This document is the second Greater Manchester Local Transport Plan. It sets out our five year programme for investment in local transport, in order to help deliver our long term vision and strategy for Greater Manchester. If you would like more information on this document, or would like to obtain a large print, Braille, audiotape or an alternative language version, please telephone 0161 242 6085, or visit our website www.gmltp.co.uk

We are pleased to present to Government our Second Local Transport Plan, which has been produced by the Ten Greater Manchester Local Authorities and the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority.  This Plan builds on the strategy and work undertaken as part of our first Local Transport Plan (2001/2-2005/6), our longer-term Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Strategy (GMITS) launched in Spring 2005, and our provisional Second Local Transport Plan (LTP2) which was published in July 2005.  It also takes account of the Strategic Environmental Assessment which was undertaken on the provisional LTP2.

The Plan sets out our five-year programme as the starting point for delivering our longer-term vision and strategy for Greater Manchester. It sets out the targets we are seeking to achieve, which are fully in line with the Government's White Paper on Transport and the LGA/DfT Shared Priorities and are consistent with the funding guidelines set by central government. It also describes how we intend to monitor and manage the Plan over time. Expansion of Metrolink remains key for Greater Manchester, and we will continue to work hard with DfT to reach agreement on the expansion of the network in line with the Government's declared objective. We are currently taking forward the renewal and refurbishment of the Phase 1 and 2 network. Another key component of the Plan, and of our successful Transport Innovation Fund pump priming bid, is the development of corridor partnerships with key delivery organisations. These partnerships are looking at how we can integrate regeneration and land-use plans in individual corridors with transport modes, including the use of other complementary measures including travel planning, technology and demand management. They will commit partners, via a local area agreement mechanism, to delivery of their components of the plan and work is well advanced in the first four corridors. Buses remain central to our delivery plans and hence we have been working with the bus industry and other stakeholders to develop robust bus and accessibility strategies as part of LTP2.

We believe that the partnership of the ten Greater Manchester local authorities plus the Passenger Transport Authority is, despite its size, one of the most effective in the country. We have achieved much by working together on transport matters, and this cooperation is being strengthened further with this final second Local Transport Plan. It will ensure that Greater Manchester continues to become a better place to live, work and invest, increasing its economic competitiveness, and improving social inclusion and the quality of the environment.

We look forward to working in partnership with Government to deliver our shared vision for a fully integrated transport system which makes best use of existing infrastructure and supports the continued economic and urban regeneration of Greater Manchester.

Councillor Peter Smith Leader of AGMA		Councillor Roger Jones Chair of GMPTA