Latest news with #congestion
BBC News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Plan for roadworks charges to cut congestion in Greater Manchester
Firms behind roadworks on Greater Manchester's busiest routes could be charged up to £2,500 per day in an attempt to cut congestion at peak times. The proposal by Transport for Greater Manchester to introduce fees for full and partial road closures in traffic hotspots is aimed at encouraging local authorities, utility companies and others to collaborate to speed up approved the scheme would cover more than 700 highways in busy areas of the region often hit by Manchester mayor Andy Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester: "It's needed to basically get a much clearer discipline around roadworks and not have them taking a day longer, an hour longer than they should. He said: "It's one of those things that London has had and we've been saying well why don't we have this as well and it's all linked to getting a tighter grip on the way the roads work and making them work better for the users of the roads."The scheme - known as lane rental - has also been introduced in Kent, Surrey and on the proposed routes often lead to delays that lead the local economy to lose about £100m a year and create more pollution, TfGM said. Roadwork frustration The proposed scheme, which covers about 10% of Greater Manchester's highways, is set to be outlined at a Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) committee meeting on 24 would see those who partially close a road in one of the designated areas charged £1,500 per day, and £2,500 per day for full road closures at on pedestrianised areas could cost £350 per plans to hold a consultation on the charges before submitting an application to the Transport Secretary, whose approval is required before it can become Boulton, TfGM's highways network director, said: "We've all experienced the frustration that comes with roadworks."These schemes can also act as a strong incentive for organisations which carry out roadworks to plan ahead, ensure the work is done more efficiently and help alleviate disruption."A TfGM representative said that if the scheme is approved, it could generate about £10-13m per year, which would be invested into road maintenance. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
A582: One of Central Lancashire's busiest roads set for upgrade
Major improvements to one of Lancashire's busiest roads are set to go ahead thanks to the approval of government junctions on the A582 in South Ribble will be redesigned as a way of boosting the flow of traffic on a route that is routinely at a crawl during peak Department for Transport has committed £57.9m towards the project, which is a scaled-down version of previous plans to turn the stretch between Lostock Hall and Penwortham into a dual carriageway. That decade-old blueprint was effectively abandoned by Lancashire County Council last year following years of funding challenges and rising costs. 'Discourage rat-running' Three roundabouts will be replaced with traffic light-controlled interchanges that will use the latest technology to help minimise twin roundabouts where the A582 meets Croston Road and Centurion Way will make way for the new the roundabout at the junction of Lostock Lane, Farington Road, Stanifield Lane and Watkin Lane – which is already controlled by traffic lights – will become a plans also involve traffic-calming measures along Leyland Road and Watkin Lane designed to discourage rat-running and promote cycling and roundabout at the northern end of Leyland Road will also be road improvements - some of which will require planning permission - are dependent on ministers approving a full business case which will now be submitted by the county estimated cost of the entire project stood at £70.7m at the time of last summer's public consultation into the County Council had already earmarked £19m in "match funding" to add to the nearly £60m from Local Democracy Reporting Service understands a revised cost estimate is now being calculated, which could see the ultimate bill exceed £77m. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Kent County Council seeks solution to 'painful' Operation Brock
Kent County Council says it is looking for alternatives to Operation Brock, including an off-road lorry facility to try to ease Brock sees lorries heading to Dover queuing on one side of the M20 in an attempt to ease congestion, but council representatives said it was a "painful measure for everybody in Kent".Peter Osborne, cabinet member for highways and transport, said that while they were seeking a solution to the ongoing issues the contraflow system between junctions eight and nine was "all that we've got".Mr Osborne said: "I'm pretty sure that everyone at the council and most of our residents want to get rid of it." Operation Brock is funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), with decisions on its use made by the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF).On average the operation costs about £250,000 each time it is deployed, a Freedom of Information request Osborne said the council had looked at sites for an off-road holding facility, but the site needed to be between Ashford and Folkestone and on the left side of the had included the Sevington inland border facility, which the government is reportedly considering selling following its post-Brexit deal with the EU, but Mr Osborne said the site was on the wrong side of the Howe, highways and transport strategic resilience manager at the KMRF, told Radio Kent that "being realistic, it [Operation Brock] won't be fixed this summer and it won't be fixed next summer".The DfT was approached for comment.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Public responds as revised York parking charges come into force
Reduced parking charges have been rolled out across areas of York city centre, following public backlash at a previous 500% price hike. York Council has set the new pricing model at £3 per hour in car parks and residential areas outside the inner ring Ravilious, executive member for transport said while the council recognised the previous price increase was "too much in one go", it remained committed to tackling some people have expressed reservations about the new charges, including Bobby Paul, co-owner of Pextons Hardware on Bishopthorpe Road who said he worried "the damage was already done" in the community. "£3 is still arguably too much, and customers tell us so. I think it could do with being sub-£2 especially from the old 80p charge," he said."We've all seen a drop, and a fairly big drop [in business]. People who used to come here with their old shopping patterns have changed - but we'll see."In late April, car parking spots, including Micklegate and Bishopthorpe Road, saw prices rise by 500%, from 80p per hour to £ after an angry response from residents and traders, the council agreed to drop prices. Simon Kneafsey from M&K Butchers in Bishopthorpe Road said a balance had to be struck between encouraging the support of local high streets, without making rates attractive to people only visiting the city centre."Although not everyone will be happy with how much it's been reduced to, we've certainly done our best and I think that's a fair price for people who want to park and come shopping," he said."If it was cheaper than that, it might get abused by people who want to park there and wander off into town." Vicky Harris, manager of Millies Fruit & Veg, which backs onto the Bishopthorpe Road car park said the 35-space site had been noticeably emptier since the initial price hike."There's normally people queuing to get spaces - that's customers, that's clients. It's now about half full," she said."We all know that things go up but... it's just not enough, and I think it's created permanent lost custom because people aren't aware it's slightly come down." Using the car park to run errands, Fulford resident Josh echoed Ms Harris' sentiments, and said he had been able to find a space easily. "If it's designed to get people to not use the car, looks like it's working. It used to be busy in here and now it's nearly dead," he said."It's gone up a lot - I'm still paying it, but I'm not best pleased. They need to strike a medium I think." The council previously said April's hikes were needed to deal with traffic issues and to help balance council added that adjustments were made after the local authority had listened to the public's concerns."While we remain committed to tackling congestion and making it easier for everyone to get around, we recognise some of the uplift in charges in areas where they were previously very low has felt too much in one go," she said. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Call for more to use summer park and ride in Ironbridge
Telford and Wrekin Council is calling for more people to use its summer park and ride service into the Ironbridge 1,331 people used it over nine weekends last summer, from 20 July to 15 September, including the bank holiday Monday - about 70 people a councillor in charge of transport at the Labour-run authority said the service took congestion out of the gorge, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Vickers said the park and ride was also cheaper than parking in the area, although the cost of an adult ticket has doubled to £2 for 2025. Telford and Wrekin Council subsidised the privately-run service last year at a cost of £20, council said its contribution would reduce if more people used it."It is a political choice that we've made to run this service," said Cllr Vickers."But it's worth it because it benefits the local economy and we're really passionate to make sure our high streets are thriving places."The more people that use the service, then the income from fares is offset against that cost," he added. The 2025 timetable will begin on Saturday, with three services an hour from the Jiggers Bank car park near Lightmoor, from 10:00 to 18: tickets have risen from £1 to £2, although a child's ticket, priced at 50p last year, is now with concessionary passes, such as pensioners and those with disabilities, will also be able to use the service without having to and Wrekin Council is also using the park and ride this year to transport passengers into the gorge for organised events outside the main included the World War Two Festival held in May and the Ironbridge Brass Band Festival, which took place last than 1,400 used it for the Brass Band Festival alone, preventing hundreds of cars from driving into Coalbrookdale. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
