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Traffic Congestion (Taunton)

I congratulate the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Browne) on securing this important debate on a very important subject. I congratulate him also on a thoughtful, well-researched and well-made case. I agreed with almost every word that he said. I cannot often say that of Liberal Democrat Members, but I am delighted to do so on this occasion. The hon. Gentleman described congestion in Taunton, but he rightly set the matter in the context of rising traffic congestion in towns and cities throughout Britain. He is correct in saying that while in some instances it is possible to build our way through this problem with some new road capacity—bypasses and so forth—there is no way to build our way through traffic congestion as a whole. There are measures that range from better traffic management to investment in public transport and public transport measures that complement the roads policy through measures such as park and ride. The hon. Gentleman did not talk in any great detail about the debate that we need to be having in the coming years on the role of road pricing in helping us to tackle congestion. I turn to the local agenda that the hon. Gentleman addressed. I assure him that the Government are committed to sustained and long-term investment in local transport in Somerset. In December 2000, we said that Somerset county council would receive more than £22 million for integrated transport measures in the first five years of the local transport plan. In fact, we gave an additional £3 million in reward funding and supplementary bids. Last week, my Department announced that funding for the integrated block for the next financial year would be nearly £4.3 million, and that is likely to remain at similar levels over the following four years. In our White Paper published last year on the future of transport we confirmed our commitment to continue with this high level of investment in all forms of transport. Along with the introduction of formula based funding for the integrated block, the announcements made in the past week will allow local authorities to plan for the future with confidence. The regional spatial strategy for the south-west, which forms the context for housing development and transport development, is currently being planned. Whatever scenario is taken forward, it is likely to include Taunton as a designated growth area. While the exact extent of the growth is unknown, whatever the outcome, there will be significant implications for congestion. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that work has already been carried out by Somerset county council to predict the impacts of potential development and to consider measures that may be required to manage traffic growth. The hon. Gentleman will understand the importance of ensuring prudent management of transport funds at regional level. We have taken a bold step by introducing regional funding allocations so that regions will have greater influence over how transport funds are spent in their area. The south-west has just been given an indicative allocation of just over £1 billion over the next decade. This will be devoted to funding local authority schemes costing more than £5 million and schemes on trunk roads and motorways on the Highways Agency’s regional network. Within this framework for determining regional priorities, a package of transport measures to alleviate congestion in north-west Taunton is being developed. I understand that the county is looking for approximately £14 million from the Department, with other funding for the £27 million package coming from developer contributions and the county itself. The package is currently being assessed by officials to ensure that it meets value-for-money criteria. In addition, it will need to be supported within the prioritisation process, which the south-west region has been asked to use to identify its priorities for funding over this period. It will be submitting its advice to central Government by the end of January 2006. The hon. Gentleman mentioned the recent opening of the Silk Mills road bridge in Taunton that now spans the main south-west rail line, replacing a historically congested level crossing. This is part of an additional £14.5 million package of local transport major projects improvements now providing free flow of traffic to complement the development of a new park-and-ride facility. This is evidence of a real commitment by the Government to address local congestion points within the county. I move back to the more specific issues of local transport in the county. As the hon. Gentleman is aware, Somerset is currently finalising its local transport plan for the next five years. To ensure that local transport plans deliver transport that works for everyone, we have asked authorities to focus on four shared priorities that we have agreed with our partners in local government. First, and with particular relevance to the hon. Gentleman’s remarks, the plan should focus on congestion. We accept entirely that this can have a negative impact on economic performance and on the quality of life. Measures to deal with congestion are at the heart of the Government’s transport strategy, and we are committed to working closely with local authorities to deliver schemes that are effective in managing the impact of congestion at the local level, which is why we have recently given towns new powers under the Traffic Management Act 2004, including the ability to co-ordinate utility and telecom road works, and additional powers in parking enforcement, bus lanes and even some moving traffic offences. There is, as the hon. Gentleman accepted, no single solution to congestion, as its causes, nature and patterns are different in every area. There is invariably a balance to be struck between demand-side solutions, such as parking pricing and restraints and improved travel planning, and supply-side solutions, such as enhanced public transport, improved information to motorists and better walking and cycling options. That challenge is reflected in the provisional local transport plan that Somerset submitted to the Department in the summer. It makes it clear that Taunton is the county’s top priority in the tackling of congestion, and it sets out a number of measures to reduce the impact of traffic while ensuring that there is access to facilities in and around Taunton. Those measures include ensuring that traffic is controlled and managed effectively, by upgrading Taunton’s urban traffic control systems; widening travel choice by introducing new cross-town bus routes and supporting them with bus priority measures; and encouraging pedestrian and cycling movements around the town centre, for example, by improved controlled crossing facilities. Our second shared priority is people’s ability to access places of work, learning, health care and other facilities, which can significantly impact on their quality of life. Schemes and initiatives to improve accessibility can encourage participation and retention in education, reduce inequalities in health, and help move people from welfare into work. One way in which Somerset proposes to address those issues in Taunton is through improvements to passenger transport. Somerset county council has recently introduced three demand responsive bus services serving Wincanton, North Sedgemoor and Taunton. That ““dial-a-ride”” innovation has enhanced local people’s access to education and medical services in Taunton, and I look forward to the results of such initiatives and the extent to which they can meet local needs. Thirdly, local transport plans will continue the good work undertaken over the past five years to improve road safety. I am therefore pleased that Somerset’s provisional local transport plan sets out a range of measures to improve road safety, including publicity campaigns with employers and schools to promote road safety; a reduction in the volume and speed of traffic in areas with a high level of vulnerable road users; and training to improve the driving skills of recently qualified drivers. Finally, local transport plans should aim to improve air quality. I therefore look forward to the implementation of Somerset’s proposed air quality action plan for Taunton, which should help to tackle to the two air quality management areas declared by Taunton Deane borough council. Transport authorities are now working up final plans to take account of lessons learned and to plan for the next five years. My Department is working closely with authorities across a range of topics, and is advising where necessary on improving delivery and the achievement of targets. Final local transport plans will be presented to Government in March next year. In conclusion, we recognise that Taunton is the largest centre of employment and the primary shopping centre for Somerset. It is recognised as one of the priority areas in the south-west for growth, because it has the potential to make a significant contribution to accommodate growth in the region in a sustainable way. To maximise the benefits of those opportunities, and to enable the town to develop economically and to reduce social exclusion, transport must be well planned, managed and delivered. Through investment in infrastructure and public transport and measures to improve traffic management, Taunton must deal with the challenge of increasing congestion, which affects it and many other towns and cities across the UK. I hope that I have been able to give some reassurance to the hon. Gentleman that the Government are committed to working with our local and regional partners to provide the leadership that that requires. Finally, may I echo the sentiments that were expressed earlier, and wish you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and all members of staff in the House a very happy Christmas?