Archived decisions

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Spatial Strategy

11 November 2003

Project Appraisal: New Road, Basingstoke - Signalled Pedestrian Crossing and Associated Highway Works

Report of the Director of Environment

Item 4

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - SPATIAL STRATEGY

PROJECT APPRAISAL

(Externally Funded)

PROJECT:

NEW ROAD, BASINGSTOKE - SIGNALLED PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AND ASSOCIATED HIGHWAY WORKS

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

JANUARY 2004

COMPLETION DATE:

AUGUST 2004

PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME: 2003/04

7.

Scheme

Provision of a signal controlled pedestrian crossing (Puffin crossing) in New Road, Basingstoke to replace an existing under utilised subway. The filling in of the subway and its approaches will release significant areas of land on both sides of New Road, which will be used to introduce revised car park access and bus lay-by facilities and additional car parking and/or taxi waiting areas.

7.1

Introduction

In March 2002, the Basingstoke Cabinet Member for Environmental Sustainability approved a number of projects using funding available from the Borough Council's Capital Programme for 2002/03. Under Pedestrian Access Improvements, Pedestrian Facilities, the New Road crossing and associated highway works were identified for future implementation.

An existing subway under New Road links Southern Road with Castons Yard Car Park (see attached location plan). The subway, which runs alongside Webbers Garage, is uninviting to pedestrians, many of whom feel unsafe when using it. Furthermore, it is quicker and more direct to cross New Road at-grade; a survey conducted in July 2002 revealed that of 3,022 people crossing at this location in a 12-hour day (7 m to 7 pm) only 137 actually used the subway. This represents more than 95% of pedestrians crossing New Road do so at-grade.

A survey of vehicle flows was also conducted in New Road during the same period and, when combined with the pedestrian flows, this gave a PV2 value of 2.09 x 108 for the four busiest hours of the day. Thus, the numerical criterion for the provision of a formal crossing is well above the minimum County standard of 0.5 x 108.

7.2

Details

A signal controlled Puffin crossing will be provided in New Road as a replacement for the existing subway. The crossing will include all the latest design features including flush kerbs and tactile paving to assist disabled and partially sighted people.

The subway will be filled in and its approaches removed, thus allowing significant areas of land on both sides to be redeveloped and utilised for additional car parking and/or the provision of a taxi rank. Some of the additional parking will be designated for use by disabled motorists, which is particularly important in view of the proximity of this area to Basingstoke town centre.

The proposals will also involve exchanging the location of the entrance into the Castons/Southern Road Car Parks with the existing bus lay-by in New Road.

7.3

Standards

The crossing and all associated works will be designed and implemented according to the requirements of the relevant standards and advice, notably The Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Crossings Regulations and General Directions 1997 and the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002.

7.4

Statutory Procedures and Consultation

The implementation of the works associated with the crossing will necessitate the extinguishment of various areas of highway, the ownership of which will revert to the freeholder of the land which, in this case, is the Borough Council. The measures will also require amendments to the Car Parks Order and new Traffic Regulation Orders to cover a proposed disabled persons parking area and/or a taxi rank.

The Borough Council is progressing the Car Parks Order amendment and will process the Traffic Regulation Order amendments, subject to completion of the new Traffic Management Agency arrangements. The County Council is dealing with the highway extinguishment process.

The installation of the Puffin crossing was subject to the usual process of advertisement and no objections were received. Furthermore, the outcome of the consultation exercise conducted so far is that there is a strong local desire to see the removal of the subway. Approximately 100 members of the public attended a local exhibition held at the Basingstoke Irish Centre in May 2002 and, to date, 28 comments sheets have been returned. Of these, 61% support the replacement of the subway with an at-grade signalled crossing, 57% support the creation of additional off-street car parking places in the adjacent car parks and 46% agreed with allocating some spaces for use by disabled motorists.

7.5

Policy Considerations

The County policy regarding the provision of signal controlled pedestrian crossings is fully met and the Puffin crossing should provide a convenient and safe means of crossing New Road. The existing subway is ignored by all but a minority of pedestrians and its removal will therefore have little or no impact on pedestrian movements.

7.6

Environmental Impacts

The overall aim of the crossing scheme and ancillary works is to make better provision for people on foot and to provide a more equitable balance between pedestrians and cars. Landscaping and trees will be provided as part of the scheme to enhance the environmental quality of the area.

7.7

Land Requirement

No acquisition of land is required. All works will be confined to existing highway limits or land within the control of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

7.8

Alternative Arrangements

Replacement of an unpopular and little used subway with a surface crossing already much in demand was the only viable scheme and, as such, no alternative arrangements were considered. The creation of additional usable land in place of the subway approaches has provided opportunities for creating enhanced car park and taxi facilities.

7.9

Local Member's View

The local Member, Councillor Gurden, has been involved in the development of and supports the proposals. The scheme has also been reported to both the Basingstoke Highways Management Advisory Panel and the Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport Panel with no objections or concerns being raised.

7.10

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

Personal security and fear of crime are partly the reasons why the existing subway is little used. A signalled surface crossing in full view of passing motorists is a more secure and safer means of crossing the road.

7.11

Sustainability

A well designed surface crossing will encourage more people to walk between local facilities.

8.

Financial Arrangements

8.1

Expenditure

£'000

Funds Available

£'000

Design Fee

20

B&DBC Funding

248

Supervision

5

Project Works

223

Land

____

____

Total

248

Total

248

____

____

8.2

Revenue Implications

£'000

% Variation to Committee's budget

Net increase in

current expenditure

Capital Charge

Total Expenditure

Nil

Nil

8.3

Maintenance Implications

The removal of a redundant subway with all its lighting and maintenance requirements represents a significant saving in running costs, which will offset the maintenance costs of the replacement Puffin crossing. Street planting will be chosen to provide a low maintenance need and there will only be a marginal increase on the current environmental costs of maintaining grass and trees.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1.

Published works.

2.

Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE

LOCATION

New Road, Basingstoke

Technical File

Traffic Management Group

Sheridan House, Jewry Street, Winchester