Contact: Richard Stocks, ext 5202

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

(i) That the proposed amendments to the programme be approved.

(ii) That Test Valley Borough Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and local Members be consulted on a proposal to direct the financial contribution received in respect of School Lane/ Templars Way junction improvement towards the Chandler's Ford Railway Station.

(iii) That, subject to consultation in (ii) above, approval be given to the Chief Executive to conclude an appropriate Deed of Variation of the Bloor Legal Agreement directing the contribution received by the County Council in respect of the improvement of the junction of Templars Way with School Lane towards the provision of Chandler's Ford Railway Station.

(iv) That the School Lane/Templars Way junction improvements be deferred for consideration for the future Capital Programme.

(v) That approval be given to commence negotiations to purchase the land and enter into a Wayleave Agreement for the Flexford Road pedestrian and cycle bridge.

2. Reason

2.1 To allow the continued implementation of the programme of works.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 Not applicable.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. Background

7.1 The Knightwood Development Funded Programme was submitted to the former Roads and Development Sub-Committee on 17 January 2000. This programme was subsequently reported on and minor amendments made in the report approved by the Executive Member for Environment on 16 July 2002. This report details the continued progress on these schemes and seeks approval for the amendment of the programme in the light of continued design of the projects.

8. Knightwood Funding

8.1 A total of £3.469 million was collected from the developers of Knightwood. Up to 16 July 2002 a further £208,000 in interest had been added. Since July 2002 a further £70,000 has been added bringing the total to £3.747 million.

8.2 To date £1.897 million has been spent on schemes, leaving £1,850 million for the remaining schemes with a further £100,000 of interest projected to come in 2003 and 2004. A full breakdown of the estimated and actual spending is shown in Appendix 1.

9. Works Completed

9.1 In the report of 16 July 2002 the following works had been completed:

(i) Hocombe Road footway;

(ii) Bus Service Support and the Community Bus;

(iii) A27 Cycle Route: Scragg Hill-Firgrove Road;

(iv) North Baddesley Traffic Management and Cycles Phases I and II;

(v) A27 Castle Lane Junction Signals;

(vi) Knightwood School Safety Zone;

(vii) Honeysuckle Way Cycles;

(viii) smaller works, ie bus shelters, signals, etc; and

(ix) various feasibility studies.

9.2 Since that report the following works have been completed:

(i) Hiltingbury Traffic Management;

(ii) Castle Lane Cycle Route; and

(iii) Shannon Way and Electron Way bus links feasibilities.

9.3 The Hiltingbury Traffic Management and the Castle Lane Cycle Route Scheme required some remedial works and these have now been completed. The studies for the Shannon Way and Electron Way bus links have been completed and show that these schemes are possible but will require in the order of £300,000 (plus land and public utilities costs) each to implement. Further detailed designs are required to confirm the estimated outturn values of the schemes. The funding for these schemes is not available from the Knightwood Development Fund. It is proposed that they should be assessed for inclusion in future Local Transport Plan (LTP) programmes.

10. Ongoing Works

Chandlers Ford Railway Station

10.1 Since approval of the Project Appraisal in October, the estimated cost of the project has risen from £2.2 million to £3.38 million. The predicted final cost reflects increases in tender preparation fees, works to the station and cycle ramp and footbridge, management, supervision and legal fees and land. It is proposed that the project funding profile is adjusted by increasing the externally funded contribution from the Knightwood Agreements from £800,000 to £1.2 million and LTP from £1.4 million to £2.18 million (2002/03 programme). The detailed financial and consequential information relating to Chandler's Ford Railway Station is contained in the confidential Appendix 2 attached to this report.

Templars Way Junction Improvements

10.2 The works to Montgomery Way/Templars Way junction have been completed. There is some concern from residents that the scheme will not achieve its aims of easing safer right turn manoeuvres in and out of Montomery Way. This scheme will therefore be monitored with a survey of traffic movements in September 2003 to see if the scheme has achieved its aims.

10.3 The proposed works to the School Lane junction have not been able to be progressed as had been hoped. In the final stages before the works were to be built two 33 kilovolt electric cables were found where the slip lane was to be constructed. The Electricity Board plans had shown these cables to be a significant distance away from their actual location. It is estimated that it will cost £128,000 to relocate these cables. This addition would potentially more than double the assigned budget for the scheme.

10.4 As the School Lane/Templars Way junction is substantially more expensive and its delivery of the Council's Environmental and Transport Policy objectives is limited, it is proposed to abandon this scheme. It is proposed to consult Test Valley Borough Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and the local Members on a proposal which, subject to a Deed of Variation with J S Bloor (Newbury) Limited to divert the School Lane/ Templars Way contribution to the Chandlers Ford Railway Station, abandons the School Lane/Templars Way junction improvement.

10.5 The design of the proposed pedestrian signals for the Castle Lane/Templars Way signalled junction has been completed. This will be the subject of a Project Appraisal in July 2003 which will detail the proposed programme.

Valley Park to Toynbee School Cycles

10.6 Phase 1 of this project (the ramp from the Eastleigh Borough Council car park at Chandler's Ford Station) forms part of the Chandler's Ford Railway Station contract and is currently under construction. Design of the remaining section (Phase 2) is now complete and a Project Appraisal will be prepared in July 2003.

Valley Park to Hiltingbury Cycle Route

10.7 These works have been designed. The addition of the pedestrian phase of the signals at the junction of Hursley Road/Baddesley Road/Hiltingbury Road will be the subject of a Project Appraisal in July 2003 with the works being completed by Christmas. The design work on the Flexford Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge has been completed. As design work progressed and estimates refined (including inflationary factors) outturn costs on Flexford Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge have increased. It is proposed that these increased costs, estimated at £200,000, will be met by the addition of Capital in the 2005/06 LTP programme. Land negotiations and wayleaves are programmed for commencement in 2003/04 to facilitate construction early in 2005. This report seeks approval to open negotiations for the land and obtain wayleaves from Network Rail.

11. Conclusion

11.1 The Knightwood Development Programme has continued to deliver a range of schemes including, in part, the Chandler's Ford Railway Station. Many of the schemes have been completed with the final schemes nearing completion. The modifications to the programme continue to deliver the major elements of the package and will provide considerable benefits to the community of Chandler's Ford.

8024X/RDS

APPENDIX 1

KNIGHTWOOD SCHEMES

Estimated Costs to Complete Schemes in Progress