2006-2011 LTP Annex 2

Introduction

The importance of sustainable freight distribution within the context of an integrated transport and land use policy is clearly set out in the Government White Paper and associated guidance.

One of the key implications for local authorities in these documents is the emphasis placed on the establishment of Freight Quality Partnerships between local authorities, the freight industry, business communities, residents and environmental groups.

Policy Context

The Strategy has been developed within the National, Regional and Local policy environment and aims to be consistent with the wider framework.  An overview of the policy background is provided in Annex 1 of the LTP.

Of particular relevance to the Warwickshire Freight Strategy are the Regional Transport Strategy and the Regional Rail Freight Strategy. The key policies that underpin these documents are (1) the need to maintain and improve good road and rail links compatible with the Trans-European Networks (TENs), (2) the provision of good maintenance of transport networks, (3) the development of Regional Rail Freight schemes, (4) the development of the Regional Highway Network and (5) the development of regional airports.

Improvements are specifically mentioned for rail links to the East and South Coast ports, and deliveries set to maximise the use of multi-modal facilities and local freight terminals at Hams Hall, Lawley Street (Birmingham) and Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT).

In terms of the highway network, the regional strategies identify motorway widening schemes, selected bypasses, and the development of Intelligent Transport Systems in the West Midlands. Consideration has also been given to the production of a West Midlands Regional Lorry Guide, an initiative that the County Council would fully support.

West Midlands Regional Lorry Parking Study

The County Council has recently been involved in a study that has been carried out to identify the need for additional lorry parking facilities within the West Midlands region.  A full description of the background to the Regional Lorry Parking Study can be found within Annex 1 of the LTP.

The study identifies a need for additional overnight rest and driving break parking facilities on or near to the following corridors of the region’s strategic highway network:

• M40 from Junction 16 (A3400 south of Hockley Heath) to Junction 12 (B4451 Gaydon); and
• M42 from the junction with the M6 northwards to the regional boundary with the East Midlands.

The main function of these Category 1 'Strategic Lorry Parks' would be as a location for overnight rest periods, and would therefore include a full range of amenities (e.g. 24 hour cafes, toilets, showers, shops, entertainment areas etc.) and security guards, fencing, CCTV etc.  However they would also provide an ideal location for shorter driving break periods. The study suggests a set of criteria to be used in selecting suitable locations for these strategic lorry parks.

The study also identifies a potential need for additional parking facilities for use by goods vehicles waiting to make deliveries within or close to the industrial areas of the following locations:

• Hams Hall;
• Atherstone;
• Nuneaton;
• North Coventry;
• East Coventry;
• Leamington Spa;
• East Birmingham;
• Redditch;
• North Rugby; and
• Magna Park (Leicestershire).

The study recommends that the next step should be the commissioning of further survey and census exercises to produce a more detailed analysis of demand.  Such survey and census exercises should assist in establishing the actual size of each facility required.

Freight Movement in Warwickshire

Road

Most freight is moved by road at present and most freight will continue to be moved by road in the future. Due to its location in the Motorway and Trunk road network, Warwickshire experiences a large amount of through movement of short and long distance road based freight haulage.  Vehicle movements are also prominent in the vicinity of Hams Hall and Daventry International Rail Freight Terminals, and around the industrial estates in the main towns of the County. The town centres also experience lorry movements in relation to shop deliveries. There are several quarries and landfill sites in the County that generate large numbers of lorry movements, often impacting on some of the more rural areas.

Rail

The location of Warwickshire in the national rail network results in a large amount of through rail based freight movements. Key corridors for freight movement in Warwickshire are the West Coast Main Line (for Birmingham, the North, Scotland, London and the Channel Tunnel), Birmingham-Nuneaton-Leicester (for the East Midlands and Felixstowe), Birmingham-Solihull-Leamington Spa-Banbury (for Southampton/Millbrook and the South East), Birmingham-Tamworth (for Teeside and the North East) and Nuneaton-Water Orton (for Bescot Yard).

Key generators of rail freight in Warwickshire are Hams Hall International Railfreight Terminal, Murco LPG (Bedworth), Daw Mill Colliery (near Over Whitacre), Warwickshire Oil Storage (Kingsbury), Kineton MOD, and car distribution from Birch Coppice.  In addition, Daventry International Railfreight Terminal (DIRFT) is located just outside the County boundary near Crick in Northamptonshire.

It is broadly accepted that freight movements of between 100 and 250 miles or more provide the best opportunity for carriage by rail. This, coupled with heavy loads, offers the greatest potential for maximising economies of scale.  The majority of firms that deal with this type of freight movement, and are located near or adjacent to an operational railway line in Warwickshire, currently use rail for all or part of their journey.

The greatest potential for new rail freight haulage however, lies with new freight generators such as Prologis Park (the former Coventry Colliery), and the development of further rail connected sites at Hams Hall.

It should be acknowledged however that, given its proximity to the West Midlands conurbation and its location on the rail network, the majority of freight movements in Warwickshire are essentially through the County, and are therefore unlikely to be particularly susceptible to any new rail freight initiatives. The diverse trip length nature and pattern of local road freight movements generating in the County are also unlikely to be suitable for transfer to rail.

In these circumstances, the County Council sees its main role in promoting the transfer of freight from road to rail as being through the land use planning process, working in partnership with Local Planning Authorities to ensure that appropriate sites are available for development with rail access.

Other Transport Modes

There is currently no known movement of freight on the canal system serving Warwickshire.  The canals are primarily used for leisure and recreational purposes.

There are three operational airfields within Warwickshire, at Baginton (Coventry), Wellesbourne and Long Marston, of which only Baginton experiences any movement of freight. The airfield handles substantial domestic and international cargo traffic movements, which predominantly arrive and depart at night.

There are long distance/strategic pipelines in Warwickshire and local pipelines running from supply points to the nearest urban areas.

Problems and Opportunities

The main problems associated with freight distribution are:

• Warwickshire generates relatively little freight compared to that which passes through the County;
• There is a potential conflict between meeting the needs of industry and commerce to transport freight, and the resulting environmental and social effects;
• Nearly all rail freight movements will need a road based movement at either end of the journey, and will impact on the highway network to varying degrees;
• There is potential conflict between the use of water for the transportation of freight, and the recreational and amenity enjoyment of inland waterways and canals;
• There are significant practical limitations on the use of the canals within the County for the movement of freight;
• The opportunities for the widespread use of pipelines for the transportation of freight in the County are limited to certain products and materials.

On the other hand, there are some opportunities:

• Warwickshire is well placed in relation to the road and rail networks and to the freight terminals at Hams Hall, Daventry and Lawley Street (Birmingham). This provides opportunities to secure economic benefits for the County and the Region as a whole;
• These networks have recently received further investment to tackle congestion problems, particularly road access to the north west through construction of the M6 Toll, and rail access to the north west and the south east through the West Coast Route Modernisation; and,
• There is now more imperative to encourage a greater use of sustainable modes for the transportation of freight with freight train operators (particularly EWS and Freightliner) improving services, and investing in new rolling stock and infrastructure improvements.

Warwickshire Freight Quality Partnership

The inaugural meeting of the Warwickshire Freight Quality Partnership (FQP) was held in February 2002. The FQP discussed a number of issues, primarily concerning road freight in Warwickshire, and agreed to form a working group to develop proposals to progress the LTP strategy.

The Strategy

Objectives

Our objectives are:

• To achieve an appropriate balance between the need for transport to sustain an improving economy and the need to protect and improve the environment;
• To encourage operating efficiency and disseminate best practice in freight transport;
• To increase the proportion of companies with a recognised environmental management award; and
• To encourage integration within and between all freight transport modes.

General Principles

The strategy policies to achieve these objectives are described below.  An indication is given where policies may require the input of the Freight Quality Partnership (FQP).

Road Freight Strategy

Through the Partnership we will:

• Promote the use of a defined and agreed 24 hour lorry route network, including producing a map for distribution within the road haulage industry;
• Seek to establish a zoning system in each urban area so that signage can be introduced to direct heavy goods vehicles to industrial estates and town centres via the best routes;
• Seek to define and enforce delivery times in town centres);
• Review parking and loading restrictions to identify opportunities to address problems for delivery vehicles, particularly where front-only access exists;
• Ensure that reasonable access for heavy goods vehicles is maintained in connection with measures for their control and restriction;
• Seek to identify overnight parking facilities for HGVs where a known demand exists;
• Explore the possibility of developing an urban area ‘consolidation centre’ for the transfer of goods from HGVs to smaller vehicles for final distribution;
• Seek to control heavy goods vehicle movements through or near environmentally sensitive areas (for example, Conservation Areas and residential neighbourhoods) by systematic intelligence gathering through Parish Councils and contact with operators. The introduction of Amenity Weight Limits will be considered, as a last resort, subject to the following criteria:
  • A significant problem caused by HGVs unnecessarily travelling through an area can be demonstrated;
  • An appreciable reduction in the number of HGVs is attainable;
  • An alternative route is available which is suitable for HGV traffic as regards its alignment and strength;
  • There is an overall environmental benefit in redirecting the HGVs, not simply a transfer of the problem from one area to another;
  • A scheme can be designed which gives a clearly signed route which can be easily understood by drivers and is likely to be largely self enforcing; and,
  • The area is compact enough to allow enforcement by the Police.

Rail Freight Strategy

In terms of encouraging road to rail switch for the movement of freight a number of measures could be pursued by the County Council, particularly in relation to the inter-modal terminals at Hams Hall and DIRFT.  These could include working with the Highways Agency to promote the provision of signing information from the Trunk Road Network (including the provision of Real Time Information) and the introduction of priority measures on roads leading to freight terminals and freight hubs.

Other Modes