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Spring 2019 Truck and Track 19
BUSINESS NEWS
Transport for theNorth’s Chief Executive, BarryWhite,metwith
civic and business leaders from the North East to discuss the
recently-approved Strategic Transport Plan. Held inNewcastle,
the event provided an opportunity to engage with local leaders
andoutline howthe planswill deliver transformed connectivity
for the region.
The Strategic Transport Plan outlines how a £70 billion pipeline
of investment would transform connectivity across the North and
unlock £100 billion additional GVA and support the creation of up
to 850,000 new jobs.
The Investment Programme, which accompanies the Strategic
Transport Plan, contains transport interventions that would
transform connectivity across the North East, and the rest of the
North.
Potential interventions that will benefit the North East and North
of Tyne include enhancing rail capacity from Northallerton to
Newcastle, Newcastle stationplatform lengthening, improvements
to the A19, and the Blyth relief road.
The Investment Programme also includes highway and rail access
improvements to the North East port and Newcastle International
Airport, including a A69 – A696 – A1 link road via the airport and
heavy rail improvements, such as connections to the East Coast
Main Line.
Northern Powerhouse Rail will also transform the region, bringing
15,000 more businesses and 300,000 more people within 90
minutes of Newcastle City Centre. Rail travellers will also enjoy
quicker journey times with a journey between Leeds andNewcastle
taking 30 minutes less than today - down from 88 minutes to 58
minutes.
BarryWhite, said: “Today was a fantastic opportunity to launch and
talk about the Strategic Transport Plan in the North East.
“The area is home to world-class industries, and a thriving energy
sector, as well as major international ports and an international
airport. Our Strategic Development Corridors demonstrate that by
connecting these key economic assets and areas of the North, we
can transform connectivity and unleash our potential.
“For the millions of people that call the North East home, the
Strategic Transport Plan and Northern Powerhouse Rail will mean
they have more choice over where to live and work, access to more
opportunities, and better connections to family and friends.
Andrew Hodgson, chair of the North East Local Enterprise
Partnership, said: “Improving transport connectivity is central to
the North East’s own Strategic Economic Plan so we fully support
the ambitious proposals set out by Transport for the North.
“We want to be a region that champions sustainable and
active travel and connects seamlessly with the wider Northern
Powerhouse. It is vital for the prosperity of the North East that we
address the fundamental challenges facing our transport.
“The North East LEP is proud to be working with our local and
combined authority partners to drive major investment across our
rail and road networks to boost the economy and create more and
better jobs.
“This is our blueprint for the future and we’re excited by the
scale and ambition of the plan to provide vital transport
infrastructure that benefits everyone across the north, driving
growth and opportunities to benefit our residents, businesses and
communities.”
Cllr Carl Marshall, who represents the North East Combined
Authority on the Transport for the North Board said: “What sets
this plan apart is the fact key partners across the North are working
together to deliver change. For the first time we are speaking
with one voice on matters of strategic transport, providing the
Government with a collective view on what investment is needed
in the North-East.
“The planwill help us deliver key priorities, including improvements
to the A1, A19 and A66, along with upgrades to the East Coast
Mainline, Durham Coast line and the stations along the route.
“I wholeheartedly support this plan, its analysis, the case it
makes and the investment programme for the North. Transport
investment is key to boosting the region’s economy, allowing
existing companies to grow and attracting new businesses to the
area.”
Transport for the North’s Chief Executive meets civic and business leaders
Rather than using it operationally for route scheduling and
planning, GEFCO, the European leader in automotive logistics,
has deployed route optimisation software from Descartes
Systems Group (Nasdaq: DSGX) (TSX: DSG), to respond to
calls for tenders and to support its regional businesses with
optimisation studies.
With a global presence across 47 countries, the international
multimodal transport, freight forwarding and logistics solutions
provider, GEFCO, manages several million shipments a year on
behalf of its customers. The automotive logistics company has
chosen Descartes’ route optimisation software for the planning of
its European transport activity. However, rather than using it to
schedule and plan actual operational routes - the usual function of
the software – GEFCO has deployed the software to better respond
to calls for tenders and carry out internal studies.
“Descartes route optimisation software was originally conceived
and designed to be deployed in an operational capacity within our
regional businesses to manage collection and distribution rounds.
We, however, have now adopted it for internal use at a corporate
level, to respond to calls for tenders and support our regional
business units by undertaking centralised optimisation studies,”
explains Charles Fouche, GEFCO’s Engineering & Optimisation
Manager.
Within the tender process, Descartes route optimization software
functionality allows GEFCO to take into account the unique
constraints of each customer, helping GEFCO to run route
simulations and to formulate proposals which are much more
precise and relevant, ultimately offering more value to customers.
“Thanks to Descartes, we have won tenders,” stresses Charles.
In parallel, Descartes supports GEFCO’s optimisation studies
on two levels: to rethink the scope of local intervention in an
internationally planned schedule, and tohelp the companymanage
its grouping and fixed or semi-fixed transport plans, with Descartes
determining the best routes by taking into account constraints in
the field (traffic, accessibilities ...) as well as customers (schedules,
delivery frequencies, delivery platform ...); the goal being to
optimise GEFCO’s use of its own and external vehicles. “Descartes’
software is very user friendly. It is logical to use and allows us to
carry out detailed simulations that truly reflect operational reality,”
concludes Charles Fouche.
GEFCO deploys Descartes route
optimisation software to enhance its
tender and simulation processes
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