Developing Sustainable Cumbria 2008 to 2028 Routes to a p rosperous Cumbria A review of Cumbria’s transport investment needs Breathtaking coastlines and landscapes of world renown exist alongside historic urban settlements and degraded industrial townscapes of hidden potential contents p4 1 Introduction p5 2 Summary of key transport issues facing Cumbria Sub Region p6-8 3 The Vision for a Modern and Efficient Infrastructure p9 4 Road and Rail Links between the West Coast and M6 and West Coast Main Line p10 5 Morecambe Bay Bridge and West Coast Highway p11 6 West Coast Main Rail Line p12 7 Trans-Pennine Links p13 8 Transport to serve Rural Communities p14-16 9 Reducing Congestion, Climate Change and Improving Public Health p17 10 Air Transport p18 11 Seaports p19-20 12 Capital Funding for the Cumbria Highway and Transport Network p21-22 13 Barrow and Furness p23-26 14 Carlisle and North Cumbria p27-28 15 Lake District National Park p29-31 16 South and East Cumbria p32-35 17 West Cumbria p36 18 Conclusion 3 1 2 Introduction 1.1 This document ‘Routes to a Prosperous 1.4 Proposed transport infrastructure Cumbria’ sets out a vision of an improved transport improvements are developed within the context of infrastructure focussed on economic growth and the Planning System, key objectives of which are quality of place. Its purpose is to demonstrate the to give support to and ensure thriving sustainable level of improvement needed to bring the transport communities, manage resources in a sustainable infrastructure of Cumbria up to a modern standard, way and minimise any environmental impact. it is not a plan of improvements. Partners will work towards providing improved infrastructure through 1.5 The overall transport planning context is set the Local Transport Plan, Highways Agency, out in the Local Transport Plan (LTP) which makes Regional Funding and other funding allocations explicit the role of transport in achieving the and opportunities. It supports the aspirations of wider goals for Cumbria including accessibility, the Cumbria Community Strategy which sets out a economic development, public health and safety, sustainable approach to securing economic growth, climate change and the quality of place. Personal social progress and environmental protection and mobility remains paramount in Cumbria in order enhancement in Cumbria over the next twenty to sustain thriving communities particularly for years. It also supports a range of other economic, sparsely populated rural areas, but a reduction in development & regeneration strategies and spatial the unnecessary movement of people and freight master plans that have been developed around the is a desirable objective for both consumers and country. policy makers to strive for. A modern and efficient transport infrastructure in terms of climate change, 1.2 In proposing improved transport infrastructure public health and management of resources Introduction in pursuit of economic growth, implementation remains a basic requirement for a sustainable plans will be subject to assessments at stages in economy. their development to identify potential impacts on European sites. Relevant plans include Area 1.6 The process and level of known transport Transport Plans and Economic Plans. In developing funds available for local and regional determination proposals for transport schemes options will be are unlikely to be productive or sufficient in making developed and evaluated for alternative ways the significant improvement to the Cumbrian of delivering the desired outcomes as part of transport infrastructure required to support the the process including demand management and aspirations of the county council and it’s partners in alternative mode options. the Cumbria Strategic Partnership (CSP). Therefore alternative funding sources need to be identified 1.3 Proposed transport schemes will be designed and this document is published to assist in securing and implemented to improve environmental and such funding. social outcomes. This will include any schemes promoted by the county council being required 1.7 Achievement of results by the council and to comply with Habitat Regulations, being subject the CSP will be measured by the Government to statutory consultations and being subject to through a new set of national indicators that has Environmental Impact Assessments. Detailed been developed to replace the existing Best Value social impact assessments will be made for each Performance indicators. In each area, targets proposal as it is developed to address equity and against the set of 198 national indicators will be inclusion issues. Schemes will also be subject to negotiated through new Local Area Agreements. robust economic justification and value for money These include targets that relate to transport and its appraisal. wider policy impacts. Each Agreement will include up to 35 priority targets from among the national indicators. 4 5 1 Summary of key transport issues facing 2 Cumbria Sub Region 2.1 Cumbria is geographically isolated and to be economically active. This is dominated distant from regional, national and European by car usage as frequent bus services are markets. This isolation is further accentuated generally not commercially viable outside the in the west of the county and is a contributing larger urban areas and public funding sources factor to the difficulties in attracting investment are constrained. Locally provided rail services into the Sub Region. are able to provide for a limited proportion of demand. High volumes of local car traffic in 2.2 The topography of Cumbria, National urban areas sometimes cause delays on longer Park status and various other landscape distance journeys, some from outside Cumbria. designations have constrained road and railway building and denied parts of the sub-region the developmental benefits of a modern transport 2.7 The transport issues should be seen in network. the context of: 2.3 For the Sub Region to become • Rapid changes in recent years, both down economically competitive this perception of and up, in Cumbria’s relative wealth remoteness and isolation needs to be dispelled. • The peripheral location of Cumbria The consequent retention and attraction of relative to Regional, National and commercial investment will assist communities European markets throughout the County to realise their economic • The perception of inaccessibility to potential and improve their quality of life. potential investors • The existing reliance on car travel 2.4 Road and rail communications between • Environmental protection the M6 and main line rail routes passing through • High toll of people killed and seriously the east of the ccounty and the industrial west injured on the county’s roads coast communities of Furness and West Cumbria • Localised congestion and consequent air remain inadequate. Improved external links pollution in urban and tourist areas eastwards and westwards are also required • Public health concerns including asthma to link with the Government’s Northern Way and obesity growth zone, east coast ports, Northern Ireland • Climate change. and Republic of Ireland. 2.5 The county needs direct air services to a Summary of key transport issues facing Cumbria Sub Region London airport and a European hub. Improved access is also required to the county’s seaports to exploit the facilities they offer for alternative freight transport, particularly unitised cargos and to attract cruise liners. 2.6 The county’s settlement pattern results in a dispersed population with consequent problems of sparsity and many of the smaller towns unable to support all the facilities required for modern living. As a result people need to travel longer distances to satisfy their needs and 4 5 3 The Vision for a Modern and 3 Efficient Infrastructure 3.1 The sub regional strategic partners are 3.4 However, the Northern Way strategy does agreed that a modern and efficient infrastructure not address the issues in Cumbria in terms of is a prerequisite to Cumbria’s economic improved connectivity. For instance: prosperity. Ease of access will contribute to sustaining the existing economy and to • Cumbria is considered in the strategy to attracting new investors. This will be achieved be rural and therefore not considered by by improving bus/rail services and the road/rail the Northern Way to be part of the north’s infrastructure of external and internal transport economic driver. This neglects the distinctly links to our most disadvantaged areas. Local urban issues and opportunities in many parts of accessibility to jobs, goods and services will the county require improvements to walking, cycling and • The whole emphasis of the Northern Way is on bus infrastructure to increase the sustainability productivity impacts. Recent analysis of GVA of local travel. Although distances cannot shows that it is productivity that weakens the be reduced, services and the standards of Cumbrian economy. The Northern Way argues infrastructure sought for all modes are to be the for specific transport schemes that improve best achievable. Sustainable improvements will productivity. Therefore, coming from Cumbria’s be those which reduce road casualties, protect weak transport connectivity base these are communities and enhance the environment. even more critical for the sub region. The value of tourism to the county’s economy is • The Strategy recognises that the current acknowledged and improvements to access for spatial distribution raises the possibility of visitors without detracting