Re-imagining transport in the West Midlands

Contents of this page

Local Transport Plan

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is required by law to periodically review its Local Transport Plan (LTP) for the area covered by the West Midlands seven metropolitan districts/boroughs which include Coventry. The LTP sets out the policies to promote safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport to, from and within our area as well as plans to implement those policies. This must be done in a way that addresses the regions economic, social and environmental challenges and opportunities.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is supporting WMCA to update its current plan. They have published a Green Paper to drive engagement with people, businesses and other key stakeholders across the region. It is called “Reimagining transport in the West Midlands: a conversation about change”. There is a short introduction to it here, it can be downloaded here and a 14 page “summary” is available here. Or just watch this 2.5 minute video.

Survey

This conversation will be based on an online survey whose responses will be used to inform the final version of the LTP.

The survey is available here until Friday 24th September 2021.

Background

In the past, transport planning has been based on the “Predict and Provide” principle. That is, Predict where under-capacity or safety will be a problem and then Provide more roads and/or railways.

Policy makers are beginning to recognise the problems with this approach:

Increasing CO2 emissions
Streets blocked with cars – parked and (slowly) moving
Public health problems due to people having little or no physical exercise
Problems accessing services for those who can’t access a car
Deaths from air pollution
Significant resistance from residents to new road and railway construction

To name a just a few.

So the Green Paper proposes an alternative. Instead of “more of the same”, transport projects should be assessed according to how much they help with broad societal objectives, namely:

Creating a fairer society
Supporting local communities and places
Making people more active
Achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2041
Sustaining economic success

Credit

This article includes input from an article by George Riches on the CTC Coventry website.

Comments

Re-imagining transport in the West Midlands — 5 Comments

Sara Maycock on 11/09/2021 at 21:22 said:

I’ve tried to complete the survey – it is too long and embroiled and when I inevitably take a break it loses everything. So disappointing – it’s a real opportunity to give important feedback but like everything done these days it’s set up to fail. I can’t see anyone taking the time to complete it. It’s the equivalent of doing a 3 hour exam. I think people are losing heart in government ever listening – so why bother?

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- Sara Maycock on 12/09/2021 at 21:27 said:
  
  Have found the save button so not quite all is lost. But still very long and embroiled. I wonder how many will take the time to complete the survey.
  
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Robyn on 01/10/2021 at 12:27 said:

Why was the survey only out for 17 days? I have tried to share it with as many people as possible, as I need it to help me with my Dissertation (I am studying factors affecting the use of public transport in the West Midlands). This secondary data would have been incredibly helpful, had I got more responses. Still, I have two questions.
1. Where will the results of this survey be released?
2. When will the results of this survey be released?
If you can share this with me, I will be very grateful.

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- Philip Brown on 04/10/2021 at 06:03 said:
  
  Hi Robyn, You will need to address these questions to the West Midlands Combined Authority. You might start by looking at https://www.wmca.org.uk/news/wmca-approves-transport-plan-for-the-next-decade/
  
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Sara Maycock on 04/10/2021 at 07:39 said:

In my experience important public consultations such as these don’t get enough airtime for such a critical piece of work. I failed to submit the survey on time despite 3 attempts at it and I’m not sure whether they’re aren’t simply tick box exercises. The government quite simply aren’t listening on all levels to public views – witness the mess that’s developing post Brexit.

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