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The context: Merseyside and Merseytravel

EU policy on urban mobility - one size fits all? Transport policy in European cities: experiences, challenges, options: Merseyside, UK Neil Scales Chief Executive and Director General, Merseytravel 14 th February 2008. The context: Merseyside and Merseytravel.

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The context: Merseyside and Merseytravel

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  1. EU policy on urban mobility - one size fits all?Transport policy in European cities: experiences, challenges, options: Merseyside, UKNeil ScalesChief Executive and Director General, Merseytravel14th February 2008

  2. The context: Merseyside and Merseytravel

  3. The context: Merseyside and Merseytravel • Merseyside population ~1.4 million • Focus is City Of Liverpool (440,000) • Public transport co-ordinated by Passenger Transport Authority • Delivered by Executive • Bus and rail infrastructure • Multi-modal tickets and information • Bus and rail concessions • Operates Mersey Tunnels and Mersey Ferries • Socially-necessary bus services • Franchise Holder for Merseyrail Electrics (suburban network)

  4. The context: Merseyside and Merseytravel • Important to note: • Merseytravel does not operate buses or trains • No formal responsibilities for land-use planning • No control over public highway (a district function) • Partnerships are essential

  5. Merseytravel’s successes:A snapshot First Local Transport Plan (LTP) was delivered between 2001 and 2006 – “excellent” Centre of Excellence for Transport Planning, Public Transport and Delivery of Public Transport Schemes Only PTA to have received accreditation to ISO 14001 Effective scheme delivery: Major improvements to the City Centre and main towns 59 fully refurbished train units and pioneering local rail franchise 5,000 park and ride spaces Liverpool South Parkway Interchange Workwise – helping people into work Travelwise – promoting sustainable travel City Centre Movement Strategy

  6. Creating the Single Integrated Public Transport Network

  7. Context: Key policy prioritiesin Merseyside • Economic growth and city renaissance (Objective 1) • Economic restructuring • Tourism / Capital of Culture 2008 • Population growth and housing market renewal • Access to jobs, training and services • Regeneration thus a key issue

  8. Context:The Local Transport Plan • Local Transport Plan provides sub-regional transport framework • Produced and delivered by partnership of Merseytravel and 5 Districts • “Excellent” status • Integrated strategy for managing transport and new investment • Closely aligned with Regional Spatial Strategy and city regional social and regeneration strategies • Stretching targets, scrutinised by DfT

  9. LTP targets • Examples of what we want to achieve: • Growth in bus patronage: 1% overall bus growth • City centre traffic growth cap: 7% limit vs forecasts of 12% • Better levels of bus punctuality • Improved satisfaction with bus services • Better accessibility to work and education • Better bus quality • Growth in levels of cycling • Cap on levels of publicly available car parking in city centre • Road safety targets for reduction in numbers of children and adults killed and seriously injured • Consistent with broad EU objectives

  10. Typical current funding sources • The district levy • The Local Transport Plan Settlement • Regional Funding Allocations (major schemes) • Tunnels tolls revenue (Mersey Tunnels Act) • Transport Innovation Fund

  11. The challenges in Merseyside • More jobs, more people, more homes, growing economy = more trips + more congestion • Region has high trunk road congestion • Essential to grow share of sustainable travel • Between 1995 and 2005, rail patronage grew by 52% - but we’re reaching capacity • Growing local bus patronage remains a challenge • Poor air quality, but limited weight attached to the issue by UK government • Pockets of acute worklessness and deprivation, linked to EU Lisbon Agenda • Need to support tourism and Capital of Culture, but investment and scheme development takes time • Congestion will harm regeneration and competitiveness • No clear policy on demand management in UK

  12. The challenges: Merseyside Traffic Forecast

  13. The underlying challenges:Equity and Environmental issues

  14. Challenges: Recent bus transport trends

  15. Merseyside’s decline in bus patronage

  16. But continued growth in rail patronage

  17. Options: New UK government thinking on transport policy • “Towards a Sustainable Transport System” published October 2007 • Sets framework for future transport policy in UKLTP • Transport vital to the economy • Climate change a real issue, catastrophic consequences if no action taken • But targeted approach needed – focus on most seriously congested parts of urban, national and international networks • “Make best use” (especially rail) • CO2 reduction and economic growth objectives mutually supportive • Support for measures to change travel behaviour and reduce need to travel • Support for local road user charging pilots (TIF)

  18. Some perspectives on these challenges • There is a lot of money of new money on offer through TIF • Over £2bn per year by 2013/14 • But there is a cost – Road User Charging measures must be taken forward to access TIF by scheme promoters • Are local road user charging pilots workable? • Technology? • Compatibility from city to city? • Political acceptance? • An area where principles of subsidiary don’t really work

  19. Some perspectives on these challenges • Rail capacity become scarce, leading to overcrowding, but: • Limited, leased rolling stock • Shortage of funds to deliver new capacity • No commitment to major new railway line development in UK • Aviation – a growth area • Compatible with carbon reduction / air quality objective? • High speed rail could replace many internal flights • Buses – deregulated since 1986 • Local Transport Bill potential?

  20. Challenges with transport financing • LTP delivers capital funding (£ multi-million) • But capital not revenue funding • Cannot be used to pay for bus services • Cannot be used to pay for ‘smart’ measures (e.g. marketing) • Cannot be rolled forward • Funds for major (>£5M) schemes priorities held regionally • Heavily road-based schemes • Regional funding pot does not include rail funds • Centralised funding in the UK • Ability to raise local funds? • Business Rate Supplement? • Community Infrastructure Levy

  21. Options on the horizon:The Local Transport Bill • Bill currently going through UK parliament • Allows bus regulatory reform • Allows for reform of Passenger Transport Authorities: • PTAs to become Integrated Transport Authorities • Governance review and review of powers and responsibilities • Access to new funding sources? • Address current division of powers? • At an early stage, but potentially many opportunities to address Green Paper priorities

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