SPITSHome
SOUTH PENNINES INTEGRATED TRANSPORT STRATEGY

"Joint working mechanisms will be developed as demanded by the strategy, ensuring that practical projects remain focussed on the wider objectives."

2. The Strategy

2.1 In brief

In brief, the proposals relating to the strategy consists of 5 main elements:

  1. Traffic restraint e.g. speed reduction measures and traffic calming, on all transPennine routes and class A and B roads, south of the M62 and north of the A50, except the A57/A628/616 corridor. A pilot study will firstly consider the area including and within the A6 and A52/523 ‘lozenge.’

  2. Similar traffic restraint measures on the minor road network in the SPITS area, to prevent diversion

  3. Improved/reinstated rail routes across or around the SPITS area

  4. Improved/new bus/coach services, within or around the SPITS area

  5. Improvements to the A57/628/616 core trunk route across the National Park

Maps of the SPITS area with the public transport proposals and highway proposals are presented in Appendix J.

2.2 Priority Framework

The Business Plan centres around a Priority Framework (see Table 2) which links the vision and objectives through key themes to an Action Plan. The Action Plan itself will be subject to review as consultations, appraisals, pilot studies, and statutory processes are carried out.

2.3 Vision Statement

Following requests at the public participation workshop held in October 1999, a vision statement was devised using responses from those attending or invited to attend the workshop.

2.4 Revised Objectives

The primary purpose of the participation workshop was to revise the objectives of SPITS. This was felt necessary because of significant developments in the field of transport as follows:

  1. Publication of the Transport White Paper, subsequent ‘daughter’ documents and the introduction of the Transport Bill

  2. The proposal by Central Railway to re-open the Woodhead railway line between Manchester and Sheffield as part of the Liverpool to Lille freight route

  3. The publication of the Trunk Roads review which suggested de-trunking of two major routes across the strategy area, but which retained the A628/616 route in the core network, with its associated schemes e.g. Mottram-Tintwistle by-pass

  4. The passing of the Road Traffic Reduction Acts

  5. The Highways Agency’s introduction of accident remedial schemes on two of the major routes across the strategy area (A6 and A52/523)

  6. The commencement of work on 3 multi-modal studies affecting the SPITS area

  7. The re-commencement of work on the Mottram-Tintwistle by-pass under the new appraisal techniques for trunk road schemes

  8. The production of Regional Transport Strategies as part of Regional Planning Guidance (four regions are involved in the SPITS area)

  9. The introduction of Local Transport Plans (six LTPs cover the SPITS area)

  10. The inclusion of the Matlock-Buxton/Chinley re-opening project in Railtrack’s Network Management Statement as a joint scheme with Derbyshire County Council

  11. The most recent assessment of traffic growth, which still envisages a 32% increase in rural A road traffic by 2010, even assuming traffic restraint measures

The revised objectives have now been ‘nested’ within the Government’s five objectives for transport: integration, safety, economy, environment and accessibility.

2.5 Key themes

It is important that there is a sequence from the revised objectives through to action. Key themes have been lifted from the revised objectives, and each element of the Action Plan demonstrates which key theme is being addressed. The twelve key themes are as follows:

KEY THEMES Strategic public transport services, inter-modality, trunk roads, limitation of traffic growth, integrated policies, transport plans, freight by rail, safer environment, sustainable economy, valued characteristics (natural and built environment), accessibility and affordable transport choices.

2.6 Action Plan

This groups the activity of the Peak Park Transport Forum under the main headings of:

    1. Partnership working

      2. i.e. the Officer and Member meetings, the development of sub groups to progress aspects of the strategy, integration within policies and plans, Research & Development activity, assessment of progress, participation/consultation methods, and communication issues. The development of sub-groups is of particular importance, as this represents how the broader strategy will be translated into action. The remit of the sub-groups includes matters raised at the participation workshop in 1999.

    2. Integrated transport planning – projects

Initiatives have been listed and referenced under the headings of:

CH – widening travel choices (Matlock-Buxton/Chinley railway re-opening, bus service enhancements, and Trans-Pennine rail upgrade)

TM – traffic management and demand restraint (area traffic restraint schemes, beginning with a pilot scheme in the area between and including the A6 and A52/A523)

H – Planning and managing the highways network (A628 Mottram-Hollingworth-Tintwistle and A628/A616 selected, limited improvements)

F – Sustainable distribution (Woodhead railway and freight management issues).

These headings have been devised to complement the format of Local Transport Plans using the most recent guidance notes from DETR

 

As noted earlier, the Forum has a role of co-ordination rather than one of control, and will take an overall view of initiatives within the South Pennines area to ensure that the strategy’s objectives are being addressed. At the same time, the Forum will progress initiatives where there are perceived to be ‘gaps’ in activity. Table 3 illustrates which initiatives represent the workload of the Forum (Sections A and B), whilst projects led by other agencies or groups are listed separately (Section C). Further information about each of the Forum’s projects is provided in the scheme management forms in Appendix I.

Table 2 PRIORITY FRAMEWORK

SOUTH PENNINES INTEGRATED TRANSPORT STRATEGY

Vision

Objectives

Key Themes (twelve)

Action Plan(summary)

     

"An environment which is

safer and healthier,

in which the overall impact of transport is reduced,

whilst ensuring access for everyone to everyday facilities, based upon a more sustainable economy."

Integration

To improve strategic public transport services, and to promote easier connections between different ways of travelling.

To make best use of and improve the Highways Agency’s core road network.

To limit traffic growth on other roads.

To link transport policies with the environment, land use planning, education, health and wealth creation.

To influence the content of Regional Transport Strategies and Local Transport Plans.

To maximise the use of rail for freight transport.

Safety

To create a safer environment for:

  • residents and visitors to the area, with particular regard for vulnerable road users
  • cross-Pennine travellers

Economy

To help develop in a sustainable way the economies of the South Pennines area.

Environment

To conserve and enhance the valued characteristics of the National Park and its environs.

Accessibility

To develop accessible and affordable transport choices, with particular reference to vulnerable and non-motorised users.

 

1a Strategic public transport services

1b Inter-modality

1c Trunk roads

1d Limitation of traffic growth

1e Integrated policies

 

1f Transport Plans – local and

regional

1g Freight by rail

 

2 Safer environment for all

 

 

 

 

 

3 Sustainable economy

 

4 Valued characteristics

(natural and built environment)

 

 

5a Accessibility

5b Affordable transport choices

Partnership working mechanisms

Officer and member meetings

Sub-groups:

Strategic bus services (Themes 1a/b, 5)

Limitation of traffic growth and safety

(Themes 1d/2)

Freight by rail (Theme1g)

Integrating transport; policies

(themes 1e/f)

integration with land use planning, local and regional transport strategies

Information and monitoring

R&D and assessment of progress

Participation/communication

Integrated transport planning; projects

CH - widening travel choices (themes 1a/b)

CH1 Matlock-Buxton-Chinley railway re-opening

CH2 Bus service enhancements (sub group)

CH3 Trans-Pennine rail upgrade

TM - traffic management and demand restraint (themes 1d/2)

TM1 A6/A52/523 area traffic restraint/travel awareness (sub group)

TM2 A6/A628 area traffic restraint/travel awareness

TM3 A628/M62 area traffic restraint/travel awareness

H - planning and managing the highways network (theme 1c)

H1 A628 Mottram Hollingworth Tintwistle

H2 A628/A616 selected, limited improvements

F - Sustainable distribution (theme 1g)

F1 Woodhead railway

F2 Freight management (sub group)

NB Themes 3 and 4 underlie all project work

TABLE 3: ACTION PLAN

A - Partnership Working (Peak Park Transport Forum)
Officer and member meetings
Sub groups (see B below)
Integrating transport policies
Themes 1e/f: integrated policies, transport plans, local and regional
- Integrating into Local Transport Plans x 6
- Integrating into Regional Planning Guidance x 4
- Links with multi-modal studies
- Link with SEA of Trans-Pennine corridor
Information and monitoring (research & development)
Assessment of progress
Participation/consultation
Communication - newsletter and website

B Projects (PPTF)

CH Widening travel choice
Themes 1a/b and 5: strategic public transport services, inter-modality, accessibility and affordability
CH2 strategic bus services (sub group)

TM traffic management and demand restraint
Themes 1d/2: Limitation of traffic growth/safety
TM1 A6/A52/A523 area traffic restraint/travel awareness/safety (sub group)
TM2 A6/A628 area traffic restraint/travel awareness/safety
TM3 A628/M62 area traffic restraint/travel awareness/safety


F Sustainable Distribution
Theme 1g :Freight by rail
F2 Freight Management (sub group)

C Projects (other)

CH Widening travel choice

CH1 Matlock-Buxton-Chinley railway re-opening
Derbyshire County Council/Railtrack
CH3 Trans-Pennine Rail upgrade
TransPennine Rail Group


H Planning and managing the highways network
H1 A628 Mottram-Hollingworth-Tintwistle
Theme 1c :Trunk Roads
H2 A628/A616 Instigating selected, limited improvements
Highways Agency

 

F Sustainable Distribution
F1 Woodhead Railway
Central Railway

Policy Base
Sustainability - quality of life: local agenda 21, safety, health, environment, economy

Sections A (partnership working) and B (projects) indicate the workload of the PPTF, whilst Section C (projects) indicates projects of relevance to SPITS which are led by other agencies/groups.

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