The Objective 1 Programme aims to identify and remove transport bottlenecks which act as overall constraints on South Yorkshire's potential to take action to encourage economic growth.
The Transport Steering Group commissioned a major transport study from Colin Buchanan and Partners with Sheffield Hallam University into the bottlenecks.
The Study's brief was to:
§ Produce the definition and criteria for identifying and assessing strategic transport bottlenecks
§ Identify the key strategic transport bottlenecks
§ Develop the selection and assessment criteria and undertake a thorough appraisal of the list of identified key strategic transport bottlenecks
§ Within the definition, produce a concise prioritised list of key strategic transport bottlenecks, across South Yorkshire, which are identified and assessed in terms of their potential contribution to sustainable development, economic growth and employment creation
§ Produce a realistic implementation Programme
§ Be consistent with the content of the Objective 1 Single Programme Document and the Programme Complement
§ Complete the Programme Complement's table of indicators, outputs, results and targets for Measure 31 of Priority 6 to be completed
§ Identify candidates for Objective 1 Priority 6 investment within South Yorkshire, but also identify any major strategic transport bottlenecks which a) impact on South Yorkshire but are not within it b) are incapable of resolution within South Yorkshire
§ Identified specific documents or studies to be taken into account
§ Take into account other studies which are completed or ongoing.
§ Include consultation
§ Draw upon existing sources of data
§ The outputs required from the study indicate a combination of perceptual (to understand business/stakeholder issues) and econometrical methods (to analyse economic data and associations) would be employed
A sample of 200 organisations were surveyed representing the approximate sectorial and geographical spread of economic activity in South Yorkshire. The Consultants also established a number of expert panels, which include representation from:
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Road Hauliers/Motoring Organisations
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Training Bus Operators
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Tourism/Leisure Industry
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Major Companies
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Economic/Transport and Regional Development Specialists
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Groups aimed at supporting the socially excluded
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Local Authorities
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Transport Infrastructure providers and Transport Authorities
The main feature running throughout the seminars was the link between the transport bottlenecks and economic growth. In particular issues such as image, access to development sites, access to labour markets and increased costs were explored.
