MAJOR PROJECTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT 8th March 2005

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MAJOR PROJECTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT8th March 2005

• The Importance of an Efficient Planning and
  Authorisation System for Major Projects
• Neil Scales, OBE
• Chief Executive and Director General, Merseytravel

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1. Introduction

• The Planning and Authorisation System for Major
  Projects
• Merseytravels Experience as a Passenger
  Transport Executive
• A Case Study Merseytram

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2. What is Merseytravel?

• The Passenger Transport Authority 18 Elected
  Members
• The Passenger Transport Executive 900 employees
• Covers 5 Merseyside Districts
• Key Responsibilities
• Concessionary Fares
• Public Transport Information
• Bus Infrastructure
• Supported Bus Services
• Merseyrail
• Mersey Ferries

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3. The Strategic Role of Merseytravel

• Merseyside is an EU Objective 1 Area
• Merseytravel is a key Delivery Agency
• Cross-Merseyside role for Local Transport Plan
• Centre of Excellence
• 210 million projected spend
• Major Projects
• Merseytram
• Merseyrail Electrics Franchise
• Liverpool South Parkway
• Underground Stations
• Major Developments
• Paradise Street Development Area
• Kings Waterfront

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4. The Merseyside Context and Challenges

• Merseyside region has a population of 1.4 million
• After decades of decline REGENERATION is the key
• Eligible for European Funding Support
• Liverpool City Centre is the Engine for Growth
• World Heritage Site
• European Capital of Culture in 2008
• Over 1 billion of investment
• Kings Waterfront
• Paradise Street Development Area

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5. Paradise Street Development Area

• 700 million project
• 1 million sq ft of new retail / leisure uses
• 2 new department stores
• Merseytram provides direct access to the core of
  the development
• Planning consent 2004
• Construction underway
• Opening 2008

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6. Paradise Street Development Area
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7. What I Want

• Successful projects that deliver
• - strategic and operational objectives
• - value for money
• Projects that meet customer need and customer
  expectations
• Projects that are realised in the shortest time
  possible with the minimum number of issues to be
  resolved.
• The Merseyside community to fully understand what
  we are trying to do
• Maximum public participation

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8. What I Do Not Want

• To be caught up in protracted procedural delays
• To spend inordinate amounts of money on legal and
  other consultants fees to take me through a
  complicated process
• The people of Merseyside to feel we are trying to
  pull the wool over their eyes by citing complex
  planning/legal procedures
• Our partners to feel there is any uncertainty
  about whether a project will go ahead

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9. Merseytram Three Line Network

• Part of a Single Integrated Public Transport
  Network
• Merseytram 3-line network
• Merseyrail Upgrade/Re-franchise
• 15 Quality Bus Corridors (90km bus lanes)
• Interchange Strategy
• Information Strategy
• Park Ride Strategy
• Liverpool City Centre Movement Strategy

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10. Merseytram Three Line Network
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11. Merseytram

• Merseytram is designed to improve access to jobs
  and wealth
• It will contribute to the sustainable
  regeneration of the city centre and the wider
  region.
• It makes better use of the available land and
  infrastructure to help deliver
• - sustainable communities
• - a sustainable economy
• - a sustainable environment
• We do not want to be involved in long fights over
  land and who pays what

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12. Merseytram Line 1

• Merseytram Line 1
• 17km
• 95 segregation
• 26 stops
• Low floor, level boarding
• 21 trams with conductors
• Operations and Control Centre
• 300 jobs
• Park Ride site
• 5 minute frequency

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13. Merseytram Line 1 and Key Development Sites
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14. Merseytram Line 1 Lime Street
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15. Merseytram Line 1 Lime Street
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16. Merseytram Line 1 Chronology

• Included in LTP
• DfT in principle funding
• Public consultation
• Stakeholder programme
• Start of procurement
• Transport and Works Act application
• TWA Inquiry
• TWA Order confirmation
• Procurement Developer Agreement
• Light Rail Vehicle supplier appointed
• Construction Starts
• Systems Opens

July 2000 December 2002 February
2003 Ongoing April 2003 October 2003 April
2004 December 2004 January 2005 January 2005 Mid
2005 End 2007
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17. Key Issues in the Planning Process

• Stakeholder Engagement
• Merseytram Sustainable Inclusive Regeneration
  Policy Fit
• Assemble Data
• Environmental Assessment
• Traffic Surveys and Appraisal
• Ground Conditions
• Cellar Surveys
• A Robust Case required to support a Major Project
• Be prepared to Invest

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18. Merseytram

• The planning system has ensured the following
• Requirements of the Transport and Works Act met
  eg EIA
• Merseytram is incorporated into local authority
  development plans UDPs, SPG
• Other developments that have the potential to
  impact on the tram system are obliged to
  accommodate its implementation

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19. Merseytram Public Consultation

• 300,000 Leaflets / Questionnaires
• Website (www.merseytram.co.uk)
• 300,000 hits in 5 months
• 13 one-week Exhibitions (more than 16,000
  visitors)
• 9,000 Questionnaire Responses
• 90 Support
• Positive Press and Media Coverage

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20. Merseytram Stakeholders
Over 200 stakeholders consulted including

• Merseyside Civic Society
• CABE
• English Heritage
• Merseyside Police
• British Transport Police
• Friends of the Earth
• Local Solutions
• Age Concern in Liverpool
• Light Rail (UK) Limited
• Liverpool Capital of Culture Team

• Liverpool City Council
• Knowsley Borough Council
• Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
• Knowsley Chamber of Commerce
• Liverpool Vision
• MEPs
• Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University
  Hospitals
• Liverpool Land Development Company

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21. Merseytram Line 1 TWA Inquiry

• 2 QCs
• 9 Merseytravel witnesses
• 40 supporters including
• Chamber of Commerce
• Liverpool Land Development Company
• 14 objectors
• Environmental Statement one of a range of
  documents
• Support from CABE, English Heritage
• TWA powers, Listed Building and Conservation Area
  consents

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22. Merseytram TWA Experience

• Line 1 awarded TWA Order in 28 weeks
• 286 objections (53 on one single property issue)
• Over 40 objections withdrawn before end of
  Public Inquiry

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23. The TWA Order Decision
C J Tipping MA(Cantab)

• extensive process of public consultation
• given the scale of proposals and achievement of
  97.4 segregation the extent of property take is
  remarkably small
• unusually close liaison with statutory
  undertakers
• given the scale of the Line 1 proposals, the
  extent of sustained objection to the scheme is
  limited
• the economic appraisal conducted by Merseytravel
  has been thorough
• there is no sustained or argued challenge to
  substantial areas of Merseytravels case

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24. Merseytram Line 1 Keys to Success

• Link to wider Government Objectives
• Merseytram is designed as part of the wider
  Regeneration Agenda for Merseyside
• Policy Fit both regionally and locally as
  well as nationally
• Merseytram accords with all Government policy
  areas
• Minimise risk and deliver to budget
• Merseytram procurement addresses risk
  apportionment between all parties
• Link with development aims and plans
• Merseytram is vital to Merseysides Regeneration
  Programme

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25. Merseytram Line 1 Keys to Success

• The paper trail getting the decision-making
  processes right
• Well integrated project
• Invest in serious preparation
• Shock and Awe" tactics
• Discussions with stakeholders, i.e. potential
  objectors and supporters
• Managing planning risk and interface with
  project procurement

Secretary of State May 2004
one of the reasons we were able to fund the
Liverpool tram was because (Merseytravel) has
done a lot of work to bottom out the problems
other tram systems have faced
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26. Conclusion

• The importance of an efficient planning and
  authorization system is to ensure that major
  infrastructure projects are concerned with not
  simply land use planning, but address the broad
  sustainable development agenda of social,
  economic and environmental well-being and quality
  of life.

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MAJOR PROJECTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT8th March 2005

• The Importance of an Efficient Planning and
  Authorisation System for Major Projects
• Neil Scales, OBE
• Chief Executive and Director General, Merseytravel