Archived decisions
Hampshire County Council South West Hampshire Transportation Panel 24 October 2002 Central Eastleigh Transport Strategy Report of the County Surveyor |
Item 7 |
Contact: Jonathan Crabb, ext 6047
1. Summary
1.1 This report provides an update on the development of the Central Eastleigh Transport Strategy, and seeks endorsement to consult on the principles of the strategy.
2. Background
2.1 An allocation of £500,000 from 2002/03 to 2004/05 is included in the South West Hampshire Transport Strategy (SWHTS) capital programme to enhance facilities in Eastleigh town centre. The proposed redevelopment of the Pirelli site to the west of Eastleigh town centre will have an impact on traffic levels and patterns of vehicle movements in and around central Eastleigh. The priorities for network management improvements identified in the Central Eastleigh Transport Plan undertaken in 1998 remain. However, prior to bringing forward network management improvements (funded through the SWHTS capital programme) designed to enhance safety for vulnerable road users, it is necessary to fully consider the impacts of the Pirelli and other developments. Every effort needs to be made to ensure that network management proposals, funded through the SWHTS capital programme, are designed, not only to overcome existing traffic and safety problems but also to contribute towards mitigation of the impacts of the development sites, and to provide added value to off-site network improvements funded by the developments.
2.2 Funding for the Pirelli development has been secured through a legal agreement between the developers, Hampshire County Council and Eastleigh Borough Council. The Strategy includes an action plan to target funding sources to the most appropriate schemes.
2.3 The County Council's partner consultant, Atkins, is project managing the scheme, including analysis of existing data and undertaking additional surveys as required.
3.1 The study was split into four distinct stages, as described below:
Stage A - Establish Existing Conditions
3.2 The first stage was to undertake an assessment of the current transport infrastructure and operational conditions in and around Eastleigh town centre. Key tasks included a number of observation surveys and discussion with local government and stakeholder groups.
3.3 A `vision' for the study was developed, based on the planning and transport policies in Eastleigh Town Centre, Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), SWHTS, Hampshire County Council and the Government Office for the South East.
Stage C - Option Formulation and Assessment
3.4 The next stage was to identify individual transport schemes which could be implemented to collectively achieve the strategic aims. The process involved applying the aims of the strategy to the study area and developing a hierarchy of schemes, as follows:
(i) making sure that existing infrastructure operated as effectively as possible;
(ii) linking existing infrastructure to form coherent routes and strategies; and
(iii) developing new routes and strategies.
Stage D - Production of the Strategy
3.5 The final stage of the project was the drawing together of all the results and producing this study report and the accompanying Transport Plan. This builds upon existing study material and schemes which have been developed previously in the area.
4. Transport Network
4.1 The following sections of the transport network were all investigated as part of this study:
(i) The Physical Road Network;
(ii) Accidents and Safety;
(iii) Parking;
(iv) Cycling;
(v) Pedestrian Facilities;
(vi) Buses;
(vii) Trains;
(viii) Environmental Factors; and
(ix) Vehicular Traffic.
4.2 In order to analyse the vehicular traffic network a traffic model is proposed, using the software analysis program SATURN, which will be carried out in the near future.
4.3 The report identifies 14 transport or policy areas which cover the strategy topics, from vehicular traffic to pedestrians, and three levels of delivery which relate to both the intent of the schemes and the timescale for implementation.
4.4 The transport areas are safer routes to school, safety, pedestrians, mobility impaired people, cycle, bus, taxi, deliveries, rail, information, street scene and furniture, air quality, parking and traffic. The three levels of delivery are:
(i) ensuring that existing facilities are operating as planned and in a satisfactory and consistent way;
(ii) linking existing facilities into comprehensive routes, packages or systems; and
(iii) developing new routes, packages or systems.
4.5 It may be easier to visualise the differences, in that motorised traffic will only be allowed to go where the strategy says it can go, whereas pedestrians will be able to go anywhere except where they are specifically prevented, or discouraged, from going.
4.6 The delivery difference between the transport areas can be set out as in Table 1. However, as there will be route-based schemes within those transport areas with a predominantly area-based delivery and vice versa, the table should not be seen as inflexible. In addition some of the `schemes', such as those involving integration and through ticketing, will be neither area nor route-based.
Table 1
Area-based delivery |
Hybrid delivery |
Route-based delivery |
Safer Routes to School Safety Pedestrians Mobility Impaired People Street Scene Air Quality |
Cycle Information Deliveries Parking |
Traffic Buses Rail Taxis |
4.7 Combining the transport areas and the levels of delivery produces a matrix into which the various identified schemes can be inserted, giving an idea both of the coverage of the strategy in terms of transport areas and delivery and an indication of where the gaps are. The matrix is shown as Table 3.
4.8 Having identified transport areas and schemes that relate to them, these have then been combined where they coincide geographically. The aim of this is to take advantage of, and encourage, integration and prevent domination of a street by one mode, or more importantly to make sure that no mode is disadvantaged and that all streets fulfil their potential within an overall strategy.
4.9 The result of this geographical aggregation is a series of areas and routes with varying demands and treatments into which, as with the matrix, the schemes sit. The outcome of this process is that there is a third aspect of the vision based on a distillation of the schemes and their combination, to provide a clear way forward for managing, developing and improving the highway network in Eastleigh.
4.10 In traditional transport planning terminology streets can be defined as primary, secondary, local distributor and local roads. However, this implies a level of importance to primary and secondary roads which is only applicable to certain transport modes. It is much more useful to redefine the streets in terms of which transport modes are primarily catered for. A plan of the street categorisation is attached as Appendix 1. These are set out in Table 2 below.
Table 2 - Street Categorisation
Category |
Shown as |
Key features |
Motorway and Primary Route |
Blue |
Motorway, main national traffic route. High capacity and probably high speed. |
Main through traffic route |
Red |
Links from towns to the motorway and to adjacent towns. Designed, primarily, to accommodate vehicular traffic but also to provide safe and direct routes for buses, cyclists and pedestrians. Cycle routes generally off-carriageway and pedestrian crossing facilities formally controlled. |
Local distributor street |
Yellow |
Links within the town centre to provide, but also control, vehicular penetration from the main through routes. Will generally be 30 mph but may be suitable for 20 mph zones in places. Cycle routes on- or off-carriageway, pedestrian crossings generally uncontrolled or Zebras. |
Green street |
Green |
Routes designed principally for pedestrians and cyclists but with buses if on appropriate routes. There is also a presumption will be that cars are not permitted in the green streets, save for the need for servicing. There is also a presumption that there will be movement along the street, therefore a traditional home zone treatment will not be appropriate. |
Local access street |
White |
Streets designed for pedestrians and cyclists. The main difference between a green street and a local access street will be that cars will be allowed in to access houses and to park and deliveries will be permitted. Local access streets may be suitable for home zone treatment. The presumption will be for vehicles to be in the street rather than travelling along them. |
Non-vehicle route/street |
Purple |
Traditional pedestrian areas, footpaths and cycle links. No vehicles will be allowed in, with the possible exception of disabled, and deliveries possibly for part of the day only. These can be movement links, such as the routes through Fleming Park to Chandler's Ford, or activity areas such as Leigh Road. |
4.11 Using the transport areas and the levels of delivery a 14 x 3 matrix was produced in which to slot schemes and which could also highlight areas where no schemes had been identified, to avoid oversight.
Policy Area |
Ensuring that existing facilities are operating in a satisfactory and consistent way |
Linking existing facilities into comprehensive routes/packages/systems |
New routes/ packages/systems |
Safer Routes to School |
1. Existing programme |
1. Review by school |
|
Safety |
1. Factory Road and cross routes |
1. Twyford Road overbridge 2. Bishopstoke Road/ Station Hill | |
Pedestrians |
1. Romsey Road/ Leigh Road 2. Leigh Road/ Passfield Avenue 3. Southampton Road/Campbell Road |
1. Lidl Link 2. Romsey Road/ Southampton Road 3. Brigstock Road 4. Station Access |
1. Archers Road Railway Crossing 2. The Park Routes 3. Leigh Road/ Romsey Road 4. Pedestrian Sign Strategy |
Mobility Impaired People |
1. Disabled parking review |
1. Tactile Paving/ Accessibility Programme |
1. Guidance such as `Designing an Accessible City' for HCC generally |
Cycles |
1. Woodside Avenue Bridge (M3 Over-bridge) 2. Boyatt Wood Cycle Way 3. Fleming Park/M3 Crossing 4. Passfield/Woodside Avenues 5. Kipling Road |
1. Leigh Road/ Southampton Road Toucan 2. Passfield Avenue to Stoneham Lane |
1. Archers Road Railway Crossing 2. Archers Road and Toucan 3. The Park Cycle Routes 4. Lidl Link 5. Leigh Road/ Romsey Road Junction 6. Leigh Road (Chandler's Ford to Eastleigh) 7. Links to and through Pirelli Site 8. Chestnut Avenue West 9. Cycle Route Signing Strategy |
Bus |
1. Quality Bus Partnership |
1. Quality Bus Partnership |
1. Demand for New Routes and Services 2. Station Integration 3. Links to and through Pirelli Site |
Taxi |
1. Taxi pick-up point in bus station |
1. Station Integration | |
Deliveries |
1. Heavy goods vehicles/Light goods vehicles. Route Signing from M3 and M27 |
1. Review overall delivery strategy 2. Abnormal Loads |
1. Chickenhall Lane |
Rail |
1. MIP Access to down platform |
1. Integration with other transport 2. Cross Ticketing 3. Rail heading 4. Cross Country Services | |
Information |
1. Direction signing review |
1. Direction Signing Strategy | |
Street Scene and Furniture |
1. Rationalisation |
1. Area Themes (link to Car Parking Zone) 2. Hierarchy themes |
1. Extend glass canopy coverage |
Air Quality |
|||
Parking |
1. On-street parking review |
1. Tactile Paving/ Accessibility Programme |
1. Guidance |
Traffic |
1. Traffic calming on main road box; Chestnut Avenue, Passfield Avenue, Stoneham Lane, Woodside Avenue 2. Impact of M3/M27 congestion 3. Redundancy in the network and road closure/ streetworks strategy |
1. Romsey Road/ Twyford Road 2. Brigstock Road/ Station Hill 3. Southampton Road/Chestnut Avenue 4. Southampton Road at Wells Place and Blenheim Road |
1. A highway categorisation 2. A traffic assignment model 3. Factory Road Home Zone 4. Chickenhall Lane |
4.12 Following development of the street categorisation the schemes were revisited in the light of their contribution to the delivery of the vision and the categorisation, and their effect on the use of highways, whether the general public were in vehicles or not. The green routes have been clearly identified, particularly where `routes' as such do not exist at present, as with the route from the station to the east.
4.13 Links between the routes and schemes and the street categories have been set out in Appendix 2.
5. Scheme Feasibility and Costing
5.1 Each scheme will be evaluated and tested to feasibility design stage. Furthermore, the estimated cost of progressing the various proposals through the detailed design stage (broken down if possible into discreet and if possible non-interdependent phases) and onto implementation will be calculated. The total cost of the schemes has yet to be fully assessed, and will be considered with regard to the County Council's overall funding availability.
6. Consultation
6.1 It is proposed to undertake a period of consultation on the strategy, including statutory organisations, local interest groups and the general public, to enable the County and Borough Councils to adopt and implement a strategy to address transport issues in central Eastleigh.
Recommendation
That the Executive Member for Environment be advised that the Panel endorses the principles of the draft Strategy for consultation purposes.
Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers | |
The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report. | |
NB the list excludes: | |
1. |
Published works. |
2. |
Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act. |
TITLE |
LOCATION |
None. |
7358/JC
Category |
Shown as |
Routes and Areas |
Schemes and reviews |
Motorway and Primary Route |
Blue |
M3 and M27 |
Effects of motorway congestion |
Motorway Primary and through traffic Route |
Blue and Red |
M3, M27, A335 and Bishopstoke Road |
Delivery signing. Review of key routes and signing from motorways |
All main through traffic routes |
Development of strategies for unusual conditions arising from emergencies or planned maintenance by the highway authority or statutory undertakers. | ||
Main through traffic route |
Red |
A335 Twyford Road |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 30 mph |
A335 Southampton Road |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 30 mph | ||
A355 Leigh Road and Romsey Road |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 30 mph | ||
Junction of Southampton Road, Romsey Road, Twyford Avenue and Bishopstoke Road |
Junction improvement, particularly to aid pedestrians and cyclists but also to simplify the junction and the interchange between the main through traffic routes | ||
Junction of Leigh Road, Passfield Avenue and Woodside Avenue |
Junction improvement, particularly to aid pedestrians and cyclists but also to act as a control point to regulate congestion in central Eastleigh | ||
Junction of Southampton Road and Chestnut Road |
Junction improvement, particularly to improve efficiency and safety at the interchange between traffic routes and to improve facilities for pedestrians | ||
Junction of Southampton Road and Leigh Road |
Provision of safe crossing to the station for pedestrian and cyclists | ||
Leigh Road Cycle Route |
Improvement on facilities on the east west corridor into Eastleigh from Chandlers Ford and the M3 | ||
Chickenhall Lane Link Road |
Creation of a vehicular access between the area to the east of the station and the M27 that avoids the centre of town | ||
Southampton Road and Campbell Road |
Improvement of junction, particularly for pedestrians | ||
Bishopstoke Road |
Improvement for pedestrian facilities between Chickenhall Lane and Station Hill | ||
Main through traffic and local distributor street |
Red and Yellow |
All main through traffic routes |
Delivery strategy, identification of key central and peripheral delivery areas, including setting up of servicing areas and routes; and creation of information, signing and enforcement strategy |
All main through traffic routes |
Direction signing. Review of existing signing and upgrading existing signs in line with national giglines | ||
All main through traffic routes |
Direction signing strategy, identification of key central and peripheral locations and targets; and creation of information and signing strategy | ||
Local distributor street |
Yellow |
Chestnut Avenue (East) |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 30 mph; including control of on-street parking |
Chestnut Avenue (West) |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 30 mph; including provision of a cycle route | ||
Stoneham Lane |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 30 mph | ||
Passfield Avenue |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 30 mph Traffic | ||
Woodside Avenue |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 30 mph | ||
Shakespeare Road |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 20 mph including if appropriate discrete speed reduction measures | ||
Derby Road |
Traffic Calming, highway geometry review to create perception in drivers that an appropriate speed of travel is 20 mph including if appropriate discrete speed reduction measures | ||
Passfield Avenue and Woodside Avenue |
Ensure consistency in the cycle route along these streets | ||
Passfield Avenue and Stoneham Lane |
Ensure consistency in the cycle route along these streets and particularly where they cross Chestnut Avenue | ||
Green street |
Green |
Factory Road |
Development of a package of schemes which will provide a traffic free route from the west, through the Pirelli Development along Factory Road to the town centre. The schemes will prevent lorries and cars from using the route but not restrict access and servicing |
Blenheim Road |
Development of a package of schemes which will provide a traffic free route from Fleming Park, along Blenheim Road to the town centre. The schemes will prevent lorries and cars from using the route but not restrict access and servicing | ||
Barton Peveril |
Development of a package of schemes which will provide a traffic free route from Fleming Park, along Locksley and Cherbourg Roads. The schemes will prevent lorries and cars from using the route but not restrict access and servicing. It will concentrate on the presence of the schools and colleges | ||
High Street |
Development of a package of schemes which will provide a traffic free route from Parkway Station and the south to the town centre. The schemes will prevent lorries and cars from using the route but not restrict access and servicing. It will include investigation of the use of an off road section south of South Street | ||
Archers Road |
Development of a package of schemes which will provide a traffic free route from Archers Road Railway Crossing to the town centre | ||
Fair Oak |
Development of a package of schemes which will provide a traffic free route from Fair Oak to Eastleigh including a new railway crossing and access to the industrial and business park | ||
Local access street |
White |
Kipling Road |
Ensure consistency of the existing cycle route and connections to the wider network |
Pedestrian Canopies |
Extension of the network of footway canopies to improve weather protection of pedestrians | ||
Bus Station Taxi Point |
To create a taxi point or points at the bus satin that reduces conflict with buses, improves accessibility, serves the needs of passengers and reduces hazards from shopping trolley | ||
Taxi Ranks and Provision |
Review the need and demand for, and current provision of, taxi ranks in central Eastleigh | ||
Non vehicle route/street |
Purple |
Boyatt Wood Way |
Integrating cycles into the route running northeast from Parham Drive |
Fleming Park to Chandlers Ford |
Improve signing, lighting, width and surfacing | ||
Birch Grove to Chandlers Ford |
Improve signing, lighting, width and surfacing | ||
Woodside Avenue to Chandlers Ford |
Improve signing, lighting, width and surfacing | ||
Archers Road Railway Crossing |
Improved accessibility over the railway line between Archers Road and Boyatt Wood | ||
The Park |
Maximising the links to and through the Park and removing barriers to the north. Integration of the surrounding highways into a space that runs from building line to building line | ||
Lidl Link |
Provision of an off carriageway pedestrian and cycle route between Twyford Road and the Station | ||
Boyatt Wood Pedestrian and Cycle Network |
Identification of key routes and targets for pedestrians and cyclists and creation of information and signing strategy | ||
All Streets |
Disabled Parking Review |
Review the demand for disable parking within the controlled parking zone, existing or extended | |
Accessibility Review |
Review with the aim of providing a step free route at all junctions and key locations | ||
Accessibility Review |
To provide a guidance document on accessibility for all involved in working with the built environment | ||
Controlled Parking Zone |
Review the need and demand for, and current provision of, waiting and loading | ||
Pedestrian Signing Strategy |
Direction signing strategy, identification of key central and peripheral locations and targets for pedestrians and creation of information and signing strategy | ||
Reduction in Street Clutter |
Identify and review the possibilities for rationalisation of street furniture to reduce footway obstructions | ||
Landscaping Strategy |
To provide a guidance document on paving materials, street furniture and all aspect of the highway layout | ||
School Travel Plans |
Working with all relevant parties to produce school travel plans to cover all aspects of travel to school including safety and the environments. | ||
Taxi Configuration |
To work with the taxi trade to increase the flexibility accessibility and use of taxis in Eastleigh and throughout the county |