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

Trinity Green Phase 2

2.1 Works are now completed.

Stoke Road Phase 4

2.2 The upgrading of footways within the Conservation Area between Peel Road and Elmhurst Road is complete. With regard to the private forecourt areas at 49-51, work commenced at the end of February.

2.3 Remedial works to granite kerbing on the south side of Stoke Road has also been carried out.

Programme 2004/05

2.4 Work will continue with regard to supporting schemes in Stoke Road for improving shop fronts and the improvement to the grounds of Christ Church.

2.5 There are no additional schemes in the 2004/05 programme.

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, etc 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 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.

Other Work in Progress 2004/05

3.3 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 (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 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 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 Gosport

Ann's Hill bridge

4.9 This bridge carries Ann's Hill Road over the disused railway line and has severe deterioration of the precast reinforced concrete fence panels. Their condition is being monitored for safety and a contract for their replacement is being prepared - estimated value £600,000. The work will be carried out in two stages. The first stage, the west side, is provisionally programmed for July to December 2004; the second, the east side, for a similar period in 2005. Consultation and design for the scheme is ongoing and further details, such as traffic management, will follow.

Alver Bridge

4.10 This bridge, which carries the C411 Alver Road over Alver Lake, has extensive corrosion and spalling of the reinforced concrete. It is intended to start a feasibility study on the long term solution, which may be a replacement bridge, later in 2004. Funding for works has not yet been allocated, but a bid will be made in the next LTP submission in July 2005.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

8613/CL