Our new Staffordshire Chambers Business Manifesto is centred around five key themes. During the next few weeks, I’ll be running through them to help explain what they mean for local businesses. The themes are:
– Connected Staffordshire
– Digital Staffordshire
– Global Staffordshire
– Green Staffordshire
– Skilled Staffordshire
Let’s start with Connected Staffordshire. It’s easy to see why Staffordshire is one of the UK’s most connected counties:
– 40% of the UK population live within a 2-hour drive.
– In just an hour, it’s possible to reach four international airports.
– Hop on a train at Stoke on Trent or Stafford and you will reach London in around 90 minutes.
– The M6 carves its way through the county, offering exceptional north-south connectivity, with the A50 stretching from North Staffordshire, all the way to East Midlands Airport.
Taking all of this into account, it’s easy to see why so many businesses gain from being based in Staffordshire.
Transport is a key enabler for business, moving both people and goods but like many parts of the UK, congestion on local roads can be a challenge. Public transport needs to be more accessible and affordable if more of us are to travel to and from work by bus and train.
A50/A500 is a key economic corridor stretching from Crewe through the urban area of North Staffordshire and on to East Midlands Airport. The route through North Staffordshire is operating at an estimated 110% of capacity at peak times. Further east, lengthy traffic queues are a familiar sight at Blythe Bridge & Uttoxeter junctions. A500 links with junction 15 of the M6 at Hanchurch. The exit and entry approaches to the junction are no longer fit for purpose and are unable to cope with traffic volumes.
We call for Government to commit to pressing ahead with improvements to the ‘Fifty, Five Hundred’ corridor and also the complete redesign of junction 15 of M6. Any delay in making this commitment will significantly damage our exceptional connectivity and continue the misery of congested roads and gridlock.
When it comes to rail travel, the West Coast Mainline (WCML) is a vital rail artery connecting London, Staffordshire & the West Midlands, the North West of England and Scotland. Overcrowding is a common sight on passenger services. We call for, at the very least, that existing rail service hours of operation , frequency and journey times between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent and London/Manchester are maintained. It’s essential for new investment in WCML to be delivered, bringing much needed additional capacity.
Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP) are being rolled out in Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire, with the aim of increasing passenger numbers, improving bus service reliability and ultimately, increase passenger satisfaction. This is welcome news and we hope that BSIP will bring about behaviour change and drive-up passenger numbers in the long term.
The previous UK Government announced a ban on the sale of all new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035. The clock is ticking and we’re calling for a rapid growth in electric vehicle charging points across our region, particularly in areas such as Stoke-on-Trent, where many residents do not have the benefit of off-road parking for vehicle charging. Electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure rollout will also need to support freight and haulage operators, who will rely on getting the power source to where it is needed.
Building on the foundations of Staffordshire’s connectivity, we need to see improved planning processes, coupled with accessible procurement opportunities for all, to support local investment in infrastructure and commercial premises. A diverse range of commercial premises will hold appeal to all sectors and size of business. The development of more business incubation space and start up support will retain talent and help to nurture the next generation of businesses.
We continue our call for support for our local authorities to unlock the planning system, by lobbying for national investment in better resources to ensure much needed developments can be realised and not unnecessarily held up due to lack of planning capacity.
As a Chamber, we continue to push for local procurement opportunities to be promoted to a wide local audience and our public sector must deliver on both early notice periods to allow businesses to respond and to ensure that payments are made at the earliest possible opportunity.
You can read our Manifesto in full by clicking here.
If you have any suggestions or feedback regarding our Manifesto, please send an e-mail to: declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
