Archived decisions

Contact: Nick Richardson, ext 5429

1. Summary

1.1 A number of schools in the Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport (BEST) area experience transport problems, ranging from traffic congestion and safety issues to a lack of appropriate pedestrian facilities and bus service deficiencies. While these types of problems are evident throughout Hampshire, measures have been identified for schools in the BEST area where improvements can be made, closely linked with the development and implementation of school travel plans. The potential involvement of local schools has been ascertained and a number of improvements are under way. The remaining schools have been prioritised and included in a Safer Routes to School expenditure programme for forthcoming years. This report sets out the position regarding those schools where progress has been made.

2. Introduction

2.1 Work on developing school travel plans in the BEST area commenced last year following the Borough and County Councils' consultation with schools to identify those wishing to participate in developing a Safer Routes to School initiative.

2.2 A total of 27 responses was received, representing 35% of schools. To enable those with the most severe problems to be addressed as a priority, criteria were established and endorsed by the Panel on 16 June 2000 (see Appendix 1). The criteria were weighted to give greater priority to schools that have:

(i) already contacted the Borough and/or County Council regarding Safer Routes to School initiatives;

(ii) participated in events, such as `Walk to School' and `Safe and Sound'; and/or

(iii) incorporated road safety/sustainability into the school curriculum;

(iv) a history of road traffic accidents in the vicinity of the site; and

(v) a problem with indiscriminate/irresponsible parking.

2.3 All schools that responded were keen to become involved with parents and pupils in developing Safer Routes to School initiatives and over half the schools that responded had participated in `Walk to School' week, facilitated cycle training sessions and/or included road safety issues into their curriculum.

2.4 As a result of the consultation, assessment against the criteria and taking account of existing initiatives with local schools, a number of schools were identified for priority and financial assistance in 2001/02:

- Bramley Primary School;

- St Mary's CE Junior School, Old Basing;

- Four Lanes Community Infant and Junior Schools, Chineham;

- Harriet Costello School;

- Brighton Hill Community School;

- Cranbourne Community School; and

- Chalk Ridge Primary School.

2.5 These school sites have benefited from support in developing a school travel plan and implementing safer journey to school initiatives. Other schools, such as Oakridge Infant and Junior Schools and Kempshott Infant and Junior Schools, have also had assistance in undertaking school travel surveys.

3. Progress on Schemes

3.1 Work has progressed at most of these schools. However, the development of school travel plans and consequently improvement works can take considerable time and resource input. As such, considerable resources from both authorities have been assigned to this programme of works. In addition, other schools will also benefit from existing traffic and transport schemes in the work programme:

- The Hurst School, Baughurst (traffic calming partnership);

- East Woodhay (traffic calming in village);

- Sherborne St John (provision of parking area away from school entrance);

- Bishop Challoner RC Secondary School (proposed 20 mph zone in St Michael's Road); and

- St Bede's RC Primary School, Popley.

3.2 Appendix 2 details the work that has been scheduled for these schools and proposals for work yet to be completed.

3.3 In addition, the Borough Council has been progressing proposals for a pilot 20 mph scheme for the Fairfields area. A series of public exhibitions was held in July 2001 to seek the views of the public to the proposed 20 mph zones and associated traffic calming features. The proposals exhibited for the Fairfields area comprised the introduction of a 20 mph zone and a series of vertical deflections (ie speed cushions and raised tables), carriageway narrowings and junction realignments to reduce traffic speeds. A total of 83% of consultees expressed support for a 20 mph zone in the Fairfields area, with 14% against. Officers have investigated specific concerns raised by members of the public during the consultation exercise.

3.4 Table 1 summarises the public consultation exercise:

Table 1 - Results of public consultation on proposed traffic measures, Fairfields, Basingstoke

Proposed Feature	Support	Against
Introduction of 20 mph zone	23 (79%)	4 (14%)
Gateways at entry points into 20 mph zone	24 (83%)	Nil
Raised tables	24 (83%)	2 (7%)
Changing the direction of Jubilee Road	18 (62%)	7 (24%)
Speed cushions	21 (72%	6 (21%)

3.5 Fairfields Primary School has also expressed its support for the 20 mph zone. This was reinforced by the presence of teachers and pupils at the exhibition. As part of the consultation involving schoolchildren, officers devised a competition whereby the children could design a road sign for use in this area to advise motorists that they were entering a 20 mph zone.

3.6 Table 2 summarises the consultation comment sheets completed by schoolchildren:

Table 2 - Results of consultation with children on proposed traffic measures, Fairfields, Basingstoke

Proposed Feature	Support	Against
Introduction of 20 mph zone	39 (67%)	4 (7%)
Gateways at entry points into 20 mph zone	20 (34%)	21 (36%)
Raised tables	32 (55%)	7 (12%)
Changing the direction of Jubilee Road	8 (14%))	35 (60%)
Speed cushions	44 (76%)	2 (3%)

3.7 The results of the consultation exercise were reported to the Borough Council's Cabinet in October, where it was approved to develop and implement the first phase of a 20 mph scheme at Fairfields during 2001/02 and to commence detailed design of the subsequent phases.

4. Future Programme

4.1 The Local Transport Plan (LTP) makes a commitment to build on the work undertaken with schools over the last year and assist all schools in the Borough in developing travel plans and implementing Safer Routes to School measures over the next five years. Accordingly, a draft programme for implementing Safer Routes to School initiatives has been developed drawing on data held by the two authorities and the approved criteria set out in Appendix 1. The development of the programme aims to manage a phased implementation. Where an infant and junior school are situated on the same site they have been considered together.

4.2 Schools have been programmed for assistance and funding relative to their score against the criteria. Those schools in the draft programme that have scored highly have been allocated to receive priority for funding for Safer Routes to School in 2002/03 from the Borough Council's capital programme and the LTP allocation, resulting in a proposed combined Safer Routes to School capital programme. The draft programme and explanatory notes are attached as Appendices 3 and 4.

4.3 The draft Safer Routes to School programme would assist the following number of schools in each financial year:

Year No. of Schools

2002/03 11 schools

2003/04 9 schools

2004/05 10 schools

2005/06 14 schools

4.4 A number of the schools in the Borough are located near to, and will be directly affected by, major residential development. These developments will be expected to fund the introduction of school safety zones and implement school travel plans and Safer Routes to School initiatives in partnership with these schools. For example, the North of Popley Way development brief requires Safer Routes to School initiatives in relation to the proposed relocation of the John Hunt of Everest Secondary School to be considered. Also, in the event that the development at Old Kempshott Lane is approved, there is a requirement for the developer to fund Safer Routes to School initiatives at Worting Infant and Junior Schools.

4.5 As an initial step towards developing a school travel plan and identifying school travel initiatives, each tranche of schools will need to undertake a school travel survey, with assistance from Borough and County Council officers. The survey will ascertain current travel patterns and identify potential measures that will encourage children to travel to school by other means than the car. The involvement of head teachers, teaching and non-teaching staff, governors, children, parents and local residents is essential if initiatives are to be successful.

4.6 Some schools have already undertaken surveys to provide data on travel patterns to school. This will provide the basis for monitoring the effect of measures and comparison with national and local targets for reducing car dependence for journeys to school. Table 3 shows the current mode of travel to school in the BEST area (source: Transpol household questionnaire surveys 2001).

Table 3 - Mode choice for school journeys by age in Basingstoke and Deane Borough (%)

5. Funding

5.1 Funding is available from the LTP settlement towards the implementation of Safer Routes to School initiatives over the next four years. A sum of £250,000 has been allocated from the LTP settlement for 2002/03, with a total of £1 million over the four years. This is complemented by a budget of £150,000 allocated in the Borough Council's capital programme for 2002/03 and £150,000 for 2003/04, a total of £300,000 over the next two years.

5.2 These resources have been combined into one capital programme for Safer Routes to School, with a total of £400,000 available to fund measures in 2002/03. This is made up from the following sources:

Borough Council capital programme £150,000

Local Transport Plan BEST allocation £150,000

Local Transport Plan schools allocation £100,000

Total £400,000

6. Conclusion

6.1 A programme of initiatives has been determined for schools in the BEST area based on a range of criteria. Priorities have been established and funding has been allocated accordingly from the combined Borough and County Councils' capital programme. The implementation of a range of measures is envisaged at each school to support walking and cycling in particular and to reduce reliance on cars for the journey to school. Officers of both authorities will be working with schools to devise and implement improvements.

Recommendation

That the Panel notes the progress on current Safer Routes to School schemes and approves the priority programmes set out in the report.

6743/NR

APPENDIX 1

Safer Routes to Schools Assessment Criteria

APPENDIX 2

Safer Routes to Schools Progress Update

APPENDIX 4

Safer Routes to Schools Programme

Explanatory Notes

The attached matrix at Appendix 3 shows the draft prioritisation list for schools as part of a Borough Council/County Council Safer Routes to School Programme. Where there is an Infant and Junior School on one site, they have been considered as one school.

The criteria previously agreed by the Borough Council's former Traffic and Construction Sub-Committee has been used by Borough and County Council Officers to prioritise the schools over the next four years of the Local Transport Plan period for funding and assistance.

Some criteria have weighted scores to give greater priority to those schools which:

· Have already contacted the Borough and/or County Council regarding Safer Routes to School initiatives;

· Have participated in events such as `Walk to School';

· Have a history of road traffic accidents in the vicinity of the site; and

· Have already started work on undertaking a travel survey or developing a travel plan.

The scores for each of schools are based on the most up-to-date information available to the Borough and County Councils. Scores for each school have been totalled and placed in priority order - the higher the score the greater the priority.

The Borough Council and County Council are already working with a number of schools (those highlighted) on identifying measures in the vicinity of their site and accordingly will not be included in the programme, although there may be additional minor measures which need to be implemented as a later date e.g. improved cycle parking at Cranbourne Secondary School. Some of the highlighted schools have yet to undertake a travel survey/produce a travel plan. As part of the agreement for the implementation of measures they will need to undertake, as a minimum, a travel survey of pupil's journey to and from school.

The remainder of the schools will be allocated over the next four years for assistance and funding. One of the pre-requisites for funding will be a commitment by the school to undertake, as a minimum, a travel survey. The summary matrix indicates an anticipated year for assistance for the schools.

Notes on Criteria

Responded to Previous Consultation

Schools who responded to the previous consultation (April/May 2000) on the Safer Routes to School Programme.

Traffic Accidents

Based on all recorded injury accidents for the three year period 1 April 1998 to 31 March 2001 within a 400m radius of the school, only excluding those parts of the network that are not directly accessible.

Scores based on following:

0-5 accidents 1

6-10 accidents 2

11-15 accidents 3

16+ accidents 4

Participated in Walk to School

Schools which took part in the Walk to School week in May 2001.

Undertaken travel survey

Schools that have already started work on carrying out a travel survey of pupils journeys to schools and/or starting developing school travel plan.

Request from head teacher/school/councillor

Schools where either the parents, the local councillor or the school (head teacher/governors) have contacted either the Borough Council or County Council regarding issues relating to the journey to and from the school.

Traffic management/cycle scheme in vicinity

Schools where is a traffic management/cycle schemes in the vicinity of the site which will be of direct benefit in terms of improving road safety for vulnerable road users and reducing vehicle speeds.

Potential for shift to walking and cycling

Schools where there are good levels of walking and cycling but may fall if no action taken to solve safety/road traffic issues.

No 30 mph speed limit

Schools with a speed limit in excess of 30 mph outside the school.

No traffic calming in place

No traffic calming outside school entrance to reduce vehicle speeds and improve crossing facilities.

Rural school

Schools situated in the rural area where there is potential opportunities to reduce car-borne school journeys through greater provision of pedestrian and cycle routes to schools.