Manchester North-West Quadrant Study Manchester North-West Quadrant Study Date: 5th February 2016 Version 1.6 1 Manchester North-West Quadrant Study Document Control Document Title: Manchester North-West Quadrant – Initial Report Document Reference: HE553231-HE-GEN-MNWQ-RP-PM-0007 Author Stuart Robinson et al Owner Mark Corbin Distribution Document Status Draft Record of Issue Version Status Author Date Checked Date Authorised Date SJR / AW / JA Draft / BJ / AG / 30/11/15 0.5 GW SJR / RC / JA / Draft 11/12/15 0.9 BJ / AG / GW SJR / RC / JA / 1.1 Draft 04/01/16 SJR / RC / 04/01/16 BJ / AG / GW GP SJR / RC / JA / 1.2 Draft BJ / AG / GW 08/01/16 SJR / GP 08/01/16 / GP SJR / RC / JA / 1.3 Draft BJ / AG / GW 15/01/16 SJR / GP 15/01/16 / GP SJR / RC / JA / 1.4 Draft BJ / AG / GW 22/01/16 SJR / GP 22/01/16 / GP SJR / RC / JA / 1.5 Final BJ / AG / GW 05/02/16 SJR / GP 05/02/2016 DO 05/02/16 / GP SJR / RC / JA / 1.6 Final BJ / AG / GW 24/02/16 SJR / CH 24/02/2016 DO 24/02/16 / GP Version 1.6 2 Manchester North-West Quadrant Study 1 Executive Summary .................................................................................. 5 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 5 1.2 The Strategic Economic and Planning Case ....................................................... 5 1.3 Current Transport Problems ................................................................................ 7 1.4 Key Environmental Considerations ..................................................................... 8 1.5 Key Preliminary Findings ..................................................................................... 8 2 Introduction and background ................................................................. 11 2.2 Study Objectives and scope .............................................................................. 11 2.3 Study stages and reporting ................................................................................ 12 2.4 Study area overview ........................................................................................... 13 2.5 Strategic Road Network ...................................................................................... 18 2.6 The TfGM Key Route Network (KRN). ................................................................ 24 2.7 Public transport .................................................................................................. 25 2.8 Cycling and Walking ........................................................................................... 27 2.9 Previous Studies ................................................................................................. 28 3 Strategic Economic & Planning Context .................................................. 30 3.1 Strategic Context ................................................................................................ 30 3.2 Economic Context .............................................................................................. 34 3.3 Planning context ................................................................................................. 44 4 Current Transport Problems ................................................................... 47 4.2 Traffic Flows on the SRN .................................................................................... 47 4.3 Journey Times & Speeds ................................................................................... 60 4.4 Journey Purpose on SRN ................................................................................... 70 4.5 Trip Distribution on SRN .................................................................................... 72 4.6 Public Transport Patronage ............................................................................... 81 4.7 Key Freight Generators close to SRN ............................................................... 88 4.8 Existing SRN Alignment and Junctions ............................................................ 90 4.9 Safety ................................................................................................................... 92 4.10 Planned Transport Investments ......................................................................... 94 4.11 Future Travel Forecasts ..................................................................................... 98 Version 1.6 3 Manchester North-West Quadrant Study 4.12 Traffic Growth ..................................................................................................... 99 4.13 Impact of Traffic Growth on Performance of the SRN ...................................... 99 5 Current Environmental Challenges ....................................................... 103 5.2 Air Quality ......................................................................................................... 103 5.3 Noise .................................................................................................................. 108 5.4 Biodiversity ....................................................................................................... 111 5.5 Historic Environment ........................................................................................ 111 5.6 Landscape / Townscape ................................................................................... 112 6 Conclusions .......................................................................................... 114 7 Appendix A – Environmental Constraints Plans .................................... 116 8 Appendix B – Existing Studies............................................................... 117 Version 1.6 4 Manchester North-West Quadrant Study 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 As part of its Road Investment Strategy: Investment Plan, December 2014 the Department for Transport (DfT) announced it was commissioning a series of six new strategic studies to address the biggest challenges facing the road network. 1.1.2 One of the studies announced was the Manchester North-West Quadrant strategic study which will explore options for improving the transport network around Manchester’s North- West Quadrant between junctions 8 and 18 of the M60, part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN). 1.1.3 The strategic aim of this study is to identify and provide an initial appraisal of the improvements to the transport network across all modes that can underpin the vision for transforming and rebalancing the national economy and establishing the north as a global powerhouse, a core part of the Government’s economic strategy. The study will look at options for improving the transport network around the North-West Quadrant. It will consider a range of different modal options, to make sure the local road network and public transport options play their part. 1.1.4 This study is co-sponsored by the DfT and Transport for the North (TfN) and the study area is shown bounded by the red line in the Figure 1 on page 10. This Initial Report addresses the first stage of the study programme to prepare a preliminary strategic case for considering further investment to the transport network in and around the north-west quadrant of Manchester. 1.2 The Strategic Economic and Planning Case 1.2.1 The North of England is home to 15 million people – nearly a quarter of the UK’s population – and generates £290bn in economic output, accounting for more than one fifth of our national GDP. Individually, the economies of the City Regions of the North are strong but, despite this, the North continues to lag behind London and the South East in terms of its economic performance. 1.2.2 Employment rates and productivity levels are both lower in the North than they are in the South, with the gap in productivity widening over time. The Northern Transport Strategy report (The Northern Powerhouse: One Agenda, One Economy, One North) recognises that the North of England has a number of medium-sized cities that perform well individually, but lack the transport connectivity needed to drive improved output and employment. This is essential to creating a single and well-connected economy in the North, which is a key objective of the Northern Powerhouse. Version 1.6 5 Manchester North-West Quadrant Study 1.2.3 This is further complemented by the One North report by the City Regions of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield which presents a strategic proposition for transport in the North that aims to transform connectivity for economic growth through agglomeration of markets, improving access to skilled labour and stimulating business investment. The case for action, set out in the Highways Plan of the One North report, recognises that the number, capacity and reliability of east-west road connections is a constraint on the economy and acknowledges that there are areas of severe congestion on the existing network, together with a high level of demand for freight from northern ports. 1.2.4 The SRN, operated by Highways England, in Manchester’s north-west quadrant forms part of a key east-west connection linking the city regions of Liverpool and Manchester across the Pennines to Leeds, Sheffield and on to the North East. It provides a key component linking the labour market to employment opportunities in the regional centre (the area bounded by the M60); provides business to business connectivity for both people and freight; and provides access to major leisure destinations such as international sporting venues and the Trafford Centre