Rochdale welcomes massive public transport investment
9 June 2008
More bus services, better trains and trams all the way into
Rochdale town centre are just some of the benefits to the
borough following the announcement that Greater Manchester’s
£3 billion bid to the government’s Transport Innovation Fund has
been approved.
In addition to the extension of Metrolink to Rochdale, there
will be improvements to the existing passenger rail line –
including the introduction of new trains and upgrades to station
facilities. Park and Ride facilities will get more parking spaces;
more bus routes across the borough will be created, services will
be made more frequent and safer; and there will also be a brand new
transport interchange in the heart of Rochdale town centre.
The Department for Transport is now likely to launch a
wide-ranging public consultation exercise over the coming
months.
Exciting times
Councillor Alan Taylor, leader of the council, said: “It’s
brilliant news to at last know what funding central government are
going to provide so that the proposals for better public transport
networks can be developed in further detail. I’m very excited at
the prospect of Metrolink coming into Rochdale town centre - which
by then will have undergone a major redevelopment - and arriving at
a brand new transport interchange.
“Today’s announcement is fantastic for the Rochdale borough as
it will bring even more investment and prosperity. Not only will it
provide better transport links with other parts of Greater
Manchester, but also it will better connect places within the
borough.
“This is 30 years’ worth of public transport investment in one
go – investment like we’ve never seen before. It’s difficult to
comprehend the extent of the transformation that’s going to happen
but residents of the borough can be sure that the improvements will
be hugely beneficial. I’m especially keen to make sure that local
people and businesses are consulted on these important decisions
and that they have all the detailed information they need to make
informed judgments on what the plans will mean in the
long-term.”
Our chief executive, Roger Ellis, added: “It’s worth stressing
that this isn’t just about Metrolink. This is about giving people a
number of viable options other than using their car to get around
both the borough and the rest of Greater Manchester. The impact
that that will then have on making roads less congested and
communities cleaner and greener will be enormous. The new transport
interchange is one of the key building blocks in the transformation
of Rochdale town centre so it’s also a massive boost for the town’s
regeneration to know that it will now happen.”
Transport Innovation Fund bid – Rochdale Q&As
Does Rochdale support congestion
charging?
We support what is best for the people of the Rochdale borough.
We fully supported the bid to central government to fund a massive
investment in public transport. It has been agreed that prior to
the introduction of any congestion charging schemes, the enhanced
public transport network must be put in place. We agree with the
Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) that any
measures introduced must be shown to be acceptable to the public
and also to the business community.
The proposals put forward about congestion charging are still
only proposals and further consultation will take place before any
decisions are made. We are keen to ensure that the public are
provided with as much detail as possible about such schemes to
enable them to make informed decisions based on fact.
Isn’t there a danger that Metrolink will just take people from
Rochdale to Manchester not the other way round?
By the time Metrolink arrives in the town centre, Rochdale will
have far more to offer than it currently does. The borough is
undergoing a significant amount of physical regeneration and the
redevelopment of Rochdale town centre is a major part of that work.
More jobs will continue to be created in the borough, including at
the massive Kingsway Business Park alongside the M62 (which will
have a Metrolink station and better bus links with the borough and
Greater Manchester).
With comparatively affordable housing in Rochdale and proposals
for many new shops, bars, cafés and restaurants in the town, it
will become even more of an attractive place for people to live
and/or work in. We also have a good mix of urban and rural areas
with beautiful countryside, providing plenty of leisure
opportunities.
The funding will vastly improve local transport connections so
will enable and encourage people making journeys within the borough
to leave their cars behind. It is not simply an exercise to provide
better direct rail, tram and bus links between Rochdale and
Manchester – it is about creating an integrated public transport
network to meet the needs of local people.
If it’s about cutting congestion why don’t you just build more
roads?
Road-building is just one part of the proposal and some key new
strategic routes were part of the proposals put forward for the TIF
bid. We will lobby for roads within the Rochdale borough to be
included in that – such as a proposal to create a Heywood town
centre bypass and a link road between the M62 at junction 19 and
the M66 at junction 3.
Car ownership in the region is increasing by roughly 25% every
ten years, leading to a constant battle against congestion. At the
same time, the number of people using many forms of public
transport is increasing. This is about tackling overcrowding on
both roads and public transport, to ensure that the borough and
sub-region can maximise future employment and economic
opportunities.
What’s in it for Rochdale?
- Metrolink extension down Drake Street and into Rochdale town
centre
- Brand new transport interchange in Rochdale town centre
- Improvements to Rochdale railway station including more park
and ride facilities
- Reductions in CO2 emissions, improvements in air quality and
reduced road accident numbers
- Improved journey times and significant decongestion on
strategic road network
- New bus services introduced, existing services increased in
frequency
- Heightened public safety on public transport
- Better information provision and integrated tickets and
fares
- New rolling stock on the rail network through Rochdale and
Castleton, and improved station platforms
What’s in it for Heywood?
- The possibility of a Heywood Green Lane to Castleton rail
link
- The possibility of major new roads being built as part of
future phases of the scheme - Heywood Southern Relief Road
(M62-M66) and Heywood town centre bypass. This would help to reduce
CO2 emissions in the town centre as well as helping to reduce road
accident numbers and improving journey times
- New bus services linking Heywood with more places within and
outside of the borough, and increased frequency of existing
services
- Heightened public safety on public transport
- Better information provision and integrated of tickets and
fares
- New rolling stock on the local rail network
What’s in it for Middleton?
- Reductions in CO2 emissions, improvements in air quality and
reduced road accident numbers
- Improved journey times and significant decongestion on
strategic road network
- New bus services linking Middleton with more places within and
outside of the borough, and increased frequency of existing
services
- Heightened public safety on public transport
- Better information provision and integrated of tickets and
fares
- New rolling stock on the local rail network
What’s in it for Pennines?
- Reductions in CO2 emissions, improvements in air quality and
reduced road accident numbers
- Improved journey times and significant decongestion on
strategic road network
- New bus services linking towns and villages in Pennines with
more places within and outside of the borough, and increased
frequency of existing services
- Heightened public safety on public transport
- Better information provision and integrated of tickets and
fares
- New rolling stock on the rail line through Littleborough,
Smithy Bridge, Milnrow and Newhey, and improved station
platforms