Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

Item 8

PROJECT APPRAISAL

PROJECT:

DEPLOYMENT OF INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

DECEMBER 2004

COMPLETION DATE:

MARCH 2005

PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME: 2004/05

1.

FINANCE (Client Department, Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services [Estates Practice] and County Treasurer)

Current

Capital

Estimate

Programme

(at Dec 04

(at Dec 04

prices)

prices)

Capital Expenditure

£'000

£'000

Land to be purchased

Construction

189

189

Fees

11

11

Less developers/

other contributions

200

200

Financial provision for total scheme

Total Cost

1.

From Committees own resources

(a) Capital programme (as above)

200

(b) Other

2.

From other resources

(a)

(b)

(c)

TOTAL

200

Value of land for this project in HCC ownership £

Variations from capital programme

Revenue implications

£'000

% variation

to Committee's

budget

Net current expenditure

?

?

Capital charges

27

0.024

TOTAL net expenditure

?

?

2.

STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

(Client Department)

Introduction

This Project Appraisal details a series of applications for installation to increase the scope and coverage of county-wide Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) within Hampshire. The proposals build upon existing ITS applications and further develop the County Council's network monitoring and management capabilities and travel information service. Andover BDIS, the additional kiosk in Winchester and the ANPR works help complete existing contracts and schemes.

Background

The deployment of ITS to make best use of the transport network has been established for a number of years. Traffic control and traffic and travel information is seen as a key element for the delivery of the County Council's transport policies and formed part of the 2001-06 Local Transport Plan (LTP). As a result, the Traffic and Travel Information Centre (TTIC) in Winchester has seen the steady deployment of county-wide ITS facilities and has ensured that the overarching central systems, utilising the latest technologies and communications, are in place to allow for the further deployment of ITS applications. These applications enable the County Council as network managers, public transport operators and individual travellers to make intelligent and informed decisions about travel. The inclusion of ITS within an integrated transport policy can also help to achieve changes in modal split, particularly when used alongside other initiatives or as part of individual area transport route or corridor strategies.

Building on the systems already in place, the elements in this Project Appraisal will collectively contribute towards an improved and enhanced traffic and travel information service in Hampshire and assist in the delivery of the County Council's transport policies. In addition, ITS has an important role to play in meeting the requirements of the new LTP and the Traffic Management Act. The deployment of systems to manage the network efficiently can also be used to collect and process data and information on network conditions and congestion, which will be critical for the LTP2 and Traffic Management Act requirement. This is particularly relevant in the Solent Transport area, other busy urban areas and on strategic routes. Some of the measures proposed in this report will improve the County Council's capabilities in this area.

The details of the individual elements of the facilities for which approval is being sought are as follows.

Andover Bus Station - Bus Departure Information System (£45,000)

Since 2003, the county-wide Bus Departure Information System (BDIS) Contract has seen the installation of BDIS throughout the county at bus stations and public transport interchanges. BDIS at Andover bus station will form part of phase 3 of the county-wide BDIS contract.

The proposal is to install one main summary display screen, listing all next departures from the bus station and enabling passengers to identify their service number, destination and the departure stand. The system will be linked to and controlled by the Central BDIS system located in the County Council's TTIC, enabling the updating of timetable information and the dissemination of `live' information, if there are disruptions on the road network. BDIS promotes public transport and makes services more accessible by improving passenger information at busy bus stations and interchanges.

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) (£80,000)

CCTV for traffic monitoring is one of the key systems in the County Council's TTIC, providing operators with firsthand knowledge of conditions on the highway network. The information gained contributes to the dissemination of accurate, timely information from the TTIC to the ROMANSE on-line website, radio stations and other organisations. As the county-wide CCTV system develops, it will contribute to the development of strategies for dealing with incidents or unusual levels of congestion.

The proposal is to install two CCTV cameras on the A340 Ringway West and a traffic information Variable Message Sign (VMS) on Winchester Road (A30). These form part of a broader ITS strategy for Basingstoke which includes CCTV network monitoring and traffic information services including the use of company intranets of the major employers in Basingstoke.

Central Office Management for Integrated Transport (COMET)/ PDA/Web/Kiosk development (£25,000)

The existing COMET system interfaces with a number of computer systems within the County Council's TTIC. Currently, information such as car park occupancy, incidents on the network, roadworks and CCTV still-images is displayed on web pages on ROMANSE on-line.

It is proposed to develop these web pages for display on kiosks, Personal Digital Assistants and other portable devices. These measures will act as the foundation for establishing a personalised travel information service and enable broader dissemination of travel information for people undertaking journeys. The development work will also enable the delivery of an integrated information service as part of the Solent Transport Initiative by enabling exchange of data and information between ITS systems within Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition System (ANPR) - Phase III of contract (£17,000)

The ANPR system in Winchester provides information about journey times on instrumented routes into and across the city in near real-time. It is a useful source of information which is used to monitor network performance and in the compilation of reports for the ROMANSE on-line website and for information dissemination. The data obtained is also of use for transport and network planning processes. A planned link to the Winchester City Council car park management system, which will permit preferential tariffs to be offered to environmentally friendly vehicles, is being developed for future application as part of the MIRACLES project.

The measures will enable further development of the system, including a web interface, so the travelling public can access information regarding journey times and traffic flow in and around Winchester. Information can also be disseminated via the variable message signs in Winchester.

Journey Planning Kiosk, Winchester (12,000)

Kiosks are currently being installed in Winchester as part of the MIRACLES project at the Tourist Information Office, Middle Brook Street, railway station and hospital. Through an interactive touch screen terminal the user is able to access internet based information and services. This includes the ability to plan point to point multi-modal journeys and view timetable information, the ROMANSE on-line website, tourist information, council services and news, and send e-mails. Given the 'footfall' and therefore expected usage, it is proposed that an additional kiosk is installed at the Brooks Centre which will complete a network of five kiosks in Winchester. As well as giving transport information, the kiosks can assist with the implementation of other e-government initiatives.

Floating Vehicle Data (FVD) System (£10,000)

The ITS facilities within the TTIC include an FVD system to monitor the primary road network across Hampshire, including real-time information on journey times. FVD offers a cost-effective tool for collecting historic data on congestion monitoring and journey times. Given the requirements for the new Local Transport Plan and the Traffic Management Act, it is proposed to extend the system coverage to allow the improved collection of network data, particularly for urban areas and the A27, A32 and A326 strategic routes at peak times in the Solent Transport sub-region.

3.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL (Client Department)

National/County Network and Policies

The proposals are consistent with the County Council's transportation strategy of using network management tools to utilise the full potential of the existing transport infrastructure.

Details of Scheme and Design Standards

All scheme details will comply with all relevant United Kingdom/European standards, together with the County Council's standards as applicable.

Environmental Impact

Andover Bus Station BDIS: There will be some externally mounted cable trunking (for electricity or telecommunications cables) and junction boxes. This will be self contained within the bus station.

CCTV: New camera installations comprise a camera mounted on a 10 metre column. A small cabinet housing the electricity supply and telecommunications equipment will be sited near to the columns.

The other proposals will have no environmental impact.

Land Requirements

No land acquisition required. All works to be confined within existing public highway limits.

Statutory Procedures

None.

Public Consultation

The Stagecoach bus company has been consulted and supports the proposed BDIS at Andover bus station. Winchester City Council has been consulted and supports the proposed extensions to the ANPR system and the implementation of Journey Planning Kiosks. The ITS Group is confirming arrangements with the Brooks Centre management for provision of a kiosk.

Local Members' View

For Andover BDIS and Basingstoke CCTV/VMS, the local Members are in the process of being consulted on the proposal and their views will be reported as appropriate.

Equalities

Andover BDIS will enable users to access information easily and readily therefore removing confusion on service departures at busy interchanges and making public transport more accessible for all.

In broad terms improvements to travel information an dissemination increase user confidence in planning and understanding journeys. The use of kiosks and mobile devices enhances the accessibility of travel information and assists users in making informed decisions.

Maintenance Implications

BDIS at Andover will be added to the ongoing BDIS maintenance contract at a cost of approximately £4,000 per annum following a one year warranty. There will be minimal revenue implications of this proposal and they will be taken into account in the setting of the annual base budget.

The kiosk at the Brooks Centre incurs an annual maintenance charge of £4,000, including inspections, cleaning, routine maintenance communications and software support.

There will be minimal revenue implications with the other elements of this proposal and they will be taken into account in the setting of the annual base budget.

ITS equipment is designed to operate satisfactorily over a period of 10-15 years, with only routine maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer. Beyond this period equipment may require refurbishment or replacement. In addition, the equipment consumes electricity and requires connection to an appropriate telecommunications system, incurring call charges and rental.

A maintenance agreement is now in place for county-wide BDIS and a spares holding list has been included in this proposal.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

The provisions of this Act have no impact on this proposal.

Sustainability

The installation of the systems described in this Project Appraisal supports the County Council's policies on improving economic efficiency through better transport management, making better use of the existing transport network and promoting sustainable transport facilities.

4.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

(Client Department)

Taking no action. The proposals build upon and develop existing ITS applications and the Traffic and Travel Information Centre in line with the broader ITS Strategy.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1.

Published works.

2.

Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE

LOCATION

BDIS Project file

COMET

CCTV Basingstoke

Environment Department

ITS Group

Monument House