Memorandum by Greater Manchester Chamber
of Commerce (LR 36)
INTEGRATED TRANSPORT: THE FUTURE OF LIGHT
RAIL AND MODERN TRAMS IN BRITAIN
INTRODUCTION
Greater Manchester Chamber welcomes the opportunity
to submit evidence to the Transport Select Committee on the subject
of light rail. The Chamber led the voice of the private sector
during the recent campaign regarding the Manchester Metrolink
and feels that it is important for government to understand the
high esteem in which the businesses of Greater Manchester hold
light rail.
The first phase of light rail in Manchester
opened in 1992, followed by the second phase in 1999-2000. Metrolink
now carries approximately 19 million people per year, with 20%
of these trips having switched from private car use. The proposals
for phase three will see the network extending to cover seven
of the 10 Greater Manchester districts, carrying a further 22
million people per year. Metrolink is widely regarded by the business
community of Greater Manchester as the key to improved accessibility
and a more prosperous sub-region.
THE COSTS
AND BENEFITS
OF LIGHT
RAIL
The obvious cost of all light rail schemes is
the expense. The Manchester scheme is not alone in seeing significant
increases in the total project cost and it is understandable that
the Government would want to carefully examine all schemes to
ensure that they would provide value for money. Further to this,
however, it must be recognised that some of the cost escalation
is due to red tape within central government and by reviewing
the necessary processes it may be possible to extend greater control
over project costs.
The second issue of concern with light rail
is that it is not universal. There are clearly some areas that
could benefit far more from the introduction of a light rail scheme
than others. Light rail must not be seen as a "catch all"
solution to this country's transport problems but one significant
element in an integrated transport approach.
In terms of the private sector, light rail has
some extensive benefits. Two of the biggest problems that employers
have as a result of transport deficiencies is the loss of man
hours and staff mobility. In a recent Chamber survey, over 73%
of our members told us that the loss of man hours frequently occurs
as a direct result of the region's transport infrastructure, with
63% suffering staff mobility issues. Light rail, and in our case,
Metrolink, can have a huge impact on this situation. As well as
helping to create a modal shift, light rail provides a frequent,
predictable and reliable transport option helping to get employees
to their place of work on time.
Further to this, light rail can play a major
role in making an area attractive to potential investors. Early
indications have shown that implementing phase three of Metrolink
in Manchester will help to create up to 30,000 new jobs and increase
Greater Manchester's GDP by £1.38 billion per annum. This
in turn will have an effect on social exclusion and regeneration
as phase three is planned to travel through some of the area's
most deprived conurbations. For the private sector, such figures
are an indication of prosperity and growth and will create a huge
incentive for investment in the region, as well as creating expansion
options for existing businesses.
The remaining benefit that the private sector
sees in light rail is accessibility. There are many businessmen
and women who are happy to use a light rail system to travel between
home and the office, out to visit clients and to events across
the conurbation. The same selection of people also say that they
would not consider using the bus to make the same journey. Trams
are a form of public transport that a large proportion of people
are happy to choose over their own private vehicle. In terms of
tackling congestion and creating a modal shift, the accessibility
of light rail must be seen as an enormous benefit.
WHAT LIGHT
RAIL SYSTEMS
NEED TO
BE SUCCESSFUL
The private sector in Greater Manchester has
identified three key factors that will enable a light rail system
to be successful. The first of these is the frequency of service.
Any light rail system must be equipped and financed to run at
a high frequency during peak hours and at regular intervals for
the remainder of the time. A regular service is essential to an
attractive public transport service.
The second factor that the business community
has identified is the provision of facilities at light rail stops.
This includes a range of elements including secure parking provision,
shelters, real time information and ticket machines that accept
a variety of payments. The Client and Project Teams need to be
aware that many potential users will have to make a journey in
order to be able to access light rail. These users will only then
make the shift to light rail if it is perceived to cause them
little, or at least no more, inconvenience.
Light rail systems must be reasonably priced
if they are to be successful. Our recent transport survey showed
that over 96% of our members chose the private vehicle as their
transport mode of choice. Whilst part of this decision is based
on convenience, some of it is based on cost. Fares on public transport
have risen, sometimes in huge leaps, over the past few years and
when considering all aspects of a journey, the business community
will often view the car as the cheapest mode of travel. For light
rail to be able to compete, fares must be set at a reasonable
level, with options for weekly passes and season tickets.
HOW EFFECTIVELY
IS LIGHT
RAIL USED
AS PART
OF AN
INTEGRATED TRANSPORT
SYSTEM?
There is no doubt that light rail can form a
central part of an integrated transport system. There are many
examples in Greater Manchester where the Metrolink joins up with
other forms of public transport. Light rail provides a link between
Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria heavy rail stations,
there are interchange points with buses in both Piccadilly Gardens
and St Peters Square and once phase three is completed an interchange
between heavy rail, light rail, buses and planes will be visible
at Manchester Airport. Outside of the city centre, light rail
also connects with the road network with the provision of parking
facilities at many of the stations. There is clearly a long way
to go before we can see a fully integrated transport system but
light rail is already demonstrating in Manchester that it will
form an integral part of such a network.
BARRIERS TO
THE DEVELOPMENT
OF LIGHT
RAIL
From the point of view of the business community
in Greater Manchester, the main barrier to the development of
light rail is bureaucracy. They see that a decision was taken
a number of years ago to extend the Metrolink network, preparatory
work carried out and then the project halted at the final stage.
The private sector fully understand the implications of the cost
increases associated with phase three but feel that more should
have been done at an earlier stage to either cap the cost or locate
an additional form of funding.
THE PRACTICALITY
OF ALTERNATIVES
TO LIGHT
RAIL, SUCH
AS INCREASED
INVESTMENT IN
BUSES
It is widely accepted within the business community
that light rail is not the only solution to the area's widespread
transport problems. During a series of recent focus groups to
discuss the Second Local Transport Plan members put forward a
variety of suggestions, both big and small, to help improve the
transport network. In spite of this, the business community do
see light rail as the preferred option along the proposed extension
routes.
As has been previously stated, the majority
of the private sector would be happy to travel on light rail but
not on buses. Light rail is viewed as a cleaner, safer and more
reliable form of public transport suitable for business travellers.
In addition to this, bus alternatives could not deliver the same
benefits as Metrolink. Buses have limited capacity to cater for
demand and would remove fewer car journeys from the system than
Metrolink. Non-user benefits are also significantly higher for
Metrolink than for buses.
CONCLUSIONS
The business community in Greater Manchester
consider that light rail has a definite future in Greater Manchester.
Metrolink is seen as a modern, reliable and efficient transport
system, suitable for one of the fastest growing areas in the country.
Manchester is undergoing a massive renaissance and Metrolink is
just the sort of scheme to complement other regeneration schemes
around the conurbation. Numerous areas of the city-region have
been waiting for a long time for light rail to come to them, allowing
them to make the decision to leave their cars behind. Light rail
does have the potential to create significant modal shifts and
the private sector hopes that the government will include more
light rail schemes in their future plans for transport around
the country.
Sarah Johnson
Transport Policy Executive
February 2005
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