Contact: Jonathan Crabb, ext 6047 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report details the results of the latest round of biennial monitoring of the South East Hampshire Transport Strategy (SEHTS). The survey programme is extensive, covering road traffic, pedestrian activity, bus patronage, train use and air quality.

2. Introduction

2.1 Monitoring and evaluation forms an intrinsic part of the Hampshire Local Transport Plan 2001-2006 (LTP) and Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 (RTRA) processes. It is part of the County Council's holistic view of transport and is strongly linked to the targets set for the county as a whole and for the individual area transport strategies.

2.2 Development of the SEHTS has involved considerable survey work and monitoring since its inception. The monitoring fulfils the requirements of the RTRA, which requires local authorities to assess levels of traffic in their area. The LTP has required additional monitoring to be undertaken to establish how the strategy is performing in relation to its objectives and to ensure that the measures implemented are having the anticipated impact.

2.3 The SEHTS strategy area is formed of four districts - Gosport, Havant, Fareham and East Hampshire.

2.4 The biennial monitoring programme for the SEHTS began in 1998 and surveys were again undertaken in 2000, which enables comparisons to be made between off-peak and peak transport trends. These surveys will next take place in 2004.

2.5 Transpol household questionnaire surveys are undertaken throughout Hampshire and designed to collect information on travel behaviour and public attitudes towards various transport related issues. Transpol data will be of limited use in this monitoring report as surveys were undertaken in 1995 and repeated in 1998. The next set of Transpol data is due to be collected in 2004.

3. Local Transport Plan Targets for South East Hampshire

3.1 The Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 requires that targets are set for local transport strategy areas so that progress against these targets can be monitored.

3.2 The headline target set by the LTP for the SEHTS area is to reduce traffic growth by two thirds. This is supported by complementary targets relating to increased use of public transport, cycling and walking; parking provision; journeys to school; travel plans and satisfaction with non-car modes of travel. Details of LTP objectives for the SEHTS area and their corresponding targets are outlined in Table 1.

Table 1: LTP Objectives and Targets for SEHTS

4. Surveys Undertaken

4.1 Surveys were undertaken at cordon points located on key routes to provide data required. A range of sources was used to provide information, including the following:

(i) Road traffic counts were undertaken at several sites. These included traffic volume counts (including cycle and Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) counts) and counts to assess vehicle occupancy.

(ii) Counts were undertaken to provide an accurate assessment of the numbers of bus users on key routes.

(iii) Rail user counts were made on each platform to ascertain the number of people using the train.

(iv) Monitoring of the number of pedestrian movements on key routes.

(v) Air quality information recorded by the District Council.

5. Transpol Household Questionnaires

5.1 Transpol household questionnaire surveys were last undertaken for the SEHTS area in February 1999. This data was reported to this Panel on 14 March 2000.

5.2 The next round of Transpol surveys for SEHTS area is due to be undertaken in 2004.

6. Traffic Survey Results

6.1 Details of the traffic, pedestrian, cycle and public transport surveys undertaken for SEHTS in 2002 are described below. It should be noted that the data collected provides only a snapshot of the situation on one day and that there will inevitably be variations in traffic flows at individual sites due to local circumstances such as the weather and daily traffic conditions. It is, however, considered that the results of these surveys provide a useful initial picture of transport trends. Until monitoring has taken place over a number of years these results should be treated as a broad guide. It will be possible to predict trends more reliably over the longer term.

Traffic Flows

Headline SEHTS Target: To reduce traffic growth by two-thirds by 2020.

6.2 Table 2 shows the traffic flows recorded at each of the main cordon points in November for 1998, 2000 and 2002. At individual sites the results are mixed, with some sites showing an increase in traffic flows and other sites showing a decrease. Overall, between 1998 and 2002, traffic levels in the SEHTS area increased by approximately 1%, with a small decrease of 1.9% in traffic flows between 2000 and 2002, which is not on track to meet SEHTS targets. It should be noted that the significant decrease in traffic flows recorded at the A3 site for 2002 may be due to the commencement of works on the A3 Public Transport Priority Corridor in 2001.

Table 2: Traffic Flows at Key Cordon Points 1998 to 2002

Peak Hour Traffic Flows

6.3 Table 3 illustrates peak-time traffic flows at each of the key monitoring sites in the SEHTS area. Overall a decrease of 7.9% was seen in traffic flows at peak times.

Table 3 : Traffic Flows at Peak Times at Key Cordon Points

Vehicle Occupancy

6.4 Table 4 demonstrates the levels of vehicle occupancy. With the exception of Whiteley Way, vehicle occupancy was not monitored prior to the November 2002 surveys. However it is proposed to include it in future monitoring surveys to enable comparisons to be made. The surveys at Whiteley Way indicate that vehicle occupancy decreased slightly between 1998 and 2002.

Table 4: Vehicle Occupancy Levels (2002 only)

Cycle Flows

SEHTS Target: Double the number of cycle trips by 2010 and double them again by 2020

6.5 Table 5 shows the cycle use recorded at each of the main cordon points. Overall, during the monitoring period 1998 to 2002, cycle use declined by a total of 16.8%, with a greater decline of 19.6% between 2000 and 02. An increase was seen at two individual sites - B3334 Titchfield Road and the A32 Gosport Lane (although cycle use subsequently decreased on the A32 between 2000-02). It should be noted that cycle use may be strongly affected by external factors such as weather conditions on the day of the survey.

Table 5: Cycle Flows at Key Cordon Points 1998 to 2002

Pedestrian Movements

SEHTS Target: To increase the number of walking trips by 50% by 2020

6.6 Table 6 shows the number of pedestrian movements recorded at each cordon point. The first survey took place in November 2002 and so no data from previous years is available for comparison. Pedestrian movements are very low at many of the sites, which may reflect the fact that several of the sites are major `A' routes with little attraction for pedestrians.

Table 6: Pedestrian Movements at Key Cordon Points 2000 - 2002

Heavy Commercial Vehicle Flows

6.7 Table 7 shows the number of HCVs recorded at each of the main cordon points, and the percentage of total traffic they make up. The percentage of total traffic made up by HCVs has increased by around 0.5% since 1998, however it is low in comparison with the national average, which is around 6%.

Table 7: HCV Movements at Key Cordon Points 1998 to 2002

7. Rail Patronage

SEHTS Target: To increase the number of rail trips by 100% by 2020 from a 1998 base

7.1 Table 8 shows the levels of usage of rail services in the SEHTS area. Numbers of cycles taken on and off the trains were also recorded. The table illustrates that a substantial improvement in passenger numbers was recorded over the period, reflecting good progress towards the government's target for rail patronage increases by 2020. The surveys show that passenger numbers have increased at all of the stations.

7.2 The number of cycles taken on the trains has increased from 67 in 2000 to 105 in 2002, an increase of 56.7%.

Table 8: Railway Station Use

8. Bus Patronage

SEHTS Targets: To increase the number of bus trips by 25% by 2020 from a 1998 base

8.1 Table 9 demonstrates the levels of bus occupancy recorded at the monitoring sites in South East Hampshire. Overall, a decrease of approximately 3% was seen in levels of bus patronage between 1998 and 2002.

Table 9: Bus Patronage Levels

9. Accident Monitoring

SEHTS Target: By 2010 compared with the average 1994-98 to achieve:

(i) 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents;

(ii) 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured; and

(iii) 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate, expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100 million vehicle kilometres.

9.1 Accident data has been collected for the SEHTS area over a number of years. Table 10 illustrates the average annual accident rate for the SEHTS area between 1994-1998 as compared with the accident rate for 2002. The figures show a decrease of 24% in 2002 in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents and a decrease of 22% in the number of children killed or seriously injured. The number of people slightly injured fell by 6.6% in 2002. These decreases indicate satisfactory progress towards the 2010 targets.

Table 10: Accident Data for the SEHTS Monitoring Area

10. Air Quality Monitoring

SEHTS Targets: To achieve the targets of the National Air Quality Strategy;

To contribute to the UK's climate change targets

10.1 The Environment Act 1995 sets out a system of local air quality management, with local authorities taking the lead role. In particular it requires district councils to carry out periodic reviews of the air quality in their areas and to assess present and future air quality against the objectives in the regulations. Where the air quality objectives are unlikely to be met by the end of 2005, the Authority is required to designate an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and to prepare an action plan for improvements in air quality. Results to date indicate that each borough is on track to meet National Air Quality targets. No AQMAs have been dedicated for the SEHTS area.

10.2 Table 11 gives the locations of Nitrogen Oxide (NO_x) monitoring stations within the SEHTS area.

Table 11: Locations of Air Quality Monitoring Stations in Fareham, Gosport and Havant

10.3 Table 12 provides an indication of NO_x levels in each of the boroughs. The Hampshire average for NO_x in 2002 was 21.5 parts per billion (ppb). The National Air Quality Strategy sets an objective of 21 ppb as an annual mean by 31 December 2005. Fareham and Havant Boroughs achieved an annual average of less than the national target in 2002. Air quality monitoring in Gosport began in 2001. Results to date show a greater concentration of NO_x in Gosport than in the other boroughs, also greater than the Hampshire average. It should be noted that in 2002 Gosport only measured air quality at one site.

10.4 Gosport Borough Council also measure PM10. The annual average for the site in Gosport for 2002 was 18.8Mg/M³. The target set by the National Air Quality Strategy is an annual average of 40Mg/M³ or less by 31 December 2004 and 20Mg/M³ by 31 December 2009.

Table 12: Air Quality data for SEHTS Monitoring area - Average NO_X Levels

Note: Data shown in parts per billion (ppb)

Table 13: Air Quality Data for SEHTS Monitoring Area - Average PM10 Levels

Note: Data shown in Mg/M³

11. School and Business Travel Plans

SEHTS Target: To encourage the implementation of selected school and business travel plans

11.1 In 2002 the County Council assisted with the development of 11 Business Travel Plans and 5 School Travel Plans in the SEHTS area.

12. Progress Towards Meeting LTP Targets

12.1 Table 13 indicates progress made in the SEHTS area towards meeting the targets set out in the LTP.

12.2 It is considered that the results of the 2002 monitoring provide a useful initial picture of transport trends in the SEHTS area when compared with data from 1998 and 2000. It should be noted that the data collected provides only a snapshot of the situation on one day and there will inevitably be variations in traffic flow at individual sites due to local circumstances such as the weather and daily traffic conditions. Until there has been monitoring over a longer number of years, these results should be treated as a broad guide. It will be possible to predict trends more reliably over the longer term.

Table 14: Summary of Progress Towards Meeting Targets for SEHTS

13. Further Development of the Monitoring Strategy for South East Hampshire

13.1 The requirements of the LTP involve a much greater level of monitoring than has been undertaken previously. As such, it is proposed to develop the strategy further to incorporate a wider range of monitoring issues, and to help give a better understanding of the impacts of different factors on the environment, traffic levels, transport usage and travel behaviour trends.

13.2 Two SEHTS targets were identified by this round of monitoring for which no data was available to measure progress. These were to increase:

(i) the number of bus, walk and cycle trips to school to a minimum of 75% by 2010; and

(ii) public support for more sustainable travel choices by 25% by 2010 (as monitored by Transpol surveys).

The next round of Transpol surveys will be undertaken in the SEHTS area in 2004. This will provide data to assess progress against these targets.

13.3 To obtain an accurate measure of pedestrian movements in the SEHTS area it may be necessary to select a new set of pedestrian monitoring sites. Pedestrian flows on some of the major routes were very low, suggesting that these are not used by pedestrians.

14. Conclusion

14.1 The surveys carried out for this monitoring report have provided a comprehensive range of transport indicators for the SEHTS area. However, it should be borne in mind that these surveys are a snapshot of one day's traffic flow and may have been influenced by a number of external factors, including weather. Data collected for 2002 was more extensive than in previous years, so comparisons with data collected in 1998 and 2000 have been made where possible.

14.2 The surveys indicate that traffic flows have remained fairly constant within the SEHTS area, although traffic flows at peak times have reduced by approximately 8% since 1998.

14.3 Mixed results have been seen in public transport use: rail passenger numbers in the SEHTS area increased, while bus use declined by approximately 3%. The numbers of people cycling also declined between 1998 and 2002. The increase in rail use and decline in bus and cycle use reflects that seen on a county level by the 2001 census.

14.4 The data collated for this monitoring programme will be compared with the results of future surveys to establish trends in transport attitudes and behaviour for the area. Data will also be used in assessing the impacts of SEHTS initiatives over a longer time period and in reviewing progress for the purposes of the LTP and the Road Traffic Reduction Act, 1997.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

8185/JC