Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
1 October 2013
Overview of Centro Activities During February 2013 - September 2013
Report by Councillor Roger Horton
Transport Operations
Metro Line One – City Centre Extension
Birmingham City centre extension works are on schedule. The first concrete slabs to be used as track beds have now been laid at Colmore Gate. The £13 million Wednesbury Metro depot extension is fully underway although, due to unforeseen issues, the project will not be completed until April 2014. This is not expected to impact on the delivery of the new trams as the commissioning and testing facilities will be completed shortly. The new trams are on track for delivery during October and will become operation during 2014 with the full Metro Line One extension becoming operational from mid 2015. Metro extension will enhance the West Midlands economy by £50 million a year and create up to 1,300 sustainable new jobs.
Local Sustainable Transport Fund
Smart Network, Smarter Choices Corridors within Sandwell MBC are:- A457 Dudley Road A4123/A459 Wolverhampton to Dudley and Quinton A41N Wolverhampton to Bilston and West Bromwich Service 404 Walsall to Merry Hill. IL0 - Unclassified
Good progress is being made against the programme for the Sandwell area on both capital and revenue elements. A detailed progress note is attached to this report.
Sandwell Bus Networks and Initiatives
Sandwell MBC is the focus for our Centro schemes for improved bus/rail interchange which will look at improving information, signage and infrastructure at rail stations and on the surrounding bus routes. Sandwell MBC is also the pilot for Centro’s town interchange guides which provide multimodal information for the six towns of Sandwell. Centro are supporting the Right Care Right Here initiative to improve access to health care and are working with the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital Trust. Centro are working to support the redevelopment of West Bromwich town centre including the New Square development to provide new bus stops and managing bus services provisions. Centro are working with Sandwell MBC to deliver the Metro Plaza scheme which will improve the walking route between Sandwell College, the Metro and the bus station. Centro are working with Sandwell MBC on the Portway Lifestyle Centre near Oldbury to improve accessibility and public transport infrastructure
Rowley Regis Park & Ride Extension
The scheme is under development and will cost £3 million. The work will provide an additional 360 further spaces taking capacity to more than 700 spaces.
IL0 - Unclassified
The scheme will be complemented by the installation of a ‘Cycle Hub’ with capacity for the secure storage of up to 30 bikes. Having now gained planning permission by Sandwell MBC, work is expected to commence on site by the end of 2013 and will take 12 months approximately.
West Midlands Rail Devolution
In March 2012, the Department for Transport announced plans to devolve selected rail decision making powers away from central government including rail franchise devolution; The Department for Transport launched a consultation of the rail franchise devolution proposals. Centro subsequently submitted an Expression of Interest to the Department for Transport and have been invited to submitted detailed proposals. Centro, through forums like the Regional Rail Forum and the Regional Rail Members Group, is developing these proposals for consideration by the Department for Transport in due course and are expected to be submitted towards the end of 2013. Stakeholder support, such as Sandwell and the Black Country LEP, are crucial to the success of the proposal to have greater influence over the West Midlands rail network and local rail services.
Transport Strategy
High Speed Rail
The Department for Transport has published its detailed proposals for HS2 Phase 2 links from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds. Centro has worked jointly with stakeholders to identify a connectivity package across the West Midlands in order to maximise the economic benefits of HS2.
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The package includes a Birmingham city centre Metro extension to HS2/Eastside, the Wednesbury/Brierley Hill Metro extension as well as enhanced local rail provision, including capacity and service improvements to the Snow Hill lines. Centro has commissioned independent research which has suggested Phase 1 and Phase 2 alone will generate 22,000 jobs across the West Midlands and £1.7bn in additional Gross Value Added. This rises to 50,000 additional jobs and £4bn in additional Gross Value Added when supported by the West Midlands connectivity package.
Strategy Publications
In April, the ITA approved Centro’s Integrated Transport Prospectus and the Metropolitan Freight Strategy. The West Midlands Rail Vision underwent consultation in April and will be subject to updates following Network Rail Strategic Business Plan publication and the Office for Rail Regulations determination of charges to access track and stations. Centro is developing an Implementation Plan to provide a delivery and development framework for the Freight Strategy.
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Appendix One
Local Sustainable Transport Fund Progress in Sandwell
The Smarter Network, Smarter Choices corridors falling in the Sandwell area are the A4123/A459 Black Country West corridor, the A457 Connecting Dudley with Birmingham corridor, the no. 4 bus route and the A41 Wolverhampton to West Bromwich Growth corridor. Over the last six months, the following progress has been made regarding Smarter Choices delivery along these corridors.
WorkWise in Sandwell is delivered by Sandwell MBC and funded via the Smarter Network, Smarter Choices programme. 199 residents have been supported into employment between April to July 2013. A key focus since April has been supporting the borough’s residents that have taken up employment opportunities at the New Square Development in West Bromwich. WorkWise was promoted during the recruitment drives for the newly-opened retailers which resulted in a huge increase in enquiries and tickets provided to customers. There has also been a steady increase in the number of WorkWise clients that are taking up apprenticeship opportunities thanks to the promotional work carried out in recently. Summer 2013 saw the official launch of WorkWise cycling support.
Business and Employers 12 Businesses and employers have signed up to the programme within the Sandwell area. Of those 12 businesses, 9 Travel Plans have been signed off and 3 businesses are developing their Travel Plans. Sandwell MBC has signed up to the project, with their Travel Plan Action Plan now agreed. IL0 - Unclassified
Education and Young People
to date, the Education Team has engaged with 15 local schools and Sandwell College to develop and implement Travel Plans, offering grant funding of up to £5,000. We have visited establishments along the corridors to promote sustainable travel options for teachers and students and supported them with their travel plans. We have worked with students by advising on their future travel options at key transition education stages and attended open days to highlight transport/ticketing options available to young people. We are holding a Youth Event in October to encourage interest in our new Youth Panel and to stimulate and motivate young people to think about public transport in their local area. It is intended that in the future the Youth Panel and Sandwell’s existing Youth Cabinet will undertake joint events.
Personal Travel Planning (PTP) Projects took place along the A34 and A4123/A459 between March-August 2013. Targets for household engagement were exceeded and a total of 3,063 and 3,028 participants were reached along each corridor respectively. Cycling and walking referrals were well utilised and over a third of participants along both corridors combined had already made a change in their travel behaviour, or intended to in the near future, by the end of the project.
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Cycling Cycling activities are being provided by BikeRight! in co-ordination with Centro. The following support has been delivered to local residents, students and commuters. A Cycling road-show and Dr Bike was held for Sandwell MBC staff on 4th July 2013, with varied cycling activities, and was well received and attended. West Bromwich Building Society – a staff cycling road show was delivered in partnership with Halfords (cycle scheme provider) on 4th July 2013 and a Dr Bike lunchtime session was organised for 11th Sept 2013. Robinson Bros – a staff Cycling road show (delivered in conjunction with Occupational Therapy as a Health Awareness Day) was held on 12th August 2013. The Sandwell Show on 26th August 2013 included Dr Bike sessions, distribution of Cycle Smarter information, promotion of Smarter Network, Smarter Choices and bike security, including selling ‘D’ locks. City Hospital – a staff Cycling Road show was held on 3rd September 2013 and the organisation is keen to become a Top Cycle Location. BT and Transform Sandwell – a cycling road show was held on 4th September 2013, and staff are interested in follow up cycle training and cycle maintenance sessions. Cycle surgeries have been held at the following stations, including Dr. Bike sessions, promotion of SNSC and bike security, including selling ‘D’ locks and bike security marking:- Wednesbury Parkway on 2nd May 2013 Sandwell & Dudley Railway station on 19th June 2013 Cradley Heath Railway Station on 25th June 2013 Rowley Regis Railway Station on 26th June 2013
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Walking
Walking activities are being provided by Health Exchange in co-ordination with Centro. There have been three led walks during July 2013 in the Sandwell area which include Red House, Tipton Balancing Lake and Lightswood Park. These form part of the weekly walks three month programme (from July 2013 to September 2013). On 21st August 2013, Health Exchange held an introductory session at the West Bromwich Building Society head office. The led walk itself was held on 4th September 2013 and received positive feedback from attendees.
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