Agenda item

To approve and adopt the revised Strategic Transport Plan

Lead: Katie Day

5.1          The Chair thanked the Director of Strategy, Analysis and Communications and her team for all their work on getting the final version of the STP to the position where it could be presented to the Board for its approval and adoption.

5.2          Members received the report from the Director of Strategy, Analysis and Communications who then outlined the key aspects of her report, including that final proof-reading was taking place and the proposal to add an explicit reference regarding support for an underground station at Manchester Piccadilly: the latter reflecting previously adopted TfN Board position in respect of NPR.

5.3          Cllr Gittins was pleased that the STP views the North as a whole, as well as on a place base level, and emphasised the importance of this. She was also glad to see a recognition of the scale of the challenge and the inclusion of short-term goals and emphasised the importance of using the STP to make progress at pace. 

5.4          Cllr Hunt welcomed the inclusion of reference to the potential for tram-train. He explained that South Yorkshire wants to expand the super tram network and views tram-train as central to this.

5.5          Mayor Brabin stressed the necessity to be mindful about the present as well as looking to the future. She emphasised the importance of the T-shaped station being built in Leeds, without which, she believes, there will not be a “fit for purpose” network across the North that will allow the ambitions in the plan to be realised. She also stated that insurers are now no longer insuring car clubs, so this reference within the final Plan may need to be looked at.

5.6          Mayor Burnham made specific reference to the importance of referencing the underground station at Manchester Piccadilly, on the new line from Manchester to Liverpool via Warrington. He emphasised the importance of this for resilience not just for Manchester, but for the wider rail network across the North.

5.7          He also suggested that TfN capture the “bottom up” place base approach to transport planning, where the infrastructure supports what is sought to be achieved and where political voices, business voices and other stakeholders are all involved. He believes this approach will underpin all the ambitions in the STP.

5.8          The Chair highlighted the importance of the station areas and how transformational they are and agreed with both Mayor Brabin and Mayor Burnham on the importance of the T-shaped station in Leeds and the underground station in Manchester.

5.9          Cllr Rollo was pleased that the plan recognises the challenges facing rural areas and the need to improve accessibility in these areas.

5.10       Ms Hayward stressed the importance of continued engagement with business following the adoption of the STP and welcomed the commitment for this to continue to be enhanced.

5.11       Mr McIntosh in responding to the comments about stations, supported the emphasis being given to their importance and of the railway companies seeing stations as belonging to their communities and economies. He commented that over the years it can be seen that good investment in stations can be transformative to economies and provided examples over recent years with plans at Leeds and Bradford. He confirmed that Network Rail is working with Mayor Burnham in Greater Manchester and is spending more time supporting Crewe on station related matters.

5.12       Cllr Smith raised the need for further investment in the North Station in Blackpool to improve the passenger experience and requested TfN’s support with this.

5.13       Cllr Corcoran highlighted that whilst the STP takes into account the cancellation of the HS2 Northern leg and the announcement of Network North, it does not portray the scale of the impact of this decision for Crewe and the lack of any compensation to mitigate the damaging losses to the town, the Borough, the Council, and the wider sub-region.

5.14       He then outlined the economic cost of this decision to the area as well as the loss of long overdue investment to Crewe Station. He informed the Board that recently he welcomed Mayors Burnham and Rotheram to Crewe to discuss the importance of Crewe as a regional rail hub to the North West. Mayor Burnham had discussed the work to look at the alternatives for improving rail connectivity between the West Midlands and Manchester as well as his hope that any alternatives will see more services call at Crewe and not bypass it. He requested TfN’s endorsement of this message to ensure that Crewe continues to play a critical role in the future of rail and rail freight for the North, Midlands and Wales.

5.15       On the issue of freight, Cllr Corcoran welcomed the STP section on rail freight with its emphasis on a modal shift from road to rail. He stated that Crewe can play a vital role in this due to its location and the fact that it has Basford Hall Freight Yard one of the largest freight yards in the UK. He then requested TfN’s endorsement of the need for capacity improvement through Crewe and a package of measures for Crewe station.

5.16       In support of Cllr Corcoran, Mayor Burnham started by noting that the West Coast Mainline will be full by the 2030s. He explained that interim work has been concluded by the private sector working group and has recommended that a new line is needed between Handsacre and High Legh and that any new line needs to go through Crewe. He believes that this needs to be captured in the STP.

5.17       The Chair agreed with Mayor Burnham that this needs to be included but did not want to hold up the approval of the SPT and suggested that this could be added as an addendum.

5.18       On the issue of stations, Mayor Rotheram stated that areas do work on the stations, but they do not own them; in the Liverpool City Region they have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Transport to examine taking over the running of them as they can access options which Network Rail cannot. He added that that the only way to make stations accessible is to invest in them.

5.19       Cllr Ieronimo suggested the inclusion of smart technology and artificial intelligence in the document, or at the very least represented areas to explore further as part of the implementation of the STP.

5.20       Mr Andy Rhind confirmed that the TfN executive had worked closely with DfT officials throughout the development of the STP and stated that he would be happy to present the STP to Ministers as statutory advice.

5.21       In response, the Director of Strategy, Analysis and Communications acknowledged the points made by Cllr Corcoran and stated that this could be included in the more detailed implementation advice. She highlighted that whilst HS2 phases 2a and 2b are now no longer the policy option there remains the need for connectivity and capacity and alternative proposals are required. She stated that the STP makes reference to this evidence, and also of the need to capitalise on the economic potential of Crewe. She suggested two minor amendments to (a) reference capacity between Handsacre and High Legh, and (b) reference to capacity at Crewe and addressing congestion South of Crewe. Cllr Corcoran and Mayor Burnham welcomed these amendments and acknowledged the reference to safeguarding the route that is already within the STP.

5.22       The Board unanimously voted to approve and adopt the STP, incorporating the amendments as agreed by the Board.

5.23       Addressing the comments made by Mayor Brabin on the T- shaped station in Leeds and also Piccadilly Station, the Chief Executive reassured Board that these are pan regional priorities (a position set out in the paper to the Board on 14 December) and TfN is including these into conversations with the DfT and the Sponsorship Board.

5.24       Addressing the strong support for embedding the “place base” approach that forms a key part of the STP, the Chief Executive highlighted the strong relationship that the TfN executive has been developing with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Resolved:

1)   That Board notes and supports the work that has been undertaken to amend the STP post consultation and following the announcement of Network North.

 

2)   That Board notes and supports the evidence base and documents to be published alongside the final STP, including the updated Integrated Sustainability Appraisal (ISA).

 

3)   That Board approves and adopts the final STP as statutory advice to the Secretary of State for Transport.

 

4)   That Board notes the proposed approach to monitoring and evaluation for the STP and that feedback/observations on the planned approach be noted.