Contact: Brian Millen, tel 01256 764444 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

Town Centre, Yateley

2.1 The County Council is working in partnership with Hart district Council, Yateley Town Council, the Yateley Town Centre Management Group and a range of local partners to develop a Village Design Framework for Yateley centre that is fully informed by local issues, concerns and aspirations. The framework will fully integrate the B3272 Route Management Strategy and the ROUA programme. The framework also complements the Hampshire Market Towns Initiative, a partnership of the County Council, Countryside Agency and the South East England Development Agency. The initiative promotes the Market Towns Toolkit, which includes a Healthcheck. The Healthcheck is a simple system which enables a community to identify its town's economic, social and environmental strengths and weaknesses, to decide what its town should be like in the future and to plan actions and projects which, when funded, will bring about the changes that community requires.

2.2 Draft proposals for a first phase of improvements have been prepared and are now being developed in accordance with the outcomes of a consultation workshop held in the village in November. It is hoped that implementation can commence in autumn 2004.

3. Intelligent Transport Systems

3.1 The Intelligent Transport Systems Group (ITS) 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 Agenda item 13 (Progress Update on Approved Capital Schemes).

Other Work in Progress 2004/05

3.2 Periodic maintenance, including a six-monthly bulk lamp change and annual electrical inspection of traffic signal junctions and pedestrian crossings, is undertaken throughout the year. Reactive maintenance is undertaken in response to reported faults, and further works may subsequently be carried out to prevent a recurrence of the fault. Obsolete and life-expired equipment is replaced, to improve the efficiency of the system or when it is no longer cost effective to repair.

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, 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 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 roads from 1 January 1999. The assessments are now complete and strengthening of sub-standard bridges is ongoing. There remain about 25 bridges subject to interim measures, such as weight limits or monitoring, that will be strengthened over the next four or five years, funding permitting.

Road/Rail Interfaces

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. Full details have not yet been finalised, but it is expected that the contract will be largely completed in 2004/05. Further information on individual bridges affected is given below.

2004/05 Bridgeworks Programme

4.7 This programme is still being finalised, particularly with respect to timing, and updated details will follow.

2004/05 Schemes in Hart

Malthouse Bridge, Church Crookham

4.8 This Grade II listed brick arch, which is subject to a 7.5 tonne weight limit, carries The Street over the Basingstoke Canal at Church Crookham and has restricted width, particularly for pedestrians. Extensive consultations on improvements are taking place and the preferred option is to provide a separate single-span steel footbridge to the south of the road bridge, whilst retaining the single lane carriageway for vehicles. Scheme preparation is ongoing and it is hoped the footbridge will be installed in spring/summer 2004. A handrail is also being provided on the north parapet of the road bridge as a further aid for pedestrians.

Road/Rail Interfaces

4.9 The length of Elvetham Road, C401, that runs parallel and close to the main Southampton/Waterloo railway line, west of Fleet Station, is one of the road/rail interfaces being considered for protective measures in 2004/05. Consultations with Network Rail and other interested parties are under way and details such as timing and traffic management will follow.

Aluminium Parapets

4.10 Five bridges in the Hart area are included in the programme for aluminium parapet replacement - Coxheath Road bridge over the Basingstoke Canal and four bridges on the A287 Odiham Bypass. Contract preparation is under way and detailed discussions with the relevant parties concerning timing and traffic management will follow.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

8556/BGM