September newsletter
This issue we have news on the publication of our South West Freight monitoring report, which details our progress to date on the interventions identified in our South West Freight Strategy. Plus we have dates for your diary and news from our local authorities and partners.
South West Freight: one year on
Our South West Freight Strategy was published jointly with Peninsula Transport and identifies 46 freight interventions needed to address the challenges, opportunities and priorities for the region’s freight up to 2050. The implementation of these interventions began in May 2022 and, one year on, the South West Freight Strategy monitoring report documents the progress we’ve made so far.
Around half of the interventions were recommended for development in the short term, so we are delighted to share that around 60% have been started in year one, thanks to the work and support of our partners National Highways, National Rail and all our stakeholders and members of our South West Freight Forum steering group, which was set up to drive forward the recommendations.
HGV roadside facilities funding
The need to improve lorry parking facilities is one of the interventions identified in our South West Freight Strategy.
So it’s great news that three operators in our region have been awarded funding in the first round of the Department for Transport’s £8 million commitment to upgrade truck stops. Markay Estate in Wiltshire and Teddington Hands Truck Stop in Gloucestershire, as well as Swindon Truckstop which is located just outside the Western Gateway region, will each benefit from multiple areas of improvement.
Improvements such as better rest stops, showers, restaurants and more secure parking also help support recruitment and workforce retention in the industry.
The second round of funding is now open for roadside operators to bid for further investment. This closes on Monday20th November 2023.
Dates for your diary
The Western Gateway STB Board met on Wednesday 27th September. You can view the papers and watch the meeting here.
We also look forward to the next meetings of our South West Freight Forum sub-groups next month:
- Aviation and maritime – Monday 9th October
- Rail – Wednesday 11th October
- Roads – Thursday 16th October
Following these will be the South West Freight main steering group meeting in November.
For more information email: WesternGatewaySTB@westofengland-ca.gov.uk.
We’re hiring!
We’re seeking a Project Administration Officer who can support our team and work closely with our local authorities, partners and key stakeholders as we work to improve travel connections and facilitate the transition to decarbonised transport in our region.
To find out more, please visit:
https://careersearch.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/jobs/job/Project-Administration-Officer/414
Closing date: Sunday 1st October 2023.
In case you missed it…
Here’s a round-up of the latest news as seen on our social media channels. You can find us on X/Twitter here and LinkedIn here.
The big news on our new LinkedIn page was the launch of our coach strategy, setting out the key challenges facing coach services in our region and identifying opportunities for improvement.
The Geospatial Commission published a useful new report about out how location data can support local authorities to make good decisions about where EV charge points should be installed.
BCP Council are consulting on electric vehicles, while Gloucestershire have announced that the first of 1,000 EV charging point locations have been chosen after letters were sent to residents inviting their feedback.
Organisations in Bristol can now trial an e-cargo bike for free, to help them decide if switching to a more sustainable delivery method is the right choice for them.
The Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) 2 scheme is now open for bids from local authorities. Applications are prioritised from those that didn’t receive funding in the previous rounds, with the first £25 million prioritised for rural communities.
Local authorities can also now apply for the first round of the £343 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Capital Fund.
The Department for Transport also announced a £1.5m clean maritime package to help decarbonise the UK’s international shipping lanes, create new jobs and level up coastal communities.
South Gloucestershire Council are offering Active Travel grants to businesses and community groups who can help to reduce car use, while Bristol City Council have Active Travel offers that include free bus tickets.
North Somerset Council made changes to its bus services as part of its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), while WECA is consulting on changes to travel on the A4 between Bath and Bristol.
Finally, don’t forget to get on board with Bus User UK’s Catch the Bus month before September ends.
You can keep up to date with all our work by following us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/western-gateway-stb and Twitter @WestGatewaySTB and subscribing to our newsletters by emailing westerngateway_stb@westofengland-ca.gov.uk
