Contact: Nick Richardson, ext 5429 e-mail [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report sets out details of the monitoring exercise undertaken in March 2003 as part of the Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport (BEST). This involved an extensive programme of surveys covering road traffic, cycling, pedestrian activity, bus and train use, and air quality. In addition, information was obtained on activity in the town centre, illustrating how monitoring has diversified and involves a wide range of stakeholders. The data included in the report is presented on a comparable basis with previous data collected, so that the monitoring is consistent with other surveys. The report details the surveys undertaken and the results obtained.

2. Introduction

2.1 BEST requires considerable survey work and monitoring to meet the requirements of the Hampshire Local Transport Plan 2001-2006 and the Annual Progress Report, and to ensure that the strategy and its component schemes are fulfilling the objectives set down. The Road Traffic Reduction Act places further requirements on local authorities to assess levels of traffic in their area.

2.2 Similar surveys were undertaken in March 2001 and it is expected that a range of surveys will be undertaken biennially so that comparisons can be made and trends determined.

2.3 The comprehensive nature of these surveys indicates that considerable resources need to be deployed to achieve the level of monitoring required in support of the Local Transport Plan Annual Progress Report and the Road Traffic Reduction Act.

3. Surveys Undertaken

3.1 A range of sources was used to provide information, including the following:

(i) road traffic counts were undertaken by manual classified counts, supplemented with automatic count data where possible;

(ii) vehicle occupancy was determined by manual surveys;

(iii) numbers of rail passengers at each of the four stations in the Borough were recorded, as were cycle carriage on trains and car parking at Basingstoke Station;

(iv) cycle and pedestrian flows were recorded by manual surveys at selected locations;

(v) heavy commercial vehicle flows were included in manual count surveys;

(vi) air quality is monitored continuously at selected sites;

(vii) an indication of the levels of activity in Basingstoke town centre was provided;

(viii) use of the Shopmobility facility was determined;

(ix) crime and disorder influence on movement around the town;

(x) user numbers of the Centre Shuttle bus service introduced in December 2002; and

(xi) car parking levels of use.

The data obtained does not provide a clear picture of travel patterns and further surveys will be required over time, particularly to assess bus use and satisfaction. However, indications are that use of rail is encouraging for Basingstoke town and walking levels are high in a number of locations. Trends for car use cannot yet be determined and other data is, as yet, inconclusive.

4. Survey Results - Traffic Data

4.1 The traffic count sites are located on the Ringway cordon. All vehicles entering and leaving the centre of Basingstoke were counted. Table 1 shows the traffic flows recorded at each of the main cordon points around the Ringway in 1999, 2001 and 2003. While some roads have increased traffic flows, others have decreased and there is no clear pattern overall.

Table 1 : Traffic flows around Ringway cordon, Basingstoke

(manual classified count data, 12 hour two-way flows, 7am - 7pm)

* 1998 count

4.2 Table 2 shows the peak traffic flows recorded at each of the main cordon points.

Table 2 : Ringway cordon traffic count morning peak flows (8-9am)

(manual classified count data, 12 hour two-way flows)

4.3 The surveys recorded vehicle occupancy levels on two major approaches to Basingstoke (see Table 3).

Table 3 : Vehicle occupancy at selected locations

(all vehicles including cars, motorcycles, light and heavy commercial vehicles, 12 hour flows)

Rail Data

4.4 Table 4 shows the level of usage in rail services in Basingstoke and the surrounding network.

Table 4 : Rail passengers (daily 12 hour)

4.5 Table 5 shows the level of rail services around Basingstoke during the morning peak hour (0800 to 0900). The number of passengers at Basingstoke during the morning peak hour accounted for 16% of the total number of passengers at this station.

Table 5 : Rail passengers (morning peak hour 0800 to 0900)

4.6 Table 6 shows the carriage of cycles on trains.

Table 6 : Cycle carriage on trains (daily 12 hour)

4.7 The car park capacity on the north side of Basingstoke Station has been reduced following resurfacing works and a new layout introduced by South West Trains. Table 7 indicates the high demand for parking at the station.

Table 7 : Car parking at Basingstoke Station (11am occupancy)

Cycling

4.8 Cycle use was monitored at each of the cordon sites and shows the number of cyclists over a 12 hour period (see Table 8). Monitoring cycling is difficult in that there is a wide variety of routes, many of which are unrelated to the road network with cyclists avoiding traffic. Also, factors such as the weather can influence the number of cyclists significantly.

Table 8: Cycle flows at cordon sites (12 hour two-way flows)

Pedestrian Data

4.9 Pedestrian counts were undertaken at selected points (bridges and underpasses) around the Ringway. Some locations have very high levels of activity associated with journeys to work, town centre facilities and education facilities (see Table 9).

Table 9 : Pedestrian flows at cordon sites (12 hour two-way flows)

Heavy Commercial Vehicles

4.10 Heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs) were recorded as part of the manual classified counts (see Table 10). In all cases where tables are comparable the HCV proportions are low compared with the 7% national average.

Table 10 : Heavy commercial vehicles as proportion of traffic flow

(12 hour two-way flows)

Air Quality

4.11 The Borough Council's Environmental Health Team operates a continuous air quality monitoring station. This provides up to date information on the levels of nitrogen dioxide, ozone and fine particles in the local atmosphere. A number of sites are also monitored for oxides of nitrogen using diffusion tube samplers.

4.12 In 2000, an Air Quality Review and Assessment was completed which concluded that the general air quality in Basingstoke is good and there was no need to introduce an air quality management area at this time. The principal source of pollution in the area is vehicle emissions.

4.13 The Borough Council is currently working on its second full Review and Assessment of Air Quality, in accordance with national guidance. The results of this assessment will be published in late 2003 and will be available via the Borough Council's web site www.basingstoke.gov.uk.

Town Centre Trade Activity and Car Parking

4.14 The complex programme of demolition and reconstruction to develop the former Walks Shopping Centre into Festival Place was completed on schedule in October 2002. The Basingstoke Town Centre Initiative coordinated a number of initiatives to sustain customer loyalty during the development period. These included parking campaigns in partnership with the Borough Council and Festival Place, to promote off-peak car parking and minimise car park congestion over the Christmas period. Footfall during 2001/02 was successfully maintained at the same levels as in 2000.

Car Parking

4.15 Information regarding the use of town centre car parks has been obtained from the Borough Council (see Table 11).

Table 11: Index of car park use in Basingstoke town centre (2000/01=100)

* no data available for 2000/01

4.16 Festival Place has transformed the town centre, with 850,000 square feet of retail space and 150,000 square feet of leisure space housing 165 shops, 26 bars, restaurants and cafes, a 10-screen cinema, nightclub, sports centre and library. It also provides parking for 3,000 cars. Shops remain open until 2000 hours, overlapping with the evening economy, so that the town centre remains active throughout the day and evening until the doors close at 0100 hours. Visitor numbers have increased significantly and are on target to reach 18 million in 2003 (compared with 14.7 million in 2001). Dwell time has lengthened from 1.28 in 2001 to 1.33 in 2003 and average monthly car park visits increased from 45,374 in 2001 to 118,892 in 2003. Average spend per group on clothing has increased by 85% and spend on catering has more than doubled.

Shopmobility

4.17 Shopmobility Basingstoke continues to flourish. The number of new customers is consistently high, with no sign of slowing down. Consequently, the number of vehicles hired continues to rise. In 2001, 341 new customers registered and 4,703 vehicles were hired. This was followed in 2002 by 463 new customers and 5,522 vehicles hired. To cope with this continued growth extensions have been made both to the vehicle store and the car park in Church Street, funded by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

4.18 Opening hours have increased to include Sunday, keeping the service in line with the new Festival Place shopping centre. In October 2002 a part-time assistant manager was appointed for 20 hours per week, and this has since been increased to 27 hours per week.

Crime and Disorder

4.19 Police recording methods have changed and it is therefore important to balance the apparent rise in crime against the reality of crime. Locally, trends suggest that most crime categories have been falling slightly, year on year. Violent crime is perhaps the exception to this rule but, again, more is being reported and discovered by CCTV systems.

4.20 Incidents with transport are comparatively low. Vehicle crime where vehicles are broken into is not uncommon and there is little change in the trend over the past year. Vehicle theft is fairly infrequent, whilst thefts from vehicles are still prevalent due to business people 'advertising' their belongings on the back seat of their cars. There have been no incidents reported on aggravated vehicle taking (theft with violence) and reported violence against the person on public transport remains a rarity within the Basingstoke Police Division.

Centre Shuttle

4.21 The Centre Shuttle bus service was launched on 4 December 2002. Centre Shuttle operates as a high frequency bus service over a short route taking in three main centres in Basingstoke Town Centre. These are the Leisure Park, where a Park and Ride is based, the town centre and rail station interchange, and the commercial business centre at Basing View.

4.22 Centre Shuttle offers a seven day service, starting from early commuting hours running to late evening, with frequencies of 8 to 10 minutes during peak travel times to an off-peak maximum of every 15 minutes. It uses three distinctly liveried easy access vehicles to deliver the service. Centre Shuttle is operated by the local company Courtney Coaches, which was awarded a three year contract, on behalf of the Borough Council.

4.23 As a promotional incentive to start using Centre Shuttle, the service was free to all users for the first month of operation, with charging taking effect from January 2003. After six months of service, 103,000 passengers have been carried. An ongoing marketing campaign is in place to maximise levels of patronage for the service which has included targeted customer surveys. The competitively priced service is intended to reduce unnecessary car trips into the town centre, but also to give increased accessibility for the young and elderly to key activities, such as shopping and leisure.

5. Conclusion

5.1 The extensive survey work undertaken for transport activities in the BEST area provides a range of indicators which will give a picture of changes over time, both for demand and supply of transport. It is intended to repeat surveys in the future to provide a comprehensive database against which initiatives can be assessed for Local Transport Plan and strategy monitoring purposes.

Recommendation

That the Panel notes the results of the 2003 Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport surveys.

8217/NR