Archived decisions

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Environment

10 December 2002

Project Appraisal: Hill Road and Station Road, Fareham - Traffic Management

Report of the Director of Environment

Item 7

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

PROJECT APPRAISAL

(Externally Funded)

PROJECT:

HILL ROAD AND STATION ROAD, FAREHAM - TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

FEBRUARY 2003

COMPLETION DATE:

APRIL 2003

PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME: 2002/03

7.

Scheme

7.1

Introduction

Following local representation on speeding, traffic and safety issues in Hill Road and Station Road, a traffic management scheme has been developed with local people to address their concerns. The last three year accident record shows a total of three slight injuries to vehicle collision occupants. Recent speed surveys have shown vehicle speeds of up to 40 miles per hour (mph) along this 30 mph restriction.

In accordance with the South East Hampshire Transportation Strategy (SEHTS) and with the benefit of developer funding, it is proposed that a traffic management scheme is provided to reduce vehicle speed and assist with the safety of all road users, particularly the vulnerable and school children.

7.2

Details

The traffic calming element of Hill Road comprises a gateway at the northern end by the motorway bridge, pinch-points, additional road markings, coloured anti-skid surfacing, a traffic island and a box junction marking at Kelvin Grove. The scheme details are shown on plans ET/0052/1/A, 2/A and 3/A which will be displayed at the meeting. A location plan is attached.

The main features of the scheme are:

(i) At motorway bridge: a gateway feature comprising entrance speed limit signing, coloured anti-skid surfacing with edge of carriageway markings to visually narrow the road and additional signs to the south side of the bridge.

(ii) Motorway bridge to Nyewood Avenue: three visual road narrowing features consisting of kerbing with bollards, coloured anti-skid surfacing and edge of carriageway markings. Coloured anti-skid surfacing across Nyewood Avenue junction.

(iii) Nyewood Avenue to Leith Avenue: centre of carriageway hatching with a visual narrow feature as in (ii) above.

(iv) Leith Avenue to The Hillway: enhanced road markings and school crossing patrol signs.

(v) The Hillway to Station Road rail bridge: enhanced road markings, a pedestrian refuge island and a yellow box junction marking across Kelvin Grove.

(vi) Station Road rail bridge: coloured anti-skid surfacing with priority and reduction of carriageway width to facilitate a widened footway on the west side. The implementation of the traffic priority and footway widening will be dependent upon satisfactory local trials which are scheduled for early spring 2003 when the daylight hours will be longer.

Consideration is also being given to the inclusion of wig-wag signals at the priority working scheme beneath the rail bridge to assist the fire brigade during emergency call-outs.

7.3

Standards

The scheme meets the design requirements of all relevant Departmental and County Council Standards.

7.4

Statutory Procedures and Consultation

A comprehensive public consultation on the traffic management proposals was held at the Methodist Church Hall, Castle Street, Portchester on 6 December 2001. At the exhibition local residents were shown different types of traffic calming and asked to indicate their preference on a questionnaire survey form. Views were also requested on the proposal to introduce a priority working beneath the Station Road rail bridge. The local Member attended the exhibition as did Fareham Ward Members.

The public exhibition was well attended with 104 persons completing a questionnaire survey form. The results were:

(i) 98 residents thought traffic speed was a problem;

(ii) 62 residents thought rat-running was a problem;

(iii) the types of traffic calming favoured were coloured surfacing, signing and lining, gateways and small-build outs;

(iv) 21 residents requested speed cameras;

(v) most residents supported the proposed priority working beneath the rail bridge; and

(vi) Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service requested a box junction at the Hill Road/Kelvin Grove junction.

The emergency services, bus company and Borough Council have also been consulted and do not object.

Fareham Borough Council has designed and reported the scheme details with the consultation results to its various committees and portfolio holders for approval during November 2001, March 2002 and September 2002.

7.5

Policy Considerations

The traffic calming scheme accords with SEHTS and will improve safety for vulnerable road users.

7.6

Environmental Impacts

There will be minimal environmental impact from this proposal as the work is within the existing highway. During the construction works any excessive levels of noise and disturbance to residents will be kept to a minimum.

7.7

Land Requirement

No land acquisition required. All works to be confined within existing public highway limits.

7.8

Alternative Arrangements

The scheme described in this Project Appraisal is the preferred choice resulting from the public exhibition of December 2001.

The list of options presented to the public and the exhibition were: speed cushions, road humps, speed tables, rumble strips, large build- outs, small build-outs, chicanes, mini roundabouts, gateways, coloured surfacing, signing and lining, and speed cameras.

The majority of responding residents believed that there were traffic problems on Hill Road and Station Road. Coloured road surfacing, lining and signing, gateways and small build-outs were identified as the favoured methods of resolving traffic problems, together with a priority working beneath the Station Road rail bridge. A specific request was made by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service for a box junction marking at the Hill Road/Kelvin Grove junction outside the Portchester Fire Station.

Twenty-one residents requested speed cameras. However, Hampshire Constabulary currently uses mobile cameras for speed enforcement. These requests have been noted to form the basis of further discussions with the Police in respect of a policy on speed reduction and speed enforcement.

It is considered that the preferred options received from local residents at the public exhibition are to be progressed in place of the alternatives which would not necessarily meet with such public support.

7.9

Local Member's View

Councillor Price supports the scheme.

7.10

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

The provision of this Act has no impact on this proposal.

7.11

Sustainability

The traffic calming will reduce vehicle speeds and improve the safety of pedestrians.

8.

Financial Arrangements

8.1

Expenditure

£'000

Funds Available

£'000

Design Fee

5

Developer Funding

56

Supervision

2

Project Works

49

Land

____

____

Total

56

Total

56

____

____

8.2

Revenue Implications

£'000

% Variation to Committee's budget

Net increase in

current expenditure

3

0.004

Capital Charge

9

0.009

____

____

Total Expenditure

12

0.013

____

____

8.3

Maintenance Implications

There will be minimal revenue implications from this proposal and these will be taken into account in the setting of the annual base budget.

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

Report to the Highways and Transportation Sub-Committee

Fareham Borough Council

7 March 2002

Environment Department - Room 415 (PST)