Contact: Nick Richardson, ext 5429

1. Summary

1.1 A number of proposed schemes are being devised for the rural area under the Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport (BEST). In total £450,000 has been allocated to rural BEST schemes over the next five years, which is in addition to the money allocated to specific corridor improvements that will also benefit the rural areas.

2. Overview

2.1 The schemes that are either being developed or are currently being implemented include:

(i) rural public transport, including the Whitchurch Community Bus and the provision of a taxi sharing scheme in Bramley and Kingsclere and also the provision of transport for the youngsters of Tadley to travel to the West Ham Leisure Park in Basingstoke;

(ii) measures to assist cyclists and vulnerable road users in Whitchurch and Overton, particularly aimed at encouraging walking and cycling to the railway stations and schools;

(iii) the introduction of a Bus Quality Partnership on Line 1 between Hatch Warren and Tadley via the town centre, which provides an important link for the many rural communities along the line of the A340 between Basingstoke and Tadley (see agenda item 4);

(iv) improvements to bus waiting facilities, including Route 76/86 Basingstoke to Andover, and an audit of the bus waiting facilities in the borough;

(v) school travel plans;

(vi) traffic management in rural areas, including the BEST corridor improvements; and

(vii) Freight Quality Partnerships.

2.2 The Borough Council's Rural Strategy (adopted in January 2000) set out key objectives for transport, society and environment. Subsequently, the strategy was reviewed and extended to take into account the objectives of BEST. The provision of appropriate public transport services and minimising the negative impacts of traffic are the foremost concerns of the rural community.

2.3 The appendix sets out further details of the transport schemes proposed in the Borough Rural Strategy. In addition, schemes promoted by the County Council (network management major maintenance, casualty reduction, parish partnership, traffic management, passenger transport, Safer Routes to Schools and other schemes), the Borough Council's capital programme schemes and those resulting from developer contributions will benefit the rural area.

3. Rural Public Transport

3.1 The Whitchurch Community Bus is now operating successfully, having been developed in a partnership between the County Council, Borough Council, the town and parish councils and Basingstoke Community Transport. Due to limited passenger numbers the timing of the original service was re-examined and the scheduling amended. The service now operates on two days per week and is reported to be more successful, regularly carrying approximately 50 people per month. The option of part funding an accessible vehicle with power steering is currently being explored.

3.2 In addition to this scheme, it is proposed that the development of a taxi share scheme be investigated for Bramley and Kingsclere, as identified in the Community Based Bus Study, which was carried out by consultants in 2000. This also recognised the need for transport for young people in Tadley to get to the Leisure Park at West Ham.

4. Proposals for Whitchurch and Overton

4.1 The key objectives for Whitchurch and Overton are based around more safely accommodating the needs of cyclists and vulnerable road users. A number of measures have been proposed, following a study by the County Council's consultants, which are intended to encourage walking and cycling in particular, and are linked with improved access arrangements to the railway stations and schools. Similarly, for Overton, a number of proposals are to be considered. Agenda item 3 sets out these proposals in more detail.

5. Bus Quality Partnership

5.1 The County Council and the Borough Council have recently entered into a Bus Quality Partnership (BQP) with Stagecoach in Hampshire to improve the provision of public transport. This will help to develop high quality public transport services and to reduce reliance on the car. The details of the initial proposals, focusing on the Hatch Warren-Brighton Hill-Basingstoke town centre-North Hampshire Hospital-Tadley route (Line 1) are set out in agenda item 4.

5.2 The measures envisaged through the BQP will help improve social inclusion by ensuring that those who do not have the use of a car will have better access to public transport and therefore better access to employment, services and facilities, particularly health and education.

6. Improvements to Waiting Facilities

6.1 Substantial improvements are envisaged for the bus waiting facilities on Line 1 from the town centre to Tadley which involves the provision of new or refurbished bus stop poles, timetable holders and, where appropriate, repaired and improved bus shelters. Similar improvements are proposed on the route from Basingstoke to Andover which serves Whitchurch and Overton. No budget has been identified for this at present.

6.2 It is proposed that an audit of bus waiting facilities be undertaken to determine the quality of the facilities that already exist. This will help to pinpoint the location and to highlight improvements that could be made, which may include, for example, improved timetable provision, revised bus stop locations and improved lighting.

7. School Travel Plans

7.1 The County and Borough Councils have already developed a successful partnership approach for encouraging schools to develop and implement school travel plans. This work is to continue in order to persuade schools to develop their own travel plans and assist in their implementation. These plans will help to support the Safer Journeys to School (SJTS) programme and to identify further improvements to help reduce the number of car trips to schools. Such measures will be designed to link into and make use of other schemes being proposed, including, for example, those in Whitchurch and Overton.

7.2 In total, there are 40 schools in the joint SJTS programme for the borough, of which 19 are located in rural areas.

8. Traffic Management in Rural Areas

8.1 There are problems associated with road safety in rural areas of the borough, particularly a lack of footways on narrow lanes precludes safe walking and cycling. A number of schemes have been developed through parish partnerships, which aim to reduce traffic speeds and deter rat running in rural areas and improve facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. Several other schemes are being developed, including locations such as Sherfield-on-Loddon.

8.2 In addition, ongoing works to the BEST corridor strategies, including the A30 south west, A33, B3400, A339 and A340, result in specific improvements in these corridors. These include measures to:

(i) make better use of the existing transport network;

(ii) address road safety issues;

(iii) provide a range of public transport improvements, primarily bus related; and

(iv) introduce appropriate pedestrian and cycling facilities.

As measures for each corridor are progressed, they will be subject to appropriate public consultation.

8.3 Improving these corridors will benefit the many rural communities along the line of the route. In addition, these corridor strategies could help to identify improvements to provide better transport between the rural communities in these corridors, such as revised bus timings, relocated bus stops and cycle links.

9. Freight Quality Partnerships

9.1 A county-wide Freight Quality Partnership (FQP) has been entered into by the County Council with the Hampshire Economic Partnership and the Freight Transport Association. This has already resulted in the undertaking of a review of the strategic lorry routes, in order to encourage the use of the appropriate road network. The impact of lorry movements on rural communities will be considered through the partnership.

10. Conclusion

10.1 A number of initiatives are being pursued in the rural BEST area in support of local communities and to encourage walking and cycling for local journeys and bus and rail use. An investment programme is being developed to bring rural schemes together in a coordinated way.

Recommendation

That the Panel notes the current position regarding transport schemes in rural Basingstoke and Deane.

6974/NR

APPENDIX

Borough Rural Strategy

Proposed New Action Plan: Transport Issues

(* indicates new action resulting from the review of the Borough Rural Strategy)

TRANSPORT

Objective 1: improving public transport services

Action T1(i)

Assist with improving the standard of bus waiting facilities and access to information.

Future schemes involving the provision of new or refurbished bus stops and shelters will be progressed in partnership with parish/town councils, public transport operators and Hampshire County Council. The worked-up scheme for service 76/86 (Basingstoke to Andover through Overton and Whitchurch) will be implemented using funding primarily from developers' contributions, although this may need to be topped up by other sources. It is proposed that an audit of bus waiting facilities be undertaken to determine the quality of the facilities that already exist and pinpoint areas for future improvements.

Action T1(ii)

Work in partnership with public transport operators and Hampshire County Council to develop Bus Quality Partnerships.*

These partnerships will help to deliver high quality public transport services that provide reliable and accessible services. The first Bus Quality Partnership will look at potential improvements for Line 1 Hatch Warren to Basingstoke town centre, which provides an important link for the many rural communities along the line of the A340 between Tadley and Basingstoke.

Action T1(iii)

Improve access to rural stations.

An accessibility audit of stations in the borough will be carried out to identify appropriate future improvements. This will complement work being undertaken with local communities. For example, work has already begun to assist cyclists and vulnerable road users in Whitchurch and Overton, aimed at encouraging walking and cycling to railway stations and schools. Future schemes may include further cycle lockers at rural stations, following the success of those already provided, and better access to information.

Action T1(iv)

Provide support for community transport such as the Whitchurch Community Bus.

Existing community transport provides a range of services to a variety of locations and facilities and the Borough Council will continue to support appropriate services such as the new Sunday service run by Hampshire County Council to serve Farmers' Markets. In particular, continuing support will be given to the Whitchurch Community Bus service in the form of funding (through funds secured from the Borough Council's transport and traffic revenue budget and the Countryside Agency through the Rural Transport Partnership Fund) and

partnership working (with Hampshire County Council, the town and parish councils and Basingstoke Community Transport). Options for improving and extending existing services will be investigated.

Action T1(v)

Work in partnership with Hampshire County Council to develop flexible rural transport services.

Implement the findings of the Community Based Bus Study and the Review of Public Transport in the Basingstoke Area, in partnership with Hampshire County Council through the Rural Transport Partnership Fund. Possible services to be investigated include a flexi/feeder bus or the development of taxi-share schemes to serve such areas as Bramley and Kingsclere, and the provision of transport for youngsters in Tadley to travel to the West Ham Leisure Park.

Action T1(vi)

Work in Partnership with the County Council to provide Rural Safer Journeys to School.*

The Borough Council has developed a comprehensive programme of Safer Journeys to School packages for schools in the borough. This is aimed at encouraging greater levels of walking and cycling on journeys to and from schools and also at improving road safety on these journeys. Following a review of the borough's schools, a number of premises located in the rural area were included in the draft prioritisation list for future assistance and funding. In particular, the Borough Council will be considering the implementation of a pilot 20 mph zone outside a rural school in 2002/03. A sum of £150,000 is available from the Borough Council's Safer Journeys to School budget for 2002/03.

Action T1(vii)

Improve Bus Services to Major Tourist Attractions in the Borough.*

This would involve working in partnership with the National Trust and Stagecoach to improve the bus service to tourist attractions such as The Vyne. This may include additional advertising by both Stagecoach and the National Trust and could be extended to work with other tourist attractions.

Objective 2: minimising the dangers of traffic and other adverse impacts of traffic on the rural population

Action T2(i)

Support Hampshire County Council in its initiatives to improve traffic management in rural areas.

Assist in developing traffic calming and other measures to reduce traffic speeds and improve road safety in rural settlements. A project team has been set up with Hampshire County Council to develop future solutions and there may be opportunities to use Rural Strategy funds to support such schemes. In addition, the ongoing works to the BEST corridor strategies, including the A30, A33 and A339, will result in specific improvements in these corridors.

Action T2(ii) Work in partnership with the County Council and local freight operators to minimise the impact of HGVs on rural communities.*

Hampshire County Council has signed up to a Freight Quality Partnership with the Hampshire Economic Partnership and the Freight Transport Association. The Borough Council will work with the County Council and local freight operators to establish suitable rural routes for HGVs. This will support the local economy through efficient movement of freight, while protecting rural areas and the countryside through discouraging the use of unsuitable, rural routes. Schemes could include possible funding for additional road signing to redirect HGVs.

SOCIETY

Objective 1: maximising the availability of facilities and services

Action S1(ii)

Continue to support schemes for community post offices/shops/public houses and promote the concept of mini `hubs', through equitable partnership based grant-aid schemes.

Following the successful establishment of the St Mary Bourne Village Shop, the process undertaken to realise it could be used as the basis for funding similar projects in future years. The strategy will also support the development of additional facilities in existing shops/post offices, village halls and public houses to create mini `hubs' of community facilities.

Action S1(iii)

Provide support for the Borough's mobile shop and post office.

The Borough Council will continue to support the mobile shop and post office through Rural Strategy funding, in partnership with the County Council and the Countryside Agency through the Rural Transport Partnership Fund and ViRSA. The viability of the scheme will continue to be reviewed through possible future route changes, etc.

ENVIRONMENT

Objective 1: reducing pollution and waste

Action E1(ii)

Lobby Central Government to introduce measures to reduce noise from major roads in the rural areas.

The Borough Council will continue to lobby the Highways Agency on behalf of Basingstoke residents with regards to the effect of noise pollution from major roads on rural communities. This includes the M3, A30, A34 and A339. Actions such as laying new noise reducing surfaces will result in significant environmental improvements for rural residents.