A long-term transport plan for Manchester has been praised by the FTA for its focus on keeping HGVs moving in peak times and "joined up thinking" around strategic road links.

The Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 is the outcome of a public consultation which received just under 1,800 responses.

The strategy aims to create a well-coordinated and stable transport system, and to capitalise on the city's road, rail and shipping links.

Malcolm Bingham, FTA’s head of policy for the North of England, said: “The strategy makes reference to HGV operations during peak periods, which is a positive if it saves trucks sitting in traffic when there is no need.

"However, that means educating the freight industry’s customers about when and how to schedule deliveries, particularly in the emerging digital economy."

He added that it was "good to see joined-up thinking in setting up a transport system for the area that looks to join up a Key Route Network with the strategic roads of the M6, M60 and the M62".

However Bingham added that building reliability into a transport network is a "major challenge", and that the association would "look to work with the combined authority to ensure that freight operators receive detailed information to enable them to make informed decisions on how they route traffic".

Topics