Local leaders and bosses from Manchester and Highways England have held the first meeting of a local strategy board to help define shared priorities for the region's key road network.
The move comes after Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Highways England signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 14 May setting out a new model of joint working for the main key roads in Greater Manchester.
TfGM’s chief executive, Jon Lamonte, who chaired the first event said: ‘This board meeting was the first step in ensuring that our work with Highways England, Greater Manchester Police and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority is integrated and effective in supporting the region’s ambitions for continued growth and prosperity.
‘Through the signing of the MoU with Highways England, we will be working together on both the Strategic Route Network (the motorways in Greater Manchester) – and our Key Route Network to develop a co-ordinated approach to the management of the routes that have the biggest impact on the success of Greater Manchester.
‘The M60 orbital motorway is a prime example of how local intelligence can help to make journeys safer and more reliable for our commuters. Sitting just five miles from Manchester city centre, the M60 connects many of the towns and communities in Greater Manchester and its popularity as a commuter route means many journeys are short – rather than long-haul journeys usually taken on motorways - and therefore requires careful, in-time management to prevent issues having a major impact on the wider GM transport network. It is therefore essential that management of the motorways is managed collaboratively as a means of ensuring that journeys for road users are reliable no matter which road they are on.’
The new board also included Alan Shepherd, North West regional director, Highways England, Sir Peter Fahy chief constable Greater Manchester Police and Sir Howard Bernstein chief executive, Manchester City Council, on behalf of the Combined Authority.
