Ports and Transport Group
The Ports and Transport committee looks at transport issues affecting the City Region, and the interconnectivity of the North West.
The purpose of the Ports and Transport Committee is to:
• identify and promote members' issues in relation to the Liverpool ports and transport, and provide the membership engaged in ports, the maritime sector and transport sector a voice.
• seek quality improvements in all elements of Merseyside's public passenger transport and promote the economic integrated use of all the assets, including the West Coast Main Line.
• inform members on legislation and regulations and changes in transport provision
• influence decision makers by representing members views in appropriate methods of consultation and lobbying, including through the British Chambers of Commerce
• ensure the Chamber is well represented at external functions and on suitable bodies relating to the issues
• plan relevant events and briefings for all members / or committee members only
The Ports and Transport Committee is chaired by Richard Martin of Peel Ports
Current Issues:
West Coast Main Line
High Speed Rail
Coach Parking
Local Transport Survey
The West Coast Main Line is a vital transport route, linking Liverpool with London in the South, Holyhead in the West and Glasgow and Edinburgh in the North.
The route has been subject to significant engineering work to improve journey times. Liverpool Chamber is supportive of infrastructure improvements as a high quality transport system is vital for business. However, it is also vital that engineering works are scheduled to keep disruption to a minimum. This is particularly important given the failure of Network Rail in December 2007 / January 2008 to relinquish its possession on time.
In March 2008, Network Rail published its West Coast Route Modernisation Plan. This document proposed continuous closure at Rugby for the two weeks on either side of the August Bank holiday, as well as a significant number of weekend closures. Liverpool Chamber believes that this would detrimental during the European Capital of Culture when Liverpool is expecting record numbers of tourists.
In response to the consultation document, Liverpool Chamber wrote to both Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation to request that the series of closures be reconsidered.
Download Liverpool Chamber's response from the document box to the right.
Our press statements were also reported in the media - Click to read the Echo article
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High Speed Rail
In September 2007, Northern Way published evidence on the economic benefits of introducing new High Speed Rail Links both to London and across the Pennines. Northern Way suggest that the economic benefits of this programme would include £3.5billion to the Northern economy.
This has been discussed at the Ports and Transport Committee, where there was significant support for Northern Way's calls for High Speed Rail. The committee were particularly supportive of new high speed routes that would improve the interconnectivity of cities in the North West.
Poor infrastructure is a hamper to business, causing unnecessary delays and costs to both passengers and freight.
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Coach Parking
Liverpool Chamber has being lobbying Liverpool City Council to implement a Coach Parking Strategy. High quality and conveniently located coach parking facilities should form a vital part of the City's tourism strategy. With each coach passenger spending an average of £30, failure to provide the facilities that will attract coach tours is costing local businesses millions.
Although a Coach Parking Strategy was development in July, the City Council is processing the planning permission for the coach bays.
Download Liverpool Chamber's press release on this from the document box to the right.
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Local Transport Survey
The Committee is currently working with Merseytravel and the Local Transport Plan, as well as other North West Chambers to produce a local transport survey. The results of this comprehensive survey will be analysed and used to contribute to transport planning and policy work.
