{"id":1604,"date":"2024-03-28T09:42:23","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T09:42:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westerngatewaystb.org.uk\/march-newsletter-2\/"},"modified":"2024-03-28T09:42:23","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T09:42:23","slug":"march-newsletter-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/westerngatewaystb.org.uk\/march-newsletter-2\/","title":{"rendered":"March newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

March newsletter<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

This issue we share news about\u00a0our coach and freight\u00a0forums, plus\u00a0links to videos and presentations from\u00a0the STB Conference last month.\u00a0We also have updates from our local authorities and partners.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Leading by example’ in coach<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Don’t miss this month’s issue of\u00a0Route One<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>magazine, where our Senior Transport Officer Hannah Fountain explains why we’re investigating the often neglected potential of coach\u00a0to\u00a0transform future connectivity across our region, and how more coaches could help\u00a0boost productivity, employment and leisure opportunities and support all sectors of our economy and society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can read the full article here<\/a>. It centres on the publication of our Western Gateway Coach Strategy<\/a> and talks about our new South West coach forum, which we set up to bring together private and public stakeholders to address the key challenges facing coach services in our region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hot on the heels of last month’s inaugural meeting of this coach forum, a second meeting will be taking place in Bristol on Tuesday 7th May<\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you operate coaches in our area or are otherwise interested in participating in our coach forums, please email WesternGatewaySTB@westofengland-ca.gov.uk<\/a> for further information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

South West Freight continues apace<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Our South West freight forums \u2013 which include our sub-groups for road, rail and aviation and maritime, as well as our main steering group \u2013 all met in February and March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been over 20 meetings of these groups since the launch of our joint South West Freight Strategy<\/a> with Peninsula Transport just under two years ago. If you have attended one of our freight forums we\u2019d love to hear your feedback via this quick questionnaire: https:\/\/forms.office.com\/e\/Fk5bKaag1K<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At our main forum, along with interesting presentations from the UK Warehousing Association, National Grid and updates from our partners Network Rail and National Highways, we were pleased to share how we are progressing with the interventions recommended in our freight strategy, of which two-thirds are already being progressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the work we are currently looking to undertake includes helping prevent bridge strikes, improving lorry parking facilities and addressing freight awareness. We also have a load-matching trial underway with Haulage Exchange, to cut down on empty running lorries in the South West. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

STB Conference \u2013 watch it\u00a0now\u00a0online<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to everyone who attended this year’s STB Conference in Manchester last month and helped make it such a rewarding and insightful day, as we shared the work we are doing individually and collaboratively as STBs across the country to improve transport for everyone, regionally and beyond. 

You can now view videos, presentations and photos from the day online here<\/a>.

Some of our highlights that you can see include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n