Contact: Peter Syddall, ext 6050

1. Summary

1.1 A review of the Cycle Networks and Strategy in the South East Hampshire Transport Strategy (SEHTS) area, including a priority assessment of proposed routes, has recently commenced. This is being closely coordinated with a review by the Borough Council of the Cycle Strategy and Network for Fareham. Part A of this report outlines the current position.

1.2 As Members may be aware an off-road cycle scheme has been designed and prepared for implementation on the A27 Portchester Road, east and west of Cams Hill School. It incorporates significant improvements to footways (including resurfacing), crossing facilities and street lighting. The proposal demonstrates the Highway Authority's commitment to its Local Transport Plan (LTP) policies, is a key Safer Routes to School scheme and contributes positively to the development of the cycle network as proposed in the Fareham Borough Cycling Strategy. The route also forms an important link in the proposed South Coast section of the National Cycle Network (NCN). Specifically, it would provide access for cyclists to the school from the residential catchment areas to the east and south of the A27 and complete a route from Wickham Road, north Fareham, to the school. It also improves the footways for pedestrians along this section of the A27. The proposal is consistent with both national design guidance and other cycle schemes carried out elsewhere in the county, and is appropriate for the type of potential users and the prevailing traffic volumes and speeds on the A27.

1.3 On 14 May 2002 the Executive Member for Environment deferred a decision on a revised Project Appraisal for the A27 Portchester Road scheme to allow the opportunity for this Panel to express its views. Part B of this report sets out the policy context and the scheme objectives and provides the background to and details of the scheme.

A. South East Hampshire Cycle Network and Strategy Review and Priority Assessment

2. Introduction

2.1 Hampshire County Council's term consultancy partner, Atkins, has recently commenced an assessment of all the cycle routes in the Fareham, Gosport and Havant boroughs against priority assessment criteria that have been used for judging cycle schemes elsewhere in the county. This process provides the basis for an assessment of their justification and relative priority. This approach has been applied in the North East Hampshire Transport Strategy, Central Hampshire Area Rural Transport Strategy, Winchester Movement and Access Plan, Andover Transport Strategy, and Totton and Waterside Transport Strategy areas, where the schemes have been assessed against their value in assisting cycle journeys to work, school, transport interchanges, recreation, etc.

2.2 The assessment leads to programmes of prioritised schemes for delivery through the Local Transport Plan (LTP) that are best able to deliver increases in cycling activity. Additionally, it enables developer contributions to be sought towards particular schemes where appropriate. It is proposed that initial conclusions from the study for the SEHTS area will be prepared by the autumn, in close consultation with all three Borough Councils who will directly assist Atkins with this project, with a view to a report being presented to the November meeting of the South East Hampshire Transportation Panel.

3. Fareham Cycle Strategy Review

3.1 Fareham Borough Council officers are themselves currently undertaking a review of the existing Borough Cycling Strategy/Plan in liaison with County Council officers. The outcomes from this review will be fed into the overall assessment for the SEHTS area. It is understood that Fareham Members are likely to receive a report on the Borough Cycling Strategy Review and the SEHTS draft assessment project framework this month.

B. A27 Portchester Road Cycleway Provision, Footway, Pedestrian/Cycle Crossing and Street Lighting Improvements

4. Introduction

4.1 The proposed improvement scheme, illustrated on the attached plan and on detailed plans which will be displayed at the meeting, comprises the following improvements:

(i) converting and widening the footway between Cams Hill School (Shearwater Avenue) and Beaulieu Avenue to a shared footway/ cycleway on the south side of the A27, involving alterations to the main road carriageway and upgrading of the signals at Shearwater Avenue to include a Toucan crossing; and

(ii) upgrading the existing shared footway/cycleway between Cams Hill School and Delme Arms roundabout, through the provision of a Toucan crossing of the A27 at the Cams Hall signal-controlled junction, the relocation of poorly sited lighting columns, provision of guard railing and footway widening under the Delme railway viaduct.

4.2 The proposed scheme is aimed at delivering positive outcomes against several key policy areas:

(i) objectives of the LTP and SEHTS;

(ii) Safer Routes to School;

(iii) implementation of the cycle network in line with Fareham Borough Council's Cycling Strategy;

(iv) extension of cycle routes leading to Fareham town centre;

(v) progression of strategic cycle links between Fareham and Portsmouth;

(vi) improvement opportunities to contribute to a round Portsmouth Harbour leisure and utility cycle route;

(vii) community safety; and

(viii) contribution to the development of the National Cycle Network.

4.3 The A27 improvement scheme, with its benefits for cyclists is the type of scheme that the Government Office For the South East expects to see brought forward through LTPs. Hence the progression of this scheme in 2002/03 is considered important in terms of demonstrating the County Council's commitment to its LTP policies, including reducing car journeys to school, improving safety and promoting greater travel choice and alternatives to the car.

4.4 There are currently over 70 cyclists using the road in the peak hour at the same time as 2,400 other vehicles, including 4% heavy goods vehicles. There have been four cycle-related injury accidents in the last three years. Surveys of pupils at the school in 2000 indicated that 10% cycle to school, 37% walk, 25% use the bus and 29% are driven by car. It is considered that there is a suppressed local cycling demand where the proportion of pupils cycling to school (and commuting cyclists) could be increased markedly if a safe, continuous and segregated route is provided on this section of the road. It would also contribute towards maintaining, and hopefully reducing, the proportion of pupils taken to school by car. A significant barrier to encouraging cycle use currently is the severe deterrent of incomplete routes, whereby cyclists, in this case particularly children, either have to divert to less direct routes or rejoin busy roads.

4.5 The scheme provides benefits for other road users. Cyclists, principally children, currently use the footways proposed to be improved or converted to shared use, to the detriment and inconvenience of pedestrians. The improvements will provide greater width for pedestrian and cycle use and/or reduce current obstacles, such as the lighting columns within the footway to the west of the school. New guard railings at the edge of the footway will improve safety, and upgraded crossings (Toucans) at the Cams Hall and Shearwater Avenue junctions will benefit both pedestrians and cyclists. Further scheme details are given later in this report.

4.6 The type of provision for cyclists - on-road or off-road - for this proposal has been carefully considered. National guidance (Cycle Friendly Infrastructure, Guidelines for Planning and Design published by the former Department of Transport, Cycle Touring Club, Bicycle Association and Institute of Highways and Transportation (IHT)) advises that segregated, off-road provision is necessary for most cyclists where traffic speeds are above 40 miles per hour (mph). This section of the A27 is likely to experience speeds of around 40 mph or more. In addition, the guidance indicates that cyclists and traffic can mix safely up to 30 mph, but only if there are no significant numbers of heavy goods vehicles or child cyclists. In the case of the A27 at Cams Hill there are some 90 commercial vehicles in a peak hour and of course young cyclists travelling to school. In addition, the IHT document Cycle Audit and Cycle Review recommends off-road provision for the traffic volumes and speeds experienced on this part of the A27. This guidance and the approach of the County Council in determining the most appropriate provision, place emphasis on consideration of the type of users, prevailing traffic speeds and volumes, which all point to off-road provision as the most appropriate solution in the case of this scheme.

5. Background

5.1 The County Council, together with Fareham Borough Council and the sustainable transport charity SUSTRANS, has worked closely over a number of years with Cams Hill School to encourage pupils to walk and cycle to school. Cams Hill was one of three schools in Hampshire chosen in 1995 by SUSTRANS to take part in the `Safer Routes to School' national pilot project. During the project, which finished in 2001, SUSTRANS was involved in various promotional initiatives and events at the school which encouraged walking and cycling, in addition to monitoring how pupils travelled to school. Liaison meetings were held with the school, at which progress on developing cycle routes to the school was discussed, amongst other matters.

5.2 There has already been significant investment in developing cycle routes to Cams Hill School, through the improvement of the footway/cycleway on the south side of the A27 east of the school and the construction of the shared path between Wickham Road and Broadcut, complemented by the advisory route along Wallington Shore Road. The section of the scheme east of the school to Beaulieu Avenue would extend the off-road cycle access to the school to residential areas, via lower flow roads, off Romsey Avenue, Cornaway Lane, White Hart Lane and Castle Street, Portchester. The scheme would therefore provide reasonably direct links between residential areas off Wickham Road in north Fareham and areas in east Fareham and Portchester. In addition, Fareham Borough Council has invested in important local links from the A27 to the town centre, Town Quay and Gosport Road.

5.3 In 1997 Fareham Borough Council funded and supervised, at a cost of £100,000, the improvement and conversion of the footway on the south side of the A27 to shared use, westwards from the school between Shearwater Avenue and the Cams Hall golf course entrance. This scheme involved the widening and resurfacing of the footway. Budgetary constraints, however, prevented the relocation of lighting columns to the back of the footway, which is desirable for both pedestrians and cyclists. This section of shared footway/cycleway, as mentioned above, connects with routes constructed by the Borough Council leading to Bath Lane and the town centre, Town Quay/Gosport Road and Salterns Lane.

5.4 In December 1997 a feasibility report was prepared which examined the opportunities to complete a shared pedestrian/cycle route between Wickham Road and Cams Hill School. In late 1999 an improvement scheme was completed between Wickham Road and Delme Arms roundabout at a cost of £100,000, funded by developer contributions. It comprised a shared pedestrian/cycle route between Wickham Road and Broadcut, improved crossings of Broadcut and slip roads at Delme roundabout and signing for the advisory route along Wallington Shore Road.

5.5 Proposals were included in the provisional and final LTP, published in July 1999 and July 2000 respectively, for further development of the cycle route along the A27 towards Portchester. The feasibility design of a shared footway/cycleway east of the school, between Shearwater Avenue and Beaulieu Avenue on the south side of the A27, was commenced in August 2000 based on funding proposed for 2000/01. This was followed by commencement in March 2001 of the feasibility design of improvements to the Shearwater Avenue to Delme Arms roundabout off-road shared path west of the school, based on possible funding during 2001/02. Detailed design of the Shearwater Avenue to Beaulieu Avenue section was started in September 2001.

5.6 During detailed design of the Shearwater Avenue-Beaulieu Avenue scheme it became clear that, in order to provide a satisfactory off-road shared facility, alterations to the A27 main carriageway would be necessary. This had significant implications on the timing and cost of this scheme. Hence, in terms of programming, the two schemes east and west of the school were now being developed in parallel and could be progressed as two phases of one scheme. This could also deliver some cost savings in contract preparation, tendering arrangements and construction under one contract. The work on the two sections has therefore been progressed in tandem from late 2001 onwards.

6. Scheme Description

6.1 The upgrading of the footway on the south side of the A27 to cycleway between Delme Arms roundabout and Shearwater Avenue (a length of about 0.8 kilometres) includes:

(i) replacing, repositioning and increasing the number of street lighting columns, to remove the present obstacles created by the existing columns within the footway and to meet current design standards;

(ii) upgrading the present crossing at the Cams Hall junction to a Toucan;

(iii) replacing existing signing in poor condition and installing new signing as appropriate;

(iv) erecting pedestrian guard railing close to the Delme Arms roundabout, and along a raised section of cycleway and widened footway under the railway viaduct;

(v) resurfacing along the entire length to remove excessive camber and improve surface regularity; and

(vi) providing a new bus shelter.

6.2 The conversion and widening of the footway on the south side of the A27 between Shearwater Avenue and Beaulieu Avenue (a length of about 0.7 kilometres) to a shared 3.5 metres wide footway/cycleway includes:

(i) upgrading the traffic signals at Shearwater Avenue to include a Toucan crossing;

(ii) widening the footway/cycleway into the existing carriageway and consequential modification of the carriageway drainage;

(iii) altering and realigning the existing carriageway, removing the central traffic islands and replacing with a coloured segregating strip, to accommodate the widened footway and retain two westbound traffic lanes;

(iv) widening the footways close to Shearwater Avenue to provide a 3.5 metres shared path; and

(v) relocating a bus shelter.

6.3 The shared cycleway design complies with the Department for Transport standards and advice, together with those of Hampshire County Council. The proposal has been safety audited at the appropriate stages in the design process, which included consideration of points raised through consultation.

6.4 Considerable design work has been undertaken on this scheme. Preparation of an extensive set of contract documents and drawings is nearing completion. The total cost of the scheme is £687,000. It involves significant expenditure on street lighting of £110,000 and on upgrading existing crossings to Toucans of £80,000. The cost of the Shearwater Avenue-Beaulieu Avenue section is about £421,000 and the Shearwater Avenue-Delme Arms roundabout improvements, about £266,000.

7. Public Consultation

7.1 A public exhibition was held in November 2001 at the Cams Hill School. Of those that attended 83% were in favour of the off-road cycle provision. The local Member, Councillor Ellis, expressed support for the scheme through the project appraisal. Fareham Borough Council officers expressed the view that on balance an off-road cycleway was preferable, but made several comments on detailed points which have been addressed as far as possible through modifications. The Cycle Touring Club was sent scheme drawings and a representative who attended the exhibition considered that the off-road cycleway was a good idea, although there were concerns about a segregated section of footway/cycleway east of the school. The safety aspect of this arrangement is considered satisfactory. The Cams Hill School governors endorsed the necessity for the cycle scheme, but expressed concern about the effect of the reduction of the entry from Shearwater Avenue onto the A27 to a single lane (which is to allow room for the Toucan crossing and widened footway/cycleway). The capacity calculations show that the junction will operate satisfactorily. Also, a `Keep Clear' box is proposed at the Shearwater Avenue/A27 junction to prevent blocking across the junction.

8. Discussion

8.1 This report has provided comprehensive information on the background to the scheme and the reasons behind the proposed improvements - principally off-road cycleway provision. The scheme would deliver against key policy areas and contribute positively towards achieving LTP and SEHTS objectives. It provides improvements to footways and crossing facilities to the benefit of pedestrians. It is an extensive scheme, about 1.5 kilometres long, builds on previous investment by both the County Council and Borough Council in off- road cycle facilities, and contributes to important local safer routes to school objectives and the development of the cycle network generally in the borough.

8.2 The costs of the scheme reflect the increasing costs of highway construction generally, higher quotations from contractors, the standards to be met, the length of the scheme and other elements that provide betterment for pedestrians and other road users in addition to cyclists. There is clearly suppressed demand for cycling both generally and to the school along the A27 which the scheme would help to stimulate.

8.3 On-road cycle provision, including shared bus/cycle lanes, would not fully meet the objectives behind this safer routes to school scheme, in particular it would not be consistent with the type of user being served and the prevailing traffic volumes and speeds.

8.4 Completion of only the section east of the school to Beaulieu Avenue would extend the off-road provision to areas south of the A27 towards Portchester and provide a Toucan crossing at Shearwater Avenue. However, the section west of the school would be left unimproved, ie the lighting columns would remain as now and there would be no enhanced cycle crossing at the Cams Hall junction. Improvement of only the section west of the school would complete the upgrading of the route from north Fareham to the school, making better use of the scheme implemented at Broadcut and providing a Toucan crossing at Cams Hall. However, areas south of the A27 and east of the school would have no off-road provision. Hence either of these options would provide only a partial solution and not fully meet the objectives of the scheme.

9. Conclusion

9.1 The A27 Portchester Road (Cams Hill) improvement scheme is a major cycling scheme that meets many LTP and SEHTS policies, is consistent with Central Government policies and guidance and provides added value in terms of benefits for pedestrians. The proposed off-road cycle facility is appropriate for the type of potential users and the prevailing traffic volumes and speeds on the A27.

Recommendation

That the report be noted.

7215/PCS