Contact: Nick Richardson, ext 5429

1. Summary

1.1 This report outlines the revised investment programme for the Winchester Movement and Access Plan (WMAP) which has been reshaped to take into account the funding situation resulting from the Local Transport Plan (LTP) funding settlement for 2002/03 and other funding.

2. The Local Transport 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 LTP 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 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 £2.168 million as part of the new single capital pot which starts in the next financial year. This gives the County Council greater discretion on the use of Government funding. In February the Cabinet determined how this extra funding will be used and the Executive Member will determine the Environment allocation in due course. 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 CITIVAS 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 WMAP Investment Programme

3.1 The investment programme for WMAP includes around £5.32 million from the LTP settlement (for the four year period), supplemented with funding from developer contributions. Indicative funding for highway maintenance in the WMAP area, bridges, minor works, casualty reduction and the school travel programme bring the total for transport investment in the WMAP area (excluding external funding and European projects) to around £11.28 million in the four year period (see Appendix 1).

3.2 A number of changes have been included in the WMAP programme to reflect changing circumstances. The figure for Bushfield Park and Ride has been consolidated for 2004/05. Some schemes, for which design work has yet to commence, have revised figures in the light of the circumstances outlined above. Other headings in the programme have been consolidated, notably pedestrian and cycle schemes, for areas where such improvements are not incorporated into corridor proposals. Once schemes have been determined in more detail, especially those towards the end of the programme period, the costs will be reflected more accurately.

3.3 No specific allocation is made for air quality monitoring or Safer Routes to Schools. Both these headings are being coordinated at a county-wide level and will receive funding on this basis at no detriment to the WMAP initiatives proposed.

3.4 A number of schemes are under way, including Chesil Street/Bar End Road traffic management and pedestrian measures, Stockbridge Road/Stoney Lane/Dean Lane junction improvements, Badger Farm Road/Oliver's Battery Road traffic signal scheme and Station Interchange/City Road Junction. These are expected to be implemented in the 2002/03 financial year. Other improvements for pedestrians, Safer Routes to Schools, Intelligent Transport Systems and air quality monitoring are also in the process of implementation. Investment in 2001/02 totalled around £300,000.

3.5 The CIVITAS European project is the subject of additional funding from the Government for application in the WMAP area. Further details on CIVITAS/MIRACLES will be given at the meeting under agenda item 4.

3.6 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 appropriate funding being available.

4. Forthcoming Schemes

4.1 Several schemes will be considered in 2002/03 for subsequent implementation, for which preliminary concepts and designs will be determined with appropriate public involvement. These include the Romsey Road corridor (with public consultation in spring/summer 2002), Easton Lane corridor and Jewry Street/City Road.

4.2 Easton Lane forms a key link between the city centre and the M3 Junction 9 and residential, retail and employment areas. A number of conflicts arise between traffic and other road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists. Traffic to and from the Moorside Road employment area, retail units and the A34(T)/M3 presents peak time difficulties, and traffic volumes and speeds along Wales Street and Easton Lane compromise this residential area. The proposals are likely to include measures to help pedestrians and cyclists while controlling traffic speeds and movements.

4.3 The Jewry Street scheme, completed in October 1999, was the subject of extensive consultation with local businesses and the public. This resulted in the implemented scheme which reallocated road space in favour of creating additional space for pedestrians and achieved significant environmental improvements without detriment to traffic flows. The proposed scheme would cover the remaining part of Jewry Street adjacent to the public library and the refurbished Theatre Royal, the junction of City Road/Hyde Street/North Walls, and City Road, complementing the works for the Station Interchange/City Road Junction scheme to be implemented in autumn 2002.

4.4 It is proposed to develop initial ideas for Easton Lane and Jewry Street/City Road prior to reporting to the Panel before going out to public consultation.

5. Conclusion

5.1 The WMAP 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. Further schemes will be developed during 2002/03, including Easton Lane and Jewry Street/City Road for which public consultation will be programmed.

Recommendations

1. That Members note the proposed investment programme for the Winchester Movement and Access Plan.

2. That further reports on proposals for the Easton Lane corridor and Jewry Street/City Road schemes be brought to a future meeting.

7058/NR

APPENDIX 1

Winchester Movement and Access Plan

Proposed Capital Programme 2002/03 to 2005/06

APPENDIX 2

Winchester Movement and Access Plan

Proposed Schemes (March 2002)

Bar End Park and Ride Extension: implementation 2002/03.

Bushfield Park and Ride: initial survey work completed, further evaluation to be undertaken.

Chesil Street traffic management: implementation autumn 2002.

Romsey Road traffic management: public consultation spring/summer 2002.

Stockbridge Road/Stoney Lane/Dean Lane junction: implementation summer 2002.

Station Interchange/City Road Junction: implementation summer/autumn 2002.

Badger Farm Road junction improvement and cycle facility: implementation summer 2002.

Intelligent Transport Systems: additional real-time bus information equipment; variable message signing; CCTV enhancements.

Pedestrian schemes: Great Minster Street improvement; Sparkford Road improvement; further pedestrian schemes to be identified following audit and attitude surveys.

Cycle schemes:

· Kings Worthy improvements; new link alongside A34(T) between Kings Worthy and M3 Junction 9

· Hyde Abbey Garden

· Durngate to Park Avenue (North Walls/Art College)

· North Walls into Lower Brook Street

· Ebden Road to Garbett Road, Winnall

· Alresford Road (Winchester to Morn Hill, Tesco to Spitfire Bridge, Spitfire Bridge to Bar End)

· Bar End to Barfield Close and Chesil Street)

· Domum Road to Garnier Road

· Hockley to Twyford

· St Cross Road/ Kingsgate Street junction

· High Street westbound from Middle Brook Street to Market Street

· High Street eastbound (Westgate to Trafalgar Street, Jewry Street to St Thomas Street, Kings Head Yard and/or St Clements Street)

· Peninsula Barracks

· Romsey Road corridor (Chilbolton Avenue/Sarum Road junction, Chilbolton Court, Stanmore Lane approach to Romsey Road)

· Bushfield Camp (links with Badger Farm, St Cross, foot of Badger Farm Road)

· Railway links (Station to King Alfred's College and Lower Stanmore), Station Hill

· Stockbridge Road (Hatherley Road to Chilbolton Avenue, Chilbolton Avenue to Dean Lane, Stoney Lane to Harestock Corner)

· Andover Road (City Road junction to Park Road, Park Road to Wellhouse Lane, Wellhouse Lane to Sir John Moore Barracks outbound, Barracks to Three Maids Hill)

Safer Routes to Schools: measures to be considered for Kings School as part of Romsey Road corridor proposals, Henry Beaufort School (school travel plan approved), secure cycle storage at Westgate School to be introduced, pedestrian measures at Western School under way and further measures for primary schools to be investigated.

Air quality monitoring: real-time display and wider monitoring under way following designation of Air Quality Management Area in relation to NOX for Winchester.

Car park improvements: installation of new pay-on-foot equipment and customer help points at The Brooks and Tower Street car parks.

Easton Lane traffic management: initial concepts to be developed during 2002.

Jewry Street/City Road traffic management: initial concepts to be developed during 2002.

CIVITAS/MIRACLES: European Union project to commence in 2002 to introduce initiatives that reduce energy consumption and emissions.