Connecting Plymouth & the SW

1. Rail

Short-term

• Urgently reconsiders the DfT’s proposals set out in the Cross Country Rail Passenger Public Consultation suggesting that direct trains from Penzance to the Midlands and the north should end at Plymouth.
• Undertake the line speed improvements and move from 60mph to 75mph between Totnes and Hemerdon (Plymouth) as part of the track renewal already planned by Network Rail;
• To secure Wi-Fi and improvements in mobile connectivity on trains between London and Penzance and actively promote the peninsula’s role in the national pilot for improved Wi-Fi;
• Cowley Bridge and Dawlish resilience works 2h15m journey times between Plymouth and London;
• Recognises the needs of the South West set out in the 20 Year Plan ‘Closing the Gap’ in the new franchise specifications for Cross Country and Great Western including:
  • an hourly semi-fast Paddington to Exeter and extended to Plymouth
  • rolling stock resilient to sea spray at Dawlish
  • Commit to funding development of outline business case of diversionary route and additional capacity between Exeter and Yeovil junction.

Long-term

That the Government:

• Funds and supports the Peninsula Rail Task Force (PRTF) to oversee the delivery of a fit for purpose rail network for its passengers across the South West Peninsula:
  • Faster journey times to London, the South East, the Midlands and the North;
  • Greater train capacity and facilities to enable travel time to be used productively; and
  • A resilient network which is not susceptible to regular disruption due to adverse weather.

Context

The South West has lost out because of poor transport investment for over 20 years, averaging £35 per head compared to a national average of £98 per head – leaving our region some £2bn behind other areas. Our regional rolling stock is the oldest, dating back to the late 1970s. The Met Office says climate change incidents will become more frequent, and with Network Rail warning that the line at Dawlish will suffer closure every four years by 2065, the South West remains more vulnerable than many parts of the UK.

The events in Dawlish and on the Somerset levels in 2014 highlighted that our rail network is highly vulnerable to impacts of extreme weather events and that urgent action is required to address resilience and improve the connectivity to London and other major cities to unlock business potential and protect the economic output of the region. It has been estimated that these events cost the South West Peninsula’s economy over £1.2bn. During 2016/17 there has been further disruption at Cowley Bridge due to flooding, and the loss of cross-country services at Dawlish whenever high tides and strong winds are forecast, which is becoming an all too frequent event.

We welcome and support the improvements and benefits that will be delivered through 2018 and 2019. The imminent introduction of new bi-mode for the London to South West long distance services is good news, but it does not materially change the lack of investment in the South West rail system, still leaving us with the 2nd oldest local train fleet in the UK.

Research has shown that productivity falls by 6% for every 100 minutes from London and a journey time reduction of 60 minutes would create a £1.2 billion uplift in GVA for the peninsula. The South West has the potential to thrive economically but remains untapped until improvements are introduced.

Rail passenger growth in the South West peninsula, has reached 133% in the South West over the last 21 years, with local services growing at 5.7% pa, compared with rail industry growth forecasting predictions of between 2% and 3.2%. The annual growth in the number of people using the trains in the South West is double the national rate and demand is outstripping supply. Growth in demand has meant that trains have become cramped, and overcrowded, whilst lack of investment and successive timetable changes has meant that services have also become more unreliable and slow. This will prevent further market growth, and it also limits our potential to attract inward investment.

We now believe it is time to look at the level of rail service provision to ensure that it meets the needs of Plymouth and the wider peninsula for the future. The 20 Year Plan submitted to Government in November 2016 by the Peninsula Rail Task Force (PRTF) "Closing the gap: The South West Peninsula strategic rail blueprint", provides what we believe is a strategic blueprint for improvements and we also welcome the recent additional incremental improvements identified through the work undertaken by GWR and Network Rail (NR) as part of the ‘Speed to the West’ study.

The report sets out the priorities for investment in the Peninsula’s railway network in the following three areas.

1. Resilience and reliability

The events at Dawlish showed the need for greater resilience across our transport networks with an ongoing impact on our trade and commerce. Network Rail warns unless action is taken, events similar to those in 2014 between Teignmouth and Dawlish that closed the railways for several months, will increase by over 600% to 1 in every 4 years by 2065.

2. Reduced journey time and improved connectivity

Our ambition is for faster journey times between our key UK markets, including; to London from Taunton in 1:30hr, Exeter in 1:45hr, Plymouth and Paignton in 2:15hr and Truro 3:30hr.

3. Capacity and Comfort

Our ambition is to transform our connectivity by increasing the frequency of trains, the number of seats and pioneering digital services to drive a world leading quality passenger experience.

 

Cross Country Passenger Rail Franchise Public Consultation

The Department for Transport has however recently issued a consultation on its plans for the Cross Country rail franchise (closing 30th August 2018). This document suggests that direct trains from Penzance to the Midlands and the north should end at Plymouth. The document also describes this part of the world as an extremity of the country’. Describing Devon and Cornwall as extremities with fewer passengers undermines the region’s economic contribution and value.

Ending direct rail services at Plymouth can only re-enforce misconceptions about the size and scale of our region. The document also suggests that Plymouth passengers be served by the GWR service ‘picking up the slack’. The proposals do not describe how that gap will be filled other than the suggestion of alternations to the GWR franchise. This means that people accessing Plymouth station for work from stations to the west of Plymouth will no longer be able to rely on a service by Cross Country at a time when we were looking forward to an enhanced railway service.

The PRTF and its members including Plymouth City Council will be making it clear to the DfT and Cross Country Trains that this proposal should be rejected and continue making the case for greater capacity through increasing the frequency of the trains driving economic growth and greater intra-connectivity within the South West.

 

Proposals

1. Line speed improvements between Totnes and Hemerdon (Plymouth)

Overdue enhancements to track should be considered, where instead of delivering like for like, enhancements could see increased line speeds. The track renewal between Totnes and Hemerdon (Plymouth) planned to be undertaken by Network Rail as part of their asset renewals plan in 2018/19 presents a ‘once in a life time’ opportunity to undertake line speed improvements. Initial work undertaken within the ‘Speed to the West’ study has identified that there is an option to upgrade the line speed from 60mph to 75mph for a distance of 14 miles between Totnes and Hemerdon. This would generate a time saving in excess of 3mins for journeys between Plymouth and Exeter.

Confirmation is required that the Office of Rail & Road determination of Network Rail’s Western Route Strategy will include the enhancement of the track as part of the existing track renewal project which is already funded. The additional cost of the enhancement work is estimated at between £20m - £30m. GWR and Network Rail have identified that this enhancement scheme has a Benefit to Cost Ratio of 6.07 (rated as very high value for money).

2. Promote the South West Peninsula’s role in the national WiFi pilot on trains

We would also ask that the DfT commences work on the improvements to Wi-Fi before 2019, rather than waiting until the start of the new franchise in April 2020, especially given the potential for the GWR franchise to be extended to 2020. Modern standard Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity should be available and usable on all trains to/from and within the South West Peninsula by 2020 in line with the DfT rolling stock perspective[1]. Express trains and Regional services should also have on board entertainment systems that allow customers to use their own devices to access the entertainment and reduce the use of Wi-Fi bandwidth required.

As part of the 5G strategy, the Government has committed to improving mobile coverage where people live, work and travel, including on trains. This involves upgrading the digital infrastructure along rail tracks to include installing fibre optic cables and mobile masts to provide gigabit speeds to trains. One pilot area was established last year along the Trans Pennine route between Manchester and York, in partnership with Network Rail. Evidence gathered to inform the PRTF Closing the Gap study demonstrated the link between long journey times and lost economic productivity. Good WiFi connection would significantly improve productivity during journeys by allowing people to use travel time constructively. Plymouth City Council has also recommended as part of the rail franchise consultation that WiFi should be available on all train services in the region before 2020 as part of the new rolling stock.

Given the journey lengths within the peninsula and to locations further afield, it is key that time spent on trains is productive. It is recognised that the Government is rolling out free Wi-Fi through the franchise process, but that is only half of the picture. Having the equipment on trains makes no difference if users cannot access or rely on the service due to a lack of continuous mobile connectivity resulting in poor or no mobile phone signal strength in areas that the rail lines pass through. The Government needs to commit to achieving continuous mobile connectivity through its 5G pilot scheme for the line between London and Penzance.

3. Recognising the needs of the South West in the new franchise specifications for Cross Country and Great Western Railway

The Peninsula Rail Task Force report "Closing the gap: The South West Peninsula strategic rail blueprint", sets out the priorities for investment in the Peninsula’s railway network which we would like recognised through the new franchises for Cross Country and Great Western Railway.

The PRTF has identified the following specific asks of Government up to 2019:

• Support for the PRTF through Government funding of £100k pa to allow development work to continue.

Resilience and reliability

• Trains that can and do work efficiently through all weathers and are resilient to sea spray at Dawlish
• To commit to funding and delivering the Cowley Bridge and Dawlish resilience works.
• Development of a diversionary route via Yeovil

Reduced journey times and improved connectivity

• To provide a fast, modern train service that achieves 2h15m journey times between Plymouth and London.
• 2 direct trains per hour between London and Plymouth from December 2019

Capacity and Comfort

• To support Wi-Fi and mobile improvements for the route between Penzance and London, coinciding with the introduction of new trains, thereby allowing business travellers to be more productive, and improving the overall passenger experience.
• A study on connectivity to Bristol
• The reopening of the Tavistock to Plymouth rail route

Further background is available at https://peninsularailtaskforce.co.uk/closing-the-gap-the-south-west-peninsula-strategic-rail-blueprint/

Offers

A South West Peninsula Sub-National Transport Body

We want to provide Government with a strategic transport body in the South West to manage and coordinate delivery of major transport schemes, and to be the single point of contact with which to deal. Councils within the Peninsula are working towards establishing a shadow body and ask that Government recognises and works alongside this arrangement to establish a formal body. This structure will facilitate and administer the much needed investment in the region’s major transport links, which must encompass a commitment from Government to the implementation of the Peninsula Rail Task Force’s 20 Year Plan for rail investment.

Delivering our growth ambitions

The Joint Local Plan (JLP) for Plymouth and South West Devon covers a population 400,000, and sets out our collective growth aspirations to 2034. The Plymouth Housing Market Area makes provision for at least 26,700 new dwellings and over 300,000 sq.m of employment floor space, providing for over 13,000 jobs. The population of the JLP area is predicted to grow by around 35,000 by 2034.

At a Heart of the South West geography we have been working particularly closely with Exeter and Torbay to develop a high growth corridor. Our proposition offers a compelling case with the potential to double GVA to over £44bn p.a. and to accelerate house-building rates to deliver 50,000 across our sub-regional by 2030. In order to deliver these ambitions we will need the right infrastructure in place to support this growth and require a fully integrated approach to spatial planning, transport and investment.

Benefits

• The PRTF’s blueprint proposes a long-term programme of investment in rail links between London and the South West which would unlock a host of benefits, including a £213m increase in GVA per annum by reducing journey time by 26 minutes or £7.2bn over 60 years, meaning that every £1 spent will return £3.
• Faster regional links will support Government policy to rebalance the national economy and add value through initiatives such as Crossrail, GWML electrification and HS2.
• Support housing growth along the Plymouth - Bristol - Birmingham corridor and the development of Hinkley Point C, by providing for improved rail access at Bridgwater.
• Promote relocation, regeneration and inward investment opportunities. A 45 minute reduction in journey times will have a significant beneficial impact on businesses.
• Improving the diversionary route between Exeter and Castle Cary will allow both London trains and local services to run, creating an economic benefit of £50m over 30 years.

Outcomes

• The impact of weather events and flooding on the rail network is reduced leading to better resilience and reliability.
• Improved reliability of long distance services and additional local services into Exeter through an enhanced diversionary route.
• Journey times are significantly reduced through upgrading capacity between Exeter and Waterloo and enabling two trains per hour in both directions between Yeovil and Salisbury.
• Improved customer experience through new and upgraded trains and major station upgrades.
• Improved Wi-Fi connectivity and passenger experience allowing business to be productive whilst travelling.

 

2. Road

Ask

That the Government:

• Upgrades the A38 to a modern, motorway standard providing a high quality and resilient connection to the M5/M4 corridor with the capacity to accommodate future growth from Exeter to Bodmin;
• Supports the formation of a Sub-National Transport Body for the South West Peninsula; and
• Supports Plymouth’s Transforming Cities Fund Expression of Interest

Our five priorities for the Road Investment Strategy 2:

• Widening the A38 to three lanes between A386 Manadon Junction and the B3413 at Forder Valley;
• Widening the A38 to three lanes on the approaches to Weston Mill Junction, the main access to the Naval Base
• Improvements to Deep Lane Junction including earlier provision of a Park & Ride;
• Improvements to the junction of the A38 and A386 at Manadon Roundabout; and
• National funding for a Route Based Study of the A38 from Exeter to Bodmin.

Context

Plymouth’s goal is simple; to bring about the modernisation of the A38 to ensure the route reflects its status as a major trunk road, addressing the challenges faced in Plymouth of low productivity caused in part by poor connectivity within the region and beyond to London and the rest of the UK. The key is a road network that supports the economy, improves road safety and protects the environment for this and future generations.

This goal is not tied to the city boundary, Plymouth seeks and supports investment for the whole of the A38 to secure a high quality and resilient connection to the M5/M4 Corridor which is able to provide more reliable journey times overhauling its status as just another ‘A’ road and cementing its inclusion within the network of Strategic National Corridors.

The modernisation of the A38 links with our overall long term ambitions for the City as set out in the Plymouth Plan. The Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan provides a shared direction and an over-arching strategic framework for sustainable growth in Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon, delivering 26,700 homes and an estimated 13,200 additional jobs over the life of the plan period (2014 to 2034). Plymouth is also the largest city within the far South West and as such is a regional driver for growth.

Moreover, over the last 5 years there have been 830 accidents involving injury between Bodmin and Exeter including 100 serious and 16 fatal. The number of incidents is 2.5 times the national average and killed and serious injury rates are nearly 3.5 times the national average.

To deliver this plan and support regional growth, the city and the South West region need a modern A38, built to a motorway standard, accommodating planned growth and supporting the South West region’s economy in the years to come.

Local authorities and the LEPs across the South West Peninsula are asking Government to support the establishment of a South West Peninsula Sub-National Transport Body that will facilitate this much needed investment in our major transport links in the region including the M5, A38/A30/A303/A358 corridors, and the North Devon Link Road as well as delivering our priorities for investment in our rail network as outlined in the previous section. We also want Government to commit to working with this Body to target the National Productivity Investment Fund to key programmes that will support our transport and digital connectivity aspirations.

Proposals

Seven of the ten busiest sections on Highways England’s network in the South West occur on the A38 between Plymouth and Exeter. 12km of the A38 form the trunk road between Saltash and Sherford. This connects Plymouth to Cornwall and the rest of the UK, joining the M5 at Exeter. 69,000 hours are lost per year due to delays on this section of the A38.

Traffic is forecast to grow on the A38 by around 30% over the next 20 years and without improvement, vehicle delays on the A38 will increase by over 100 vehicle hours per day per mile. The economy served by the A38 will struggle to achieve its potential if nothing is done.

Plymouth has identified 5 RIS 2 priorities where we need the Government’s sustained assistance to deliver a significant growth agenda:

1. Allocation of national funding to allow a comprehensive Route Based Study to be completed of the A38 from Exeter to Bodmin, reviewing the costs, benefits and timescales of upgrading the A38 to a modern, motorway standard.

A long-term investment study should be commissioned now to determine what highway improvements are necessary to support our region’s growth ambitions, and what transport and wider economic benefits this investment could bring. This will pave the way for a Plymouth, Exeter, Torbay Growth Corridor

2. Improvements to the junction of the A38 and A386 at Manadon Roundabout.

A38 Manadon is a hot spot for traffic congestion in Plymouth. Peak hour delays are frequent but the costs of resolving this (widening A386) has been prohibitively expensive to the Council to promote alone. RIS2 investment would facilitate the delivery of this improvement. By removing a local bottleneck, this investment would assist: existing business e.g. Land Registry, Derriford Hospital; future business such as The Range HQ, expansion of the Plymouth Science Park; as well as supporting the future growth in the Derriford area (4,000 new dwellings & 100,000 sq.m of high quality employment land).

3. Improvements to Deep Lane Junction are necessary to integrate this development with the rest of our city.

Sherford is a major development site providing 5,500 new dwellings in a mixed use development to the east of the city. A key constraint to this site is connectivity to Plymouth City Centre. A strategic Park and Ride at this location will enhance local bus services and encourage the development to progress sustainably.

4. Widening the A38 to 3 lanes on the approaches to Weston Mill Junction, the main access to the Naval Base.

Plymouth is home to the largest Naval Base in Western Europe which plays a vital role in supporting the nation’s defence capability. With significant Government investment to upgrade the facilities for the refuelling and defueling of nuclear submarines to support the Royal Navy’s overall maintenance programme, connectivity to the national road network is absolutely vital. Whilst the A38 serves a purpose, the nearest motorway is 40 miles away.

5. Widening the A38 to 3 lanes between A386 Manadon Junction and the B3413 at Forder Valley Interchange.

The A38 between A386 (Manadon) and A374 (Deep Lane) is the least reliable link in the South West Regional. It ranked amongst the worst performing sections of roads nationally (ranked 102nd out of 2,500) for journey time reliability. Despite this no funding was made available during RIS 1 to address this. Should the funding opportunities of RIS2 be missed, it’ll be 2025 before investment would be once again considered. This critical link will worsen significantly during this time.

One of the priorities in Plymouth’s response to the Government’s Road Investment Strategy (RIS) 2 consultation was ‘to undertake a route based study of the A38 from Exeter to Bodmin so that the costs, benefits and timescales of upgrading this route to a modern, motorway standard can be clearly understood.’ A campaign has been organised to raise awareness which has resulted in businesses and other individuals endorsing this request to Government. The level of local support has been acknowledged by the SoS for Transport.

Plymouth City Council is working closely with Cornwall and others through a working group chaired by Sheryll Murray, MP for South East Cornwall. Plymouth and Cornwall have jointly commissioned a study by AECOM to highlight the potential wider economic benefits that upgrading the A38 could deliver. The study will be presented to the SoS in Westminster (date to be confirmed) and shared with all Devon and Cornwall MPs and other stakeholders. The aim of the study is to influence DfT’s priority schemes for inclusion in the Highways England RIS2 funding cycle (for 2020-2025).

 

Supports Plymouth’s Transforming Cities Fund Expression of Interest

The Plymouth bid was submitted to the DfT on the 8th June for an investment of around £100m. The Plymouth bid covers the travel-to-work catchment area in South East Cornwall, South Hams and West Devon and would be used to significantly improve commuter travel across the area through a mix of schemes and modes of transport. The DfT are looking for ambitious, transformational bids to this fund that demonstrate how investment in local transport infrastructure will lead to a significant increase in productivity. This must involve a coherent programme of interlinking interventions which will transform connectivity on key commuter routes.

The assessment and shortlisting is likely to be completed in July before recess.　 The Council has committed to work with the DfT to co-develop the package of schemes and we ask that the Government support our bid for additional investment in local transport infrastructure.

 

Offers

1. Support the formation of a South West Peninsula Sub-National Transport Body with a view to being announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

We will work with the local authorities, LEPs and other partners in the Peninsula to build a united group that Government can use to create a strategic transport body in the far South West to manage and coordinate the delivery of major transport schemes, and be the single point of contact with which to deal. The South West Peninsula councils and LEPs are committed to working towards this goal to help facilitate investment in transport for the region. This includes providing a single regional voice to Highways England in the prioritisation of funding for schemes in the SRN.

The aim of establishing the Sub-National Transport Body is to enable the transport authorities to be able to respond effectively to the Government’s request for more strategic thinking about transport investment. The focus of the new partnership will be on strategic, transformational and large scale activity with the aim of enabling improvements in regional productivity and growth, including housing.

The South West is one of only two areas of the country not currently covered by an established, or shadow Sub-National Transport Body. Two new Bodies have been proposed to cover the whole of the South West; Plymouth would fall within a Peninsula grouping together with Cornwall, Devon, Torbay, Somerset and Dorset. An informal partnership (shadow structure) is proposed to take effect in September 2018.

2. Delivering the Heart of the South West High Growth Corridor

Plymouth is working with other councils in the Heart of the South West LEP area to develop the concept of a High Growth Corridor which could be scalable across the wider South West Peninsula. The initial focus of this corridor would be along the axis that connects Plymouth and Exeter, as these are the two fastest-growing economic areas within the Peninsula and which have the potential to drive the economic transformation of the far South West. Plymouth, Exeter and South Devon alone, including Torbay, generates around £21 billion GVA per annum, has a population of over 1.1 million, and supports over 0.5 million jobs. With investment, an accelerated growth programme for this sub-region could potentially deliver a doubling of GVA to over £44bn pa by 2030, and include 50,000 new homes.

Within proposals for a high growth corridor, Plymouth and Exeter would form the anchor points to accelerate economic growth across the whole Peninsula, capitalising on the area’s unique sector strengths and natural assets and involving major businesses and key institutions like the two universities.

National recognition of the South West is needed to promote our region’s growth agenda. A corridor model, based on the agglomeration of polycentric cites and urban areas, provides the right scale to work with Government to address the barriers of connectivity and investment that are holding the Peninsula back. The A38/M5 is the strategic route connecting these geographies. A long-term investment study must be commissioned now to determine what highway improvements are necessary to support our region’s growth ambitions, and what transport and wider economic benefits this investment could bring.

 

Benefits

To better understand the effects of poor connectivity on the wider economy, Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council have jointly funded an economic impact assessment of the A38 between Bodmin and Plymouth. Clearly the focus for Plymouth is the crucial link to the M5 (being the section of the A38 between Plymouth and Exeter).　This report has been widely welcomed and endorsed by many, including the region’s MPs.

The impact assessment report forms part of our joint ‘Asks’ to Government with Cornwall; - that upgrades to the A38 are included in the Department for Transport’s RIS2 funding cycle, and that a full route based study is commissioned under RIS2 to examine the feasibility of upgrading the A38 to motorway standard from Plymouth to Exeter.

 

Outcomes

• Improved Peninsula connectivity to the M5
• A modern, strategic transport link that support local and regional growth
• Significant gains in economic productivity due to faster, safer journeys and reduced disruption.
• Improvements to air quality and noise pollution

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