Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Environment

12 December 2001

Project Appraisal: Liphook - Proposed Traffic Management Gateways

Report of the County Surveyor

Item 6

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

ROADS

PROJECT APPRAISAL

(Externally Funded)

PROJECT:

LIPHOOK - PROPOSED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT GATEWAYS AND REVISED SPEED LIMITS

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

JANUARY 2002

COMPLETION DATE:

MARCH 2002

PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME: 2001/02

7.

Scheme

7.1

Introduction

In October 1998 funding contributions were obtained under a Section 106 Agreement. They consisted of £18,000 for the implementation of new `gateway' features on the arterial routes into the village, together with £10,000 towards the costs associated with the amendment of Traffic Regulation Orders following a review of speed limits in the village.

This scheme has been developed following a review of speed limits in the Liphook area (see attached plans). It includes the establishment of a 20 miles per hour (mph) speed limit in the core of the village, the formation of `gateways' at six entry points into the village, as well as amendments to other speed limits in the locality.

7.2

Details

Development of the 20 mph speed limit in the centre of the village is proposed in order to improve conditions for vulnerable road users and also to help deter extraneous traffic. The proposal will include The Square and short lengths of all five of the approach roads leading to it.

The `gateways' will be formed on the B2131 London Road, B2131 Haslemere Road, C48 Midhurst Road, B2070 Portsmouth Road, C48 Longmoor Road and B3004 Headley Road. They will contribute towards driver awareness of the speed limit, the village identity, and help to encourage motorists to drive in a manner appropriate for a village environment.

Drawings no. TS3436 (Sheets 1 and 2) indicate the extent of the 20 mph and other speed limit proposals. Drawings nos. LSA/00/006/12A-17A, LSA/00/006/20-21, LSA/00/006/25A-32A and LSA/00/006/39-46 indicate the form of the proposed `gateway' features and signing details. These drawings will be displayed at the meeting.

7.3

Standards

The scheme conforms to the standards of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR), the Traffic Signs and General Directions 1994, as well as Hampshire County Council standards, and has been subjected to the safety audit process.

7.4

Statutory Procedures and Consultation

The scheme has been developed through consultation with the Bramshott and Liphook Parish Council, who supports the proposals.

The Traffic Regulation Orders for the revised speed limits have been advertised and nine letters were received. Of these six did not object to the proposals but requested further measures. Details of the speed limits together with comments and objections were considered by the Executive Member for Environment on 9 October 2001; the scheme was approved. The Police have been consulted about the proposals and are supportive.

7.5

Policy Considerations

The proposals are consistent with the policy objectives of the County Council's Local Transport Plan 2001-2006, by improving conditions for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, and by helping to improve the environment within the village. The reduction of the speed limit is also expected to contribute towards improved highway safety.

7.6

Environmental Impacts

The proposals are expected to have a minimal environmental impact, however the gateway treatments do include buff coloured road surfacing and traffic signs. Whilst these features can be considered by some to be conspicuous and have an urbanising effect, the gateways are intended to have an impact on driver behaviour within the village, and in order to be effective need to be seen.

The management of vehicle speeds is expected to contribute towards reduced levels of vehicle noise and pollution in the village.

7.7

Land Requirement

No land acquisition required. All works to be confined within existing public highways limits.

7.8

Alternative Arrangements

The criteria for determining speed limits, together with the Traffic Sign Regulations and General Directions 1994, have been followed when developing the scheme. Accordingly no alternative arrangements have been considered.

7.9

Local Member's View

The local Member, Councillor Cartwright is supportive of the proposals.

7.10

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

No areas of concern have been identified.

7.11

Sustainability

The proposals are expected to have a positive effect on the management of traffic speeds in Liphook, which is expected to improve conditions for vulnerable road users, especially in the village centre.

8.

Financial Arrangements

The scheme is jointly funded from developer contributions (Sainsbury Development, Liphook), the Traffic Management Revenue Budget and a £20,000 capital reallocation from the TAPESTRY Project, which does not now require capital funding in 2001/02. This leaves £50,000 of the TAPESTRY funding for the Central Hampshire Area Transport Strategy (CHARTS) Air Quality monitoring (rather than the £70,000 approved by the Executive Member for Environment on 13 November 2001.

8.1

Expenditure

£'000

Funds Available

£'000

Design Fee

2

Developer Funding

28

Supervision

1

Traffic Management revenue budget

27

Project Works

72

Capital - Reallocated from TAPESTRY project

20

Land

Nil

____

____

Total

75

Total

75

____

____

8.2

Revenue Implications

£'000

% Variation to Committee's budget

Net increase in

current expenditure

4.0

0.009

Capital Charge

5.0

0.009

____

____

Total Expenditure

9.0

0.018

____

____

8.3

Maintenance Implications

The scheme includes 144 new traffic signs and 561 square metres of coloured carriageway surfacing, which will require maintenance in order to remain effective. The implications on the maintenance revenue budget is shown in paragraph 8.2.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1.

Published works.

2.

Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE

LOCATION

Client Working File 10/5/67231

Project Working File 19/1/30

County Surveyor's Department Implementation Section - Room 415

Traffic Management Group - Room 307