Transport
A reliable and efficient transport system is key to the
Northwest’s economic growth. Good transport links aid the
competitiveness of industry and commerce by: attracting inward
investment; ensuring goods and
services are distributed efficiently; and improving the commuting
options for the region’s workers. These transport links also
support tourism and leisure
needs, by helping people access the region’s tourist
attractions.
The NWDA works at a strategic level with 4NW, local authorities,
the Highways Agency, the rail industry and other transport
providers to help deliver the transport actions in the Regional
Economic Strategy.
The Regional Spatial Strategy - which includes the Regional
Transport Strategy - will be combined with the Regional Economic
Strategy in the new single Regional Strategy, known as RS2010. The
NWDA has joint responsibility with 4NW in preparing the Single
Regional Strategy for the Northwest.
It is essential to maintain, manage and improve transport
networks in ways that contribute towards the region's sustainable
development. The Regional Economic Strategy advocates policies and
proposals for managing travel which will contribute towards
reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.
Regional Funding Advice
The Regional Funding Advice process is where the Government asks
its regional partners - including the NWDA - to provide advice on:
their spending priorities for the money their region has been
allocated in the Spending Review; and their long-term spending
projections.
Working with 4NW, the NWDA produced a Regional
Funding Advice document which sets out the regions recommended
transport investment programme, including a number of schemes
required to contribute to the delivery of the Regional Economic
Strategy.
DaSTS: Delivering a Sustainable Transport System
The NWDA and 4NW are leading on the development
of options for the region’s transport network as part of the
Government’s
DaSTS process and RS2010. The work will be
carried out over the next two years and the outcome will be the
basis of the region’s transport spending from 2014 onwards.
Northwest Productivity Rail Study
Network Rail published the Northwest Route Utilisation Strategy
in May 2007. It set out potential route and service improvements
and looked at balancing passenger and freight demand as well as
operational performance and cost.
Building on the Route Utilisation Strategy, and in conjunction
with 4NW and Network Rail, the NWDA commissioned a Northwest
Productivity Rail Study to identify rail projects with particularly
high wider economic benefits.
Other Route Utilisation Strategies, including Merseyside, Wales,
Lancashire and Cumbria, have also recently been established. The
NWDA has contributed to the development of Route Utilisation
Strategies and set out how they can best contribute to the Regional
Economic Strategy in our Route Utilisation Strategy responses to
Network Rail.
Manchester Rail Hub
The Manchester Rail Hub is a significant strategic transport
issue facing the North of England. It impacts on most rail services
across the North (through its linkages with the North's major
cities) as well as freight movements to and from the region.
The Northern Way - a partnership between the NWDA, Yorkshire
Forward and ONE North East - led Phase 1 of the strategic
development of Manchester Rail Hub. In its Conditional Output
Statement, the Northern Way reported that improvements to the
Manchester Rail Hub - in areas such as better inter-connections and
doubling freight provision - could bring up to £16 billion to the
region in economic benefits.
Network Rail is now leading Phase 2 of the strategic development
of Manchester Rail Hub, reporting on the feasibility and cost of
the suggested hub improvements.
Northwest Port Study
The NWDA has commissioned a study of the economic trends and
land use requirements of ports in the region. The study provides an
update of the Northwest
Ports Economic Trends and Land Use Study 2005.
The overall aim of the study is to provide an accurate
assessment of the key economic trends affecting Northwest ports and
how this translates into port land requirements. The findings will
be used to provide an informed response to Port Masterplans, as
well as an evidence base for DaSTS and RS2010.