Summary
The Tyne and Wear freight partnership seeks to understand the problems and issues relating to freight movement and provides a mechanism through which they can be addressed. It brings together operators, industry representatives, local authorities, the Highways Agency and local key stakeholder groups to facilitate delivery of an action plan targeted at improving the efficiency, safety and sustainability of freight.
Since the partnership was formed in 2005, a range of key outcomes have been achieved with an emphasis on improving the relationship between operators and local authorities. Key outputs include a freight routing strategy for Tyne and Wear, including the production of a strategic freight map and many bespoke destination maps, a review of signage in conjunction with the Highways Agency that has led to tangible improvements on the ground, the launch of a successful website and a review of lorry parking facilities and rail freight.
Results
Although it is difficult to measure progress in kWh saved and costs reduced, many of the partnership initiatives have to date proven successful via the introduction of more energy efficient routing and delivery time savings; based around good information provision. The Tyne and Wear Freight Map was developed in close consultation with the Partnership, and identifies a suggested road freight network for the conurbation and shows the key destinations for freight traffic. The map was launched at a Freight Best Practice event in Sunderland in March 2006. So far 2000 copies of the map have been produced and distributed to local authorities, airports, transport operators and truck stops. Eleven tailored maps have in addition been produced for specific destinations, with a programme of development to produce eleven more maps in the financial year 2007/08.
Signage that is appropriate to freight is important to facilitate the effective movement of goods traffic in the conurbation. A review of signage with respect to freight destinations was carried out as part of the actions of the partnership. This led to a series of recommendations which are being taken forward by the partnership. One such recommendation has been endorsed by the Highways Agency/ North Tyneside Council and a detailed design specification has been developed € encouraging traffic to use the A191 (Holystone) junction and hence reducing traffic levels and congestion at the congested A1058 Silverlink Junction.
A further initiative to be developed shortly is a private sector lorry parking reciprocation pilot. The scheme will encourage companies to trade secure parking spaces at the depots of other operators, by providing space at their own sites. The pilot will include research into companies willing to enter reciprocal arrangements, including contact with operators connected with the Tyne and Wear Partnership, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) and Road Haulage Association (RHA). The current website will be amended to act as a platform for companies willing to trade/provide spaces. Its success can be judged on the number of spaces being made available for trading and on the take-up. The introduction of these schemes indicate that the partnership has been successful in achieving its aim of getting the support of relevant organisations as well as in improving the efficiency, safety and sustainability of freight transport in the region.
Lessons learned and repeatability
Throughout this project, communication and consultation has been an important key, for example the website launched in December 2006 had 32,500 hits by 5,600 individual users by June 2007. It has been well received by a range of organisations -the quote below is from the Transport Training Centre, Ministry of Defence (MoD). "As a transport manager for the MoD (North), I found the site very informative and easy to follow, just what a haulage driver needs when delivering to new areas. I particularly liked the mapping to major sites in and around the area, also the truck stops. Perhaps other large cities should follow this example and produce something similar. Well done."
Consultation has also helped to inform policy across the conurbation, as the Tyne and Wear LTP Core Team commissioned consultants JMP to assess the quantity and benefits of priority lanes in Tyne and Wear.
Consultation with stakeholders demonstrated strong support for greater standardisation of the priority lanes in order to promote more energy sufficient transport. The findings of this study are being reviewed.
The Tyne and Wear Freight Partnership has been successful in bringing together a range of organisations, including transport operators, industry representatives, local authorities, the Highways Agency and key local stakeholder groups to facilitate the delivery of a range of actions targeted at improving the efficiency, safety and sustainability of freight movement - all elements which could usefully be replicated by other European partners.
The main challenge for the future is to maintain this momentum and build interest from operators by ensuring that the identified actions are targeted at pertinent issues. Experience from Tyne and Wear suggests that the following key actions are of key importance to a successful Freight Partnership, and are therefore suitable for replication elsewhere in Europe.
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Decision Makers
: Energy Efficiency
: Freight
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