Contact: Chris Lait, tel: 01329 824485 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report details the programmes for:

(i) Regeneration of Older Urban Areas;

(ii) Intelligent Transport Systems; and

(iii) Bridgeworks.

2. Regeneration of Older Urban Areas

Castle Street, Portchester

2.1 The Regeneration of Older Urban Areas (ROUA) scheme for Castle Street, implemented by the County Council and Fareham Borough Council in partnership, is now substantially complete. Defects in the surface dressing to the carriageway have been remedied and a short length of specialist pavement surfacing is now the only outstanding area of work. It is planned to arrange an opening ceremony on completion of this final element of work in June 2004.

Shore Road, Warsash

2.2 The consultants, Atkins, are currently preparing details for the next phase of work in Shore Road and Passage Lane at Warsash. The scheme will link all previously completed projects in the area. It is planned to exhibit the plans in public in the next two months with implementation in autumn 2004.

Town Quay, Fareham

2.3 Funding for a partnership scheme for this important and historic area close to the town centre has now been secured by the ROUA 2003-2005 programme and by Fareham Borough Council. Implementation of work at Town Quay will be undertaken after the Warsash scheme is completed. Subject to a detailed assessment and scoping exercise, planning work, related initiatives and progress on adjacent development sites, implementation of work at Town Quay is therefore unlikely to occur until mid to late 2005.

3. Intelligent Transport Systems

3.1 The Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Group of the Environment Department is responsible for feasibility, design, implementation, operation and maintenance of traffic control, and traffic and travel information systems throughout Hampshire. Most new implementation is funded through the Capital Programme or external funding, whilst the maintenance of the central systems and facilities on street are funded through the Revenue Budget. During 2003/04 the programme of ITS deployment throughout Hampshire has been significant and includes a large number of new traffic signals, pelican crossings, real-time bus passenger information systems, car park information systems and bus departure information systems. This has resulted in a significant increase in the scope and geographic coverage of ITS facilities in Hampshire. This increase in the deployment of ITS will mean a greater traffic and travel information service can be provided and the dissemination facilities through the media and internet will be enhanced. Works within the current capital programme are referred to in the report entitled, Progress Update on Schemes in the Capital Programme elsewhere on the Agenda.

3.2 As an addition to the current information network, on the M27 motorway, between junction 9 and the A3(M)/A27, 19 Enhanced Message Signs (EMS), eight CCTV cameras and a series of vehicle detectors in the surface of the carriageway are being installed by the Highways Agency. The images from the cameras and the output from the monitoring equipment will be fed into the County Council's traffic and travel information centre (TTIC) and to the Police control room. The information collected will give the County Council the ability to set the messages on the EMS in conjunction with the Police, further extending the facilities available for the management of the transport network in the area.

4. Bridgeworks

General

4.1 The Bridges Section of the Environment Department is responsible for inspection maintenance, replacement, load assessment and strengthening of all existing County highway structures, together with new structures built as part of road improvements, housing schemes and industrial developments. This includes 1,400 road bridges, 300 footbridges and numerous ancillary structures such as retaining walls and gantries.

Funding

4.2 The majority of bridge maintenance, assessment and strengthening is capital funded via the Local Transport Plan (LTP), but inspections, routine maintenance, footbridges and environmental maintenance of subways are revenue funded.

Maintenance

4.3 This includes regular routine items, such as vegetation and drainage clearance; repairs to accident damage; major and minor structural maintenance identified from the annual cycle of bridge inspections and environmental maintenance of subways. The latter covers graffiti removal and cleaning under a three year term contract with a firm called Graffiti Solutions. Raynesway Construction Southern (RCS) carry out the majority of other maintenance, though some specialist or larger jobs are awarded by tender.

Load assessment and strengthening

4.4 This programme was instigated by EU legislation that allowed 40 tonne lorries on our roads from 1 January 1999. The assessments are now complete and strengthening of sub-standard bridges is on-going. There remain about 25 bridges subject to interim measures, such as weight limits or monitoring, that will be strengthened over the next five or six years, funding permitting.

Road/Rail bridges

4.5 Following the Selby crash in February 2001, parapets and safety fences at road/rail interfaces, the majority of which are bridges, have been evaluated and prioritised and a rolling programme for protective measures has commenced. This will continue over several years as funding is made available.

Aluminium parapets

4.6 The Highways Agency has identified that aluminium vehicle parapets made by BACO, installed before 1994, are not to current standards. All such parapets on County bridges have been prioritised and a contract for their replacement or strengthening is being prepared. The timing and extent of work has not yet been finalised but is expected that the contract will be largely completed in 2004/05. Further information on individual bridges affected is given below.

2004/05 schemes in Fareham

Bursledon bridge, A27

4.7 This three span reinforced concrete arch carries the A27 over the River Hamble at Bursledon. Following detailed inspection, investigation and consultation, a major concrete repair contract was awarded to Concrete Repairs Limited. Work started on site in April 2003 and is due for completion in April 2004, at an estimated cost of £550,000. Repairs are carried out mainly from scaffolding under the bridge so traffic disruption is kept to a minimum.

Cams South culvert

4.8 This corrugated steel Armco culvert carries the A27, on the south side of Delme Arms roundabout, over the north end of Fareham Lake. The apron and revetment have been damaged by scour and a diving/marine engineering contractor will be carrying out repairs, which are mainly underwater. Consultations with the Environment Agency and English Nature are under way and it is hoped that the work will take place in spring 2004.

Aluminium parapets

4.9 The parapets will be replaced on three bridges in the Fareham area: Delme Arms Flyover, that carries the A27 Eastern Way over the roundabout; Gosport Road bridge, that carries Newgate Lane B3385 over Gosport Road A32 and North Wallington River bridge, that carries Standard Way over the River Wallington. Contract preparation is under way and detailed discussions with the relevant parties concerning programming and traffic management will follow.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

8555/CL