Contact: Barry Armstrong, ext 5175 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The County Council's Transport Capital Programme identifies funding for individually named integrated transport improvement schemes and also includes other county-wide improvement programmes and block budget allocations.

1.2 The table below shows the county-wide improvement programmes that are applicable to the Test Valley area, and identifies the funding allocation made from the Local Transport Plan (LTP) for the 2004/05 year. The table also identifies where further information about the works appropriate to each programme can be found on the agenda.

1.3 This report provides a progress update on the named integrated transport schemes within the 2004/05 Transport Capital Programme that have been approved for implementation in the Test Valley area. These are summarised in the attached appendix. The report also provides a progress update on schemes started in earlier programmes which were incomplete at the last Panel meeting.

1.4 Individual schemes within the Transport Capital Programme are financed from the LTP, which consists of Central Government supported capital expenditure (SCE) and/or external funding (EF) received from developers or other contributors.

1.5 The 2005/06 Transport Capital Programme will be considered in January 2005 by the Environment Policy Review Committee and then the Executive Member for Environment. The programme will be influenced by the level of the Local Transport Settlement for 2005/06 for Hampshire, which will be announced by the Government in December 2004, and by the level of spending commitments carried forward into 2005/06 from the 2004/05 programme. Area Transport Strategy Panels are being asked to prioritise schemes within their areas to assist the Executive Member for Environment.

2. Transport Capital Schemes 2003/04

Romsey Town Centre Enhancements - The Hundred and Latimer Street - Romsey Movement and Access Plan - £1.1 million SCE

2.1 The town centre enhancement scheme is now substantially complete. There was a slight delay due to dealing with a number of known and unknown cellars which extend beneath the adopted footways. The additional footway works in Latimer Street, recommended as a result of feedback from the public and approved by Councillor Estlin on 27 April 2004, will be carried out after the main works are completed. A tree adjacent to the Tavern public house was planted on 8 September 2004. All works were completed in time for the Action for Market Towns Conference being hosted by Romsey in September.

3. Transport Capital Schemes 2004/05

Foxcotte Road/Foxcotte Lane/Charlton Road/Hatherden Road, Andover - Traffic Management - £464,000 SCE

3.1 The feasibility scheme has been modified following discussions with Parish Councils and relevant interested parties in 2003. The start date for this scheme has been moved to the 2004/05 programme. Detailed design is now nearing completion following attention to technical and safety issues. A project appraisal was submitted to the Executive Member for Spatial Strategy in September.

Andover Cycle/Pedestrian Facilities, Andover Station-Town Centre - £340,000 SCE, £10,000 EF

3.2 The purpose of this scheme is to provide a cycleway link between Andover train station and the town centre. The cycle route from the station is on-road into Bishops Way to Junction Road. At the end of Junction Road to Suffolk Road the route follows a shared off-road facility, which becomes

on-road at the Suffolk Road crossing and then continues into a shared facility to Anton Mill Road. Detailed design is progressing and the project appraisal is scheduled for November 2004.

New Footways, Middle Wallop - £30,000 SCE

3.3 An on-site meeting with representatives from Over Wallop and Middle Wallop Parish Councils was held in September to discuss requirements prior to commissioning design work.

Winchester Road Footways, Andover - £50,000 EF

3.4 This scheme is to provide resurfacing and alignment to existing footway levels for the benefit of local residents, a number of which are mobility impaired, wishing to gain access to Andover town centre. The detailed design is now complete and the project appraisal was approved in July 2004. Works are expected to commence in January 2005 after a separate street lighting scheme for this area has been completed.

Romsey Route 15 QBP - A27 Junction Improvements £100,000 SCE Romsey Route 15 QBP - Bus Infrastructure Improvements £50,000 SCE

3.5 Trial measures are being completed by Atkins and the results are to be reported in the project appraisal for December 2004.

North Baddesley-Rownhams Cycleway - £400,000 SCE

3.6 This scheme has been brought forward to provide cycle facilities to link North Baddesley with Southampton at Rownhams by a single track cycleway on the eastern side of Rownhams Lane. There are four Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) that adjoin the site and the design process has taken into account a number of environmental and ecological issues for careful consideration to avoid extensive embankment works, which would have had a severe impact on the natural ecology of the adjacent areas. The environmental impact of a new cycleway along this route was considerably reduced at feasibility stage by avoiding the widespread removal of hedges and trees, as well as substantial relocation of ditches and watercourses. The detailed design is complete and project appraisal is scheduled for October 2004.

Castle Lane Junction with Templars Way, Knightwood - £100,000 EF

3.7 Detailed design for this scheme is now complete with the project appraisal scheduled for October 2004.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

8913/BA

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