‘Thriving’ Essex re-submits bid

24 May 2006

Essex County Council is set to re-submit its transport innovation fund bid to tackle congestion in two of England’s development growth areas and around growing sea and airports.
The county believes it was unsuccessful when it submitted the bid for seedcorn cash to investigate possible road-user charges or toll roads last year, due to Department for Transport concerns over the timing of the proposals with a number of planning applications. ‘We’ll be pointing out that we’ve got the port owners and the airport owner on board, so there isn’t an issue about dovetailing,’ said Tony Ciaburro Essex council head of highways and transportation.
The bid consists of demand management and bus-based rapid transit, and takes in three areas of Stansted, including the M11 corridor; the Haven Gateway, including the ports of Felixstowe – in Suffolk – Harwich and the proposed Bathside Bay quay; and the Thames Gateway Essex growth area. As well as private sector support, neighbouring councils of Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Thurrock and Southend are signed up.
Essex had strengthened its bid with new proposals on public and private sector contributions to augment any DfT funds, according to Ciaburro. The package includes ‘an innovative funding mechanism which stretches the scope of what’s possible within local government finance rules’ involving a major contractor and high street bank. The county has also secured the support of the East of England Regional Development Agency. The bid includes telematics and real-time information systems alongside charging or a levy on airport passengers and ‘a freight booking system’ for lorries accessing the ports.
Also likely to bid this time are Nottingham, Leicester and Derby cities, backed by the three surrounding counties. The councils will explore the scope for introducing distance-based charging across a wide area, rather than city centres.
Political approval to proceed is still required from the six authorities. A bid to examine the feasibility of charging in the Peak District National Park was rejected last time due to opposition from adjacent authorities.

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‘Thriving’ Essex re-submits bid

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