'Jam buster' in new jobs hope

Nov 17 2006 By Ross Smith And Helen Livingstone, The Journal

The Go For Jobs campaign has highlighted how congestion is strangling the North-East economy. Ross Smith and Helen Livingstone report on efforts to tackle the problem.

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A congestion tsar is to be appointed with the task of getting job creation back on track at the North's biggest business park.

Negotiations are taking place over a plan to appoint a travel plan co-ordinator for the Team Valley trading estate in Gateshead.

The new boss - dubbed a "jam buster" by business leaders - would have a remit to ease the block on job-creating developments at the site.

He or she would work to reduce the amount of traffic on the A1 generated by Team Valley, where 17,000 people are employed.

The move could effectively give the estate journeys "in hand", meaning the Highways Agency would not have grounds for blocking planning applications on the basis that they would increase congestion.

Firms looking to make new developments on the site would also be given advice on what measures they could include which would offset potential objections by the agency.

Gateshead Council believes the new post - expected to be in place within six months - could be a "short-term measure" to address the problem until the A1 Western bypass is upgraded. The authority is in talks with the Highways Agency and developer UK Land Estates over creating the role.

Team Valley has been at the centre of the furore over Article 14 notices placed by the agency which stall developments because of congestion fears.

The impact on the business park was highlighted by wrangling earlier this year over proposals to build new warehouses on the derelict site of the former Jockey factory.

The Highways Agency delayed approval for the site even though research showed it would put just 65 extra vehicles on the A1.

An Article 14 notice was also placed on a development by Priority Sites for an office development housing just 100 staff.

The objections to such small schemes prompted business leaders to claim the Highways Agency was effectively rendering Team Valley "closed to business".

Gateshead Council head of planning and highways Nick Clennett said last night: "As a short-term measure, we believe a travel plan co-ordinator on the Team Valley trading estate would be a great benefit.

"By being seen to be doing something, the Highways Agency would be more relaxed about how they analyse the impact of traffic on the A1.

"If we can deliver some modal shift, we can effectively bank the jobs."

Initiatives which would be introduced include specific works buses or a car sharing database. "You could live next door to somebody who also works in Team Valley and not know it," Mr Clennett said.

North-East Chamber of Commerce spokesman Mike Parker said: "The idea of a travel plan coordinator would make a profound difference to Team Valley and hopefully go a long way to solving the problems that we've seen to date from the Highways Agency. We would like to play an active part in this to make sure whatever system devised is good for business and for growth in the Team Valley area."

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said: "The Highways Agency has been making good progress working in partnership with developers on the site and with Gateshead and public transport providers to progress the development of a travel plan and public transport solutions for the site.

"These include the development of a supporting travel planning website, sponsored for the first 12 months by the agency and expected to be online by April 2007."

Tyne Bridge MP David Clelland said: "I have no argument that developers and businesses need to do what they can to reduce congestion, so if this proposal can assist, I think it's a good thing and could go a long way to resolving some of the problems we're facing."

Page 2: What they say about Go For Jobs