Written evidence from Norfolk Chamber
of Commerce (TE 33)
1. INTRODUCTION
Norfolk is a great place to work with many thriving
businesses and several sectors with great potential.
However, the county's transport links leave much
to be desired. Improvements will provide a great boost to Norfolk's
economy and its businesses, and will help right the current perception
that the county is rather isolated.
2. How do the failings of the transport networks
impact upon business productivity?
Norfolk businesses' lack of confidence in the county's
infrastructure is highlighted by the fact that only 55% think
that they will benefit from the 2012 Olympic Games due to transport
deficiencies.[96]
"Norwich is one of the UK's top 10 shopping
destinations, but despite that some major retailers have held
back from investing there because of the threat of hold-ups to
deliveries on the A11." - Simon Wright MP[97]
3. What sort of schemes should be prioritised
and why?
3.1 A11 Dualling Scheme
- The A11 Fiveways to Thetford dualling scheme
will offer time savings of £355.5 million for businesses
travellers out of an overall economic benefit of £557.5 million.
Wider economic benefits are estimated at £135 million.
[98]
- Currently there is a perception that Norfolk
is isolated; improved roads and reliability of journey times will
give confidence to existing businesses to expand and new ones
to start up in the Norfolk area.
3.2 London-Norwich Rail
- Currently the journey time from London-Liverpool
St to Norwich takes around 1 hourr 50 minutes, a long
time when compared to the London-York journey of just 2 hours.
- Reducing the journey time to 90 minutes
can bring £3.5 billion of direct and wider economic
benefits.
- Facilities on trains are also below standard
compared to many other lines.[99]
3.3 The Northern Distributer Road (NDR) &
the Postwick Hub Improvement
- The construction of the NDR will help facilitate
the East of England Plan's (EEP) allocation of 35,000 jobs to
the Norwich Policy Area. Two of the three strategic employment
areas identified by the EEP - Norwich Airport and Thorpe St Andrew
- will be served by the NDR.
- The envisaged building of 6,000 homes in the
north-east of Norwich will be impossible without the NDR.
- The NDR will also result in the removal of through
traffic of an estimated 19,000 cars per day from the city centre.
The Postwick Hub improvement will:
- Release existing employment development land,
namely Broadland Business Park Phase 2, which cannot proceed
due to lack of highway capacity at the Postwick Junction;
- Allow for the development of 60,000 square miles
of business park (Broadland Gate);
- Make available more land for business park development
and housing growth (including 600 houses at Brook Farm); and,
- expand the highly popular Postwick Park &
Ride.
4. What is our experience of transport decision-making?
And how is a private sector perspective accommodated in that decision-making
process?
Case Study: A11 Fiveways to Thetford dualling scheme
- The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and Shaping Norfolk's
Future were heavily involved in the campaign to complete the dualling
of the A11 and brought their supporting evidence to the Public
Inquiry (November 2009-January 2010).
- 16,000 representatives from the Norfolk business
community signed a petition which was presented to Government
in November 2008.
Overall, Norfolk businesses and local authorities
have a successful background in working together and have developed
strong partnerships.
September 2010
96 EDP Tourism Business Survey 2010,
http://services.edp24.co.uk/norfolk/tourism-business-survey-2010/olympics_2012.aspx Back
97
Hansard House of Commons Debates, 27 July 2010. Back
98
EEDA, A11 Wider Economic Impacts Study, Final Report, January
2008. Back
99
SNF (Norwich in 90), Response to DfT, Greater Anglia Franchise
Consultation. Back
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