Contact: Chris Lait, tel 01329 824485

1. Summary

1.1 This report covers the following issues:

(i) South East Hampshire Transportation Strategy Schemes;

(ii) Home Zone; and

(iii) Regeneration of Older Urban Areas programme.

2. SEHTS Schemes

2.1 Other Local Transport Plan schemes in the Fareham area which are part of SEHTS are set out on the attached appendix.

3. Home Zone

3.1 In October 2001 Hampshire County Council submitted three bids to the former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) (now Department for Transport) under the Home Zone Challenge Initiative. The schemes, drawn up in partnership with the relevant borough councils, were located in Fareham, Eastleigh and Gosport.

3.2 In January 2002 the DTLR indicated that the Fareham scheme had been selected and in April confirmation was received that the bid for Myrtle Avenue, Castle Grove and Sunningdale Road (see attached location plan) was accepted in full with £499,000 being allocated from the Home Zone Challenge Fund. The scheme is one of 61 successful schemes nationwide with an overall budget of £30 million. All schemes are being monitored with the view to disseminating good practice.

3.3 An officer working group has been established together with a member working group. It will also be important to form a community group early in the project to ensure the full involvement of all within this project. At this stage a tentative programme has been prepared to comply with the Department for Transport (DfT) requirements in submitting financial profiles. The absolute cut-off date for reclaiming money from the DfT under this scheme is March 2005.

3.4 The tentative programme anticipates re-engaging with the community by September and then the formulation of preliminary designs by early 2003. Further consultation, production of design detail, approvals and contract processes will be completed by the end of 2003 with a view to construction starting early in 2004. The nature of the scheme will dictate the construction programme. An essential element will be its monitoring after implementation, not only for speed, accidents and volume of traffic but also residents' perceptions, benefits and constraints.

3.5 There are no predetermined views as to the nature of the scheme but it is likely to contain gateways to mark the entrances and enhancements to improve 'liveability'. It will include features to:

(i) ensure low speed within the area; and

(ii) achieve a key objective to the Home Zone - improve sharing of space between pedestrians, cycles and vehicles.

4. Regeneration of Older Urban Areas Programme

Castle Street, Portchester

4.1 Castle Street is a virtually intact eighteenth century village street with many listed buildings. The street lies at the heart of the Portchester Conservation Area and leads to Portchester Castle, a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade 1 listed building of international importance.

4.2 The area is an important visitor destination which, with minor improvements, could easily achieve national recognition for its high quality. The Regeneration of Older Urban Areas (ROUA) scheme for Castle Street is therefore focused on two parts of the street to raise the overall quality of the environment, namely:

(i) re-prioritisation of the junction with White Hart Lane to accentuate the change in townscape character and to calm traffic; and

(ii) implementation of high quality improvements on the pavement and road surface round the village `green' in order to counteract the dominance of the highway.

The two areas will be joined by simple, high quality detailing of the kerb line which will serve to emphasise the apparent narrowness of the road and informal village character. The scheme is currently under construction and is being implemented by the County Council and Fareham Borough Council in partnership.

Shore Road, Warsash

4.3 The lower end of Shore Road and the waterfront at Warsash are of significant townscape, nature conservation and historic interest. The area is protected by many national and international designations, including Conservation Area status.

4.4 However, there is a need to improve the quality of the streetscape, give much higher priority to pedestrians along the waterfront area, facilitate safer access to boats and trailers, and reduce the impact of car parking on local people by improving the use of existing facilities. The ROUA scheme will therefore:

(i) remove extraneous traffic from the waterfront area by reversing the one-way system; and

(ii) undertake associated high quality environmental improvements.

Accommodation work has started and the main implementation phase will commence in September. The scheme provides an extension to previous improvement work funded by the ROUA programme and contributes to the partnership working with the Crown Estate.

Recommendation

That the report be noted.

7201/CL

APPENDIX

South East Hampshire Transportation Strategy Schemes

Capital Programme 2002/03 as at June 2002