|
The M6 and West Coast Main Line running through Cheshire provide the principal links southwards from the North West to the Midlands, the South East and the Channel crossings. Both links have capacity problems. On the occasions when the M6 is closed there is serious disruption to traffic across a wide area of Cheshire.
Cheshire's key location on the 'West Coast spine' has triggered the development of a number of regional or national freight distribution facilities, particularly at Crewe, Middlewich and Northwich.
The first Cheshire freight strategy has been developed to take account of policies in the Government’s A New Deal For Transport White Paper and the daughter document Sustainable Distribution: A Strategy. It has been prepared with the advice of the freight industry and in the awareness that local authorities still have a long way to go in developing a full understanding of freight issues in dialogue with the industry and with other bodies affected by freight transport.
When the current round of freight studies in the North West and North Wales is complete, the results will be reviewed with the intention, firstly, of identifying and filling information gaps about freight in Cheshire, which are crucial to the development of freight policies and, secondly, of identifying those areas (such as land use planning) where local authority action is influential and should be concentrated. Further studies will then be considered to fit in with work by adjoining authorities and at the regional level in the development of the Regional Transport Strategy.
The Council will continue to explore the potential for shifting freight from road to rail, water and pipeline in its discussions with industry. In particular, a freight study will include an examination of the measures required to achieve an increase by 2011 of 50% in freight tonne-kilometres carried by rail, water and pipeline in order to decide if such a target is achievable.
The priority hierarchy of road users will give freight and delivery movements priority over private cars.
The County Council:
- will develop its working relations with the freight industry;
- negotiates local routing agreements with companies generating large numbers of heavy goods vehicle movements;
- recognises that it needs to develop its links with the freight industry to develop its policies further;
- will discuss with interested bodies whether there is scope for developing freight partnerships in Cheshire along the lines proposed in the Government’s A New Deal For Transport White Paper;
- will work with the Manchester Ship Canal Company and other local authorities along the Ship Canal to develop waterborne freight;
- supports the development of air freight at Liverpool and Manchester Airports;
- continues to work to restore freight container operations by sea/rail from Holyhead;
- supports the Trans-Pennine initiative to develop rail freight services to the Humber ports; and
- encourages investment by Railtrack and the rail freight operators in the cross-country routes from the North West to Felixstowe and Harwich.
For further information please contact John Gray 01244 973572. |