Contact: John Buckett, ext 6599 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report summarises developments since the spring meetings, including the Annual Progress Report (APR) 2004, Casualty Reduction and Speed Cameras, Travel Plans and the MIRACLES project in Winchester.

2. Annual Progress Report

2.1 The 2004 APR covers progress in the last financial year. The Department for Transport (DfT) assesses the progress made and awards a score which counts as part of the County Council's comprehensive Performance Assessment. Capital borrowing approvals for the County Council are also affected by the assessment of its APR.

2.2 This year the County Council was able to report that spending and scheme delivery performance were generally as forecast.

2.3 Progress towards targets was good in terms of casualty reduction, air quality, highway maintenance, reducing traffic growth and bus passenger satisfaction.

2.4 Overall, public transport use was increasing but bus patronage had fallen county-wide, despite significant successes in some Quality Bus Partnership areas.

2.5 Progress on travel plans had fallen short of forecasts in 2003/04 but the school travel plan programme was now being accelerated following extra funding and staffing (see paragraphs 5.5 and 5.6).

2.6 Cycling numbers continue to disappoint and targets in this area will need to be reconsidered as part of the next Local Transport Plan (LTP).

3. Casualty Reduction (Engineering) Programme (for information only - detailed discussion at Highway and Transport Advisory Panels)

3.1 In the current 2004/05 financial year the County Council has budgeted a "starts value" of some £3.2 million of the LTP integrated transport settlement towards casualty reduction highway engineering measures. This is the largest sum budgeted by the County Council for this programme to date and continues the enhanced programme level achieved part way through the 2003/04 financial year, as reported to the Highway and Transport Advisory Panels at the spring 2004 meetings.

3.2 Of the 2004/05 programme, £1.2 million is being made available to support the now long established low cost/high yield casualty reduction engineering programme. This represents an increase of £200,000 from the initial programme value in 2003/04. The programme currently being implemented consists of 126 schemes throughout the county, aimed at locations with a higher than expected rate of casualties and/or a predominant pattern of personal injury collisions thought likely to be treatable with engineering remedial measures.

3.3 In addition to the low cost/high yield schemes, the increase to the casualty reduction engineering programme is enabling the allocation of £250,000 for measures to treat additional sites identified through the Casualty Reduction Partnership investigations with Hampshire Constabulary. Such investigations (which commenced in 2003) are directed towards locations where there have recently been high severity injury collisions.

3.4 The treatments proposed typically include measures such as improved signing, carriageway markings, carriageway surface retexturing or resurfacing. To date, 21 investigations have been undertaken in the current financial year, leading to the programmed installation of 16 schemes. The available funding will enable such investigations and the programming of resultant measures to continue throughout the remainder of the current financial year.

3.5 In addition, the enhanced funding is enabling an increased programme of £700,000 for casualty led surface improvement works to be undertaken across the county, on roads with a higher than expected occurrence of loss of control incidents.

3.6 The remainder of the £3.2 million programme enables more significant safety works to be implemented at a number of further locations in the current financial year, or supports early study work into locations which may be programmed for implementation in subsequent years.

4. Hampshire Safety Camera Partnership (for information only - detailed discussion at Highway and Transport Advisory Panels)

4.1 Installation of fixed safety (speed) cameras has progressed well. The following additional fixed cameras commenced enforcement in the spring/early summer of 2004:

(i) A3090 Crampmoor (Test Valley Borough);

(ii) Marine Parade, Lee-on-the-Solent (Gosport Borough); and

(iii) A339 (de-trunked route) north-east of Wootton St Lawrence (Basingstoke and Deane Borough).

There are now 9 fixed camera and 18 mobile camera sites in Hampshire.

4.2 It has become evident at a number of locations on routes subject to speed camera enforcement, that some drivers may not be aware of the speed limit. In order to raise the conspicuity of the speed limit at these locations, vehicle actuated signs will be installed which will be triggered by traffic exceeding the speed limit.

5. Travel Plans and Behavioural Change Initiatives

Workplace Travel Plan Programme

5.1 The County Council has, through its Business Travel Plan Adviser, been working with organisations since April 2001 to assist them in developing travel plans for their establishments.

5.2 There are two elements to this work. The first is to work with planning officers to ensure that appropriate guidance is given to developers of new sites (or extensions to existing sites). This secures the requirement for a travel plan within the legal planning framework. A guidance note on the production of travel plans is currently being developed in consultation with all districts to help secure good quality travel plans through the planning process.

5.3 The second area of work is to provide support to organisations developing travel plans voluntarily. This is generally done on a `reactive' basis, with the Business Travel Plan Adviser providing advice as organisations make contact with the County Council.

5.4 In June 2004 the Executive Member for Environment approved an allocation from the Transport Capital Programme 2004/05 for the trial of a Travel Plan Partnership Fund. Local businesses were invited to submit bids for matched funding, up to a maximum of £5,000 (and not more than 50% of the total cost of the project), for on-site sustainable transport measures. This programme is fully subscribed.

School Travel Plan Programme

5.5 The County Council has, through its School Travel Plan Adviser, been working with schools to help develop school travel plans since April 2001, using a grant from the DfT. The DfT has extended and increased this funding until March 2006. As a result the School Travel Planning team (5 staff) has now been established within the Transport Policy Group of the Environment Department.

5.6 There are to date over 200 schools throughout Hampshire which have developed, or are working on, travel plans. Schools which have completed a travel plan to the Hampshire standard are eligible to bid for Safer Routes to Schools funding, as well as a one-off grant from the Department for Education and Skills.

Safer Routes to Schools Programme

5.7 The Safer Routes to Schools programme links very closely with the development of the School Travel Plan programme. One of the objectives of a School Travel Plan is to encourage as many children as possible to be active and independent by walking, cycling or using public transport to get to and from school on a regular basis. This could be through a combination of physical and other measures. If physical works are identified within the approved school travel plan then the school can bid for funding from the Safer Routes to Schools programme.

5.8 On 23 January 2004 the Executive Member for Environment agreed an indicative allocation of £1.25 million for a county-wide programme of Safer Routes to Schools schemes from the 2004/05 Capital Programme, and £1.5 million in 2005/06. This includes an allocation of £250,000 for School Crossing Patrol site improvements. These improvements are based on a risk assessment priority rather than necessarily being tied to a school travel plan.

MIRACLES (European Union supported project in Winchester)

5.9 MIRACLES is currently just over half-way through its four year life. The project aims to achieve significant reductions in transport related pollution through a package of integrated measures. Baseline evaluation took place one year ago, and the majority of schemes have now been implemented.

5.10 Schemes currently in operation include: reduced or free parking charges for low emission vehicles; extended park and ride with free trial for City Centre season ticket holders; increased frequency bus services with new buses and improved public transport information; `bikeabout' - a free cycle loan scheme, in conjunction with increased cycle parking and an updated cycle map; an alternative delivery system for internet shopping; additional and new traveller information systems, including bus departure information systems, roadside variable message signs, journey planning and information kiosks, information displays at large employers, and network journey time monitoring system; extensive engine replacement and emissions reduction programme for Winchester City Centre bus fleet; and demonstration trials of alternative fuel vehicles with local businesses.

5.11 Comprehensive evaluation of these schemes is being undertaken, and is due to be completed in January 2006.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

9022/JWB