HC Deb 21 March 2002 vol 382 cc490-1W
Mrs. Fitzsimons

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he has considered the recommendations of the North West Regional Assembly following completion of the South East Manchester Multi Modal Study; and if he will make a statement. [45713]

Mr. Spellar

I have today written to the Leader of the North West Regional Assembly and a copy of this letter has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

The South East Manchester Multi Modal Study was commissioned by the Government as part of their 10-year Plan for Transport. The study looked at ways to improve all forms of transport in the area to reduce congestion, make roads safer and modernise public transport services.

I have today written to the North West Regional Assembly and agreed to: the provisional acceptance of the Alderley Edge bypass the provisional acceptance for a £35 million Quality Bus Corridor to improve bus services in South East Manchester provide an extra £7,445 million for Greater Manchester and £1.5 million for Cheshire to spend in 2002–03 on improvements to include:

  • Improvements to bus and rail facilities
  • Improved signing, management and maintenance of the road network to improve journey reliability
  • More facilities for cyclists and pedestrians
  • Better management of freight
  • Investment to support urban regeneration
ask the Highways Agency to draw up plans to improve the M60/M67/A57Denton interchange. invite the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive and local authorities to continue the detailed development of other schemes, which will include:
  • A6 bypass
  • Poynton bypass
  • A555 MALRW (Manchester Airport Link Road West)
  • Possible Metrolink Extensions
ask the Strategic Rail Authority to continue to work with Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority and local authorities to develop detailed assessments of the benefits of expanding the rail system and explore funding through existing mechanisms. invite local authorities to develop transport change proposals, including: A campaign to encourage the use of public transport A strict enforcement of Land Use Policy to promote development decisions which reduce car dependency Urban regeneration that maximises the attractiveness and potential of existing centres as places of employment, retail and leisure opportunities to reduce car dependency and promote social inclusion.

An announcement on a further extension of the Metrolink System to Stockport will be made as soon as possible.

The outputs of the study will be balanced across transport modes and across the South East Manchester area. The most deprived neighbourhoods and more affluent car owning neighbourhoods are all set to benefit from the additional transport investment involved. Improvements are designed to help reduce road congestion and accidents; increase rail use by up to 50 per cent. in peak periods and 100 per cent. off peak; increase bus use by 8 per cent. in peak periods and 30 per cent. in off peak periods and increase use of the Metrolink. I am also pleased to say that proposals for encouraging the use of public transport and improving air quality through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions have also been welcomed by environmental groups.

I welcome the solutions proposed by the study. It is an excellent example of how multi-modal transport solutions can be devised to address complex and deep seated transport problems. We have seen that a wholly roads based solution would have added to, rather than alleviated, the long-term traffic problems in the area. Instead the study has identified a balanced strategy which will deal with congestion problems for motorists, but which does so by investing across all modes of transport and in a sustainable way.