Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Environment

14 January 2003

Project Appraisal: European Union - CIVITAS Initiative - MIRACLES Project

Report of the Director of Environment

Item 13

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

PROJECT APPRAISAL

PROJECT:

EUROPEAN UNION - CIVITAS INITIATIVE - MIRACLES PROJECT

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

JANUARY 2003

COMPLETION DATE:

MARCH 2003

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

1.

FINANCE (Client Department, Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services [Estates Practice] and County Treasurer)

Current

Capital

Estimate

Programme

(at Nov 2002

(at Nov 2002

prices)

prices)

Capital Expenditure

£'000

£'000

Land to be purchased

Construction

240

240

Fees

240

240

Less developers/

other contributions

Financial provision for total scheme

Total Cost

1.

From Committees own resources

(a) Capital programme (as above)

240

(b) Other

2.

From other resources

(a)

(b)

(c)

TOTAL

240

Value of land for this project in HCC ownership £

Variations from capital programme

Revenue implications

£'000

% variation

to Committee's

budget

Net current expenditure

1

0.001

Capital charges

28

0.029

TOTAL net expenditure

29

0.030

2.

STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

(Client Department)

On 12 December 2001 the Executive Member for Environment gave approval to enter into a formal contract with the European Commission for involvement in the European Union's CIVITAS (City-VITAlity - Sustainability) initiative through the MIRACLES (Multi Initiatives for Rationalised Accessible and Clean Liveable EnvironmentS).

The MIRACLES project builds upon and enhances the work already being undertaken in the Winchester Movement and Access Plan. The project is strongly in line with local priorities, policies and key corporate objectives. Involvement with European partners in Barcelona, Cork and Rome will enhance and develop the work being undertaken in Winchester.

This project appraisal details a series of measures to be funded from the 2002/03 capital programme and supported by funds from the European Commission from two of the ten integrated work packages within the project. These measures are:

(i) collective Passenger Transport - improving bus services quality and information; and

(ii) clean public and private fleets - cleaner buses and clean fuel support services.

3.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL (Client Department)

The details of the individual measures for which approval is being sought are as follows:

A quality bus partnership with Stagecoach South to develop the initiatives within the MIRACLES project will enable improvements to be made to the quality of public transport through the provision of better information. The partnership also aims to reduce the environmental impact of the bus fleet by upgrading the fleet with cleaner vehicles and reducing the emissions from existing vehicles.

It is proposed to introduce the following measures:

(i) new colour-coded, modular bus stop poles on Services 1 and 5 and in the city centre;

(ii) new colour-coded bus stop flags, identifying the bus stop name, service number, low-floor bus services, the Travel Line telephone number and short message service (SMS) text service number;

(iii) new stop-specific timetables on Services 1 and 5 and in the city centre; and

(iv) a new innovative public transport map providing information on urban bus services in Winchester that will include a city centre street map with tourist information.

Total cost £ 50,000.

Buses usually require a new engine at some time in their operational life. Significant reductions in both nitrogen oxide and particulates are normally realised when an old engine is replaced by new technology. Trials have shown that with careful matching (perhaps with a revised gear-train) fuel consumption and reliability can also be improved.

Engines to Euro 3 standard are now available which deliver over 35% nitrogen oxide and 70% particulate reductions on a pre-Euro engine (more if a particulate trap is fitted). The Energy Savings Trust's Clean Up programme will help to fund suitable re-engine strategies to either diesel or gas operation.

The quality bus partnership will include a commitment from Stagecoach South to provide the necessary resources to assist in the upgrading of the Winchester bus fleet and to retain these cleaner vehicles in Winchester and the surrounding area.

Therefore it is proposed that MIRACLES supports Stagecoach South to reduce their impact on air quality in Winchester by:

(i) fitting new, more environmentally-friendly engines to re-power part of the existing bus fleet;

(ii) fitting particulate traps to diesel exhaust systems; and

(iii) fitting oxidation catalysts to diesel exhaust systems.

Total cost £100,000.

To overcome barriers to the introduction of new engine technologies in both public and private vehicle fleets, and to build a business case for the introduction of clean engine technology, it is proposed to procure six clean-engined vehicles, two petrol-electric hybrid, two liquid petroleum gas and two electric. These vehicles will be loaned free of charge to companies in Winchester for one month to improve awareness of these alternatives and enable a real operational comparison of the existing fleet with cleaner vehicles to be undertaken.

Total cost £ 90,000.

National/County Network and Policies

The proposals are consistent with the County Council's transportation strategy.

Details of Scheme and Design Standards

All scheme details will comply with all relevant United Kingdom and European standards.

Environmental Impact

The proposal measures are aimed at achieving the project's goal of reducing the impact of transport on the environment by:

(i) relieving transport-related emissions;

(ii) reducing congestion;

(iii) improving the modal share of public transport, cycling and walking; and

(iv) demonstrating the uptake of clean transport vehicles.

Land Requirements

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

Statutory Procedures

None.

Public Consultation

None undertaken. The impact of the public transport infrastructure will be negligible. Evaluating the impact of the project will include an assessment of user acceptance. This will include the user's behaviour, opinions, preferences and willingness to pay.

Local Member's View

The local Members, Councillors Mrs P G Peskett and Mrs P Dickens, have been consulted on the proposals. Mrs Dickens fully supports the proposals and the views of Mrs Peskett are awaited.

Facilities for the Disabled

Not applicable.

Maintenance Implications

There will be minimal revenue implications as a result of this proposal and they will be taken into account in settling the annual base budget. Part of the investigations into clean fuel support services will include developing tools to support the business case for the use of clean vehicle technology.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

The provisions of this Act have no impact on this proposal.

Sustainability

The approach in MIRACLES is ambitious. Technology innovation in conjunction with transport policy aims to reduce energy consumption, congestion, and noise and air pollution.

The measures introduced by the MIRACLES project aim to reduce the environmental impact of transport, increase accessibility to the urban area and improve economic efficiency through better transport management, looking to an overall improvement in quality of life for all.

4.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

(Client Department)

A key feature of the proposal measures to be introduced by the MIRACLES project is that they have been developed as an integrated package. This project appraisal covers two of the ten work packages proposed over the next two years. It is intended to implement a series of complementary measures in future years, subject to Local Transport Plan bids for the necessary funds being successful.

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

Various project files

MIRACLES Project Inception Report

MIRACLES Project Technical Annex

MIRACLES Project Office

ITS Group

Environment Department

Monument House