How Can YOU Influence Transport Policy

Are you a voluntary or community group in Greater Manchester with concerns about transport? Do you know how to find help? Would you like to be involved in contributing to transport solutions?

There are a number of organisations working for the voluntary and community sector both in particular areas and across the whole of Greater Manchester who can help you directly or give you ideas of how to achieve your aims.

The Greater Manchester Transport Resource Unit (TRU) is one such organisation, providing a direct link between the voluntary and community sector across the ten districts of Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA). The TRU works to provide information, support, advice, and skills to aid the development and effectiveness of voluntary and community groups. Membership of the TRU network is free and benefits include: regular updates of information about transport issues affecting your community, invitations to GMPTA events, regular opportunities to contribute to consultations plus the opportunity to have your say on transport policy.

If transport is a significant issue affecting the work of your organisation or your local community and you want to contribute to influencing transport policy, please contact Filipina Moore, Development Officer at the Transport Resource Unit (0161 277 1024, filipina.moore@gmcvo.org.uk)

In the Manchester local authority area the Community Network for Manchester Transport Thematic Pool exists to increase community involvement in transport planning and provision and to contribute issues and projects to the Manchester City Council's Thematic Partnership. The Transport Thematic Pool consists of participants from voluntary and community groups who are involved in relevant communities of interest and geographical networks. The Pool holds regular meetings to discuss issues and new members are always welcome. The next meeting will be on Thursday 7 July, 12:30-2pm at the Friends Meeting House, Mount Street. Current issues under consideration include modal shift and the road users hierarchy, however any issues are welcome for discussion. If you are based in Manchester and you would like further information about the Transport Thematic Pool, please contact Bill Harrop, CN4M Transport Co-ordinator (0161 273 1736, transport@bridge-5.org)

In the Longsight community of Manchester, the Longsight On the Move Transport Project has being going for over one year now. It is a partnership between ALL Community Group Network and Friends of the Earth, who are both interested in providing a stronger voice for local people on transport issues.

In 2003, Friends of the Earth carried out an extensive (and award-winning) research project in Longsight to find out exactly what local people think of their roads, bus services and so on, and a conclusion of that work was that a local group needed to be brought together to take issues forward. ALL Community Group Network said it would be interested in being part of this and so the Transport Project was born. If you would like further information about the project please contact Kirsty Ogle, Transport Project Worker at All Community Network (0161 248 4248, kirsty@allnet.org.uk)

Another example of community working is Talking Transport, a project looking at transport issues within the Manchester community. The project is designed to develop community consultation skills, targeting the direct problems affecting everyday neighbourhood transport. Two community areas have been selected for this project with consultation training beginning in the areas of Whitemoss, North Manchester and Northern Moor, Wythenshawe. At the completion of the consultation training members from these respective communities will engage their neighbourhoods, collecting data and information before facilitating findings to the relevant local authorities and transport operators. Once the initial project has concluded, community groups may continue to use these existing consultation methods and tools which have been developed to address further issues in their communities. For more information on the Talking Transport program and to get involved in the project please contact Rob Lowe, GMTRU (0161 277 1022, rob.lowe@gmcvo.org.uk)

So, it can be seen that the voluntary and community sector contains many knowledgeable and skilled individuals who can help you with transport issues and there are many ways that we work together to influence transport policy and make changes to benefit whole communities.

Filipina Moore, TRU (0161 277 1024)

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