Contact: John Buckett, ext 6599 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

That approval be given to:

(i) adding the A3 Bus Priority Corridor project to the 2003/04 transport capital programme as a major scheme with a starts value of £25.1 million; and

(ii) adding £750,000 to the Casualty Reduction Programme for 2003/04, subject to detailed approval for the programme at a later meeting.

2. Reason

2.1 On 28 October 2003 the Department for Transport (DfT) announced that the A3 Bus Priority Corridor project had been accepted for Government funding as a major scheme.

2.2 It is proposed to increase the casualty reduction programme by £750,000 in 2003/04 in order to make accelerated progress in this area, which is one of the County Council's highest priorities and one of its Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 While it would be possible to add more schemes to the 2003/04 programme list, the late notification of the acceptance of the A3 means that, apart from the casualty reduction programme schemes identified, it would not be practical to bring forward new priority schemes to achieve a start on-site within the financial year.

3.2 It is therefore proposed to maximise progress on the current programme and in preparing schemes for an expanded programme in 2004/05 and 2005/06, so that progress can be made in priority areas such as safer routes to school and the PSA target areas of safety and public transport use and performance.

4. Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or a member of officer consulted - Not applicable.

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. A bid for the A3 Bus Priority Corridor project to be accepted as a major scheme was submitted in July 2002 and it was hoped that the scheme would have been accepted through the December 2002 settlement letter from the DfT. However, at that time the Government requested further evidence to be submitted, and this elongated process has now finally been successfully concluded with the announcement on 28 October.

8. The announcement is for Government funding to a total cost of £25.1 million, covering costs from 1 April 2003. Until now costs on this scheme have had to be accommodated from within the County Council's block allocation for integrated transport.

9. There was over-commitment built into the programme and some schemes and programmes were being held to keep within programme spending limits. This acceptance of the A3 corridor as a major scheme means that the County Council is now able to progress all its 2003/04 capital programme without delay, including the A326/A35 Colbury junction improvement (costing £1.3 million with a start early in 2004). It also allows more preparatory work for future years' schemes to be progressed within this financial year.

10. The additional schemes will primarily comprise `low cost' accident remedial works, including road surface improvements at selected sites. Although not all of these improvements will be completed in the financial year, they will significantly contribute to meeting the revised spending target. Details of the revised programme will be submitted to a later meeting of the Executive Member, for approval.

11. The released funding will allow additional schemes to be brought forward into the 2004/05 and 2005/06 programmes. The priorities for inclusion will be considered as part of the capital budget process in January 2004, taking into account the views of the Environment Policy Review Committee and the Area Transportation Strategy Panels (recently sought), and dependant upon the 2003/04 Local Transport Settlement letter from the DfT expected in December 2003.

8402/JWB