Rochdale Borough Transport Strategy June 2010 www.rochdale.gov.uk ROCHDALE BOROUGH TRANSPORT STRATEGY JUNE 2010 Peter Rowlinson Service Director Planning & Regulation Services Enquiries: please contact :- Strategic Planning Service Email: [email protected] Tel: (01706) – 924361 John Cheetham Highways & Transportation Director - Impact Partnership 1 Introduction 1 contents Role and Purpose of the Transport Strategy 1 The Challenge 2 2 Strategic Context 5 Community Strategy 5 Rochdale Borough Renaissance Masterplan 5 Local Transport Plan 5 LTP3 - The Next Steps for Transport 6 Greater Manchester Transport Fund 7 Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and Local Development Framework (LDF) 8 Economic Development Strategy 10 Climate Change and Air Quality 10 Health and Well Being 11 Regional Funding Allocations (RFA2) 11 Wider Governance Changes 12 Programme Deliverability 13 3 Current Situation - Movement Patterns in Rochdale Borough 15 Township Travel Patterns 17 Sustainable Transport Network 18 4 Key Issues 21 Connecting to Jobs, Education and Training Opportunities 21 Taking Advantage of our Strategic Location - Access to the Regional Centre 21 Improving Access to Town and Local Centres and Transport Hubs 21 Minimising Travel 22 Encouraging Walking and Cycling 22 Prioritising Public Transport Improvements 23 Getting More from Heavy Rail Passenger Services 24 Maximising the Benefits of Metrolink 25 Improving Bus Service Reliability and Frequency on Key Routes 25 Congestion and Sustainable Improvements to the Highway Network 26 Tackling Freight Issues 27 Managing Travel Demand 28 Improving Local Transport Safety 29 ROCHDALE BOROUGH TRANSPORT STRATEGY, JUNE 2010 Maintaining the Transport Network 30 5 Vision and Objectives 31 Vision 31 contents Objectives 31 6 Linking Transport Proposals to the Strategy 33 Impact of the Action Plan on Travel in the Borough 39 7 Resourcing the Strategy 41 Local Transport Plan (LTP) 41 Regional Funding Allocations 41 Greater Manchester Transport Fund 41 Regeneration Funding 41 Private Funding 42 8 Implementing the Strategy 43 Stakeholders 44 9 Key Action Plan Proposals 45 Longer Term Aspirations 50 Appendices 1 Current Transport Investment Plans 53 Network Efficiency 53 Road Safety 53 Sustainable Travel 54 2 Contacts 55 Figures Figure 1 Rochdale Borough Existing Transport Network 3 Figure 2 Rochdale Borough Council Strategic Partnership (LSP) Structure 43 Figure 3 Rochdale Borough Proposed Transport Network 51 ROCHDALE BOROUGH TRANSPORT STRATEGY, JUNE 2010 1 One 1 Introduction Role and Purpose of the Transport Strategy introduction This transport strategy is a framework to guide the development of transport improvements across the Borough for the period up to 2026. It identifies priority schemes and projects that are deliverable, but their timing is dependent on the availability of resources. It is therefore a fluid document which will be used to lobby for transport improvements and support bids for funding and can be adjusted in line with resource availability. It aims to deliver a transport vision that: “By 2026, Rochdale Borough will have a safe, affordable, sustainable, reliable, accessible and integrated transport network that offers travel choice, serves its communities, tackles air quality and climate change, enhances social inclusion, public health and supports the regeneration of the local area” The strategy is critical in enabling the Council and its partners to achieve its, economic, social, regeneration and environmental objectives. It will primarily support, guide and be developed further through future Local Transport Plans (LTP) and the Local Development Framework (LDF). It will also support the delivery of other strategies and programmes, including the Community Strategy ‘Pride of Place 2‘, the Borough Masterplan, the Borough’s Economic Development, Infrastructure and Investment and Health Strategies. It also considers the impacts of “Building Schools for the Future” and the re-organisation of hospital services "Healthy Futures" both of which will heavily influence future travel patterns, as well as transport and network management policies in the North West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). This Transport Strategy: a) Links with different tiers of transport policy, and in particular, local, sub-regional and regional transport priorities including the Greater Manchester Strategy; b) Has both short term delivery priorities including those contributing to relevant local and national indicators and targets, as well as the long term strategic direction in developing the borough’s transport network; c) Sets out the Transport priorities for the borough to support the wider holistic aims and aspirations set out in the Community Strategy, Borough Masterplan and Local Development Framework (LDF); d) Identifies transport improvement proposals, informing future LTP programmes and the LDF; e) Provides a framework for developing and lobbying for proposals; and f) Presents a clear statement to the public and the Council’s transport partners of it's priorities and the timescale for delivering improvements to meet borough's future development needs. The Strategy has four underlying principles: 1. Supporting the Borough’s environment, sustainability and public health agenda. Transport emissions are a key contributor to climate change, so a priority for action to influence local travel choice, reduce demand on natural resource use, impact on air quality and carbon emissions / climate change. It will also contribute to improving people's health by offering more opportunities to change their travel behaviour and switch to more active and environmentally sustainable forms of transport; 2. Supporting the Borough’s strategic land-use objectives. The preparation of the LDF offers an opportunity to better integrate land-use and transport, focusing future employment, housing and other development where good access and connectivity can be provided; 3. Address public concerns, particularly residents and businesses experiencing increasing delay, congestion and reduced journey reliability in moving around the Borough. This undermines business efficiency, deters investment in the local economy and reduces quality of life for residents; and 4. Supporting regeneration. Deprived areas, communities and development opportunities are dependent upon high quality, reliable and affordable means of travel to jobs, health, education and other community facilities. Limited cross town and borough movements are a particular concern. Providing good ROCHDALE BOROUGH TRANSPORT STRATEGY, JUNE 2010 2 accessibility and transport links are integral elements of the Council’s Sustainable Communities Initiative and this strategy sets out the framework for transport initiatives that contribute to these. The strategy primarily aims to manage demand, the movement of goods and people and make better use and maximise operation of the existing transport network. It also encourages the use of contemporary and emerging information technology to transport information, reducing the need for physical travel particularly in areas of the network experience congestion. Opportunities to use transport information more efficiently through improved electronic communication will be exploited e.g. broadband, video-conferencing etc. introduction This strategy also provides a framework for more detailed proposals through the development of a series of Township transport plans, linking and forming part of Township plans. It aims to be an accessible document, One so does not contain detailed evidence to justify all the schemes in the action plan. This will be developed in future study reports and detailed technical documents supporting GMLTP3 and other bid submissions. The Challenge Whilst the borough has good transport links to the regional centre, is on the axis of two motorways - the M62/M60 and M66, has a good frequent rail link between the regional centre and West Yorkshire, the network does not meet the travel demands of local communities. The challenge is to provide an affordable, sustainable and effective transport network which serves local community needs by further enhancing strategic and cross-borough links to provide coherence, travel mode choice, connectivity and support regeneration of the local economy while tackling pollution and CO2 emissions from traffic. The implementation of the Council’s transport priorities will depend on close working relationships with partner agencies, transport providers and developers, taking opportunities arising from regeneration initiatives and both private and public investment. Section 2 of this document "Strategic Context", sets out the policy context at national, regional and local level. Section 3 outlines ‘The current situation in Rochdale Borough‘ and its traffic patterns, while Section 4 ‘Key Issues’ identifies those issues and other matters which the Strategy seeks to address. The ‘Vision’ articulates how the Strategy will transform the Borough’s transport system and the ‘Objectives’ for achieving it. Section 6 sets out the ‘Proposals’ listing the proposed schemes and projects linking them to the overall priorities for the Borough. The later section of the document outline the Resourcing and Funding options and presents an Action Plan to meet the Borough's accessibility and movement, needs and aspirations, preliminary cost estimates where available and potential delivery / funding partners. ROCHDALE BOROUGH TRANSPORT STRATEGY, JUNE 2010 3 One introduction Network ransport T Existing Borough