage traffic regional population growth of 444,000 by 2035. has identified a number of key corridors and concern for residents and businesses: in a recent are well placed to welcome the arrival of HS2 future demand. 4. Deliver a regional transport initiatives to manage congestion on this sub survey conducted by WMCA, 62% of people in and other major developments. coordination centre for all Within the SEP it is recognised that an efficient regional level. the West Midlands said they were dissatisfied We are at the forefront of technology and, modes in partnership with local and resilient transport system will underpin with current congestion levels. Transport is key to this economic growth, but alongside our constituent authorities, will authorities, Highways England and future economic success. Transport connects With continued economic success, travel demand congestion on our roads remains a challenge. increase control of our road network through West Midlands Police to manage communities to opportunities and businesses has grown rapidly with 2016 seeing record levels It is critical that we deal with managing Left unmanaged it will stifle our ambitions. Failure investing in on street technologies. incidents/major events to markets. of traffic on the region’s roads. congestion collaboratively at a regional and local to work collaboratively and manage congestion level. Our congested network is undermining is not an option if we are to continue to lead Congestion is an issue for us all and we need 5. Invest in road safety and work with Movement for Growth, the West Midlands With the predicted population growth, it is economic performance and stifling the very the country through economic, housing, social to take responsibility for the demands on the the Police and Crime Commissioner Strategic Transport Plan, is accompanied by a 10- anticipated that 215,000 new homes and up to growth that is planned. and industrial success. We must also tackle the system. We must work collaboratively with to manage road incidents more year delivery plan which outlines key supporting 506,000 new jobs will need to be created across resulting environmental impacts that congestion partners to deliver choice, influence travel efficiently transport projects that will deliver many of the the West Midlands by 2030. causes, most notably poor air quality. behaviour and reduce single car occupancy SEP’s outcomes over the coming decade. 6. Continue to build capacity into journeys through walking and cycling for shorter the public transport networks We are growing new capacity on our transport journeys. network as an integrated system. Our plans 7. Invest in communication and include tripling the tram network, delivering WMCA and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) information tools and become a the largest bus rapid transit network in the UK, have a vital role to play alongside the constituent trusted source of travel advice revolutionising rail through new and enhanced authorities to minimise congestion. stations and services, improving the performance 8. Coordinate the delivery of the transport investment programme and minimise impact through collaboration with the Resilience Partnership 9. Make better use of the M6 Toll 10. Deliver a travel demand action plan to encourage residents and businesses to re-mode, re-route, re-time or remove some journeys. 6 7 Record 8.4 billion miles Public transport use (2016/2017) 216,000 driven on the region’s roads in 2016 Fewer people are within a 45 minute bus journey time of Birmingham city centre compared to Birmingham Solihull 2008 because of congestion Coventry Walsall Dudley Bus (81%) Rail (17%) Wolverhampton Metro (2%) Sandwell 41% 1,473 Of all car journeys are Key Route Network key statistics Deaths per year related to air pollution, A growing region within 2 miles of which transport is a major contributor. Between now and 2035, our region will grow every day, by: 50% 7% Customer satisfaction BUS Of road traffic is Of the road 10x carried on network 100 people More people are likely to use the bus than travel by train in areas with lowest levels of Which is the equivalent of car ownership filling an extra..