5.8 Towards a Sustainable Transport System

5.8.1 The Government launched 'Towards a Sustainable Transport Strategy' in October 2007. It outlines their approach to dealing with the issues raised by the Eddington Report into transport's contribution to economic growth and productivity, and the Stern Report looking at the economics of climate change. 

5.8.2 We have addressed the Towards a Sustainable Transport Strategy recommendations; these are described throughout the Progress Report as illustrated in the following table:

Greater Manchester responses to 'Towards a Sustainable Transport Policy'
TASTS recommendation Main location of Greater Manchester response
Key Steps
Be clear about policy goals Summary section of each chapter
Identify challenges and measurable outcomes
Show that options were generated to meet the challenges
Broad Goals
Maximise competitiveness and productivity of the economy 5.3 ‘Land Use’
Address climate change 9 ‘Air Quality & the Environment’
Protect people’s safety, security and health 5 ‘Transport's Contribution to Wider Objectives’ and 8 ‘Safer Roads’
Improve quality of life 7 ‘Delivering Accessibility’ and 9 ‘Air Quality & the Environment’
Promote greater equality of opportunity 7 ‘Delivering Accessibility’
Means of Achieving Goals
Make best use of infrastructure and get prices right 7.3 ‘Future Progress’, 11.5 ‘Practices to Increase Value for Money and Efficiency’ and 10 ‘Maintenance and Asset Management’
Target new infrastructure  investment  with smaller projects to unlock pinch points 6 ‘Congestion & Network Management Duty’
Prioritise those policies that give highest rate of return for the delivery chain 11.5 ‘Practices to Increase Value for Money and Efficiency’
Price carbon emission through tax / trading mechanisms Not able to do this through LTP and within local govt revenue raising powers, although the TIF bid is in part an indirect way of doing this ( ‘Greater Manchester Transport Innovation Fund Bid’)
Use wide range of low-carbon technologies Promotion of cycling, walking and public transport in preference to single occupancy car use.
Remove barriers preventing people from making informed decisions about transport 6.2.4 ‘Travel Behaviour’
Address negative impacts of transport on people’s health and safety 8 ‘Safer Roads’
Promote health benefits of cycling and walking Cycling and walking sections of 7 ‘Delivering Accessibility’, also 6.2.4 ‘Travel Behaviour’
Reduce impact of transport on the general environment 9 ‘Air Quality & the Environment’
Meet aspirations for comfort, convenience, quality of service and accuracy of transport information 6.2.3 ‘Public Transport Improvements’
Consider where transport improvements can help redress inequalities of access 7 ‘Delivering Accessibility’
Target efforts to prevent poor accessibility from reinforcing wider social exclusion 5.5 ‘Sustainable Communities’ and 7 ‘Delivering Accessibility’
Longer Term Strategic Plan
Clarity about longer term transport outcomes needed to deliver policy goals and how these will be measured Dealt with in Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Strategy
Detailed geographical analysis of longer term pressures on transport system Much work carried out for the preparation of the Transport Innovation Fund bid, which will also inform LTP3 strategy.