Contact: Nick Richardson, ext 5429

1. Summary

1.1 This report outlines the revised investment programme for the Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport (BEST). This has been reshaped to take into account the funding situation resulting from the Local Transport Settlement for 2002/03, funding from developer contributions and additional programme headings being introduced.

2. The Local Transport Plan Settlement

2.1 The Government's Local Transport Settlement for 2002/03 was announced in December 2001. For Hampshire, the allocation of £24.5 million under the Local Transport Plan settlement represents an increase of £1.3 million over the provisional sum announced last year for 2002/03. The funding comes from the Government's assessment of the County Council's Annual Progress Report (APR) following submission of its Local Transport Plan (LTP) in 2000. Hampshire was congratulated on its APR which was assessed as 'well above average' (the highest assessment grade), one of only eight authorities nationally.

2.2 The County Council was awarded Centre of Excellence status in Integrated Transport Planning for its LTP, and the Government has acknowledged the County Council's performance in this area as `well above average compared with all authorities producing LTPs.' This good performance has contributed to an additional discretionary award of £2.1 million as part of the new single capital pot which starts in the next financial year. This gives the County Council greater discretion in the use of Government funding. The Cabinet will determine how this extra funding will be used and the Executive Member will determine the Environment allocation in March 2002. The settlement sum includes £750,000 for preparatory work on South Hampshire Rapid Transit 1 (SHRT1), linking Fareham, Gosport and Portsmouth via a fast and efficient tram system; and £23.7 million for integrated transport and highways (confirming previous indicative allocations). A further £240,000 towards the CIVITAS project in Winchester and an extra £300,000 for general transport have also been allocated.

2.3 The capital programme for 2002/03 was approved in January 2002. Overall, the investment programme for integrated transport county-wide 2002/03 to 2005/06 (excluding the A3 public transport priority project) totals £50 million. The details of the proposed investment in each integrated transport strategy have been determined on this basis, which includes adjustments to reflect the rate of progress with schemes overall, re-programming of some schemes elsewhere in the county, the emergence of a number of larger schemes later in the programme and new county-wide programmes for Home Zones and railway station improvements.

3. The BEST Investment Programme

3.1 The investment programme for BEST includes around £5.73 million from the LTP settlement and a further £4.95 million from developer funding (for the four year period from 2002/03), supplemented with funding from other sources such as the Borough Council's capital programme. Indicative funding for highway maintenance in the BEST area, bridges, minor works, casualty reduction and the school travel programme bring the total for transport investment in the BEST area to around £37 million in the four year period (see Appendix 1).

3.2 A number of changes have been included in the BEST programme to reflect changing circumstances. Figures for developer contributions have been revised in terms of funding received and funding agreed. Although further amounts are expected to be received later in the programme, these have yet to be agreed and detailed. Other changes have been made to reflect unexpected delays in implementation resulting from the lengthy design and public engagement process in some cases.

3.3 A heading in the programme to cover the quadrant schemes has been included. This includes the North West Quadrant regeneration scheme, due for implementation in 2002. The quadrant schemes provide comprehensive improvements, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists, access to employment, residential, shopping and leisure areas and educational and health facilities.

3.4 The funding allocated for rural BEST has been increased to reflect more adequately the needs of the rural community. A programme of schemes will be coordinated to accord with the Borough Council's Rural Strategy.

3.5 The Safer Routes to Schools funding remains in the BEST programme although additional funding will be available from the county-wide school travel programme. The opportunity has been taken to coordinate school travel issues in the Popley area of Basingstoke following proposals for redevelopment, involving St Bede's RC Primary, Marnel Infant and Junior, Merton Infant and Junior and John Hunt of Everest Secondary Schools. Developer funding is associated with St Bede's RC Primary, and John Hunt of Everest Secondary School is involved with the Global Action Plan (GAP) initiatives in the county to develop school travel plans. GAP is a charity, part funded by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, working to promote school travel initiatives at five schools in Hampshire. Marnel and Merton Infant and Junior Schools have been assessed as higher priorities in the school transport investment programme.

3.6 New elements of the programme include decriminalised parking to cover the cost of introducing the controlled parking areas, such as parking bays and signing. Additional capital resources are proposed for the Bus Quality Partnership involving the County Council, Borough Council and Stagecoach in Hampshire. This will support additional revenue funding allocated by the Borough Council for public transport initiatives, some of which could be directed to the Quality Partnership. This funding includes £300,000 for 2002/03, £610,000 for 2003/04 and £710,000 for 2004/05.

3.7 The individual schemes to be progressed under each heading are set out in Appendix 2. These reflect the current position and it is expected that further schemes will be introduced in future years, subject to priorities and progress with schemes.

4. 2001/02 Programme

4.1 The BEST programme in 2001/02 totalled £1.145 million Supplementary Credit Approval (SCA), including the A30 south-west corridor (Winchester Road traffic calming and other works), intelligent transport systems (parking variable message signing), cycle and pedestrian schemes, North West Quadrant area-wide improvements, rural BEST and Safer Routes to Schools (The Harrow Way toucan crossing and other schemes). Although expenditure on other schemes, particularly for the A33 corridor, has been deferred until 2002/03, the investment achieved represents a significant element of the overall five year programme (around 17% of the total).

4.2 In addition to the expenditure from LTP sources, other schemes are under way from external sources, including cycle routes to the Kempshott Park development area and the upgrading of Crockford Lane by MEPC, owners of Chineham Business Park.

5. Conclusion

5.1 The BEST investment programme has been amended to reflect the Local Transport Settlement and issues emerging within the strategy in the past year. Substantial funding is available to support the wide ranging elements of the programme, coordinated with external funding sources. Additional scheme headings have been introduced, including funding for the Bus Quality Partnership.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

6971/NR

APPENDIX 2

Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport

Proposed Schemes in the BEST Area (February 2002)

(excluding highway maintenance, bridges,

casualty reduction schemes and minor works)

A30 Basingstoke to south-west corridor

· Southwood Corner junction improvement: feasibility to be undertaken.

· Kempshott Lane bus plug: viability to be determined.

· Wallop Drive to Kempshott Roundabout priority lane: currently being investigated.

· Kempshott Roundabout junction improvement: feasibility study under way.

· Line 1 Bus Quality Partnership measures (Hatch Warren and Brighton Hill): under way.

· Kempshott to Brighton Hill cycle route: feasibility study under way.

· Kempshott Roundabout to Brighton Hill priority lane: currently being investigated.

· Traffic calming in residential areas: feasibility to be undertaken.

· Brighton Hill Roundabout improvement: feasibility study under way.

· Brighton Hill Roundabout to Winchester Road Roundabout improvements: feasibility study under way.

· Winchester Road Roundabout traffic signals: feasibility study under way.

· Winchester Road Roundabout to Winton Square traffic calming: traffic calming implementation under way.

A33 Basingstoke to Riseley

· New railway station at Chineham: dialogue with Thames Trains and Railtrack continuing.

· A339 Ringway Roundabout traffic signals including cycle scheme: design under way, implementation 2002/03.

· A33/Popley Way junction traffic signals including cycle scheme: design under way, implementation 2002/03.

· Crockford Lane junction improvement: design under way, implementation 2003/04.

· Chineham District Centre junction improvement: feasibility to be undertaken .

· Hanmore Road, Chineham traffic calming: design to be progressed.

· Chineham to Sherfield cycle route: initial design completed.

· Review of signing: under way.

· Measures to deter `rat-running': to be determined.

· Sherfield-on-Loddon traffic calming: design being progressed.

· Sherfield to county boundary cycle route: initial feasibility completed.

· Church End, Turgis Green, Stratfield Turgis improvements: designs to be determined.

· Wellington Monument junction improvement: design to be determined.

· Rural junction improvements: designs to be determined.

Central Area, including Victory Roundabout

· Decriminalised parking enforcement: Phase 1 implementation November 2002.

· Hackwood Road pedestrian crossing (near park entrance).

· Victory Roundabout traffic signals, etc, feasibility under way.

· New Street contra-flow bus lane: feasibility to be undertaken 2002.

· Station interchange improvements: dialogue under way with stakeholders.

· Quality Partnership bus stop improvements: initiatives being developed.

A30 Basingstoke to Hook

· Dorchester Arms junction traffic signals: implementation March 2002.

· Old Basing traffic calming: completed February 2002.

· Basingstoke to Blackwater route strategy: feasibility study under way.

A340 Basingstoke to Tadley

· Aldermaston Road/Ringway Roundabout traffic signals: design early 2002.

· The Lodge/Priestley Road traffic signals: preliminary design completed.

· Inter-urban measures: to be determined.

· Tadley schemes including pedestrian facilities, cycling, etc: concepts to be consulted upon spring/summer 2002.

· Line 1 Bus Quality Partnership (Kingsclere Road, Hospital, Tadley): measures being considered.

B3400 Basingstoke to Whitchurch

· Whitchurch schemes including schools, pedestrian and cycle facilities, station improvements: package of measures being taken forward for implementation.

· Overton schemes including access to station, pedestrian facilities, etc: package of measures being determined.

Air Quality and Noise Monitoring

(to be determined on coordinated county-wide basis)

Intelligent Transport Systems

· Urban Traffic Control (UTC) installations: new traffic signals being incorporated into system.

· Parking variable message signs (VMS): two new signs installed November 2001, further applications being considered.

· Bus real-time information (RTI) in town centre, Oakley, Tadley, Chineham corridors: locations being determined and control system being installed.

· Bus Departure Information System (BDIS) at new bus station: system being designed for implementation spring 2002.

· CCTV (traffic monitoring, cycle and pedestrian routes): installations being considered.

· Traffic information variable message signs: locations to be determined.

· Information dissipation, eg internet.

Cycle Schemes (other than those included in corridor strategies)

· Park Prewitt (Houndmills/Winklebury).

· Hatch Warren to town centre cycle route: consultation completed, design under way.

· Sainsbury's to West Ham Leisure Park: feasibility completed.

Quadrants and Pedestrian Schemes

Comprehensive regeneration schemes for access to employment, residential areas, schools, walking and cycling:

· North West Quadrant: detailed design under way.

· South West Quadrant.

· South East Quadrant.

· North East Quadrant.

Rural BEST (in addition to schemes included in corridor strategies)

· Ashford Hill pedestrian link: design under way.

· North Waltham traffic calming.

· Co-ordination of traffic calming, road safety, passenger transport and other proposals.

· A343 Ashmansworth, Highclere, Woolton Hill, Penwood.

Safer Routes to Schools (priority scores in brackets)

Completed, construction under way or programmed:

· Fairfields County Primary School (22)

· Bramley Primary School (21)

· Cranbourne School (18)

· St Mary's CE Primary School, Old Basing (17)

· Four Lanes Infant and Junior Schools, Chineham (16)

· Worting Infant and Junior Schools (16)

· Brighton Hill Community School (15)

· Harriet Costello School (14)

For implementation in 2002/03:

· Oakridge Infant and Junior Schools (18)

· Woolton Hill County Junior School (16)

· Kings Furlong County Infant and Junior Schools (16)

· Sherborne St John CE Primary School (15)

· Bishopswood County Infant and Junior Schools (15)

· Manor Field Junior School (15)

· Chineham Park County Primary School (15)

· Hatch Warren County Infant and Junior Schools (14)

· Marnel County Infant and Junior Schools, Popley (14)*

· Merton County Infant and Junior Schools, Popley (14)*

· Oakley County Infant and Junior Schools (13)

For implementation in 2003/04:

· Whitchurch CE Controlled Primary School (12)

· Rucstall County Primary School, Black Dam (12)

· Kempshott Infant and Junior Schools (12)

· Ashford Hill County Primary School (11)

· Burghclere County Primary School (11)

· Old Basing County Infant School (11)

· South View County Infant and Junior Schools (11)

· Castle Hill County Infant and Junior School, Winklebury (11)

· John Hunt of Everest School (11)*

(* Coordinated approach including St Bede's RC Primary School, Popley)

A339 Basingstoke to West Berkshire

· Detrunking issue to be resolved with Highways Agency.

· Other schemes to be determined.

A339 Basingstoke to Alton

· Venture Roundabout, Golden Lion and Hackwood Road junction improvements.

· Other schemes to be determined.