Archived decisions

Contact: Helen Ackerman, ext 5077 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

(i) That the proposed revised Transport Capital Programme for 2004/05 be approved, as set out in Appendix 1.

(ii) That the proposed Pedestrian Crossing Programme for 2004/05 be approved, as set out in Appendix 3.

(iii) That the proposed Safer Routes to School Programme for 2004/05 be approved, as set out in Appendix 4.

2. Reason

2.1 Decisions on the capital programme will support the range of Corporate Strategy Aims covered by Environment Department services. The schemes relate to:

(i) Aim 1 (Maximising Life Opportunities) through improved accessibility;

(ii) Aim 2 (Stewardship of the Environment) by promoting alternatives to the car and managing waste;

(iii) Aim 3 (Achieving Economic Prosperity) by assisting access to employment; and

(iv) Aim 4 (Building Strong and Safe Communities) as well as directly enhancing services, eg for public transport users.

2.2 The 2004/05 programme amendments are proposed to reflect slippage in the individual scheme programmes and variations in cost estimates in some schemes. Amendments are proposed to ensure that spending targets for the year are achieved.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 Amendments and additions to the capital programme are made regularly in order to maintain a forecast annual expenditure close to the available budget. By bringing forward deliverable schemes and increasing the individual scheme budgets the spending plan remains within acceptable limits. Not bringing forward new schemes would result in a projected underspend in the region of £1 million, which equates to 11% of the available 2004/05 programme budget.

3.2 The option to transfer further funding to the Maintenance and Bridges Programmes has also been rejected at this time. Spending in this area would mean a reduction in delivered transportation schemes, which would conflict with the recently submitted Local Transport Plan (LTP) Annual Progress Report, possibly resulting in a reduction in future LTP settlements.

3.3 An option to increase the Safer Routes to School (SRTS) allocation has been considered. Section 11 of this report comments on the success of this programme, and the potential to increase the programme value from £1.25 million to £1.75 million. However, as the overall expenditure for the main programme is forecast within manageable limits, it is not recommended to increase the SRTS programme. However, this option will be reconsidered in December.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or Other Executive Member Consulted - None.

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. Spending Plan for 2004/05

7.1 Resources available in 2004/05 for Integrated Transport are as follows:

7.2 In addition to the current year's programme of schemes, the net resources available at the start of the year (£13.933 million) have to fund expenditure on previous years' schemes where costs are still being incurred, together with some development fees on future years' schemes. Therefore the resources available for the current year's programme of schemes are as follows:

7.3 The programme revisions (including new entries and deferments) outlined in Appendix 2 will result in a revised capital programme this year of almost £20 million (Appendix 1). These schemes are all expected to start construction this year, and it is forecast to spend collectively in the region of £9.4 million this year, with an ongoing commitment in 2005/06 of a further £10 million as construction continues throughout that year.

7.4 Total expenditure in 2004/05 is therefore forecast at £15.097 million, against an original settlement figure of £15.783 million.

7.5 The underspend, calculated at 4.3%, is considered to be within manageable tolerances of the original spend target. There are likely to be further programme changes in the coming months as schemes progress through the detailed design and tender stages. Consideration will continue to be given each month to adjustments and further changes to ensure the target spend is met.

8. Notification of Cost Increases to 2003/04 Transport Capital Programme

8.1 In July 2004 the final 2003/04 programme was approved. The changes submitted at that time reflected the latest total costs for each scheme in that programme. Any changes following formal closure of the programme are reported for information only as the programme cannot be amended.

8.2 Using the latest forecast details supplied in August, there are no reported cost over-runs greater than 10% of the individual scheme value. This has been achieved largely due to the introduction of improved monthly monitoring and reporting of programme adjustments during 2003/04.

9. Additions to the 2004/05 Programme Included in Spending Plan

9.1 In order to ensure the total expenditure is within acceptable limits, the following schemes are proposed to be added to the 2004/05 programme:

A33 Ringway Roundabout Popley Way, Traffic Signals, Basingstoke

9.2 Proposed transport improvements on the A33 corridor are a key part of the overall Basingstoke Transport programme. The proposals aim to meet future travel demand (partly from new development in the area) in a sustainable manner by widening travel choice and improving safety and security for all road users.

9.3 Within the urban area it is proposed to provide traffic signals at all junctions along the A33 and enhanced networks of pedestrian and cycle routes linking residential areas with employment, schools, shops and the town centre.

9.4 As part of the corridor strategy the A33 Ringway interchange project was previously identified for construction in 2005/06 but the need to progress Statutory Undertakers' diversionary works ahead of the main construction contract has prompted the inclusion of the scheme in the current (2004/05) programme. The current estimated cost for this project is £3.5 million of which £650,000 will be met from contributions received from local development.

Yateley-Blackwater Cycle Route

9.5 This scheme involves the implementation of an advisory cycle lane along Rosemary Lane, running from the A30 to Darby Green Road. This will involve signing and coloured surfacing across junctions in order to highlight the route as cycle-friendly. Works are due to start in October 2004. The current estimated cost for this project is £100,000.

North Baddesley to Rownhams Cycle Route

9.6 This scheme involves a contraflow cycleway on the eastern side of Rownhams Lane, linking North Baddesley with Rownhams. It will link with an existing route in Rownhams Road. The programme has been accelerated to avoid bird and bat nesting in spring so that essential site clearance can be undertaken during October and November. The main construction can then start immediately afterwards and is likely to be complete by April 2005. The current estimated cost for this project is £370,000.

Changes to the 2004/05 Programme Values Included in Spending Plan

9.7 Appendix 2 sets out all the changes to the 2004/05 programme since approval in July 2004, together with the additions set out in paragraph 9.1.

Havant Bus Station

9.8 There are several aspects of this project that have been highlighted through the detailed design stage. The latest estimate now includes the following additions:

(i) Further analysis of the ground conditions has revealed a greater extent of soil contamination, from an historic diesel tank on the western part of the site, than originally expected. Additionally, in order to satisfy Environment Agency requirements, the new structure will require more expensive piling arrangements, due to the proximity of the River Lavant.

(ii) Further research has been undertaken into the quality of existing award winning bus stations. This has highlighted the importance of high quality furniture, fittings and signing, for which no funding had previously been allocated.

(iii) A review of the preliminary estimate concluded that a contingency sum to cover the groundwork and construction risks was insufficient. Construction inflation costs of £60,000 per annum were also omitted from the original estimate.

9.9 It is now proposed for some early groundwork and decontamination works to be carried out during January and February 2005, without affecting the operation of the existing bus station. Full-scale works, which will require the existing bus station to shut, are scheduled to start in May 2005 and will take up to 12 months. The total cost is now estimated at £1.6 million.

Revision to July 2004 Capital Programme Report Appendices

9.10 The wrong iteration of the appendices was included in the report submitted to the Executive Member in July 2004. A correction has subsequently been circulated to all Members, and amended on the public access web-site. The final 2003/04 programme (previously Appendix 1) should have included £800,000 external funding against the Portchester Homezone Project which was to account for other sources of funding. The 2004/05 programme (previously Appendix 2) should have included Abshott Road/Huntspond Road and Abshott Road/Warsash Road, which were new additions totalling £80,000 to cover forecast spending on historic externally funded schemes where no external funded scheme now exists. Also Telford Way, Southampton Road was omitted from the programme list. The July programme has now been superseded.

10. Developer Funded Programme 2004/05

10.1 Appendix 1 sets out the revised externally funded programme for 2004/05. The total value of external funding assigned to these projects is £6.4 million. These schemes are all expected to start construction this year, and are forecast to spend collectively in the region of £2.5 million this year, with an ongoing commitment in future years of £3.4 million.

10.2 The breakdown of expenditure forecast for 2004/05 from external funding sources is set out below:

11. Pedestrian Crossing Programme 2004/05

11.1 Appendix 3 sets out the pedestrian crossing programme for 2004/05. These schemes are all expected to start construction this year, and are forecast to spend collectively in the region of £240,000 this year with the remainder carried forward to 2005/06.

12. 2004-2006 Safer Routes to School Programme

12.1 In January 2004 the Executive Member for Environment agreed an indicative allocation of £1.25 million for a county-wide programme of SRTS schemes from the 2004/05 Capital Programme, and £1.5 million in 2005/06.

12.2 It was also agreed that a school must have an approved School Travel Plan (STP) in order to qualify for the funding of an associated SRTS scheme.

12.3 There is also a £250,000 annual sub-programme of School Crossing Patrol (SCP) site improvements to be funded from this SRTS allocation. These consist of standardised minor traffic management measures on approaches to SCP sites, to include appropriate warning signs and flashing beacons, buff anti-skid surfacing and dropped kerbs, with tactile paving and reflective bollards at the crossing point itself. However, these improvements are based on a risk assessment priority rather than being tied to an STP, and conform to the latest Disability Discrimination Act requirements.

12.4 To date £745,000 of the 2004/05 SRTS allocation has been approved and committed. Schemes totalling a further £260,000 are awaiting Project Appraisal approval at this meeting, with more to follow.

12.5 The success of the new programme management arrangements has increased scheme development such that an additional £500,000 could be spent by the year end on construction and future design. This would raise the forecast spend for 2004/05 to £1.75 million, as detailed in Appendix 4. However, with the overall programme forecast expenditure levels running within tolerance, it is considered premature to extend the SRTS programme at this time. This decision will be reviewed in December.

12.6 The proposed SRTS programme is attached as Appendix 4. This list represents the breakdown of expenditure in 2004/05 and not necessarily schemes expected to start on-site this year.

13. 2005/06 Transport Capital Programme

13.1 The current assessment of forecasts indicates a committed expenditure of around £10 million carried forward into 2005/06. The indicative programme submitted in January 2004 is therefore being extensively reviewed so that the 2005/06 LTP settlement is not exceeded. A full list of schemes will be presented to the Area Transport Strategy Panels in the autumn and a new 2005/06 programme will be submitted in January 2005.

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