Transport Now
The Yorkshire and Humber region is at the centre of key north-south and east-west road and rail corridors including the M1, A1 and M62, the East Coast Main Line and Trans-Pennine rail lines. These routes are of vital importance to the competitiveness of the region and growing congestion problems need to be tackled to facilitate economic development. The Humber ports represent an important regional asset and improved road and rail links are a priority. Increasing congestion in the main towns and cities must be addressed to foster regeneration, improve the environment and encourage urban renaissance. In rural areas, improved public transport is needed to tackle problems of car dependency and social exclusion.
Transport 2010
- Transport 2010 will deliver a £180 billion funding package, both public and private money, over the next ten years.
- All regions will benefit from Transport 2010 through UK rail spending and the Highway's Agency trunk road network in England. £59 billion will also be allocated to local transport investment outside London through local authorities.
- Our strategy is to tackle congestion and pollution by improving all types of transport - rail and road, public and private - in ways which increase choice.
- The plan does not contain a regional funding allocation. Individual regional projects will be determined by bodies such as the Highways Agency and the Strategic Rail Authority and on the Local Transport Plan settlement later this year.
- Each region will get a substantial slice of the £180 billion. Benefits across regions, including London, will include:
- Reduced congestion;
- Widening of 360 miles (576 km) of trunk roads and motorways;
- 100 bypasses (30 national and 70 in local plans);
- £30bn to improve the condition of local roads, bridges and street lighting;
- Quieter surfaces on concrete motorways and trunk roads;
- Modern bus services, and up to 25 tram and light rail systems;
- Upgraded and expanded rail network with 50 % more passengers and 80% more rail freight;
- 100 Park and Ride schemes;
- Increased priority for walking and cycling in five year LTPs;
- High priority for safety and environmental measures.
- Regional and local bodies have a key role to play determining their own investment priorities in Regional Transport Strategies and Local Transport Plans (LTPs). LTPs are now for five years from 2001–2006 which will give greater certainty allowing more efficient procurement and planning. Local partners are already working with central and local government to develop an integrated transport system for the Yorkshire and Humber region.
- Transport 2010 spending is calculated from April 2001. Approved or prospective schemes are included when their investment falls within the Plan period. Private sector funding will be locked in contractually over long periods depending on the nature of existing funding mechanisms.
Benefits in the Yorkshire and Humber from Transport 2010:
Trunk Roads
Five major trunk road schemes in the region are being taken forward as part of the Highways Agency's targeted programme of improvements. These will bring safety and environmental benefits to the communities bypassed and relieve congestion on busy sections of the A1. They are:
- A1(M) Ferrybridge to Hook Moor;
- A1(M) Wetherby to Walshford;
- A63 Selby Bypass (planned contract award: autumn 2001);
- A650 Bingley Relief Road (planned contract award: early 2001);
- A1033 Hedon Road Improvement, Hull (planned contract award: early 2001).
Road Based Studies
Government Offices and the Highways Agency are working on the following roads based solutions studies:
- A1 Bramham to Barton - A1 study is investigating a variety of solutions to improve safety - possibly upgrading the route to motorway standard and improving junctions and signing;
- A66 Safety Study - investigate solutions to the poor safety record between Scotch Corner and Penrith – including improved signing, local realignments and junction improvements.
Transport 2010 provides the funding to implement the outcomes of these studies.
Local Roads
The following schemes have already been accepted or provisionally accepted but not yet implemented:
- A6023 Denaby main diversion in Doncaster;
- Phase 2 and 3 of the Coalfields Link Road in Barnsley;
- Scarborough's integrated transport scheme.
The funding for LTPs means that the following schemes could also be implemented, subject to the normal value for money and planning tests:
- Significantly more funding for road maintenance, street lighting and road safety, including Safe Routes to Schools;
- East Leeds Link Road;
- Hemsworth – A1 Link Road (Wakefield);
- Bradford City Centre Integrated Transport Scheme;
- A61 Sheffield Inner Ring Road Phase 2;
- A631 West Bawtry Road (Rotherham).
Early congestion and safety improvements to be delivered by March 2002 on Trunk Roads
- A180 - Improvements to Laybys;
- M1 Junction 32 Northbound Merge - New Road Layout;
- A63 Lidget Lane - Pedestrian Crossing;
- A64 Malton Bypass/Golden Hill - Junction Improvements and New Signs;
- A63 - Traffic Calming Cliffe Village, Hemingborough, Hambleton and Thorpe Willoby;
- A63 Corby Park Junction - Junction and Central Reserve Improvements;
- A63 Gibson Lane Junction - Junction and Central Reserve Improvements;
- West Yorkshire MIDAS M1 Junction 39 – 42, M62 Junction 25 – 29;
- Installation of Network Communications System.
Multi –Modal Studies
Multi-modal studies are investigating the most serious problems on the trunk road network that were not addressed in the Targeted Programme of Improvements. They examine the role of each of the transport modes to determine what investment is needed to tackle the transport problems. They have also been asked to look at a range of demand management measures where appropriate. However, no decision will be taken on inter-urban tolling until a number of conditions have been met. Primary legislation will be required. Transport 2010 provides the funding to implement the outcomes of these studies.
Studies in the Yorkshire and Humber Region are as follows:
- South and West Yorkshire – due to report in Autumn 2001. Website: http://www.goyh.gov.uk/PT/SYMMS/default.htm;
- Hull Corridor – due to report in Autumn 2001.
Options they are studying include:
- Park and Ride (both rail and bus based) sites near the motorways to reduce traffic on the motorway and in urban areas.
- Improved access to airports in the region.
- Improved road and public transport access to regeneration areas.
- Travel Plans to encourage more sustainable means of travel to and from work and school).
- Faster and more frequent services between Leeds and Sheffield.
- Improved services on Trans-Pennine routes through the new Trans-Pennine Express franchise.
- New stations to serve commuters in the main urban areas of Leeds and Sheffield.
- Rail freight investments (eg gauge enhancements) on both Trans-Pennine routes and the East Coast Main Line.
- A1 upgrade to motorway standard to resolve safety problems.
- Motorway widening and junction enhancements around M1 Junctions 31-34 and M62 Junctions 26-29.
- Improvements to the A63 through the centre of Hull.
- Dedicated lanes (such as freight or high occupancy vehicle lanes) on the A63 west of Hull.
Railway
- The East Coast Main Line upgrade providing increased rail capacity to the region. This will build on the £165 million Leeds Station scheme currently underway which is Phase 1 of the East Coast Main Line upgrade.
- Improvements to Trans-Pennine rail routes agreed as part of the new Trans-Pennine Express franchise.
- Improvements to suburban rail services as part of refranchising process.
- Improvements to Sheffield Station and better suburban rail services and new rolling stock as part of refranchising process.
- Enhanced rail freight capacity to the Humber ports.
Light Rail
Transport 2010 includes billions of pounds of public and private investment for light rail schemes. This could allow the following schemes to proceed, subject to the normal requirements for value for money appraisal and planning powers and satisfactory funding arrangements being agreed with the authorities:
- New Supertram in Leeds;
- Extensions to the South Yorkshire Supertram in Sheffield.
Buses
- The A641 Manchester Road Quality Bus Scheme in Bradford;
- Better rural bus services through Rural Bus subsidy and Challenge plans.
Subject to appraisal showing value for money for investment and necessary planning powers:
- Measures to improve public transport in the main towns and cities including further guided bus routes – as successfully pioneered in Leeds. These would include measures to provide quality bus services in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield and measures to improve public transport in Hull including further bus priority measures.
Regional Transport Improvements Started Since 1997
Leeds City Station - £165 million project - biggest investment ever on railway network in Leeds.
East Leeds Quality Bus project - ground breaking scheme where bus operators will fund part of the cost of the roadworks providing guided busways, bus lanes, new bus stops and new high quality buses on the A63 (Leeds-Selby) and A64 (Leeds-York).
Local Transport Funding – in 2000-2001 settlement the region has been allocated £112.4m, up from £70.3m in 1999/2000 which is an increase of almost 60%. Significant schemes supported are:
Doncaster North Bridge – cost up to £63m and has been allocated £19m for 2000/01.
Doncaster (Denaby Main) - A6023 Denaby Main diversion (£9m) - this scheme involves by-passing the existing level crossing on the main East-West rail line in South Yorkshire.
Barnsley Coalfields Link Road Phases 2&3 - £5.3 m scheme provisionally accepted in 2000/01 LTP.
Bradford Manchester Road Quality Bus Corridor (Bradford) - a £10.5m (£5.8m net) Quality Bus Corridor Scheme in the south of the city.
Scarborough Integrated Transport Scheme - £17m PFI scheme in Scarborough providing Park & Ride facilities, a bypass to remove traffic from the southern outskirts of the town.New Public Transport Information System – an information system set up by a partnership of local authorities, bus operators and Passenger Transport Executives.
Sheffield Inner Ring Road - Stage 1 of the Sheffield Inner Ring Road has been completed and opened in April.
South and West Yorkshire Motorway Box multi-modal study.
Roads based studies - A1 Bramham-Barton and A66 study.
Additional support for rural buses – Rural Bus Subsidy Grant has been extended for 3 more years beyond 2000-1. Yorkshire and the Humber will get £3 million.
Better rail services. Rail Passenger Partnership Fund bids have been approved to support additional Sheffield-Hull fast services and to increase capacity on peak hour services to and from Leeds.
Published 20 July 2000/updated 25 July 2000
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