Contact: Frank Baxter, ext 6581 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 An oral update will be presented to Members on the progress being made in preparing the Local Transport Plan and the proposed consultation strategy. This report seeks Members' endorsement of the proposed policy and programme direction for the North Hampshire strategy area.

2. Policy and Programme Direction for North Hampshire area

2.1 The strategy area comprises Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor. Common themes have emerged for the strategy area which focus on improving accessibility, greater travel choices and making the best use of existing assets. These themes are consistent with the County Council's Corporate Strategy objectives of stewardship of the environment, building strong and safe communities and contributing towards economic prosperity.

2.2 At the last Panel the idea of key themes for areas was discussed. The following sections go into greater detail about what this means for the North Hampshire. Future themes might include:

(i) Cross Border Partnership working

(ii) Urban Master Plans

(iii) Public Transport

(iv) Accessibility Planning

(v) Marketing and Travel Awareness

(vi) Long Term Strategy Development to manage growth associated with the South East Plan

Cross-Border Partnership

2.3 In the Blackwater Valley the BV Network Transport sub-group will continue as a partnership, building on the progress that has been made on a 10-year work plan to develop a transport strategy providing choice of travel by all modes both in the shorter and longer term. It is important to ensure that public transport, walking and cycling networks are coordinated at administration boundaries. Cross-border working between authorities is therefore a key factor in developing an accessibility strategy for this area.

Urban Master Plans

2.4 By working within Local Development Frameworks and the Regional Spatial Strategy the concept of Urban Master Plans will be developed to coordinate transport, land use and regeneration measures in town centres (in accordance with Policy TC4 of the draft South East Plan). Urban Master Plans will address accessibility by all modes in the target areas aiming to offer better transport choice and to increase economic viability by attracting more visitors.

2.5 They will look beyond the LTP2 timescales and seek to address the longer term challenges of increasing car ownership, congestion and the infrastructure and extra travel needs of new development. Of major importance is an Urban Master Plan for Aldershot which will present a new vision for the future of the town in the light of the development of the Aldershot Urban Extension.

Public Transport

2.6 Further consideration will be given to investment in Quality Bus Partnerships, bus infrastructure and travel marketing which would assist in improving accessibility and achieving various LTP targets. Existing QBPs have proven effective in north Hampshire and elsewhere.

2.7 Hampshire and Surrey County Councils, Wokingham District Council and Bracknell Forest Borough Council have joined with bus operators Stagecoach, First and Arriva to form the Blackwater Valley Umbrella Quality Bus Partnership. The partnership will continue to work to increase levels of bus patronage and satisfaction on selected QBP routes, seeking to reverse the national decline in bus use outside London. The continued development of quality bus partnerships will improve the quality, frequency, reliability and image of the bus network through a package of initiatives that includes high quality infrastructure, modern information, innovative ticketing arrangements and convenient interchanges. Improvement of the interchange facilities between all modes at Farnborough Station is a priority.

2.8 Outside of the QBP local authority support for non-commercial services will continue to play a major part in the provision of greater modal choice.

Accessibility Planning

2.9 It is a requirement of the LTP to contain an accessibility strategy. Further to this, improving people's access to essential goods and key services is one of the Department for Transport's four shared priorities for the second round of local transport plans, and is in keeping with the County Council's corporate aims of maximising life opportunities, and building strong and safe communities. Local access strategy will need to address walking and cycling issues. This is likely to be done by focussing on themed approaches in target areas. By promoting and facilitating walking and cycling trips the strategy will help to sustain local facilities, reduce the need to travel and support healthy lifestyle choices.

2.10 Pedestrian strategies will contain packages of measures designed to improve the accessibility of key destinations that will be tailored to local need. For example in Basingstoke this might result in the need to enhance or replace pedestrian subways and complete missing links in the pedestrian network. In Fleet the implementation of pedestrian phases at some signalled junctions might be considered. To assist in the development of the strategies pedestrian audits will be carried out in conjunction with residents, disability groups and local businesses. The aim will be to create safe networks that reduce the severance effects of roads, are maintained to a good standard, are complete and pleasant to use and ensure that those with mobility or visual impairments are catered for.

2.11 For cyclists the aim will be to establish a core network of direct cycle routes providing access to key facilities, where this is cost effective. An implementation programme will identify missing links on high demand routes and prioritise the completion of the network at these points. In other cases investment in the network will be targeted in areas where it is considered that the greatest benefits and value for money can be gained. In Rushmoor and Basingstoke a greater number of short distance journeys that are currently made by car could easily be made by bicycle. The flat topography may also make cycling more appealing. Both areas may be considered suitable for having LTP local targets for increasing cycling. Cycle targets will be a mandatory indicator in the next LTP.

Marketing and Travel Awareness

2.12 Improving accessibility through new and improved infrastructure measures needs to be coupled with marketing and travel awareness information for people to become aware of the different travel options available to them. Information on public transport, walking and cycle networks within the borough, as well as the availability of public transport, will improve travel choices and promote sustainable travel patterns.

2.13 The "Info motion", travel marketing initiatives have shown promising results with 7% increased in bus patronage in Gosport and similar results in other parts of Hampshire. Early results from the Basingstoke pilot are looking even more positive.

Long Term Strategy Development to manage growth associated with the South East Plan

2.14 As a result of the South East Plan being developed by the South East England Regional Authority regional housing allocation figures are likely to be revised upwards over the course of the next LTP. This will present many challenges for transport planning in ensuring that arising infrastructure needs, quality of life and sustainability are given adequate consideration.

2.15 There remains some uncertainty as to where the additional new development will be located. The development is likely to be focused in existing urban areas where it can most sustainably be accommodated. Urban Master Plans will need to take the levels of growth into account in developing a long term vision for such areas.

2.16 A key challenge will be to ensure that any future development pays for the transport infrastructure needs it generates. Planners will also need to be given appropriate tools to enter into planning negotiations with a good evidence base for securing developer contributions. It is likely that Basingstoke could be the focus for the most significant changes in levels of development in North Hampshire. Detailed consideration is being given to the creation of a Basingstoke land use and transport model to examine the development related transport impacts on the urban road network and key radial corridors such as the M3, A33 and A339. The model will also allow a review of the existing strategies and will help identify the most appropriate value for money solutions.

Recommendation

That the Panel advises the Executive Member for Environment that it endorses the policy and programme direction proposed for the North Hampshire area.

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