LEICESTER | Transport Issues

[Leicity82]

This thread is to discuss anything to do with transport projects/schemes in Leicester. This can be about the buses, trains, park and ride, etc.

Enderby Park & Ride scheme- proposed:

Various new park and ride schemes will are to be introduced to Leicester in the coming years to help eleviate problems of traffic congestion within the city centre. These will addto existing schemes, such as Meynell's Gorse off Hinckley Road.

The latest scheme is to be intoduced in Enderby, near Leicester and will include approximately 1,000 parking spaces:


Source: Leics County Council website

For more info see this Leicestershire County Council website link


New 'State of the art' buses:

To be used with the above scheme, these will essentially be buses that look like trams and will be more comfortable, environmentally friendly and will have more space for buggies and wheelchairs:


Source: Leics County Council website

The buses will run from Hinckley Road to a new terminus on St Nicholas Circle in Leicester City Centre; look at the website link above for more details.

The planning application (approved Feb. 2007): Planning Application

[PAC_MAN]

Nice work RS06

I was hoping they might consider bringing the old central line back into use. The one that runs through Alyestone Meadows and DeMontfort University. If the Council had thought ahead, then they should have realised how useful this would have been in the future, oh well

[Leicity82]

That reminds me that the Ivanhoe line might come back into use.

[Leicity82]

Here's the Mercury article:

'LINE WILL REOPEN TO PUBLIC'

BY MARTIN ROBINSON
POLITICAL REPORTER

10:30 - 10 August 2007

A £22 million plan to reopen the Ivanhoe Line to passengers has been unveiled.

County council leader David Parsons said he will force developers to pay extra to build in North West Leicestershire to foot the bill.

The railway would cost £20 million to upgrade and £2 million a year to run.

Payments by developers, known as section 106 agreements, are included in planning applications.

They ensure developers pay towards transport or leisure facilities.

The value of agreements is decided following discussions between the developer and the council.

Freight traffic still runs on the Ivanhoe Line track between Leicester and Burton on Trent, but it has not carried passengers since the 1960s.

Coun Parsons said: "We need to find the money from somewhere and I am not confident the Government is going to pay for it.

"We have used similar schemes to pay for transport links, such as the park-and-ride in Birstall.

"If someone wants to build a large housing or commercial development in the area, I don't think it is unreasonable to ensure they improve the transport links their workers and people in the area need."

In April, the Department for Transport said reopening the Ivanhoe Line would not be ruled out.

The announcement came after environmental campaigners won backing from the Conservatives in their fight to reopen the rail line.

Coalville Labour county councillor John Legrys is also leading a campaign to force the European Union to pay for the running costs of the railway, if it was to open.

Transport 2000, which encourages people to use public transport, agreed that reopening the line between Leicester, Coalville and Burton would help ease overcrowding on the railways and serve new and planned developments.

Rail campaigners claim the route, which runs from Leicester, through Coalville and Ashby, would ease road congestion and serve as a tourist trail through the National Forest.

Leicester City Council also wants the line opened.

Chairman of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce Martin Traynor said: "I would support the council in pursuing this idea."

Leicester Mercury, August 10th, 2007

It's great news!

[Leicity82]

Originally Posted by PAC_MAN

Nice work RS06

I was hoping they might consider bringing the old central line back into use. The one that runs through Alyestone Meadows and DeMontfort University. If the Council had thought ahead, then they should have realised how useful this would have been in the future, oh well

Which is that one? Is that the one that was talked of ages ago and runs close to the Freeman's Meadow development? If so, if anyone remembers, it was considered for reopening when Leicester City Football Club wanted to build a new stadium on the Freeman Meadow's site quite a few years back now.

[PAC_MAN]

This is excellent news! I was beginning to think the Council were going to ignore the importance of trains to help allievate the number of cars on our streets. Now if only they could link the new proposed station to East Midlands Airport with this!

[PAC_MAN]

I think this article in the Leicester Mercury helps to describes how bad the transport issue is in Leicester. I think we are the most conjested city outside London

IN A JAM OVER ROADS


10:30 - 22 May 2007

The average speed in miles per hour your vehicle is travelling during rush-hour traffic in Leicester is 14.7.

At the moment, 5,600 vehicles enter the city's inner ring road on a normal day between 8am and 9am.

The number of vehicles entering the city's outer ring road boundary between 7am and 7pm is 160,000.

Statistics aside, traffic is a big problem. And it is set to get bigger as more people and cars hit Leicestershire.

So big in fact, that the city and county are in the middle of extensive research on how to reduce and contain traffic flow across Leicestershire.

Under the microscope are a raft of measures - including congestion charging, like London's, where drivers have to pay when they go into the city.

Could this work in Leicestershire? And how would it affect businesses?

The Mercury spoke to Michele Dix, director for Congestion Charging (CC), Transport for London, a few days ago, who was in the city as the guest of Leicestershire Business Voice.

Although she could not answer Leicestershire-specific queries, she gave an insight into the success of the London scheme.

In its full three years in operation, CC in London raked in £591.7 million against an operating cost of £288.6 million. The surplus was £303.1 million.

But what about businesses, what has happened to them since the CC came into force?

"Monitoring has shown that the CC has had a neutral effect on businesses within the zone," says Ms Dix.

"Businesses in London have benefited from quicker and more reliable journeys, opportunities to schedule extra deliveries and reduced fuel consumption.

"Four years ago, when the central congestion charge zone was introduced there were repeated claims that business in the area would be damaged but, in fact, 2006 saw central London outperform the rest of the UK in retail sales."

However, businesses in Leicestershire remain unconvinced. The Leicester Mercury Business Survey found only one in four bosses would be willing to pay to reduce congestion in Leicestershire.

Karl Craig-West, chairman of the Leicester branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, said he wanted firms to be allowed to shape policy.

"I agree that something needs to be done, but we don't want a scheme in place which penalises small businesses which feel the impact of these kinds of charges more.

"I prefer charging people at certain times of the day. We also want a proper consultation with businesses."

Alison Neate, a commercial lawyer in the Leicester office of The Smith Partnership, agrees that smaller businesses could end up feeling the brunt of any charge.

She said: "People are obliged to rely on their cars in rural areas and taxing them further to do so can only hamper day-to-day business activity.

"It might not matter to big companies, but £5 here and there will matter to the sort of smaller owner-managed businesses which ought to be encouraged to prosper."

Brian Tetley, UK director of Barrow-upon-Soar on-line training firm Skilsure, said any charge would force people away from Leicester.

"When CC came into London I stopped going there," he said. "I had a car-parking spot there but I gave it up and I don't do any business there. I can see people not coming to Leicestershire if it came into force. Instead of encouraging businesses the Government seems to be penalising us."

Others believe that a CC would have a negative impact on visitors to the city - especially with the development of the new Shires.

Roy Carter, managing director of engineering firm Celsum, based in Mountsorrel, said: "If we had to pay £5-£10 for congestion charge, we just would not come shopping in Leicester."

However, Mark Esho, founder and managing director of Leicester business Easy Internet Services, disagrees.

He is all for CC if it means businesses can use the road more efficiently.

He said: "If it means we can ease the flow of traffic then I am all for it, especially in the morning."

Leicestershire is currently the leading regional team researching the issue, using £1.8 million of Government cash to investigate traffic schemes in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

The Government is pushing authorities in the region to make a decision on road-user charges next March, with a possible start date of 2013.

Leicestershire County Council's assistant director of transportation James Holden said tackling the city's rush-hour traffic jams is a top priority.

He said: "Using our model, and after all our efforts, the average speed of a vehicle will be 13.9 miles per hour.

"If we did nothing this would this would drop to 13.2 miles per hour. What we are doing is slowing the rate at which it gets worse.

"We have a problem and it is getting worse and we do not have a solution for it. We are looking at a range of options and CC is one of these."

These options include toll roads, or satellite-tracking boxes fitted in cars which would bill drivers when certain roads were used.

Officials in Leicestershire have to decide by July whether they will bid for a share of the £1.4 billion Transport Innovation Fund for any trial scheme.

County council transport spokesman Nick Rushton promised a full consultation with businesses later this year before any scheme was implemented.

He said: "We are looking at consulting businesses and the public because we don't want to implement a strategy without consulting them.

"We understand their fears and we are looking at ways of helping businesses.

"For example we are looking at exempting delivery drivers from paying the charge because it would be difficult to transport some goods via public transport."

Key to any fee-paying scheme would be investment in public transport.

In London, CC has reduced traffic levels in central London by 20 per cent with almost all of the £300 million profit being ploughed back into public transport.

Almost all of the businesses which replied to our survey said they would pay to reduce congestion if the money was put to improve public transport and roads.

Andrew Myers, managing director of aviation consultants the Route Development Company, based at Friar Lane, Leicester, said: "I don't think many people would oppose it if the money was going into public transport.

"But I just think the cash generated would be wasted and Leicestershire would not see the benefits of it."

Mr Rushton concedes that improving public transport was a priority with ideas such as franchising the bus network a possible option.

He added: "We are aware that we need to improve the public transport. I agree that any money raised should go back into public transport.

"We want an open book account of every bit of cash raised and how we can spend it. We want to get this right.

"We are carrying out all kinds of tests using specialist traffic consultants which include doing an actual journey to and from the city during peak and off-peak times.

"We are looking at getting these reports back by March or April next year. Government wants a decision by March, but I don't think this will happen until July.

"It's not to be awkward, but because of the complexity of the three cities and three counties model.

"We need to speak to the Highways Agency about their plans with the M1, A46 and how they fit with ours. It's still a long road ahead."

[Leicity82]

I'm not sure if congestion charging will be good for Leicester, though it will eleviate congestion to a degree, I'm more concerned about its negative effect on Leicester's economy.

[PAC_MAN]

This narrowing of the Ring road near the Magazine, is looking increasingly concerning. The roads in the city centre are already heavily congested. If there was ever an accident in the future, aroudn this area. This would produce miles of traffic.

[braunstone geezer]

great news about the ivan hoe line, only the day i was wondering how many millions of people in leicester needed to get to burton and more importantley the billions of people who need to get from burton to leicester, well i need not worry any more.

[braunstone geezer]

there was talk of bus fares from the proposed park and ride in enderby being only £2 return,

great, reward car drivers wiv cheap bus fares while people without cars (me) cant afford the £3.80 return fare to town, and it takes me 1 and half hours to walk to town, and the same back (obviousley) which i have to do on a daily basis except sundays.

im sick of this rip off country, i fucking hate it, reward car drivers wiv cheap tickets, it makes me sick

[Kurt Nirvana]

I remember that reading that there is a station planned on the Burton line at the Walker Stadium.

Surely this would make the land at the side of the stadium on the Raw Dykes Road the best location for the proposed arena.

[Kurt Nirvana]

Letter in Saturdays Mercury from Charnwood Labour party regarding the re-opening of the Burton line


TIME TO REOPEN THIS RAILWAY LINE

18 August 2007



The M1 10-lane highway is certainly not welcomed by the residents of Leicestershire, and in particular the villagers of Leicester Forest East and Kirby Muxloe whose lives are already blighted by a network of major roads.

There is a lack of credible proposals to reduce noise and air pollution, or a realistic analysis of alternatives.

One alternative, consistently ignored by the road lobby, is the re-opening of the Leicester-Burton railway to commuter traffic.



Known locally as the National Forest Rail Line, it is a fully operational freight line, and requires minimum investment to enable it to operate as a "community railway" offering a regular peak-time service into and out of Leicester.

This would relieve the major cause of M1 congestion, the daily commuter car run.

This project has been blocked by political indifference at both county council and the unelected East Midlands Regional Assembly (EMRA), both of which are controlled by Leicestershire Conservatives.

Transport Officers at EMRA have told me that they believe that an economic evaluation of the line for limited use for commuter traffic could demonstrate that it is viable, and it is certainly far cheaper than building a 10-lane motorway. Now that the regional assemblies are doomed, I can only hope that the regional planning officers will now be free to investigate this excellent rail scheme.

Eric Goodyer, Charnwood Labour Party

[PAC_MAN]

For me the trains as a transport medium in and out of the city are a must. If we can get cheap train transport between Syston, Leicester, S Wigston & Narborough backed with park and ride schemes then we are seriosuly helping to reduce cars on our streets.

Where was the planned station near the Walkers Stadium, have LCFC not built over the site?

I think there is a definate need for a second train Station in our City.

[Leicity82]

Even if the second station was to be used for smaller commuter towns, it would no doubt help reduce congestion.

[leicesterTowers]

From todays Mercury:

Traffic snarl-ups were today being blamed for the latest rises in bus fares.

Bosses at Arriva Midlands say they are being forced to add 10p or 20p to single fares, partly due to congestion caused by roadworks under the city's multi-billion pound regeneration.

Higher diesel costs, insurance and wages are also being blamed for the increases, which will see return tickets dropped all together.



However, a leading city councillor has accused the company of "passing the buck" when it comes to fare prices.

Arriva spokesman Keith Myatt said: "The changes are down to the increase in employment costs and energy costs, and the costs incurred with all the changes going on in the city.

"There has been additional mileage caused by closing the High Street. That will incur significant increases in costs, which we lobbied the local authority about."

He said general congestion in the city was also to blame, caused by major road and bridge improvements and the Shires redevelopment.

"We held prices for as long as we could, but felt we now had to increase charges," Mr Myatt said.

"We have tried hard to keep fare increases to a minimum, however we have reached the point where it is inevitable that we must pass on some of the additional costs to customers in order that the services remain sustainable."

Councillor Patrick Kitterick, the city council cabinet member for regeneration and transport, said: "There has been no contact with myself about these price changes.

"If you look at Arriva's profits for the year they have gone up by 20 per cent, and so has their share price. This appears to be them just passing the buck.

"The prices may go up when fuel prices increase or there is an increase in congestion, but they never go down again when fuel prices drop or the congestion goes away.

"I think that they should be honest with us about the fare increases."

Mr Myatt said although return fares were being scrapped, regular travellers would benefit from a freeze in the costs of day, weekly and four-weekly saver tickets - apart from the city day saver, which goes up from £2.40 to £2.60. The changes take effect from this Sunday.

Passengers today criticised the rises, with one simply saying it was "ridiculous".

Erika Tye, who uses the 84 service between Wigston and Leicester, said: "Not again! I just think they should not be doing it. It's not long since it last went up. I just think it will put people off getting the bus."

Shopper Joan Warren from Braunstone, said: "It's ridiculous and I think it's definitely going to put people off.

"A lot of people out of town go to Fosse Park now because it's cheaper to get there.

"But I can see how congestion will make buses use more fuel."

It is the third fare increase in 10 months for passengers.

In November last year, the cost of single tickets went up by between 10p and 30p.

In February, Arriva and city company First raised fares, blaming rising operating costs.

First's marketing manager Ady Culpin said they had no plans to increase fares again.

He said: "I think the congestion has affected all bus operators, but it's something we are putting up with because we hope the eventual outcome will be more convenience to people when it's completed."



This is a big problem for the City. They needed to engage with the bus companies so this would'nt happen, rather the letting this happen- as a private company who are not engaged, they are using this excuse to make more money. They should be on the side of the regenneration of the City, thinking abut the increased number of passengers in the future rather then distancing themselves.

It makes me angry when someone like this- who should be part of the sultion, are taking advantage of the problem. It makes me want to cycle, slowly, in front of their busses and make them late...

[Lears City]

Would anyone else swap the money being planned for use on widening the Leicester Urban Area stretch of the M1, for the following?

• A tram or monorail system in Leicester

• The extension of the Ivanhoe/National Forest Line to Burton

• A direct rail link between Leicester and East Midlands Airport

[Lears City]

Originally Posted by PAC_MAN

For me the trains as a transport medium in and out of the city are a must. If we can get cheap train transport between Syston, Leicester, S Wigston & Narborough backed with park and ride schemes then we are seriosuly helping to reduce cars on our streets.

Where was the planned station near the Walkers Stadium, have LCFC not built over the site?

I think there is a definate need for a second train Station in our City.

We do need a second station in Leicester, which provides more localised services. A rail, tram or monorail network would be great for the urban area.

I've been saying for years that the former Great Central Station is ideal as a second transport hub. It is now going to be right next to Highcross Leicester, Blackfriars, No1 Westbridge and the forthcoming Blueprint proposals in Frog Island.

I'm very confused why we only have monorails in the UK at theme parks? Many more people have to overcome transportation issues in our major cities, than at for instance Alton Towers. Why can a theme park afford a monorail, but none of our cities can? A much better alternative than trams and less obtrusive too.

[Mark76]

How is a monorail system less obtrusive than a tram network?

[Kurt Nirvana]

Originally Posted by PAC_MAN

For me the trains as a transport medium in and out of the city are a must. If we can get cheap train transport between Syston, Leicester, S Wigston & Narborough backed with park and ride schemes then we are seriosuly helping to reduce cars on our streets.

Where was the planned station near the Walkers Stadium, have LCFC not built over the site?

I think there is a definate need for a second train Station in our City.

I think it’s planned for the embankment behind the Kop.

When it was first in the Mercury, they stated that it would not only serve the stadium, but the new housing being built around the river.