Archived decisions

Contact: Karen Walton, ext 6598

1. Summary

1.1 This report describes progress on the 2001/02 Southampton Area Transport Strategy (SATS) programme and other key strategy issues and schemes.

2. 2001/02 Programme

2.1 The 2001/02 SATS programme in the County Council's administrative area is as follows:

2.2 Members recommended endorsement of this investment programme for SATS on 20 February 2001.

3. Romsey Movement and Access Strategy

3.1 Hampshire County Council and Test Valley Borough Council have jointly commissioned transport consultant Scott Wilson Associates to consider options for the Romsey Town Centre Pedestrian Enhancement Scheme.

3.2 Funding for the scheme from the SATS programme is supplemented by the Section 106 Agreement made by Test Valley Borough Council for the proposed Alma Road food store.

3.3 This transport scheme is intended to create an area of greater pedestrian priority in the centre of Romsey. It will link with conservation, urban design and economic development objectives. Traffic will continue to pass through the main shopping areas but, where possible, road space will be reallocated to provide a safer, more pedestrian friendly space for residents, traders and visitors. Good walking routes from the new food store to the rest of the town centre will be created to encourage linked trips. Traffic speeds will be reduced by self-enforcing traffic calming features, and illegal parking will be made less likely in many areas. However, space for delivery vehicles and disabled parking will be retained.

3.4 Following agreement at the last SATS Panel, a public exhibition was jointly hosted by the County Council and Test Valley Borough Council. Scheme options were displayed and officers were on hand to answer questions on the proposals. Attendees were encouraged to fill in a questionnaire to measure support for the scheme. This consultation is estimated to have cost in the order of £10,000.

3.5 More detailed analysis of the comments received has been undertaken and is available for inspection. The main issues for consideration are highlighted in the briefing note attached as an appendix. A Joint Members' meeting of the two authorities was held on 31 October to consider the responses to the consultation and to agree a way forward for the scheme. The following timetable is proposed:

4. Central Eastleigh Transport Plan

4.1 The proposed redevelopment of the Pirelli site to provide over 665 dwellings, plus 7,432 square metres of B1 office development, on 11.5 hectares of land 450 metres to the west of Eastleigh town centre will have an impact on traffic levels and patterns of vehicle movements in and around central Eastleigh. The priorities for network management improvements identified in the Central Eastleigh Transport undertaken in 1998 remain. However, prior to bringing forward network management improvements (funded through the SATS capital programme) which are designed to enhance safety for vulnerable road users, and may possibly include the introduction of 20 miles per hour residential zones or Home Zones on existing residential streets, it will now be necessary to fully consider the impacts of the Pirelli development. Every effort needs to be made to ensure that network management proposals funded through the SATS capital programme are designed, not only to overcome existing traffic and safety problems, but also to contribute towards the mitigation of the impacts of the Pirelli development, and to provide added value to off-site network improvements funded by that development.

4.2 The County Council's Partner consultant, W S Atkins, is project managing the scheme and a report on the progress will be presented to the next meeting of the Panel.

5. Eastleigh Bus Quality Partnership and Bus Station Improvement

5.1 Eastleigh Borough Council's Executive approved the Draft Eastleigh and Southampton Area Quality Bus Partnership on 13 June 2001. Hampshire County Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, Solent Blue Line and First Southampton have all expressed their commitment to the Eastleigh and Southampton Area Quality Bus Partnership Schedule of Commitment and Aims and Objectives. (Southampton City Council will give formal consideration to signing the partnership agreement in the near future.)

5.2 A formal signing ceremony linked with the official opening of the refurbished Eastleigh Bus Station will be held on 23 November 2001. However, the partners are already working together to deliver a high quality and reliable bus service on Solent Blue Line routes 41, 48 and 29/29A and on First Southampton service 16.

5.3 A programme of works to improve roadside infrastructure on the above routes has already been agreed by the partners, and the County Council's former Roads and Development Sub-Committee approved a project appraisal on 24 July 2001. Improvements include better bus stop poles and information cases, new bus shelters, raised access kerbs and improvements to lighting and footways. It is intended that some of these will be implemented before the end of this financial year.

6. Hythe Pier and Interchange

6.1 An officer group has been formed, involving White Horse Ferries and the District and Town Councils, to progress the Hythe Pier and Interchange scheme, and a detailed project brief has been produced. W S Atkins is project managing and designing the scheme and a report on the way forward for consultation on this project will be reported to the next meeting of the Panel. It is planned to develop a quality partnership for the Interchange with White Horse Ferries and other local transport operators.

6.2 Maintenance work on the Pier started in the summer, at a cost of £50,000 including timber decking plus £50,000 towards replacing the pontoon, which will commence shortly.

6.3 New Forest District Council is progressing a regeneration project for the Hythe waterfront area which will run in parallel with the Pier scheme.

7. Test Valley and Totton and Waterside Cycles

7.1 Test Valley Cycles - the cycle network in Southern Test Valley has previously identified six routes, as follows:

(i) North Baddesley to Valley Park (via Castle Lane);

(ii) Romsey to Nursling (via Lee Lane);

(iii) North Baddesley to Chilworth;

(iv) North Baddesley to Rownhams;

(v) Romsey to Ampfield; and

(vi) Romsey to Timsbury.

7.2 W S Atkins is progressing and project managing schemes (ii), (iii) and (iv) in this area. The feasibility studies are imminent for the Romsey to Nursling and North Baddesley to Chilworth routes, and the detailed design for the North Baddesley to Rownhams route is progressing.

7.3 W S Atkins will be progressing and project managing a number of routes for Totton and Waterside Cycles. The draft strategy has identified proposed routes around Fawley, Hythe and Marchwood. The routes will be prioritised to complement the existing network and then be reported to a future meeting of this Panel.

8. Romsey and Eastleigh Schools' Transport Plans

8.1 W S Atkins is project managing and designing the schemes for Romsey schools which have been brought forward through the preparation of the Halterworth and Mountbatten Schools Transport Plan. A report on these will be taken to a future meeting of the Panel.

8.2 The details of the schemes in Eastleigh are as follows:

(i) Crestwood Community School - the new cycle shelters have been installed and the additional footway widening is now complete. For Members' information, the Crestwood School Transport Plan has been chosen by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions as an example of best practice and can be viewed on its website (www.local-transport.dtlr.gov.uk/school travel). Crestwood is also acting as mentor to its feeder schools on producing and implementing a School Travel Plan.

(ii) Wyvern School - the pelican crossing on Botley Road is currently being designed. Eastleigh Borough Council is evaluating other measures to manage the controversial issue of parents dropping their children off by car. The cycle route linking Wyvern to Fair Oak has been designed and an amended route across school land will be put before the Local Area Committee in December, prior to a project appraisal being prepared and approved for the County Council.

(iii) Hamble School - the School Transport Plan is now complete and an official launch date is awaited from the school. Design work is currently underway, with the priority being the cycle route along Hound Road which will link Old Netley to the school.

(iv) Merdon Junior School - the School Transport Plan is complete. The school has commissioned an architect to design access improvements to the surrounding footways. On receipt of these designs, Eastleigh Borough Council will carry out design checks and safety audits with the aim of implementing them in the new year.

8.3 In addition, Wildern School has completed a draft School Transport Plan and Thornden School is working on background information for its Plan. Toynbee School has also confirmed that it is committed to developing a School Transport Plan, following a meeting between Eastleigh Borough Council officers and its Head Teacher and Chair of Governors.

9. Other Schemes

9.1 As well as focussing on 2001/02 schemes, attention is being given to schemes identified at the Panel meeting on 20 February 2001 for consideration in future years' funding, so as to be in a good position to deliver them in their allocated financial year. This reflects the fact that some schemes will require a considerable programme of consultation and design to deliver.

10. Southern Test Valley Bus Quality Partnership

10.1 A project appraisal for the roadside infrastructure side of this scheme was approved by the Executive Member for Environment on 10 September 2001. It is hoped that construction on the improvements (raised kerbs, new bus shelters and improvements at Romsey Bus Station) will begin before the end of this financial year.

10.2 Progress on the bus priority and junction improvements scheme, which is currently being progressed by W S Atkins, will be reported to a future meeting of the Panel.

11. Hythe Town Centre Link Road

11.1 This scheme is included as a proposal in the current Local Plan to be funded from developer contributions. To enable adequate information for future consultation and consideration of the planning application, current traffic movements in the area are being reviewed. The results of this analysis will be reported back to a future meeting of the Panel.

12. Chandler's Ford Railway Station

12.1 The County Council is continuing to work with South West Trains (SWT), Railtrack and Eastleigh Borough Council to progress the reopening of Chandlers Ford station. Feasibility and timetable operation studies have been completed. The project has 'pre-qualified' for Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) funding to support train operation costs and station/signalling costs above the £800,000 available from the Local Transport Plan and Knightwood development. Discussions are continuing on detailed planning permission for the station. Railtrack is developing costs and a programme for 'outline design' of the station and signalling. Eastleigh Borough Council is prepared to lease the land for the station to Railtrack or to the station operator (ie SWT). SWT has expressed an interest in managing station construction, under its planned project development company.

12.2 The preferred option is to serve the station with an extension of the Southampton-Eastleigh shuttle service, reversing at Chandlers Ford - hence the need for new signalling. However, Railtrack is claiming a nationwide shortage of signalling engineers, which could delay the project by several years, and the County Council and SWT are therefore developing a fall-back option which needs no additional signalling. This would consist of a Romsey-Totton service, running via Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh and Southampton, serving all stations inbetween. It would have the advantage of meeting the long term aspiration of a service through to Romsey and linking ten stations in the Southampton commuter area, working towards high quality public transport links as part of South Hampshire Rapid Transit. However, the downside is that it will need twice as many trains and crews, and therefore substantially more SRA funding, as well as needing to be resubmitted as a new funding bid. A letter has been written to the Regional Director at Railtrack Southern to try to make progress on the signalling issue. Depending on Railtrack's response a decision will be taken on whether to pursue the Totton-Romsey option. The outcome of this matter will be reported to a future meeting of the Panel.

13. Totton Town Centre

13.1 Since the last meeting, officers have engaged the consultant to develop the transport options for Totton town centre and undertake feasibility studies into the measures necessary to meet the strategy objectives. In parallel with this work, there is a need to develop measures as part of the Regeneration of Older Urban Areas. Since these two complementary initiatives support the corporate Urban Living Strategy, there is considerable merit in demonstrating a combined approach to the community. As a result, an Urban Design Framework is being developed for Totton in partnership with officers of the County, District and Town Councils, together with technical expertise from the consultant.

13.2 Since it is important to identify feasible measures for early implementation, together with longer term aspirations, the Urban Design Framework is emerging swiftly. As a result an Issues Map has been prepared which identifies matters such as severance of the community by the railway line and the A35 corridor, the somewhat fragmented shopping core of the town and the opportunities to create more attractive gateways to the town from each direction. A copy of the Issues Map will be displayed at the meeting.

13.3 In order to address the issues, development principles have been adopted, together with a number of key actions. These include the evaluation of pedestrian preference zones and the reconnection of severed areas. These have been prioritised and classified as short and medium/longer-term measures. Following a data collection exercise, a number of schemes will be designed in preparation for consultation with the public in the spring. This consultation will cost in the order of £15,000 and the schemes are described briefly below:

Short Term

(i) Commercial Road/Salisbury Road/Water Lane scheme to rationalise parking, develop a pedestrian priority zone and revitalise the town centre area.

(ii) Rumbridge Street scheme to improve permeability/accessibility and facilitate pedestrian movement with new Totton and Eling whilst retaining a 'village' character. Safety and access improvements at the Junction Road/Rumbridge Street crossroads.

(iii) Brokenford Lane pedestrian bridge improvements to enhance accessibility/permeability between old and new Totton for pedestrians.

(iv) Gateways to improve the sense of 'place' for Totton.

Medium/Longer Term

(i) Railway Station improvements to enhance connections with the town and encourage greater use of public transport.

(ii) Level Crossing improvements to increase accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.

(iii) A35 Crossing/Access to improve permeability and address issues of social exclusion between old and new Totton for residents of Eling.

(iv) Possible new crossing over the railway sidings - to provide a further crossing point for pedestrians and cyclists between new and old Totton and improve accessibility/permeability.

A further report on the progress of this project will be submitted to the next meeting.

14. A Strategic Plan for the Hamble Peninsula and River

14.1 A report on the transport and access issues on the peninsula has been commissioned by the County Council. Concurrently, the County Council and the Crown Estate have commissioned a survey of interested parties on the future of the moorings and pontoons in the Hamble River.

14.2 These reports have informed the preparation of the 'Strategic Plan for the Hamble Peninsula and River' which is a framework that will address the key issues relating to the future of the peninsula and the river, in particular the access to the peninsula and the future of the mooring and pontoons on the river.

14.3 The Strategic Plan will accord with the wider agreed strategies in the Hampshire Local Transport Plan which provides the framework for the development of the transport network and associated issues, such as air quality. It is being developed to provide a more sustainable approach towards the development of the area and will include a series of options which have been prepared for comment.

14.4 Approval was sought from the Executive Member for Environment for a six week period of public consultation which began on 12 November. Public exhibitions have been held (15 to 17 November in Hamble, and later at Bursledon and Netley) to outline the framework, and the material will be displayed at the meeting. The cost of consultation is estimated to be in the order of £15,000. Attendees were encouraged to complete a questionnaire on the various issues raised, the results of which will be reported back to a future meeting of the Panel.

15. Strategic Park-and-Ride, Southampton

15.1 The County Council, in partnership with Southampton City Council, commissioned consultants to undertake a comprehensive study to determine the potential for strategic park-and-ride as part of an integrated transport strategy for the Southampton area.

15.2 The primary purpose of this study is to determine an appropriate strategy for progressing and implementing park-and-ride in the area that would contribute to the overall objectives of SATS and also feed into the South Hampshire Study.

15.3 An interim report from the consultants has been received which will be presented to a Joint Members' meeting on 4 December (9.30 to 11.30 am, Conference Room, Ashburton Court East).

16. Colbury Right Turn and Ashurst Traffic Calming

16.1 Although this is a New Forest Transport Strategy scheme, Members are informed on its progress due to its proximity to the SATS border. Preliminary design of the scheme is being progressed. A briefing for County, District and Parish Council Members was held recently with the preliminary designs on show and the opportunity to comment on these designs. A period of public consultation will be undertaken in the new year.

Recommendations

That the position of the schemes within the capital programme and the proposed way forward for the Romsey Movement and Access Strategy be supported.

6765/KW