8.5 Transporting Goods

We will develop and maintain an integrated, efficient and sustainable freight transport system.

The efficient movement of goods is a central component of the economy. However, the movement of goods can also have a negative impact on the environment and quality of life, affecting air quality, noise, severance and safety. A freight policy must balance the economic benefits of proposals against any environmental or social disbenefits.

The movement of freight is a commercial decision based on market forces. Currently the vast majority of freight is transported by road. The main issues relating to road haulage are congestion and reliable journey times, road safety and the environmental impact of through traffic in towns, villages and the wider countryside.

Lancashire is at the crossroads of north-south and east-west corridors for road and rail transport. The north-south spine, the West Coast Main Line and the M6 motorway, runs north to Scotland with links to Ireland. It goes south via the West Midlands to southern England and on to Continental Europe. The M61 and M65 and parallel railways run east-west, linking the industrial areas on both sides of the Pennines and serving the west and east coast ports.

The freight strategy sets out to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the county's transport networks and to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of freight. It will promote modal shift from road transport wherever practicable.

8.5.1 Highways

If the economy is to fulfil its potential, the highway network will have to offer an efficient system for the movement of freight. The County Council will pursue a strategy of network and demand management, including the exploitation of new technology to provide better information to drivers and to co-ordinate traffic flows, to make the best use of existing infrastructure.

We will develop signing strategies for key routes and local destinations, which identify the roads that are appropriate for 24-hour operation. We will consult freight operators over proposals for traffic management schemes and restrictions on weight, width or time of day which may impact upon them.

8.5.2 Quality Freight Partnerships

We will work together with industry to create Quality Freight Partnerships to address particularly opportunities and issues and encourage best practice. Quality Freight Partnerships can take advantage of opportunities to promote constructive solutions, reconciling access requirements with local environmental and social concerns. Freight Quality Partnerships can also ensure cross-boundary consistency. Our traffic management officers consider local freight issues as an integrated part of network management. Where there are more widespread issues or particularly sensitive areas we use freight mapping and partnership working with local stakeholders to develop solutions.

8.5.3 Improving access for freight vehicles in urban areas

We  work with freight operators to improve access for freight vehicle in urban areas, including a consistent approach to restrictions on access. Technological advances made in recent years to reduce vehicle noise and exhaust pollutants may reduce the need for restrictive policies. Freight vehicles may be afforded priority in some situations to improve journey time reliability and reduce vehicle noise and emissions from traffic congestion. Modern communications technology has opened up the potential to deliver accurate information on freight routing and local problems such as roadworks or accidents directly to vehicles. We will look to develop systems to ensure we make the best use of the highway network and reduce delays to freight movement.

8.5.4 Rural Freight Issues

The size and quantity of freight deliveries has become an issue in some rural parts of the County. We will develop rural freight partnerships  to address these issues and develop ways to ensure that vehicles use the most appropriate routes and minimise environmental impacts.

8.5.5 Provision of Driver Rest and Parking Facilities

We will work with the freight industry and adjacent authorities to develop a strategy for providing driver rest and parking facilities and identify appropriate locations. Drivers of freight vehicles are obliged to take statutory breaks and rest periods as directed by EU legislation. There is a need to provide adequate and suitable parking facilities for lorries for both short-stay and overnight periods. However, the lack of a comprehensive approach to the provision of rest areas has resulted in goods vehicles being forced to park in unsuitable locations in both urban and rural areas. Sites for driver rest sites should be identified through Local Development Frameworks.

8.5.6 Air Quality and Vehicle Emissions

The movement of freight by road will inevitably have an adverse impact on the environment due to vehicle emissions, noise and vibration. We will support policies aimed at minimising environmental impact, for example, increased use of cleaner fuels such as liquid petroleum gas and compressed natural gas and the introduction of road treatments which generate less noise.

The efficient movement of freight can improve air quality. We will review freight movements where improvements to them can assist in meeting air quality targets.

8.5.7 Rail

Rail can often offer a cost-competitive, reliable and sustainable alternative to road transport, particularly in the international and inter-modal markets. Whilst there is considerable potential for rail to expand its business, growth is constrained by network capacity and limited facilities for interchange.

Facilities which provide quick, easy and affordable means of transferring freight from road to rail are a key component for encouraging greater use. We will support the development of inter-modal terminals, rail-linked warehouses and distribution centres at key locations around the County. As there is a scarcity of locations with good road access and rail links, as well as a sufficient amount of land for rail-connected development, these should be protected in Local Development Frameworks. The Joint Lancashire Structure Plan identifies specific sites for rail freight development for inclusion in Local Development Frameworks. The first LTP has seen the reintroduction of rail fright to the Preston Dock Industrial Area and we will continue to work towards the goal of reintroducing rail freight to Heysham Port.

8.5.8 Shipping & Ports

In Lancashire, there are active ports at Heysham and Fleetwood, both of which are classed as major ports by the Department for Transport. The Port of Heysham has roll-on, roll-off ferry services to Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man and is also the main supply base for the Morecambe Bay gas field. The Port of Fleetwood also supports a roll-on, roll-off ferry service to Northern Ireland. The small Trust Port of Glasson Dock on the River Lune near Lancaster handles mainly coastal traffic.

High quality transport access by road and rail is key to their viability and we will support measures to improve transport access to them. Heysham retains its rail link which has the potential for increased use. Heysham and Fleetwood both lack a high quality road link to the motorway network. The completion of the proposed Heysham/M6 Link will greatly improve journey times to the Port of Heysham. Transport improvements in the Fylde have been considered through the Fylde Sub-Regional Transport Study and proposals for improvements on the A585 trunk road corridor will be considered as part of the development of the Regional Spatial Strategy.

We will support the development of port estates and multi-modal freight facilities within or adjacent to ports and inland waterways. Port estates often have land available where industry could locate with a view to eliminating the onward distribution by road of bulk materials, with attendant environmental and road congestion benefits. These too should be safeguarded in Local Development Frameworks.

We will support the development of modal shift to coastal/short-sea shipping and inland waterway shipping. There are growing opportunities for ports to benefit from the potential to transfer certain cargoes such as containers and bulk loads from land to water transport. Coastal shipping operating between ports within the UK is a substantially under-utilised mode and could play a useful role in removing freight from the road network.

8.5.9 Aviation

Air freight is important in the supply chain for high-value, low-weight, and just-in-time goods. Airports offer services to tourists, business passengers and freight. A successful airport contributes to the local economy and plays an important role in attracting inward investment. Airports are the focus of clusters of businesses serving the aviation industry directly or requiring frequent access to air services. However, the benefits of air travel are offset by environmental effects, particularly of aircraft noise around airports and aircraft engine exhausts which contribute to the national total of greenhouse gas emissions.

There are two large commercial airports in the North West, Manchester International Airport and Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Liverpool Airport has good road connections, Manchester Airport has good ground connections for both road and rail. We will support the development of the surface access strategies for these airports

There is a third, smaller, airport at Blackpool. This does not handle significant amounts of freight, but has the potential to do so in the future, and is currently rapidly expanding. We will support the development of freight traffic at Blackpool Airport. The general philosophy of mitigating environmental impacts as traffic increases should be adopted and Local Development Frameworks should safeguard the existing site in order to ensure future capacity is available. We are working closely with the Airport owners and Blackpool Borough Council to ensure the provision of adequate surface access by different modes and to ensure this is adequate to deal with the forecast growth in airport use and the associated development in the area.

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