Contact: Graham Carter, 01962 857810/Nick Hunt, 02380 285916

1. Summary

1.1 This report covers the main programmes of traffic management work in the New Forest area in 2002/03 and 2003/04. These are the revenue funded Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) and signing and lining schemes and also the capital-funded rural traffic calming schemes in partnership with the parish councils.

2. Background

2.1 Under the revised agency arrangements for traffic management, New Forest District Council has taken direct responsibility for certain traffic management functions throughout the District area on behalf of the County Council. Formerly, the District Council had an `island' agency with regard to traffic management and therefore only dealt with traffic management issues in the coastal areas of Lymington/New Milton/Milford-on-Sea. The new agency arrangement effectively began on 1 January 2003, although the legal agreement which allows the District to make TROs directly has still to be finalised.

2.2 There are a number of traffic management issues under the new arrangements, such as speed limits, traffic calming, lorry controls and pedestrian crossings, which are known as `reserved matters'. These issues are referable to the County Council before being progressed for a decision on whether the County or the District Council will undertake the work, based upon the issues involved and the availability of resources in each authority. Additionally, some roads have been identified as `County Interest Roads' and traffic management schemes on these roads will involve formal consultation with the County Council as part of the scheme development process.

2.3 As part of the new agency, regular liaison meetings will take place between officers of the County and District Councils to discuss proposed schemes and develop positive partnership arrangements.

3. Traffic Regulation Orders and Signing and Lining Schemes

3.1 Traffic management issues are raised in a number of ways, usually by parish councils, local District or County Members or the public. The police also occasionally raise issues of concern relating to congestion, parking problems or potential safety hazards. Schemes that have been progressed as part of the 2002/03 programme in the New Forest area are shown in Appendix 1. Schemes included in the list are, at this stage in the financial year, either operational or expected to be completed, but earlier in the year are often subject to delay, modification or deletion as consultations progress, or where the TRO advertising procedure gives rise to objections. Additional schemes which arise as a high priority are added to the programme as necessary.

3.2 Following the changes to the agency arrangements, a number of traffic-related issues which were awaiting investigation are in the process of being passed to the District Council. As a number of these had been pending for some time, they will be prioritised for inclusion in the 2003/04 programme along with a range of other schemes identified for early attention. The proposed programme is shown in Appendix 2 and includes schemes being progressed by the County Council as well as the District Council.

4. Parish Partnership Programme

4.1 The origins of the Parish Partnership Programme were explained in some detail in the previous traffic management report on 10 October 2002, and further progress has been made on those schemes already identified within the New Forest District area. Appendix 3 includes those schemes expected to be completed in 2002/03 and Appendix 4 those in 2003/04.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

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