Through the LTP, we will transform Lancashire into a sub-region that is fit for the future, integrating new technologies and innovative solutions to ensure our networks are more sustainable, resilient, efficient and ready for growth.
Our transport networks are the backbone of our growing economy, and poor reliability can be frustrating for people and restrict our growth. We are already starting to harness new technologies and a more data-driven approach to transport network management to improve reliability. This includes upgrading and rolling out enhanced systems for urban traffic management control, fleet management, intelligent bus priority, and real time passenger information.
We will continue to deliver, expand and integrate schemes across the sub-region, so that our networks run more smoothly and we can respond to issues quickly, making best use of data in decision making. We will also draw on our growing industries to bring new ideas into our transport networks and prepare for upcoming changes
The impacts of more extreme weather patterns are becoming more apparent, with wetter winters and warmer summers. We must plan for the future to keep Lancashire moving, making sure our transport networks are sustainable and are prepared for future changes.
Our transport networks are also impacted by both planned and reactive works. Lancashire has many Victorian towns with dated infrastructure requiring maintenance, such as decaying structures, bridges and utilities. We will work with our cross-sector partners to proactively maintain and improve our highway assets and other infrastructure to ensure smooth journeys now and into the future.
| Future-ready networks policies | Stronger | Fairer | Sustainable | Cross-cutting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FN1: Embrace new transport data and technology | Strong alignment | Alignment | Strong alignment | Strongest alignment |
| FN2: Accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles | Alignment | Alignment | Strongest alignment | No alignment |
| FN3: Improve journey time reliability | Strongest alignment | Strong alignment | Strong alignment | Alignment |
| FN4: Deliver sustainable, resilient infrastructure | Strong alignment | Strong alignment | Strongest alignment | Strong alignment |
| FN5: Embed whole-life approaches to asset management | Strong alignment | Alignment | Strongest alignment | Strong alignment |
| FN6: Implement smarter public parking strategies that meet evolving needs | Strongest alignment | Strong alignment | Strong alignment | Alignment |
| FN7: Support sustainable freight deliveries | Strong alignment | Alignment | Strongest alignment | Alignment |
Embrace new transport data and technology (Policy FN1)
We will continue to embrace data and new technology to enhance the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of our transport networks. Building on Lancashire’s industry strengths, we will lead in the development and deployment of innovative transport solutions - supporting cutting-edge research, piloting new technologies, and fostering partnerships that position us at the forefront of future mobility.
We are excited to push the boundaries of transport innovation and pave the way towards a future-ready network.
Many technological enhancements have already been delivered across Lancashire, such as through Blackpool Transport’s new digital fleet management system, and Lancashire County Council’s Digital Strategy and pioneering Future Mobility Platform. These initiatives use a data-first approach to help better manage our networks and improve local transport services for our residents, visitors and businesses, and we will continue to deliver, expand and integrate them across the sub-region.
We will also make best use of our transport data and emerging AI capabilities to monitor how the network is performing and to help us respond to issues quickly.
Connected and autonomous vehicles could improve network efficiency and provide travel options for people with limited access to public transport or who are unable to drive. Drones provide significant opportunities in the future transport world. We will work with our aerospace industry partners to make Lancashire a pioneer for air transport, drone research and future civilian transport capabilities. We will support trials and pilot schemes to test innovative transport and data solutions, closely monitoring their impacts, evaluating their success against our goals and adapting our future approaches where needed.
Our forthcoming Transport Data and Technology Strategy will further explore our current and future challenges and opportunities, setting out our path towards an innovative, future-ready transport network.
Case study – Lancashire’s Future Mobility Platform
Lancashire County Council’s Future Mobility Platform uses AI technologies and a data-first approach to help better manage networks and improve local transport services. Some of the key components are real-time traffic prediction, junction usage analysis and congestion hotspot identification. This is helping to shift network management from being reactive to being proactive, using data to tackle challenges and inform decision making. One of our longer-term aspirations is to roll out a Lancashire-wide Future Mobility Platform, bringing all of our transport technology and data together so we can better monitor and proactively manage our networks.
Accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles (Policy FN2)
We will facilitate the accelerated uptake of electric vehicles by working with residents, stakeholders, and public and private sector partners to provide a range of charging and access options for everyone.
We need to ensure that our residents feel empowered and incentivised to switch to electric vehicles to help reduce air and noise pollution across Lancashire. Addressing concerns, particularly around range and safety, will help to give our residents the confidence and information necessary to make well-informed decisions. In addition, although costs are gradually decreasing, buying an electric car remains prohibitively expensive for many. Electric car sharing schemes could allow our residents to access an electric car without the need to purchase one, or to try before buying.
To support electric vehicle use, we are committed to providing thousands of new chargepoints across Lancashire through a co-ordinated, multi-year installation programme. This includes a mix of hub, on-street and lamp post-integrated solutions to ensure convenient access for residents, particularly people without off-street parking.
Businesses and organisations also have a role to play; we need to encourage the replacement of dated, polluting vehicle fleets with modern, efficient, low or zero emission vehicles. For buses, steps to reduce emissions on our network include working with bus operators through our new Enhanced Partnership to modernise their fleets and increase charging facilities.
Improve journey time reliability (Policy FN3)
We will improve journey time reliability for all users of our road network by targeting the causes of delays and disruption and ensuring that we are more resilient to seasonal or event-based changes.
Journey time reliability underpins the efficient movement of people and goods across our county. To be reliable, our networks need to be able to cope with all sorts of changes, such as varying traffic levels, incidents, roadworks, temporary closures and changing weather. Large events such as the Blackpool Illuminations can also lead to significant disruptions on our network
There are some acute issues of road network reliability in Lancashire. For example, incidents or closures on the M6 around Preston can lead to significant knock-on delays across our local and strategic road networks. The M6 is predicted to experience even more delays in the future if traffic levels continue to increase. Issues on the highway network have a knock-on impact for buses and coaches too: it is important to keep buses moving even when there is congestion, so they remain a viable, attractive and competitive option for journeys
We will continue to explore a range of solutions to tackle congestion and improve journey reliability, supporting the long-term resilience and sustainability of our networks and responding to evolving travel patterns. A key ambition is to collaborate with National Highways and other key partners to develop a joint North-West traffic management programme and motorway incident mitigation strategies.
We are also investigating the feasibility of a Lane Rental scheme which incentivises organisations (such as utilities companies) to carry out roadworks during less disruptive times of the day, minimising delays to our residents and businesses.
Case study - Blackburn Pennine Gateways, M65 improvements
The Blackburn Pennine Gateways project focused on improving three main gateways on the M65 growth corridor, to unlock new housing and growth through improved transportation infrastructure. Three primary areas were selected for improvements: Furthergate (East Blackburn), North Blackburn and Haslingden Road (South East Blackburn). Enhancements included junction upgrades, new and widened roads, and improved access to employment centres and key facilities such as Royal Blackburn Hospital. Initial outcomes of the project include improvements to air quality, traffic flow and congestion. In addition, the project is supporting the delivery of close to 1,200 housing units, and over 65,000 sqm of employment land.
Deliver sustainable, resilient infrastructure (Policy FN4)
We will make Lancashire’s transport systems stronger and more sustainable so they can handle future challenges like heavy rain and heat. This could include adding trees, better drainage, and using tougher, more durable, low-carbon materials to keep people moving safely.
Our uplands are likely to experience an increase in precipitation, which could also lead to more flooding downstream. West and south west Lancashire are likely to experience the greatest increases in temperatures. We need to make sure that any new schemes and developments are designed to minimise current and future flood and heat risks.
Our infrastructure should be sustainable, efficient and resilient, and maximise opportunities for environmental gain. Wherever we can, we will embed green energy generation and natural elements into our transport networks and communities. ‘Green infrastructure’ like rain gardens, parks, green roofs, nature corridors and urban planting; and ‘blue infrastructure’ like wetlands, water storage ponds and coastal infrastructure, can help manage flooding, reduce heat stress, support biodiversity net gain, and support the overall quality of our local environments. We will make use of innovative tools to assess our designs and plans, such as extensive carbon calculators, including the lifecycle impact of materials used.
We are committed to developing a Resilience Strategy for Lancashire, which will investigate the risks to the county in detail, identify appropriate mitigations, and set out processes to integrate nature-based solutions into our transport networks.
Embed whole-life approaches to asset management (Policy FN5)
We will support our local highway authorities to get the most out of our existing and future highway assets by promoting and facilitating a whole life approach to maintenance and management.
We will support our local highway authorities to invest in proactively maintaining and improving our transport networks to make sure we get the best out of them, now and into the future.
It is the responsibility of the local highway authorities to keep a register of all highway assets, understanding which are the most crucial for a well-functioning network, and regularly checking and reporting on their condition. This includes local roads, footpaths, cycleways, tramways, bridges and signs. Each area’s specific priorities will likely vary over time, but they are always underpinned by a duty to improve reliability, reduce delays, maintain high standards of safety, and manage risks effectively.
As the LCCA, it is our role to support this by ensuring whole-life costs and processes are built into any schemes, developments and infrastructure we deliver, and that we are committed to investing in the ongoing maintenance and improvement of our transport assets. We will support local highway authorities to take a more preventative approach to asset maintenance to extend asset life, using smarter technologies, and co-ordinating works with partners and utilities companies.
Implement smarter public parking strategies that meet evolving needs (Policy FN6)
We will work closely with local planning authorities to provide appropriate and flexible parking which supports our people and places. This will include aligning parking provision with local priorities, environmental goals, and the evolving needs of communities and businesses.
When planned well, parking provision can support the local economy through making services and tourist destinations accessible, especially to people with mobility impairments. It can facilitate increased walking, cycling and public transport use, such as through secure places to park bicycles, park and stride, park and ride, or parking at railway stations.
We will take a big picture approach to ensure that we have the right type and amount of public parking in the right places, with the right charges and a range of payment methods. This will make sure that people can access local services and business without causing traffic congestion, environmental impacts or affecting accessibility, and that revenue can be used appropriately to maintain and improve our parking and wider transport facilities. This includes providing sufficient accessible and electric vehicle parking for our growth sites and key centres, and making sure they are well maintained.
Our parking also needs to be flexible and able to accommodate seasonal variances, such as increased demand from peak season visitors in towns such as Blackpool and Morecambe, while providing and publicising other modes of transport for tourism. Conversely, underused parking spaces can provide opportunities for redevelopment and placemaking. We will regularly review our parking practices to ensure that provision, placement and prices continue to support efficient movement, local accessibility and the evolving needs of our communities. We will seek to strike the right balance between parking provision, pick-up and drop-off points, footways, cycle paths, and bus lanes.
Support sustainable freight deliveries (Policy FN7)
We will support first and last mile deliveries to be made more efficiently and increase the delivery options for our residents.
In the evolving landscape of logistics, there are significant opportunities to modernise the first and last stages of goods delivery, known as first and last mile. With the rise of e-commerce, last mile deliveries have increased leading to a surge in Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) mileage.
As outlined in the 'Transport for the North (TfN) Freight and Logistics Strategy, there is potential to support a shift from LGVs to low-emissions deliveries (such as electric vans or cargo bikes) through smaller, local distribution centres, known as micro-consolidation. Adopting more sustainable delivery methods can minimise infrastructure impact, making our roads and communities safer, less polluted and more efficient.
We will develop a First and Last Mile Freight Study to explore opportunities to support sustainable freight movements in Lancashire.