Sustainable Mobility and Active Travel: A review of Greater Manchester's Joint Development Plan

Sustainable Mobility and Active Travel: A review of Greater Manchester’s Joint Development Plan
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The nature of the climate emergency has made decarbonisation a common goal for all and every sector, particularly in the transport sector. Globally, the transport sector is one of the major contributors and in the United Kingdom the transport sector is the highest contributor to greenhouse gases.

Strategies to decarbonise the transport sector include electrifying transport networks to replace fossil fuels and reducing unsustainable travel demand via promoting the use of public transport and active travel modes.

Active travel modes are any form of travel that involves physical activity such as walking and cycling. Promoting active travel is a key decarbonisation strategy due to the high potential of carbon savings associated with converting short car journeys to active travel modes and delivering wider health benefits.

Due to the pivotal role of active travel modes in decarbonising transport, research in promoting active travel is one of the priorities at Enroute. My current research explores how Green Infrastructure (GI) and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) can be used to promote active travel. GI is a network of blue and green spaces that provide multiple environmental and wider benefits. SuDS are drainage solutions that use GI to manage surface water runoff through natural processes.

Pictures of GI/SuDS use in travel routes and urban centres are provided from Figures 1 to 4.

Figure 1 - Bioretention swales in Grey to Green scheme, Sheffield (Dunnett, 2020)
Figure 2- Roadside swale used in Jehovah’s Witnesses British HQ (Susdrain,2020)

Though limited, existing research and SuDS schemes have highlighted the potential of GI and SuDS in promoting active travel while delivering additional drainage and environmental benefits. As a result, SuDS and GI adoption presents an excellent opportunity for local planning authorities to enjoy drainage and environmental benefits while aligning with transport decarbonisation targets.

This blog reviews active travel, GI, and SuDS priorities set in the Joint Development Plan of Greater Manchester to highlight best practices and provide recommendations to allow local planning authorities to capitalise use of SuDS and GI in promoting active travel.

Figure 3 - Raingardens used on Marylebone High Street, London (Susdrain, 2020)
Figure 4 - Raingardens at the Greener Grangetown scheme (Susdrain, 2019)

Introduction

All Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in England are required to prepare a local plan that is consistent with national planning policy to guide the long-term spatial development of respective LPAs.

The main objective of a local plan is to provide strategic policies in areas of housing, infrastructure, services, and enhancement of natural and historic environment for the area’s future development over the next 15-20 years.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) necessitates the preparation of a local plan to be based on adequate and relevant evidence about the economic, social and environmental characteristics of the area (MHCLG, 2023).

Therefore, a local plan preparation is supported by an Infrastructure Delivery Programme (IDP) that identifies future infrastructure requirements, the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, sustainability appraisal and other socio-economic indicators within the region.

Each local plan is instrumental in the growth, infrastructure development and environmental performance of each LPA and collectively local plans are significant in achieving national targets including the Net Zero Strategy of the United Kingdom (UK).

In 2017 the transport sector overtook the energy sector as the sector with the highest greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021 the transport sector produced 26% of the UK’s total emissions (Department for Transport, 2023).

Therefore, this study reviews the joint Development Plan Document (DPD) of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) concerning sustainable transport policies. The Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan 2022 to 2039 (GMCA, 2024) is a joint DPD made for 9 boroughs (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan) in the Greater Manchester area.

The joint DPD cover is the successor to the previous plan – The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework 2020 (GMSF). The GMSF 2020 was originally being prepared for all the 10 boroughs in Greater Manchester (GM) but following the withdrawal of Stockport Council the joint DPD was prepared for the remaining nine boroughs.

The study aims to understand sustainable transport targets in the GM region, highlight best practices and identify gaps that have high potential in promoting sustainable transport. While the overarching target of the review is promoting sustainable transport, the review pays special attention to policies/priorities related to Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) and Green Infrastructure (GI).

NPPF defines GI as a network of multi-functional green and blue spaces which are capable of delivering a wide range of environmental, economic, health and well-being benefits (MHCLG, 2023). SuDS are drainage solutions that use GI to manage surface water runoff through natural processes. The use of SuDS and GI in transport networks is gaining popularity in managing road runoff while promoting the use of active travel.

Some successful examples of SuDS transport schemes in the UK include the “Grey to Green” in Sheffield (Grey to Green, 2013), and the “Greener Grangetown” scheme in Cardiff (Susdrain, 2019).

Need for sustainable transport

Greater Manchester is at the heart of the national motorway network, has extensive local and long-distance rail connections plus Metrolink/tram network and hosts Manchester Airport offering direct flights to over 200 destinations.

While the boroughs in Greater Manchester are well-connected places both nationally and internationally, the local plan (GMCA, 2024) has recognized several challenges in the transport network which are as follows:

  1. Traffic congestion affects many key highways and as estimated in ‘A Congestion Deal for Greater Manchester’ the traffic congestion costs the city region £1.3 billion (Mayor of Greater Manchester, GMCA, TfGM, 2018).
  2. The quality and network of cycling infrastructure is limited.
  3. Public transport suffers from a lack of capacity on key routes.
  4. The resilience of transport networks is a key issue. The network frequently suffers disproportionately from small failures such as congestion due to small accidents. Similarly, there is an urgent need to improve resilience to mitigate long-term challenges from climate change.
  5. Traffic is a leading contributor to poor air quality. Public Health England (2016) estimates 5% of deaths each year in Greater Manchester is attributable to air pollution.
  6. Population growth in the region is estimated to lead to over 800,000 residential trips each day on the transport network of Greater Manchester.

The key issues identified by the local plan all signal an urgent need for policies and investments in sustainable transport to improve connectivity while accommodating increased demand for travel and improving quality of life.

Sustainable travel targets

To address the transport challenges in Greater Manchester, the joint DPD has prioritised sustainable transport that aligns with its ambitious target of being carbon neutral by 2038 (GMCA, 2024). Substantial decarbonisation is required within the transportation sector to achieve carbon-neutral status by 2038.

One of the five decarbonisation priorities in the transport sector in the Greater Manchester 5-year Environment plan is promoting public transport and active travel modes (GMCA, 2018).

The local authorities recognise the need for significant investment in sustainable modes of transport to achieve the vision of carbon-neutral status. The Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 Delivery Plan (GMCA,2017) is the framework for transport investment in the region.

With sustainability at its core, the delivery plan has aimed to convert 50% of all journeys in Greater Manchester to be made by walking, cycling and public transport which is equivalent to an additional one million sustainable journeys each day (GMCA,2017). To achieve this target the delivery of the Greater Manchester Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Proposal (Bee Network) plays a key role.

The proposal sets out a vision for Greater Manchester to become the first city region to have a fully interconnected walking and cycling network to connect every neighbourhood in Greater Manchester, covering over 1800 miles of route (TfGM, 2024).

The ambitious priorities and targets set out in Greater Manchester in the area of carbon neutrality, investment in walking and cycling routes and targets to facilitate the use of public transport strongly align with a sustainable transport vision and are steps LPAs should take.

Similarly, the plans and policies should be structured around the targets to ensure that the sustainable targets are accomplished.

Merits of current policies concerning sustainable travel

Joint Development Plan

A key merit of the local plan is the formulation of a joint plan for nine districts in GM (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan) which enables the nine districts to:

  1. align with wider Greater Manchester strategies for transport and other infrastructure investment; and
  2. utilise the evidence base already commissioned and completed, minimising the cost of producing further evidence.

Coordination with Wider Strategies

The plan is shaped collaboratively with wider strategies, including the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 Delivery Plan (GMCA, 2017), the Greater Manchester 5-year environment plan (GMCA, 2018), and the Greater Manchester Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Proposal (TfGM, 2024).

This approach has allowed the joint DPD to be prepared with a larger evidence base, including travel data collected by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and carbon emission data reported in the Greater Manchester 5-year environment plan. Aligning with wider strategies the joint DPD has set policies that facilitate accomplishing the targets set in wider strategies. Some examples include:

  1. Based on travel data TfGM has set out the need to initiate change in public travel behaviour to achieve the target of converting 50% of travel in Greater Manchester to public transport and active travel modes.
  2. To reduce transport emissions by minimizing the need to travel the joint DPD has focused on policies to develop neighbourhoods where facilities of employment, health and shops are easily accessible.
  3. The joint DPD has set policies to deliver new and improved walking and cycling infrastructure with GI and to ensure routes are direct and integrated with the public transport network.

This collaborative approach where the joint DPD prioritises new housing and infrastructure development to facilitate transport targets is highly effective. Conversely, limited coordination between new development and transport strategies can result in increased demand for travel, investment in routes with decreasing travel demand and a car-oriented development.

Therefore, alignment between transport and new development strategies is key and similarly, coordination between local plans and other wider region strategies is a best practice that needs to be adopted in other LPAs across the UK.

Streets for All

The Policy JP-C5 “Streets for all” is a distinct policy that aims to address the complex increasing demands of diverse users by ensuring that the streets are welcoming for all including users with reduced mobility. This policy aims to align with national sustainable targets while addressing local demands by nurturing the distinct character of each street based on the needs of local communities.

To address local needs this policy ensures design and management of streets are guided by initially understanding the ‘movement and place function’ of streets as a reference for improvement.

Key priorities for the policy include minimising barriers to entry, maximising active travel opportunities, and providing appropriate routes for deliveries and ‘drop-off” services. The policy aims to promote active travel by incorporating increased levels of greenery, providing areas for resting and socialising, dedicated cycle parking and high-quality public transport waiting areas.

Priorities set by the “Streets for all” policy are promising in increasing the usage of public transport and catering to local needs. Another focus area of the policy is the inclusion of improved digital infrastructure and traffic signals technology. These steps are highly likely to be fruitful in increasing safety with active travel modes.

Green infrastructure

Policies of the joint DPD and previous sections of the study highlight the strong focus towards active travel. The joint development plan has recognised the huge potential of GI to promote active travel and aims to invest in GI to realise its multi-functional benefits.

The GMCA is committed to protecting and enhancing green infrastructure assets in Greater Manchester by valuing the sensitivities of various landscapes, targeting the enhancement of biodiversity and geodiversity, and maintaining a Green Belt. GI is project-specific and the performance of each GI is dependent on its location, climate, and ground conditions.

The joint DPD has recognised this to set policies for new development to be guided as per landscape character types defined by the Greater Manchester Landscape Character and Sensitivity Assessment (GMLCSA). The GMLCSA has set out 10 different landscape character types for most of Greater Manchester’s unbuilt areas with evidence of their characteristics and sensitivities.

The plan mandating new development to reflect landscape character considering topography, natural habitat, land use, and road patterns is a key step in improving the performance of each GI element. The GMCA targets a high-quality green infrastructure network that is extensive, multifunctional, and most importantly an integrated network connecting areas into and through new development.

To achieve this, given the greatly diverse GI network in Greater Manchester the joint DPD places a key emphasis on the relationships between GI elements. This focus on interconnected GI is crucial in maximising the effectiveness of realising the diverse benefits of GI.

Thirteen Green Infrastructure Opportunities areas have been identified as areas with potential for delivering improvement to the GI area of Greater Manchester. The plan has taken a strategic approach to developing policies for the management and enhancement of GI.

The Green Infrastructure Opportunity Areas are selected based on their strategic scale and potential to deliver ecosystem services which can be vital in connecting the GI network to large areas of Greater Manchester.

The plan requires developments within and around the GI network to be consistent with delivering major GI improvements within the existing GI. Additionally, the plan also requires the developer to make appropriate provision for the long-term maintenance of GI when new/improved GI is delivered as part of a development.

Considering maintenance as a key issue in GI schemes, such policies will be highly effective in ensuring the successful management of GI schemes. GMCA aims to develop its own standards for the development of the Green Infrastructure Network.

Various standards developed by different organisations currently exist for GI development work which has highlighted a need for uniformity in design standards as per geographic region. As a result, a standard developed by GMCA using project-specific data has huge potential to aid the development of GI schemes in the UK. The developed standard can act as a strong reference for learnings, experiences, and project-specific information for other LPAs in the UK.

The plan has also laid out priorities for each GI category (Waterways, Lowland Wetlands, Uplands, Urban Green Space, and Trees). One of the priorities is the use of each GI category in promoting active travel in the following ways:

  1. Utilising waterways/river valleys to connect urban areas to countryside. Developing safe, accessible and functional pathways along these natural features will provide a scenic route to encourage active travel.
  2. Lowland wetlands measure around 40,000 hectares in Greater Manchester. Public access across these areas will be expanded via the creation of new circular routes to create new active travel opportunities.
  3. Any development of urban green spaces should be designed to facilitate easy access by walking and cycling.
  4. The plan aims to significantly increase the current 15.7% of tree canopy in Greater Manchester and improve public access to trees by sustainable travel modes to capture the health and well-being benefits. Increasing the number of trees along travel routes will create a more aesthetic/natural travel alternative to promote active travel.

A key highlight of the GI policies of the joint DPD is the consideration of the project-specific nature of GI elements. This approach of using individual characteristics of individual GI elements in promoting active travel will be effective considering the diverse nature of GI elements and their strengths.

Closing remarks and recommendations

After reviewing the joint DPD of the Greater Manchester region it is clear the GMCA has a strong focus on promoting sustainable transport.

The sustainable targets set by the plan in achieving carbon neutrality by 2038, converting 50% of travel to active travel and public transport modes and developing a fully interconnected active travel route are ambitious. While the targets are ambitious, they are supported by policies that are interconnected with wider regional strategies and supported by a strong quantitative evidence base.

Therefore, based on the review, a positive outlook regarding the accomplishment of sustainable transport targets can be maintained. Some recommendations in areas of GI and SuDS which can aid in the fulfilment of these targets are as follows:

  1.  The plan has highlighted the need to encourage change in public travel behaviour to increase active travel usage. In addition to GI priority and investment in active travel routes, increasing awareness about the health and environmental benefits of active travel can be effective in changing public travel behaviour.
  2. Similar to policies that are set for the use of GI, distinct priorities/policies should be set for integrating SuDS with the urban transport network. SuDS integration can not only enhance active travel routes but also provide drainage facilities to increase resilience against flooding events.
  3. In addition to the development of a GI standard, studies regarding the impact of GI and SuDS on active travel using primary travel data should also be conducted to better understand GI influence on active travel and prepare nuance GI schemes.

References

  • Department for Transport (2023). Transport and environment statistics: 2023. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-and-environment-statistics-2023/transport-and-environment-statistics-2023.
  • Dunnett, N. (2020). Grey to Green. [online] Available at: https://www.nigeldunnett.com/grey-to-green-2/
  • Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) (2024). Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan. Retrieved from https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/media/9578/places-for-everyone-joint-development-plan-document.pdf
  • Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) (2017). Greater Manchester Transport Strategy.
  • Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) (2018). 5-year Environment Plan For Greater Manchester.
  • Grey to Green (2013). Grey to Green – Sheffield. [online] Available at: https://www.greytogreen.org.uk.
  • Data Solutions Department (DSD), Transport for Greater Manchester (2017). DSD Report 1911: Reported Road Casualty Statistics Greater Manchester 2016: District Tabulations
  • Mayor of Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGm) (2018). A Congestion Deal for Greater Manchester.
  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) (2023). National Planning Policy Framework.
  • Public Health England (2016). Public Health Outcome Framework.
  • Susdrain (2019) Greener Grangetown, Cardiff (case study) [online]. Available at: https://www. susdrain.org/case-studies/pdfs/greener_grangetown_case_study_ lightv2.pdf.
  • Susdrain (2020) Jehovah’s witness Britan Headquarters [online]. Available at: https://www. susdrain.org/casestudies/pdfs/001_29_04_20_jehovahs_witnesses_cheltenham_2020_awards.pdf
  • Susdrain (2020) Marylebone Low Emission Neighbourhood (LEN), London [online]. Available at: https://www. susdrain.org/case-studies/pdfs/ 025_31_05_20_maryebone_len_2020_ awards. pdf
  • Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) (2018). Greater Manchester’s cycling and walking infrastructure proposal
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