Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040

Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040
Name	Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040
Date adopted	2017
Jurisdiction	Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 is a statutory transport plan published for the county of Greater Manchester that sets out a long-term framework for travel, infrastructure and low-emissions objectives across the metropolitan area. The Strategy was developed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester, local district authorities and national agencies to coordinate investment in rail, tram, bus, cycling and walking through to 2040. It integrates commitments on public health from NHS England priorities, climate targets in line with the UK Climate Change Act 2008, and spatial planning linked to the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

Background and development

The Strategy emerged from earlier plans including the Greater Manchester Local Transport Plan 2011–2026, the creation of Transport for Greater Manchester in 2011 and devolution agreements agreed with the UK Treasury and the Department for Transport during the 2010s. Development included public consultations involving stakeholders such as Network Rail, Northern Trains, Metrolink (Manchester) operators, bus operators including FirstGroup, trade unions like the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association, and civic groups such as Sustrans and Friends of the Earth (UK). Technical work drew on modelling used by Highways England and academic partners including researchers from University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University to forecast population and employment growth in conurbations such as Salford, Stockport, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside and Trafford.

Vision and objectives

The Strategy's vision centres on improving connectivity to support inclusive growth in the Northern Powerhouse context, aligning with the Manchester City Council's regeneration aims for areas like Ancoats and Castlefield. Objectives include reducing carbon emissions to contribute to UK net zero emissions goals, raising public transport mode share to levels similar to London Buses and integrated systems exemplified by Transport for London, and enhancing accessibility for populations in wards associated with deprivation indices used by Office for National Statistics. Targets reference modal shift metrics from reports by International Association of Public Transport and air quality standards set under directives such as the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010.

Key policies and measures

Core policies promote integrated ticketing akin to schemes operated by Oyster card systems, demand management measures comparable to congestion charging debates in London and Stockholm, and prioritisation of rapid transit through extensions to the Metrolink (Manchester) network. The Strategy endorses franchising and quality contracts for bus services drawing on examples from Liberal Democrat and Labour Party policy discussions, while advocating for active travel networks promoted by Cycling UK and funded projects similar to those from the Department for Transport’s cycling investment funds. Freight consolidation measures reference work by the Freight Transport Association and low-emission zones echo policy in Edinburgh and Cambridge.

Infrastructure projects and investments

Planned investments include capacity upgrades on Manchester Piccadilly station, electrification initiatives linked to Northern Hub proposals, and tram extensions toward Manchester Airport and suburban corridors serving Altrincham and Eccles. Road proposals involve targeted junction improvements on corridors connecting M62 and M60 (Manchester) orbital motorway links, while cycling and walking corridors propose alignments along former railways like the Trans Pennine Trail. Funding mechanisms combine local transport budgets from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority with national capital from the National Productivity Investment Fund and potential contributions tied to the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework's housing allocations in places such as Wigan and Rochdale.

Implementation and governance

Responsibility for delivery rests with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the elected Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Transport for Greater Manchester executive, with scheme-level delivery by partner bodies including Network Rail, local borough highway authorities and private operators such as Arriva UK Bus. Governance structures incorporate scrutiny committees from combined authority members and oversight from parliamentary bodies like the Transport Select Committee. Procurement and regulatory options examine franchising under the Transport Act 2000 and commercial arrangements consistent with Competition and Markets Authority guidance.

Impact assessment and monitoring

The Strategy includes appraisal frameworks using standard methods promoted by the Department for Transport and modelling tools from Transport for London and academic collaborators at the University of Salford. Expected impacts cited include reductions in NO2 concentrations in central wards measured against Air Quality England benchmarks, journey time savings on rail and Metrolink corridors reported in Network Rail metrics, and economic benefits to employment centres such as MediaCityUK and Manchester city centre retail districts. Monitoring is to be reported through combined authority performance dashboards and performance indicators tied to Local Enterprise Partnership growth metrics.

Reception and criticism

Commentators from local authorities including Manchester City Council and regional think tanks such as the Institute for Public Policy Research praised ambitions for integration and carbon reduction, while critics from bus operators and some Conservative MPs expressed concerns about franchising and fiscal risk similar to disputes seen in debates over Greater Cambridge Partnership schemes. Environmental groups such as Friends of the Earth (Manchester) welcomed commitments on active travel but urged faster delivery, and trade unions warned about impacts on workforce terms in responses echoing past negotiations with Northern Rail and TransPennine Express.

Category:Transport in Greater Manchester