Draft Regulation 18 Sandwell Local Plan
The Efficient Movement of Freight and Logistics
11.32 New freight railways and rail sidings will present an economic opportunity for Sandwell's businesses. Improved journey times on the Key Route Network will support economic prosperity and switching traffic to rail or inland waterways will relieve the highway network of traffic, thereby reducing congestion, improving air quality and the environment and reducing carbon emissions. The siting of key employment proposals will be steered towards locations with good access to the KRN to assist with reducing environmental impact, improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions. Improvements to the freight network are fundamental to achieving the Vision for sustainable communities, environmental transformation and economic prosperity and to delivering Strategic Objectives 2, 8 and 16.
Policy STR4 – The Efficient Movement of Freight and Logistics
- The movement of freight by sustainable modes of transport such as rail and waterways will be encouraged. Road-based freight will be encouraged to use the Key Route Network whenever practicable.
- Junction improvements and routeing strategies will be focussed on those parts of the highway network evidenced as being of particular importance for freight access to employment sites and the motorway network.
- Proposals that generate significant freight movements will be directed to sites with satisfactory access to the Key Route Network.
- Existing and disused railway lines will be safeguarded for rail-related uses.
- Sites with existing and potential access to the rail network for freight will be safeguarded for rail-related uses.
- Consideration will be given to the movement of freight, goods and other courier services on Sandwell's roads when determining location of new development.
Justification
11.33 The level of motor traffic on Sandwell's roads has increased, partly driven by the growing number of trucks, vans, mopeds, and bikes delivering groceries, parcels, and food takeaway services to online shoppers' homes. There is a need to reduce the strain placed by e-commerce deliveries on Sandwell's roads by, for example, identifying sites for parcel lockers, incentivise more "Click and Collect" options to reduce the volume of home delivery vehicles on the roads, catering for the use of e-cargo bikes, low emission vehicles and the use of micromobility to transport goods.
11.34 Within the wider Black Country, freight traffic has always been particularly important reflecting the area's past level of manufacturing and it remains significant today with industry, distribution and logistics giving rise to much freight traffic. This is reflected in both the M5 and M6 motorways, where the proportion of heavy goods vehicles can be 30% of total traffic, and the local road network where the traffic on many main routes has an exceptionally high percentage of heavy goods vehicles.
11.35 Heavy Goods Vehicles account for 21% of all transport emissions with Light Duty Vehicles accounting for 13%, meaning the road freight sector contributes 34% of transport emissions, despite freight representing just 19% of all vehicle miles undertaken in the UK. Making the most efficient use of the highway network whilst providing facilities to transfer freight from road to rail and inland waterways will play a major part in achieving the region's climate change targets.
11.36 The design and layout of much of the KRN in Sandwell dates from a period when goods vehicles were significantly smaller and lighter than those currently in use and this gives rise to problems of reliability and with deliveries and servicing. In many cases upgrading of these routes is neither economically viable or environmentally desirable.
11.37 Sandwell is a member of the West Midlands Freight Quality Partnership, as are freight operators and their national representative bodies. The Regional Freight Strategy sets a context for planning for freight within the Black Country sub-region. Removal of freight from the road to rail or canal will reduce congestion, and support investment in rail and canals.
11.38 The railway network serving Sandwell and the wider Black Country suffers from capacity problems during the day when there is high demand for passenger services, and this has shifted much freight traffic to night-time operation. Of the disused lines the most important is Stourbridge-Walsall-Lichfield which has been identified in the Regional Freight Strategy as being an important link for freight moving between the southwest and northeast regions. Locally, four sites have been identified as being suitable for rail connection if rail freight services are reinstated. Within the West Midlands conurbation, the Stourbridge to Lichfield link would act as a bypass for the rail network around Birmingham which has severe capacity constraints. The capacity released by the reopening of Stourbridge-Walsall-Lichfield, as well as benefiting the freight network, would allow extra passenger services to operate to and through Birmingham to the benefit of the wider West Midlands.
11.39 The Regional Freight Strategy notes a shortage of private sidings in the West Midlands Region. Sites with existing or potential rail access along existing and proposed freight routes particularly Stourbridge - Walsall and Walsall - Lichfield will be protected for rail related uses.
11.40 The Freight Strategy notes the need to address the increased importance of 'last mile' logistics and the role that transport innovation can play in this; parcel hubs, EV charging for delivery vehicles. Where appropriate, locations for infrastructure to facilitate this will be identified through site allocations and in the SLP Infrastructure Delivery Plan.