Archived decisions

Contact: Geoff Topps, ext 7959

1. Summary

1.1 This report is to provide Members with details on the project background, current situation and future plans for the A3 corridor phase of the South Hampshire Rapid Transit (SHRT) network.

2. Background

2.1 The A3 Bus Priority Corridor is the second phase of the SHRT network that will provide improved north/south public transport facilities between the centres of Portsmouth, Cosham, Waterlooville and Horndean and the many settlements between. The A3 corridor has been identified as an independent project in its own right and is intended to create a high quality public transport corridor that meets the demands of the travelling public in the 21st century, to be a viable alternative to car travel.

2.2 The project has been investigated and developed in partnership with Portsmouth City Council, Havant Borough Council, East Hampshire District Council, Hampshire Constabulary and First, the main bus operator along the route. It is being achieved through a combination of infrastructure and service improvements that will create benefits greater than the sum of the parts. A Quality Bus Partnership (QBP) is already held with First and a corridor specific QBP is being prepared for early 2003.

2.3 A Steering Group of representatives from the partner organisations has determined the principles adopted and developed associated matters as the project has evolved. Key features associated with the project are:

(i) road widening and reallocation of existing road space to public transport;

(ii) priority measures for public transport to improve service reliability;

(iii) new high quality bus shelters;

(iv) new high quality passenger facilities such as Real Time Passenger Information, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) security and traffic surveillance, travel information, etc;

(v) kerb drainage to maximise road space for the cyclist;

(vi) complementary highway improvements for vulnerable road users, general highway maintenance and improvements to enhance the quality of the street scene;

(vii) improved quality of service vehicles; and

(viii) increased frequency of services.

2.4 The works within Hampshire have initially been funded through the Local Transport Plan. The facilities and principles embodied in the project have been refined to integrate the scope of the benefits with the local community and achieve the significant impact and change in public attitude needed. As a result the estimated project costs have grown, and although funding for Sections 1 and 2 is secure, a Major Scheme Appraisal has been submitted to the Department for Transport as one potential way to fund the remainder of the scheme. The results of this bid will be known in December 2002.

2.5 The size of the project dictates that it is implemented in five sections, from the county boundary to Horndean; with approximately one section per year proposed until 2006. An innovative project term contract has been employed so that financial savings and improved productivity can be achieved using a single contract for all the highway works.

3. Section 1 - Widley to Purbrook

3.1 Hampshire County Council's contractor Dyer and Butler started work on 8 April 2002 and plans to be finished before the end of December 2002. The quality of workmanship has been very good and progress generally fine, although the discovery of an unrecorded underground cable caused a small delay.

3.2 Nearly all the accommodation works have been completed and the residents and businesses are satisfied with how these were undertaken and the finished product. The use of a pre-cast flint-faced concrete retaining wall has speeded up work outside Christ's Church and, thanks to the landowner's recent agreement, the planned retaining wall near Ladybridge Road has been replaced by a landscaped sloping earth bank.

3.3 Public consultation has been maintained during the roadworks and a third information leaflet was delivered to 2,000 neighbouring properties at the end of September. The location of new street lighting columns and bus shelters has caused response from some residents, and a better method of information and consultation will be used for future sections.

3.4 The new bus shelters were to have been provided by Adshel in return for bus shelter advertising. The company recently had its capital programme suspended so the new shelters are being ordered and paid for direct, with a view to Adshel in effect buying them back when its capital programme is restored. This unexpected event has delayed the provision of new shelters for Section 1 but will not do so for future sections.

4. Section 2a - Purbrook Village

4.1 The preliminary proposals for Purbrook were displayed at a public exhibition in October 2001. Due to limited space the works in the village focus on improving passenger facilities and the street environment, with little scope for bus priority measures. Detailed consultation has been undertaken with the Church, local residents and businesses to determine parking and loading requirements so that the Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) can be advertised in November 2002. Generally the response has been favourable, and while it is difficult to satisfy everyone when individual demands are in conflict a good all-round solution has been prepared.

4.2 Investigations are continuing to see if permitted access can be provided through The Woodman Pub car park from the A3 to the existing free public car park in Ladybridge Road. The need to make better use of this facility has been a recurring feature of the public consultation and, as well as direct access, improved security using CCTV and lighting is being investigated with Havant Borough Council.

4.3 The time taken to clarify the parking and loading requirements has delayed issue of the Traffic Regulation Orders, which means that the project appraisal for this part of the route has been deferred to January 2003. This will not delay the overall scheme and the works will be included with those for Section 2b.

5. Section 2b - Purbrook to Waterlooville

5.1 The public exhibition of the preliminary proposals for this section took place in December 2000. The project appraisal was subsequently approved by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources on 12 September 2002. Final preparations are now underway so that the Statutory Undertakers and Dyer and Butler can start advanced diversionary works and site clearance before the end of the year.

5.2 Within the project appraisal was an explanation of how, in carrying out the detailed design, it had become apparent that retaining walls would be required in some areas to support the roadside boundary. This had not been identified at the time of the public exhibition in December 2000 and there was understandable concern that these would result in the loss of existing trees and hedge. However, after consultation the local landowner agreed to dedicate land, which would remove the need for retaining walls, and allow the existing sloping earth banks to be recreated and the planting of significant landscaping along the field boundary. This actually increases the amount of hedgerow and trees, and when the final details were passed to local residents no further objections were received.

5.3 The project appraisal also included the proposed bus gate just north of Purbrook - a special traffic signal for southbound traffic which stops and holds normal traffic as a southbound bus approaches the signals, allowing it to get to the front of traffic entering the congested road through Purbrook. This is a contentious feature for residents living immediately adjacent, who feel that it makes access to and from their properties more difficult and dangerous. These views are not shared but it was made a condition of the approval that the performance of the gate is reviewed after 18 months operation, including public consultation, to determine if the feature should be retained.

5.4 The approval contained additional conditions about the quality of new landscaping, the consultation processes for positioning bus shelters, street lights and parking areas, and that the Major Development Area Working Party and developer for Waterlooville be asked to give greatest consideration to the provision of a rural footpath on the west side of the road behind the landscaping. All of these are now being undertaken as part of the final design.

5.5 The project appraisal included the results of the TRO process and the Orders can now be made as necessary. The main works are due to start in the new year and, while the contractor has yet to prepare his detailed programme, completion should be before the end of 2003, subject to the Statutory Undertakers' diversions being completed satisfactorily.

6. Section 3 - Waterlooville Town Centre

6.1 A public exhibition of the preliminary A3 corridor proposals for Waterlooville town centre was held at the Curzon Rooms in Waterlooville precinct on 11, 12 and 13 April 2002. Over 400 people attended the exhibition, which displayed an extension of the pedestrian zone with three potential concepts for re-routing buses from London Road via Swiss Road and a temporary alternative option maintaining bus only use between St George's Walk and Stakes Hill Road (avoiding Swiss Road).

6.2 Staff from Hampshire County Council, Havant Borough Council and the bus operator First were on hand to help explain the proposals and answer queries. Questionnaires were given out and the results show 70% in favour of the SHRT proposals, with concept 2 for a new interchange as the most popular idea (38%) for Swiss Road. The potential loss of parking in Swiss Road as a result of any of the concepts was a concern for many and the second favourite idea was do nothing in Swiss Road (25%). The temporary alternative to these concepts (which would allow time to resolve the Swiss Road parking issue with ASDA) was viewed favourably (65% support).

6.3 The results of the public consultation have been reported to the Waterlooville Town Centre Consultative Panel. Despite working well in other towns and cities, Members expressed great concern for pedestrian safety if buses were allowed to cross the extended pedestrian area as proposed in the temporary alternative option. They requested that additional concepts be developed for Swiss Road that minimised the impact on parking and that a `high level' meeting be held with ASDA to explore its position.

6.4 A meeting of Members and officers of Hampshire County Council, Havant Borough Council, ASDA, the bus operator First and Stagecoach was held on 7 October 2002. ASDA confirmed its opinion that the Swiss Road parking is most valuable (at store level; close to the entrance; main area for mother and baby and disabled or elderly parking; safe for out of hours staff parking; proximity to the town centre, etc) and that it would wish to see any proposals that would avoid losing any of the parking. The bus operators then explained their needs for the town centre and willingness to consider some compromises, although if these became too extreme it could affect their ability to provide services to the town centre.

6.5 A new idea was then proposed by two of the Havant Members: extend the pedestrian precinct; close the Stakes Hill Road junction to all traffic (for pedestrian safety); allow buses to travel two-way through the extended pedestrian zone in London Road and St George's Walk; keep the bus shelters where they are, close to the town centre, and avoid Swiss Road and the parking issues. No objections were raised and it was agreed to explore this further.

6.6 This new proposal and the additional concepts for Swiss Road will now be considered formally by Havant Borough Council and the Waterlooville Town Centre Consultative Panel, with a view to agreeing a feasible and practical way to proceed. It seems unlikely that a feasible compromise for Swiss Road can be devised both to overcome ASDA's strong car park concerns and provide adequate public transport facilities. Either the new proposals' temporary alternative or to do nothing appear feasible. The favoured concept will then be developed as the decisive solution and the outcome reported to the next South East Hampshire Transportation Panel meeting.

6.7 The detailed design for the town centre will start soon to meet the programmed start of works at the end of 2003. If the new proposals are adopted then additional public consultation will be required (it was not included in the April public exhibition) and steps will be taken to avoid this delaying the delivery programme.

7. Section 4 - Waterlooville to Cowplain

7.1 There has been no further development of the preliminary proposals north of Waterlooville. Section 4 from Waterlooville to Cowplain is scheduled to have a public exhibition of the preliminary design in March 2003 and details for this will be prepared early in the new year. Works are not intended to start here until early 2005.

8. Section 5 - Cowplain to Horndean

8.1 The public exhibition of the preliminary design for this section is not planned until spring 2004 and roadworks are not scheduled to start until 2006.

9. Portsmouth City Council

9.1 Cosham Compound - construction of improvements is underway. The relocation of the listed tram shelter is still being finalised and it is intended to replace it with modern, high quality bus shelters.

9.2 Hilsea - London Road Stage 1 bus lanes between Old London Road and Doyle Avenue are complete. Traffic Regulation Orders for Stage 2 bus lanes between Doyle Avenue and Torrington Road have been advertised and works should be complete before the end of December 2002. Stage 3 investigations and development are now underway.

9.3 North End - initial feasibility investigations have indicated that it will be difficult to balance the competing highway demands here.

9.4 Isambard Brunel Road - bus priority and pedestrian works are underway and due for completion in early 2003.

9.5 PORTAL - facilities for the corridor are included in the city-wide passenger information system being implemented. This is scheduled to deliver bus and shelter systems by October 2003 and have them operational by the end of next year.

10. Conclusion

10.1 The project development and implementation is proceeding in line with the overall project programme. There are still a number of issues to resolve in completing the scheme but initial progress and success make it reasonable to believe that the scheme can be finished as planned.

Recommendation

That progress on the elements of this transportation scheme be noted.

7528/GT