Press Releases

31 October 2008

Bolton - The final shape of the TIF package

Final changes to the proposed Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) package for Bolton have been announced following a meeting of the Leaders of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) today.

In announcements today, it was revealed that as a result of TIF the following will be delivered:

• Quicker delivery of a new Bolton Interchange
• Improvements to stations and services on the Bolton to Manchester railway
• 20% reduction on public transport fares at peak times for low paid workers ( based on the statutory minimum wage)
• A network wide Smartcard ticketing system
• Additional seats on peak-time rail services
• New daily congestion charge cap of £5 for regular users*
• Additional 60 Yellow School Buses across Greater Manchester, taking the total TIF investment to 180
• Additional park and ride sites across Greater Manchester

Rail

Extra seats would be provided to reduce overcrowding and platforms would be lengthened, where necessary, to accommodate longer trains. An earlier train would operate from Clitheroe to Manchester via Bolton in the mornings to further ease overcrowding if the proposals are accepted.

If TIF is approved it could result in Bolton's new transport interchange arriving more quickly than it would without TIF funding, linking a state-of-the-art bus station directly with rail services.

Bolton stations would undergo extensive improvements with two new platforms built at Lostock station to receive services between Wigan and Manchester. Passenger facilities at Hall i'th' Wood, Bromley Cross, Lostock, Blackrod and Westhougton stations would also be improved with TIF investment.

There would also be further development of services running along the Salford/Bolton/Blackburn rail corridor through re-allocated Local Transport Plan funds that would have been invested elsewhere without TIF.

There would be additional rail carriages for services across Greater Manchester to allow more journeys to be made every day with capacity for an additional 2,950 passengers in the three hour morning peak period. This is as well as the additional capacity for 4,100 passengers in the three hour morning peak, which would be funded by the government without TIF.

Buses

Examples of proposed changes to buses in the Bolton district include:

• The existing Bolton-Manchester service via the A666 enhanced to provide a new Bolton-Farnworth-Kearsley-Manchester-Manchester Royal Infirmary rapid bus service. The route would feature high levels of bus priority for a fast reliable service into the heart of Manchester including the universities and Manchester Children's Hospital. It would operate every seven to eight minutes during the daytime (every 10 minutes on Sunday daytimes and every 20 minutes in the evenings) using new, high quality vehicles.
• The existing Bolton-Bury-Rochdale and Bolton-Westhoughton-Wigan services increased to operate every seven to eight minutes in the daytime, every 30 minutes in the evenings and every 20 minutes on Sundays.
• The peak-time frequency of the existing Bolton-Little Lever-Radcliffe-Bury service increased to every seven to eight minutes (Sunday daytime every 20 minutes, evenings every 30 minutes).
• The frequency of the existing Bolton-Markland Hill-Middlebrook-Horwich and Leigh-Westhoughton-Middlebrook-Horwich-Wigan services doubled to every 30 minutes in the daytime, and a new evening and Sunday service introduced between Bolton and Middlebrook.

The above are just a few examples of what is proposed, under the TIF package proposals bus frequencies and hours of operation would be enhanced throughout Greater Manchester to cater for work journeys and other journey purposes.  The aim is to provide high quality, reliable services as an alternative to the car.  Services will be planned so that at least 90% of the population across Greater Manchester would live within 5 minutes walk of a service operating at least every 20 minutes during the day and at least every 30 minutes at other times.

Infrastructure

A further £15 million of re-allocated LTP funding would be provided for transport infrastructure projects in Bolton, such as bus priority measures, bus stop and rail station improvements, cycle routes, traffic management work and pedestrian facilities.

Park and Ride

The TIF proposals would double the existing number of Park and Ride spaces serving Greater Manchester.  £40 million is already dedicated to this and positive feedback in the recent consultations has resulted in an additional £10 million being set aside in re-allocated LTP funds for further sites across the region.

Bolton would benefit from further expansion of Park and Ride facilities at Horwich Parkway.

Cycles

Cycling is also an important element of the plans. Improvements for cyclists in the proposals would include the creation of a high quality route along the former Bolton-Bury rail line offering a safer and more attractive environment for cyclists. The route would link Little Lever, southern Breightmet and Darcy Lever to Bolton station.

The TIF package programme for cycling improvements across Greater Manchester consists of cycle lanes (125 miles of safe and convenient cycle routes) cycle parking and a cycle hire scheme for Stockport and Manchester.

Yellow School Buses

Following consultation there has been a 50% increase in the number of new Yellow School Buses proposed as part of the TIF package.  At the outset of consultation the proposal was for 120 additional vehicles. This has now been increased by a further 60, making a new total of 180. The 180 buses are in addition to the 36 currently operating and the 120 already planned. If TIF is approved this would result in a total of 336 Yellow School Buses operational by 2018 across the whole of Greater Manchester.

Smartcard Ticketing

A smartcard ticketing system will be developed. A simplified pricing structure is planned based on two or three “fare bands” – such as a short hop or standard fare.

The smartcard would act as an “electronic purse” with price caps applying to, for example, daily travel and weekly travel. These would deliver unlimited travel on buses and trams across the city with passengers guaranteed never to pay more than the value of the caps.

The smartcards would also be used to administer the 20% discount for low income workers, which is being proposed on all peak time public transport fares.

Congestion Charge

If approved following the referendum a weekday, peak-time only directional congestion charge would only be introduced after 80% of the public transport improvements are in place; there has been a significant improvement in public transport in each district and not before the summer of 2013.

The charge would affect vehicles travelling towards Manchester city centre between 7am and 9:30am which cross one or both of the charging rings. The charge would then affect vehicles travelling away from the city centre which cross one or both of the charging rings between 4pm and 6:30pm.

Cost: Weekday Mornings
£2* if crossing the Outer Ring in-bound, towards Manchester city centre between 7:00am and 9:30am
£1* if crossing the Inner Ring in-bound, towards Manchester city centre between 7:00am and 9.30am
You would only pay once regardless of how many times you cross each ring in the charging period, e.g. you would only be charged £2* to cross the outer ring and £1* for the inner ring in the morning even if you were to cross it several times on the same morning.

Cost: Weekday Evenings
£1* if crossing the Inner Ring out-bound, (away from Manchester city centre), between 4:00pm and 6:30pm
£1* if crossing the Outer Ring out-bound, (away from Manchester city centre) between 4:00pm and 6:30pm
You would only pay £1* for each ring you cross regardless of how many times you cross it on the same evening.
This means the maximum regular users pay is £5* regardless of how many rings are crossed in any one day.
Vehicles would not be charged at weekends or on Bank Holidays, for travelling around the M60 or if they do not cross one of the charging rings. No vehicles would be charged outside the times currently being considered.  
Groups and vehicles which are set to receive a 100% discount from the congestion charge include emergency service vehicles, buses and registered community transport services, blue badge holders, patients who attend hospital or specialist health facilities for regular treatment, motorcycles and taxis. It has also been recognised that breakdown vehicles play a vital role in reducing congestion and they are also set to receive a 100% discount.

Low paid workers (based on the statutory minimum wage) look set to receive a discount of 20% on the congestion charge for a trial period and it has also been recommended they receive a 20% discount on the cost of public transport at peak times.

Following consultation it has been proposed that the daily cap of £10 is removed.  The new maximum daily charge for regular users in a vehicle fitted with a tag would be £5* (*in 2007 prices) per day regardless of how many journeys they make or rings they cross.

Charging Rings

Another important issue which has been considered following the consultation exercise is the exact routing of the proposed charging rings. Extensive work has been carried out and the exact route of the proposed charging rings can now be shown.

Lord Peter Smith said: “The public consultation exercise was a resounding success and a huge amount of feedback was gathered during the process.

“After analysing the findings of the consultation, final changes have been made. We now have a package to improve transport across the whole of Greater Manchester.

“Residents and businesses should take time to read the final proposed investment for public transport and the details of their local boundary details and congestion charging scheme before they vote in early December.  People are being asked to vote on the whole package.”

Following the AGMA meeting a public referendum is set to be held in all 10 local authority areas of Greater Manchester. Ballot papers are set to be distributed from late November. Ballot papers must be returned by 10pm on December 11.
If at least seven out of the 10 councils decide they are in favour of the Transport Innovation Fund proposals they would proceed to the next stage.