Press Releases

31 October 2008

Trafford - The final shape of the TIF package

Final changes to the proposed Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) package for Trafford have been announced following a meeting of the Leaders of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) today.

In announcements today, it was revealed that as a result of TIF the following will be delivered:

• Congestion charge exemption for employees of Trafford Park until Metrolink or an alternative is completed
• Funding for a Metrolink extension through Trafford Park or a package of bus based improvements
• Barton Gyratory bus priority scheme between Sale and Stretford
• New bus interchange and rail station improvements in Altrincham
• Double length trams on all peak-time services
• A new train station at White City
• 20% reduction on public transport fares at peak times for low paid workers (based on the statutory minimum wage)
• A network wide Smartcard ticketing system
• Additional seats on peak-time rail services
• New daily congestion charge cap of £5 for regular users*
• Additional 60 Yellow School Buses across Greater Manchester, taking the total TIF investment to 180
• Additional park and ride sites across Greater Manchester

Metrolink

If TIF is approved, all peak times trams would be made double length and the soon-to-be-built Trafford Bar to Chorlton Line would be extended to East Didsbury and Manchester Airport. The new Metrolink network would be three times larger than its current size by the time the TIF transport solutions have been delivered. Funds have also been earmarked for a new line through Trafford Park to the Trafford Centre.

The Metrolink system would receive 62 new vehicles and 41 new stops equipped with new ticket machines ready to receive Smartcard ticketing as well as debit and credit card payments.

Rail

Commuter trains running through the district would also have extra seats under the proposals and a new station at White City would serve workers commuting to the area as well as match day crowds visiting Old Trafford. Station improvements would also be made to Hale and Flixton stations.

There would be additional rail carriages for services across Greater Manchester to allow more journeys to be made every day with capacity for an additional 2,950 passengers in the three hour morning peak period. This is as well as the additional capacity for 4,100 passengers in the three hour morning peak, which would be funded by the government without TIF.

The TIF package would deliver additional rail carriages for journeys throughout Greater Manchester to reduce overcrowding problems at peak commuting times providing for over 7,000 (through prior DfT specifications and TIF programmes combined) extra journeys during the peak periods for services across Greater Manchester.

Altrincham Interchange

Altrincham town centre would benefit from a new, state-of-the art bus interchange with improvements also made to the existing Victorian train station. Waiting areas would become safer and more comfortable, with real time travel information available to passengers. Connectivity between tram, train and bus services would be greatly improved as a result, making journeys across the network easier.

Buses

Examples of proposed changes to buses in the Trafford district include:

• Faster journeys from Flixton and Lostock to the city centre via Trafford Park and Bridgewater Way every 15 minutes throughout the day.
• Improved package of bus services to improve access to Trafford Park and the Trafford Centre
• Services every five minutes between the city centre and Stretford, along Chester Road, on Monday to Saturday daytimes
• Nine buses an hour serving Sale, along Chester Road, Monday to Saturday daytimes
• A more direct service from Ashton-upon-Mersey to the city centre every 20 minutes in the day.
• Barton Gyratory priority bus scheme between Sale and Stretford to improve service reliability.
  

The above are just a few examples of what is proposed, under the TIF package proposals bus frequencies and hours of operation would be enhanced throughout Greater Manchester to cater for work journeys and other journey purposes. The aim is to provide high quality, reliable services as an alternative to the car. Services will be planned so that at least 90% of the population across Greater Manchester would live within 5 minutes walk of a service operating at least every 20 minutes during the day and at least every 30 minutes at other times.

Park and Ride

The TIF proposals would double the existing number of Park and Ride spaces serving Greater Manchester. £40 million is already dedicated to this and positive feedback in the recent consultations has resulted in an additional £10 million being set aside in re-allocated LTP funds for further sites across the region.

Trafford would benefit from expanded Park and Ride facilities at Sale Water Park and close to the Trafford Centre.

Cycles

Cycling is another key element of the proposals. Specific cycle routes planned for Trafford include a new off-road route alongside the Bridgewater Canal between Sale and the city centre. There would also be improved secure cycle parking at Altrincham, Brooklands and Sale Metrolink stations as well as extra cycle parking at Streford shopping centre.

The TIF package programme for cycling improvements across Greater Manchester consists of cycle lanes (125 miles of safe and convenient cycle routes) cycle parking and a cycle hire scheme for Stockport and Manchester.

Yellow School Buses

Following consultation there has been a 50% increase in the number of new Yellow School Buses proposed as part of the TIF package. At the outset of consultation the proposal was for 120 additional vehicles. This has now been increased by a further 60, making a new total of 180. The 180 buses are in addition to the 36 currently operating and the 120 already planned. If TIF is approved this would result in a total of 336 Yellow School Buses operational by 2018 across the whole of Greater Manchester.

Smartcard Ticketing

A smartcard ticketing system will be developed. A simplified pricing structure is planned based on two or three “fare bands” – such as a short hop or standard fare.

The smartcard would act as an “electronic purse” with price caps applying to, for example, daily travel and weekly travel. These would deliver unlimited travel on buses and trams across the city with passengers guaranteed never to pay more than the value of the caps.

The smartcards would also be used to administer the 20% discount for low income workers (based on the statutory minimum wage), which is being proposed on all peak-time public transport fares.

Congestion Charge

If approved following the referendum a weekday, peak-time only directional congestion charge would only be introduced after 80% of the public transport improvements are in place; there has been a significant improvement in public transport in each district and not before the summer of 2013.

The charge would affect vehicles travelling towards Manchester city centre between 7am and 9:30am which cross one or both of the charging rings. The charge would then affect vehicles travelling away from the city centre which cross one or both of the charging rings between 4pm and 6:30pm.

Cost: Weekday Mornings

£2* if crossing the Outer Ring in-bound, towards Manchester city centre between 7:00am and 9:30am

£1* if crossing the Inner Ring in-bound, towards Manchester city centre between 7:00am and 9.30am
You would only pay once regardless of how many times you cross each ring in the charging period, e.g. you would only be charged £2* to cross the outer ring and £1* for the inner ring in the morning even if you were to cross it several times on the same morning.

Cost: Weekday Evenings

£1* if crossing the Inner Ring out-bound, (away from Manchester city centre), between 4:00pm and 6:30pm

£1* if crossing the Outer Ring out-bound, (away from Manchester city centre) between 4:00pm and 6:30pm

You would only pay £1* for each ring you cross regardless of how many times you cross it on the same evening.

This means the maximum regular users pay is £5* regardless of how many rings are crossed in any one day.

Vehicles would not be charged at weekends or on Bank Holidays, for travelling around the M60 or if they do not cross one of the charging rings. No vehicles would be charged outside the times currently being considered.  

Groups and vehicles which are set to receive a 100% discount from the congestion charge include emergency service vehicles, buses and registered community transport services, blue badge holders, patients who attend hospital or specialist health facilities for regular treatment, motorcycles and taxis. Employees working in Trafford Park will also be eligible for a 100% discount until the Metrolink or an alternative is completed. It has also been recognised that breakdown vehicles play a vital role in reducing congestion and they are also set to receive a 100% discount.

Low paid workers (based on the statutory minimum wage) look set to receive a discount of 20% on the congestion charge for a trial period of two years. It has also been recommended they receive a 20% discount on the cost of public transport at peak times.

Following consultation it has been proposed that the daily cap of £10 is removed.  The new maximum daily charge for regular users in a vehicle fitted with a tag would be £5* (*in 2007 prices) per day regardless of how many journeys they make or rings they cross.

Charging Rings

Another important issue which has been considered following the consultation exercise is the exact routing of the proposed charging rings. Extensive work has been carried out and the exact route of the proposed charging rings can now be shown.

 
In Trafford, the outer ring follows the inside of the M60 with the exception of Fairy Lane and Rifle Road. Here the outer ring follows the river Mersey. This means the Park & Ride at Sale Water Park is outside the outer ring.

The inner ring has been changed to follow Withington Road until the junction with Upper Chorlton Road, where it links to Seymour Grove.

Through traffic aiming to bypass the inner ring will be encouraged by signage to follow the Wilbraham Road/Manchester Road route which is seen as the natural flow for traffic.

Lord Peter Smith said: “The public consultation exercise was a resounding success and a huge amount of feedback was gathered during the process.

“After analysing the findings of the consultation, final changes have been made. We now have a package to improve transport across the whole of Greater Manchester.

“Residents and businesses should take time to read the final proposed investment for public transport and the details of their local boundary details and congestion charging scheme before they vote in early December.  People are being asked to vote on the whole package.”

Following the AGMA meeting a public referendum is set to be held in all 10 local authority areas of Greater Manchester. Ballot papers are set to be distributed from late November. Ballot papers must be returned by 10pm on December 11.

If at least seven out of the 10 councils decide they are in favour of the Transport Innovation Fund proposals they would proceed to the next stage.