Freight transport strategy set to deliver £150m benefit to hauliers

A new freight transport strategy has been launched with the aim of delivering improvements worth £150m to firms across the Marches and Mid Wales.

The strategy has been jointly commissioned by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership and The Growing Mid Wales Partnership, together with the Welsh Government, Midlands Connect and councils on both sides of the border.

It includes recommendations on how to improve freight movement both within and through the region, while easing pressure on residential areas in key freight corridors and reducing the environmental impact of too many lorries.

Options for both rail and road solutions are being considered.

Stakeholders said that if fully implemented, the strategy could provide benefits to HGV operators of almost £150m.

This would be achieved through a series of highway enhancements focused on increased opportunities for safe overtaking; improvements to alleviate bottlenecks; and changes at certain key locations to allow 44-tonne HGVs to operate across the whole of the freight network.

The launch of the strategy is said to mark a high point in an on-going collaboration between the two regions, which started in 2016.

Paul Hinkins, vice-chair of the Marches LEP, said: “It’s easy to think that the experience of businesses here in the Marches is unique to us, but our neighbours in Mid Wales share many very similar challenges, as well as opportunities.

“When we first examined how the Marches and Mid Wales could work more closely with one another, improved transport links and cross border supply chains were both key considerations. We share several essential road links as well as an important rail infrastructure. It is, therefore, with much anticipation that we’re now here to launch this strategy.

“With a lot of work having gone in to this, we hope to influence the UK and Welsh Governments and look forward to the more efficient movement of freight; reduced costs for businesses and reduced negative impacts to both people and the environment.”

The consultation process has involved input from a wide range of businesses and councils via online surveys; business workshops in Ludlow and Newtown; and telephone interviews with key shippers, road hauliers, infrastructure managers and policy-makers.

Chris Rowland, of MDS Transmodal, the specialist freight transport consultancy that ran the consultation process and developed of the freight strategy, said: “With both the Marches and Mid Wales experiencing highly dispersed patterns of freight activity; and both relying heavily on a predominantly single carriageway road network, their shared economic and geographic contexts made a cross-border strategy a sensible approach.

“The involvement of a wide range of key stakeholders makes this a robust and positive vision for the future.”

Alun Jones, who runs Welshpool-based haulage business, T. Alun Jones, said: “Operating at the coal face of road transport across Wales, the Marches and beyond, we recognise only too well the positive effect that adopting this strategy could have on allowing businesses in the region to grow and become more competitive.”

Pictured at the launch of the strategy are:Philip Price (Herefordshire Council), Alun Jones (T.Alun Jones), Maria Machancoses (Midlands Connect), Paul Hinkins (Marches LEP), Ellen Ap Gwynn (Growing Mid Wales Partnership), and Rosemarie Harris (Powis Council) and Rhodri Griffiths (Welsh Government).

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