Archived decisions

Contact: Martina Olley, ext 6394

1. Summary

1.1 This report informs the Panel about the findings of a study carried out by Peter Brett Associates on the opportunities for strategic park and ride in the Southampton area. The study report builds upon the presentation of the draft report given by the consultants to a special meeting of the Panel on 4 December 2001. Since that presentation, officers from the County Council, Southampton City Council, Eastleigh and Test Valley Borough Councils and New Forest District Council have met the consultants and contributed to the final report. A copy of the report is available for inspection at the meeting and an Executive Summary is attached as an appendix.

1.2 The consultants' report concludes that there is merit in exploring the scope for park and ride schemes on a trial basis in the short term. However, the case for introducing permanent park and ride schemes in and around Southampton is difficult to justify at the present time, but three sites are identified to assist in forward planning. The introduction of park and ride at these sites should be triggered by a number of factors to ensure that their ultimate implementation is effective and viable.

1.3 The report provides a valuable work of reference in terms of site definition. It also enables further work to be carried out by the two Highway Authorities - Southampton City Council and Hampshire County Council -in developing a strategic park and ride policy for south Hampshire as an entity within the review of the County Structure Plan, and will assist in safeguarding the sites in the local plans.

2. Introduction

2.1 On 20 February 2001 the Panel requested that Hampshire County Council and Southampton City Council jointly commission a study of strategic park and ride opportunities for the Southampton area. Consultants Peter Brett Associates were duly appointed in August 2001.

2.2 Their report reviewed current policy and strategy with regard to park and ride, revisited previous park and ride studies and looked at alternatives to bus-based park and ride.

2.3 After an initial selection process, a comprehensive assessment was carried out for the remaining sites and preferred sites for each corridor were established. This was followed by a corridor analysis which looked at traffic flows, bus priority, etc. A further section looked at city centre issues.

3. Outcomes

3.1 The three preferred sites identified by the study are:

(i) Windhover, west of Hamble Lane/south of Bursledon Road (Sunday market site) on the eastern corridor;

(ii) Wide Lane, Stoneham, north of M27/west of railway line (playing fields north of M27) on the northern corridor; and

(iii) Redbridge Lane, south of Redbridge Lane/east of M271 on the western corridor.

3.2 The report recommends that the Redbridge Lane site be implemented first, the Windhover site second and the Wide Lane site last.

3.3 However, the consultants advise that the case for immediate introduction of park and ride in Southampton would not be viable due to a number of factors. These include the availability of city centre parking at the present time, the lack of bus priority measures on the main corridors and the lack of incentive for sufficient motorists to switch mode at an out of town interchange. The report recommends the consideration of a number of trigger points to ensure its effective and viable implementation in the future. Possible trigger points are:

(i) traffic levels;

(ii) air quality levels;

(iii) city centre parking utilisation;

(iv) attitudes towards park and ride (results from TRANSPOL);

(v) city centre developments;

(vi) parking problems at the hospital and university; and

(vii) city centre parking availability and pricing.

3.4 Bus priority measures and city centre car parking are vital components to ensuring a successful park and ride. It is timely to commence the gradual implementation of bus priority measures on the approach corridors to the city, to earmark the sites as potential park and ride sites in development plans and for the City Council to consider the role of both public and private car parking within Southampton.

3.5 In the short term it is suggested that the introduction of park and ride facilities on a trial basis should be explored.

4. Comments

4.1 The report is very detailed and comprehensive, although the focus has tended to be on movement to and from Southampton city centre. It revisits previous studies and provides a thorough and robust assessment of the possible sites. Transport movement in the area is wider than simply into Southampton and it is important to consider the issue in terms of movement into the wider South Hampshire area, including Portsmouth.

4.2 Research and previous experience has shown that park and ride must form part of an integrated strategy if it is to be successful. In the context of the wider South West Hampshire Transportation (SWHT) area strategy, strategic park and ride should be aimed at achieving the wider policy aims and objectives, and particularly the targets that have been set down for the area. Park and ride should be viewed as part of an overall approach, therefore it is not appropriate to measure its impact in isolation.

4.3 Unsurprisingly, the report confirms that the immediate introduction of park and ride is unlikely to be successful without a series of complementary measures. However, given the forecast traffic growth for the area it is important to begin the process of planning for the wider strategy now, and the role that park and ride will play as an integral part. A key part of the process would be the development of a comprehensive parking strategy for the area which would take into account the findings of the consultant's report, together with the parallel study that is currently underway in South East Hampshire.

4.4 It is not good planning to wait until conditions are so bad that they warrant the introduction of park and ride as a single solution. Park and ride should be part of a strategic policy direction for the area in order to deliver a sustainable transport system that helps support wider social, economic and environmental objectives. With this in mind it is important to explore further the strategic role of park and ride as part of the South Hampshire Study to help achieve a better understanding of how movement in the SWHT and South East Hampshire Transport strategy areas is to be conducted in future. This will look further than how park and ride can deal with movements into the individual city centres.

4.5 The Panel is advised to accept the consultant's study as a contribution to the implementation of a strategic park and ride facility in the future. Officers of the County Council, Southampton City Council and the District Councils should undertake the necessary work to secure the preferred sites, safeguard the corridors and undertake other complementary measures to provide for the future implementation of park and ride for Southampton when the appropriate conditions are in place.

Recommendations

1. That the report on opportunities for strategic park and ride in the Southampton area be accepted.

2. That further investigation of the role of strategic park and ride be taken forward as part of the South Hampshire Study and the outcome reported back to the Panel at the appropriate time.

3. That a comprehensive parking review be undertaken to take into account the role of park and ride as part of a wider strategy that deals with transport across the South Hampshire area as a whole.

4. That, in addition to the above recommendations, further work be undertaken to take forward the park and ride initiatives identified in the consultants' report.

7013/MO