Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

ITEM 6

PROJECT APPRAISAL

PROJECT:

OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE DETECTION EQUIPMENT - GREATBRIDGE, ROMSEY

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

JANUARY 2005

APRIL 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 2004

(at 2004

prices)

prices)

Capital Expenditure

£'000

£'000

Land to be purchased

Nil

Nil

Construction

110

110

Fees

10

10

120

120

Less developers/

other contributions

Financial provision for total scheme

Total Cost

1.

From Committees own resources

(a) Capital programme (as above)

120

(b) Other

2.

From other resources

(a)

(b)

(c)

TOTAL

120

Value of land for this project in HCC ownership £

Variations from capital programme

Revenue implications

£'000

% variation

to Committee's

budget

Net current expenditure

5.0

0.006

Capital charges

12.0

0.010

TOTAL net expenditure

17.0

0.016

2.

STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

(Client Department)

The aim of the proposal is to reduce incidences of high-sided vehicles, mainly buses and lorries, colliding with the bridge.

Greatbridge is a railway bridge carrying the Romsey to Eastleigh branch line. It is located on the A3057 between Budds Lane and Cherville Street, Romsey. The A3057 has a 30 mph speed limit from the southern approach, which becomes derestricted approximately 1 kilometre to the north of the bridge.

The bridge has a signed height limit of 4.3 m/14' 3'' with static warning signs displayed on both the bridge itself and southern and northern approaches. The bridge is a non arch type fitted with impact absorption beams.

Following the installation of impact absorption beams in February 2000 there has been an increase in the number of bridge strikes, with a tendency for vehicles to be deflected by the beams and tipped onto the adjacent verge or pavement. The footway to the western side of the bridge forms part of a `safer route' to school.

Bridge height roundels were added to all north-bound direction signs in September 2001, and appear to have had some success in reducing the number collisions occurring from this direction. There has, however, been a recent and unexplained increase in the number of collision incidents occurring from the northern approach. Additional static signing is being installed to supplement the existing signing, but further mitigating measures are considered necessary.

3.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL (Client Department)

National/County Network and Policies

The proposal is consistent with County Council policies and Solent Transport Strategy objectives to reduce accident potential and incidences of congestion, and to provide safer routes to school.

Details of Scheme and Design Standards

The system design complies with the Department for Transport and Hampshire County Council standards.

Three separate overheight vehicle detection systems are proposed, two for the northern approach and one for the southern approach, at the following locations (see attached plan):

System A: A3057 Greatbridge Road;

System B: Fishlake Meadows; and

System C: Malmesbury Road at the junction with Dutton Road and Princes Road.

Each system comprises overheight vehicle and inductive loop detectors, a fibre optic warning sign and a system controller. The overheight vehicle and inductive loop detectors are installed in advance of the warning signs which remain blank until the detectors are activated, whereupon the following message is displayed.

Sign A: 'OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE TURN LEFT'

Sign B: 'OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE TURN RIGHT'

Sign C: 'OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE TURN BACK'

The use of three systems is considered necessary to ensure sufficient coverage on the principal approach routes to the bridge.

Environmental Impact

The proposal is considered to have negligible consequence for the environment.

Land Requirements

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

Statutory Procedures

Statutory specification for the sign face legends are contained in the Traffic Sign Regulations and General Directions. No additional statutory procedures are required.

Public Consultation

No specific public consultation has been carried out in relation to this scheme. The overheight warning system is proposed in response to a deteriorating incident record at this bridge, and the works proposed are considered necessary to reduce the likelihood of further bridge strikes, and minimise the risk of an injury accident occurring as a result.

Local Member's View

The local Member, Councillor Mrs Barron, supports the proposal.

Equalities

There are no implications for this proposal arising through equalities legislation. The overheight warning system is intended to provide advance warning for drivers of high-sided vehicles only, and is proposed in response to incidents currently occurring at this specific location. The proposed sign legends are those prescribed in the Traffic Sign Regulations and General Directions.

Maintenance Implications

The revenue implications of this proposal will be taken into account in the setting of the annual base budget.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

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

Sustainability

With a regime of annual maintenance, the equipment comprising the overheight warning system is anticipated to operate satisfactorily for between 10 and 15 years. After this period it is likely to be no longer economic to repair in the event of equipment failure. This operating life is consistent with other roadside electronic traffic systems. The system requires electric power, but the usage is minimised as the sign will generally only operate in response to an overheight vehicle.

The provision of the overheight warning signs will help prevent further bridge strikes that in the past have led to severe congestion, with the attendant pollution and traffic diversion through residential streets that occurs following these incidents.

4.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

(Client Department)

It would be possible to leave the rail bridge as it presently is, and rely on the static advance warning signs to advise drivers of high-sided vehicles about the low bridge ahead. This option is not recommended as bridge strikes continue to occur with the static sign in place. In addition, the static signs give no warning to drivers who believe their vehicle is lower than the posted bridge height.

It would be possible to provide additional static signs to supplement the existing static advance warning signs. Additional static signs are being introduced, but these may not have the necessary effect of preventing further bridge strikes, and, in common with the `do nothing' option, would give no warning to drivers who believe their vehicle is lower than the posted bridge height.

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

SP/PR/4255 OHV Detection

Great Bridge Romsey

Intelligent Transport Systems Group

Monument House