Archived decisions

Contact: John Buckett, ext 6599

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That the Transport Capital Programme be amended by the addition of new schemes for traffic management and environmental improvements in Petersfield, improved street lighting in King Arthur's Way, Andover and new traffic monitoring equipment for the Local Transport Plan, as well as revised allocations for Otterbourne Traffic Calming, A27 cycle schemes in Fareham (Cams Hill) and Safer Routes to Schools. The proposed additions total £1,120,000.

2. Reasons

2.1 A re-appraisal of the spending profile for the Transport Capital Programme (TCP) has revealed that it is possible to expand the early years of the programme while containing spending within the levels of Government funding support. It is proposed to bring forward high priority projects and increase the allocations for some ongoing projects where this is required. This will allow the County Council to achieve a good level of spending on priority projects, which will in turn encourage the Government to continue to maintain its support for the County Council's transport programme. A detailed progress report will be submitted to the next meeting, but it is proposed that these additions are approved now so that early spending on these projects can be achieved.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 No other suitable alternative.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer Consulted - Not applicable.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. New Additions to the Programme

High Street and The Square, Petersfield

7.1 In February 2001 the Central Hampshire Rural Transport Strategy Members' Panel (CHARTS) approved the preparation of a scheme for a 20 miles per hour zone together with associated highway works and environmental improvements for the High Street and The Square, Petersfield to go to public consultation. The scheme is a high priority for the County Planning Officer's Country Towns Initiative and is included within the Petersfield Area Transport Strategy. It has been progressed to date using the funding allocation for scheme preparation in the programme for `Market Towns Initiatives' made by the former Planning and Transportation Resources Sub-Committee in January 2001.

7.2 The scheme will be implemented in two stages, the first in spring 2002, combined with maintenance work in the High Street, and the second stage in The Square to be constructed in the autumn. Public consultation was carried out in May and the results, which are positive, are being reported to the November CHARTS Panel. In order to implement this scheme a further allocation of £365,000 is required in the Capital Programme to supplement the maintenance, Country Towns Initiative and CHARTS funding already identified.

King Arthur's Way, Andover

7.3 The County Council, in partnership with Test Valley Borough Council, is seeking to upgrade the street lighting in King Arthur's Way, Andover. This scheme will greatly benefit pedestrians in the area and reduce concerns about personal security. A contribution of £80,000 from the TCP will allow the scheme to proceed in full.

Traffic Monitoring Equipment

7.4 Investment of £200,000 in new traffic monitoring equipment will allow more comprehensive permanent monitoring regimes to be put in place for the Area Transport Strategies, and so improve future monitoring required for the Local Transport Plan. The incorporation of remote monitoring units into new and existing sites will greatly reduce time required in retrieving the information, which in future can be carried out by telephone and avoid travelling to the sites.

8. Increased Costs in Schemes Already in the Programme

Otterbourne Traffic Calming

8.1 The Otterbourne traffic calming project, which incorporates part of the Eastleigh to Winchester cycle route, requires additional funding of £145,000 to allow a more comprehensive scheme to be introduced in the village as part of this phase. This stage of the project, which has a total cost of £575,000, provides a package of traffic calming measures which allows a 30 miles per hour speed to be introduced throughout the village together with a new cycle track on Otterbourne Hill. The scheme will change the character of the former A33 trunk road to bring it much more in keeping with its current role as the C230 serving local needs. This scheme, originally part of the Winchester Movement and Access Plan (WMAP) is a County Priority project, and therefore no longer funded from an Area Strategy programme. This is because of its importance for safety, its relation to the National Cycle Network and its geographical position. The scheme is situated in the CHARTS area but links WMAP (Winchester) to SATS (Southampton Area Transport Strategy), in particular towards Thornden School, Chandlers Ford.

A27 East of Cams Hill, Fareham

8.2 The 2000/01 programme included the safer routes to school cycle scheme on the A27 east of Cams Hill, Fareham, but this was delayed to allow more funding to be diverted to the A27 Titchfield safety scheme in 2000/01. It is now possible to proceed with this scheme and the complementary work near Cams Hill school (Delme to Cams Hill) as one contract. These proposals build on the scheme already completed at Broadcut to provide a comprehensive route along the A27 to Cams Hill School. The cost of the original scheme has increased because of the need to alter the carriageway to avoid third party land. The total cost of the combined scheme is £510,000 and an additional £275,000 is required in the programme. The total includes £80,000 from the 2002/03 programme. A project appraisal will be submitted shortly for the combined scheme if the funding is approved.

Safer Routes to Schools

8.3 There is a project appraisal on this agenda (item no. 5) for a safer routes to school scheme in Rushmoor. This scheme costs £105,000 and, while it can be funded using £55,000 from developers' funding, it is more appropriate to use County Council funding for this project. It is proposed, therefore, that £55,000 be added to the Safer Routes to Schools programme.

6711/JWB