Contact: Paul Basham, ext 6054

1. Summary

1.1 This report provides Members with an update on the Local Transport Plan (LTP) Capital Programmes for 2002/03 and 2003/04 within the New Forest Transport Strategy (NFTS) area.

2. Capital Programme

2.1 The revised NFTS programme for 2003/04 is as follows:

2003/04	£'000
Colbury/Ashurst	1,300
High Street, Fordingbridge	181
Footway Improvements in Sway	42

There are no schemes within the 2002/03 programme. All other schemes are now within the pool of schemes within the 2004/05 and beyond programme. The full programme is considered under a separate item on the agenda.

3. Colbury Right Turn and Ashurst Traffic Calming Measures

3.1 As Members may be aware, the proposed layout for the Colbury right-turn facility provides signal control for traffic from the A326 south-bound to the A35 west, and replaces the loop road arrangement safeguarded in the New Forest District Local Plan. A slip-road loop facility had previously been investigated but, while land had been allowed for this facility, it was insufficient to provide a layout in accordance with current design standards. Extending the safeguarded land to ensure that the minimum design standards could be achieved would have resulted in greater environmental impact on a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

3.2 The need for traffic to do a `U-turn' at Rushington roundabout to gain access to the A35 westbound will cease and reduce traffic flows along this section of the A35. The scheme will also provide a more direct route along the A326 and A35 to Lyndhurst and the New Forest and will help reduce the occurrence of inappropriate traffic through the residential area of Foxhills.

3.3 As an integral part of the phased strategic approach to dealing with traffic conditions in Lyndhurst, the scheme will incorporate traffic management and local access improvements along the A35 through Ashurst. This is an important scheme and the total estimated cost of the Colbury right-turn facility and improvements in Ashurst will be in the region of £1.3 million.

3.4 A valuable relationship had already been established with Ashurst and Colbury Parish Council and the local District Council Member, Councillor Spikins, to develop traffic management options for Ashurst village. The local Member, Councillor Bright, has been closely involved in this process and supports the scheme proposals.

3.5 On 11 July 2002, the Executive Member for Policy and Resources approved the Project Appraisal for the Colbury right-turn facility and Ashurst traffic management. The scheme design is complete, however as a result of changes to the Capital Programme the scheme is now programmed for 2003/04. The start date for the scheme is dependant upon management of the spending within the overall capital budget and the availability of additional funding for the A3 Bus Priority Corridor. This scheme is likely to start towards the beginning of the 2004/05 financial year.

3.6 Landscaping design work has been commenced by New Forest District Council and the preliminary design has met with approval from Ashurst and Colbury Parish Council. Officers in Hampshire County Council's Landscape section have further developed the work. This part of the works will probably be let as a separate contract to make best use of planting times.

3.7 A monitoring programme of traffic flows and other data will be carried out prior to construction commencing.

4. High Street, Fordingbridge

4.1 When this scheme was first included in the Capital Programme, £80,000 was allocated. The total cost of the scheme is now £181,000. The focus of the design work is in the vicinity of the High Street/Provost Street (Market Place) junction. A working group was formed, which included County Council officers and New Forest District Council's Conservation Officer for Fordingbridge, to consider options for the junction. The general framework for the design work, which is in line with the Fordingbridge Environmental Improvements, is to reallocate road space around the junction to benefit pedestrians. The measures, combined with townscape features and careful choice of materials to complement and link with earlier work carried out in the High Street under the Country Towns Initiative, will provide additional space for pedestrians and an improved safer environment for those who use this area of the High Street.

4.2 A preferred option was prepared, which the local Member, Councillor Mrs Heron, supports in principle.

4.3 A more recent increase in the total cost of this scheme has been incurred due to the need to relocate a British Telecom (BT) manhole cover and this is expected to cost in the region of £37,000. Unfortunately, there is no other solution to avoid the BT works. The chamber does not have sufficient cover to allow a carriageway above it. To put carriageway above it would mean raising the carriageway, which is not a feasible solution in the new junction layout.

4.4 A project appraisal was prepared for consideration by the Executive Member for Environment in January 2003. However, concerns were raised at the Executive Member's Briefing about the additional costs that had been incurred and the viability of its implementation

4.5 The Property, Business and Regulatory Services Department has also been in negotiations with Greene King, owner of the Ship Inn, which is now not in favour of its lorries servicing from the rear of the premises. The company is concerned about its legal rights to access the car park now and in the future, the safety of delivering from the New Forest District Council car park and down a ramp into its car park and restrictions the ramp may cause in the Ship Inn car park.

4.6 In addition, a meeting between New Forest District Council and Hampshire Constabulary's Crime Reduction Officer took place on 4 February 2003 to discuss concerns regarding the design due to potential public order problems at the Market Place.

4.7 Discussions on the scheme are continuing, however implementation has been delayed to enable the above issues to be reviewed.

5. Footway Improvements in Sway

5.1 Atkins was commissioned to investigate and design traffic management measures to provide safer routes for children attending St Lukes Primary School in Sway, and this has now been completed.

5.2 The study has proposed traffic management measures at three locations in Sway as follows:

(i) Station Road (north of the railway bridge) - road narrowing to provide a footway on the eastern side of the road (between Middle Road and Stockton House), dropped kerbs to provide an uncontrolled crossing point and coloured surface treatment of the road on the approach to the crossing point;

(ii) Station Road (south of the railway bridge) - same measures as above with pedestrian guardrail on the eastern side to prevent pedestrians walking out onto the road from the existing footpath parallel to the railway line; and

(iii) Church Lane/Westbeams Road - coloured surfacing on the carriageway at the junction, with new school crossing signs installed on Westbeams Road on the approach to the school entrance, re-marking of yellow zig-zag and `school keep clear' markings.

The cost estimate of these measures is £41,500.

5.3 Consultation has taken place with representatives from the school and Parish Council and they have given their support to the proposals. A project appraisal report on the overall scheme will be considered by the Executive Member for Environment in due course to enable implementation of proposed measures in 2003/04.

6. Lyndhurst to Ashurst Cycle Route

6.1 The proposed cycle route is an important link in the overall strategic cycle route network for the New Forest and south-west Hampshire area, to cater for both utility and recreational cycling. Due to the complexity of the scheme and the potential impact upon the New Forest, a significant amount of work is being undertaken to deliver this scheme. However, there are many procedures to be carried out to satisfy all parties.

6.2 A feasibility and preliminary design report has been completed. Its brief was to include the following:

(i) prepare a preliminary engineering design for two options involving the north verge of the A35 between Ashurst and Lyndhurst. These options involve widening the existing footway to two metres to create a shared footway/cycleway, and narrowing the road carriageway in the vicinity of Dunces Arch Enclosure to accommodate a two metre off-road footway/cycleway where the current verge width is less than two metres;

(ii) carry out a feasibility study of the options for taking the above route into the settlements of Lyndhurst and Ashurst; and

(iii) examine the feasibility of using existing Forest Enterprise tracks to the north of the A35 for part or all of the route.

6.3 During July and August 2002 Atkins completed a Phase 1 ecological survey on the northern verge of the A35, to update previous surveys and identify key issues. The survey identified an area of high ecological interest/sensitivity at wet grasslands at Dunces Arch Enclosure (where the verge is less than two metres wide).

6.4 Meetings have been held with New Forest District Council, Forest Enterprises and English Nature to discuss the results of the ecological survey and preliminary views on option feasibility. The draft report was received in late February 2003. Officers are currently analysing this draft report in terms of additional surveys that may be required and the design proposals.

6.5 The options being considered consist of establishing a shared cycleway/footway on the north side of the A35 between Lyndhurst and Ashurst, by widening the existing footway. Preliminary designs have been prepared for two options:

(i) a 2 metre-wide shared cycleway/footway, separated from the main carriageway by a 0.5 metre grass verge; and

(ii) a 1.5 metre shared cycleway/footway, separated from the main carriageway by a 1 metre grass verge.

6.6 There is sufficient width to accommodate a cycleway without moving the fence line or cutting back trees and shrubs. At one section near Dunces Arch Enclosure the verge narrows to two metres, and road carriageway narrowing will be necessary (currently 7.2 metres), to achieve a constant cycleway/footway width. Two cycle route options are being examined for the eastern approach into Lyndhurst, up to Gosport Lane:

(i) a two-way cycleway on the south side of the A35, between the cattle underpass and Beaulieu Road; and

(ii) an on-road cycle lane east-bound from Beaulieu Road, and an off-road cycleway west-bound on the south side of the A35.

6.7 The options include road crossing arrangements at different points along this section. Two cycle route options are being examined for the western approach into Ashurst, between the campsite entrance and Woodlands Road:

(i) shared cycleway/footway use on both sides of the A35, by narrowing the carriageway and minor extension of the verge; and

(ii) use of Forest Enterprise tracks next to the A35.

6.8 A possible route using Forest Enterprise tracks to the north of the A35 is also being investigated. A potential route has been identified and its feasibility is being assessed.

6.9 The project is being guided by an officers' working group, including officers from the County Council, New Forest District Council, English Nature and Forest Enterprise.

6.10 Following scrutiny of the project report at the beginning of February, consultations with key stakeholders, particularly Members, Parish Councils and representatives of relevant local organisations will take place shortly.

7. Ringwood Cycles

7.1 The need has been identified by officers of Hampshire County Council and New Forest District Council to prepare cycling and walking plans for the settlements of Brockenhurst, Fordingbridge and Ringwood. These are the remaining larger settlements of the New Forest not covered by cycle plans and will also look at walking, to provide a coherent strategy.

7.2 Work on a plan for Ringwood commenced in early September 2002, to utilise funds from development proposals and future capital programme allocations.

7.3 A working group, consisting of Members and officers of the County Council, New Forest District Council and Ringwood Town Council, has been set up to undertake assessment work. An initial meeting to agree the scope of the project was held in September 2002, with subsequent meetings including extensive walkabouts of the town.

7.4 So far, about 100 items and measures have been identified. These include widening footways, providing drop road crossings, maintenance of overhanging hedgerows and manhole covers, traffic calming and new cycleways. The group is also currently consulting blind and disabled groups and the Cyclist Touring Club.

7.5 A draft Ringwood Cycling and Walking Plan will be prepared for consideration by the Panel prior to public consultation.

8. Lyndhurst Cycles

8.1 The provision of a new advisory cycle route and cycle track link between Southampton Road and Gosport Lane through the grounds of New Forest District Council Offices at Appletree Court, Lyndhurst has been investigated.

8.2 The route would start on Southampton Road and would require the provision of a new central refuge to provide a safe crossing point from the northern side of Southampton Road (to link into Lyndhurst - Ashurst cycle route) to Beaulieu Road. A new cycle link would then be provided to the access road to the Council Offices via the existing gated access on the New Forest boundary, thus avoiding the cattle grid on Beaulieu Road. The access road to the District Council Offices would be used as an advisory cycle route.

8.3 Two options have been considered for a route through the grounds of the District Council Offices. The first option would leave the existing parking layout but would require the removal of much of the existing boundary hedge and bushes, as well as some large trees. This would provide a two metre wide cycle track for parts of the route. Taking the cycle track behind the existing garage block would result in a poor and substandard facility. The lack of public view behind the block of garages would also make this route seem unattractive, dark and undesirable for the personal safety of cyclists and pedestrians. A major constraint on this option is the discovery of a badger sett on the northern boundary of Appletree Court.

8.4 The second option would require removal of the existing hedge in the centre of the parking area. This would allow the car park layout to be altered to give free space along the northern boundary of the site. Overhead electricity cables would have to be raised or relocated to clear the new parking layout. The number of parking spaces currently available should remain approximately the same. Also existing garage block would have to be demolished and the electricity sub-station re-located, together with the removal of garden buildings in Appletree Court Lodge.

8.5 Finally, for both options, a new wider opening onto the service road in Gosport Road will be required, and land will need to be acquired either by purchase or dedication from The Lyndhurst Park Hotel.

8.6 From the initial work carried out, the second option would seem to be the better, as it would have better standards in terms of width and visibility and therefore be far more attractive to use.

9. New Forest Committee's Strategy for the New Forest

9.1 The Committee received 120 detailed responses through the consultation process, comprising approximately 900 specific comments. These have now been collated and analysed in detail (available on the New Forest Committee website: www.newforestcommittee.org.uk) including suggested major amendments, omissions, factual clarification, changes affecting the balance of the document and comments beyond the scope of the Strategy.

9.2 A detailed report to the New Forest Committee on 3 December 2002 set out the results of the consultation. The Committee discussed and agreed a number of specific recommendations to amend the existing text. This work is currently being taken forward with a view to presenting the final text to the New Forest Committee for approval in March 2003.

9.3 Should this approval be given, the Strategy for the New Forest will be published in April 2003 and distributed widely to interested organisations and individuals. An official launch will be held as part of a major stakeholder workshop in early May 2003.

10. Harnham Relief Road and Brunel Link, Salisbury, Wiltshire

10.1 The County Council and New Forest District Council have objected to a planning application by Wiltshire County Council for the Harnham Relief Road, south of Salisbury in Wiltshire. The objection is based on potential traffic generation as a result of constructing the Harnham Relief Road and its effect on the New Forest. The Relief Road is not contained within the emerging Salisbury Local Plan.

10.2 There is considered to be a lack of supporting information on the wider implications of the route on the New Forest to enable a proper assessment of the impacts of the proposal. The County Council has requested an examination of the potential wider area effects of the Harnham Relief Road and a response to the objections is awaited.

11. Parish Partnerships

11.1 The Parish Partnership Programme has been developed by the County Council in response to legislation enacted in 1997, which permits parish and town councils to fund or contribute towards traffic calming schemes. The County Council has been able to match locally-generated funds from the Minor Works Programme, and in some cases additional funding has been forthcoming from district councils.

11.2 Schemes within the NFTS are set out in the attached appendix.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

7824/PB