‘We have focused on three main barriers for the logistics and supply chain industry in the North of England in our draft strategy,’ begins Lucy Hudson, Transport for the North’s Principal Policy Officer Freight and Logistics in an exclusive interview for The Logistics Point.
The body is inviting logistics and freight professionals and members of the public to take part in their consultation that will be used to shape the freight and logistics strategy for the whole region and share ideas, visions and opinions. You can take part in the consultation here and watch the full video interview to learn more about the plans.
Decarbonisation, warehousing and data sharing are the three main areas Transport for the North would like to engage around when it comes to freight and logistics. In her interview with The Logistics Point Lucy Hudson explains why each area is of great importance and how the information provided by logistics experts would be used to shape the narrative and the overall strategy for the North of England.
Understanding the industry
The consultation is a key way for local authorities to understand better the problems that logistics organisations are facing. Lucy invites everyone with an opinion to share their thoughts on all points or even on a single issue. She underlines the need for a more local approach that would give more stability to companies and will also respond to the needs of local residents. TfN is engaging with the Department for Transport as well, identifying areas where joint working can help to improve transport networks in the North of England.
The North of England is still behind Southern parts of the country in a few key areas that concern transport operators. Only 10% of the railway network is electrified, there is not enough warehousing space in the right places at
the moment, and overall investment can fall short on occasions. Covid 19 and exiting the EU have also brought unique problems.
Lucy explains that she hopes companies in the industry would also open up their databases and share more information with one another and local authorities. This would help to plan and improve the service that cities can provide. ‘Data can strengthen the case for change,’ she says.
You can watch the full video interview with Lucy Hudson from TfN now and take part in the consultation here.
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