Hampshire County Council Winchester Highway and Transport Advisory Panel 1 March 2005 Other Highway Related Programmes Report of the Director of Environment

Item 12

Contact: Colin Taylor, tel 01730 266411 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report details the programmes for:

(i) Hampshire Villages Initiative and Country Towns Initiative;

(ii) Intelligent Transport Systems;

(iii) Bridgeworks;

(iv) Development Related Works;

(v) Recreational Cycling; and

(vi) Street Lighting.

2. Hampshire Villages Initiative (HVI) and Country Towns Initiative (CTI)

2.1 There are two schemes in the Winchester City Council area programmed for 2004/05 HVI:

(i) Easton - improvements to road junction at centre of village. Design currently in preparation; anticipated completion - early 2005/06.

(ii) Hursley - improvements to the war memorial are now completed.

2.2 Swanmore is proposed for inclusion into the 2005/06 CTI programme subject to approval by the Executive Member for Environment.

3. Intelligent Transport Systems Group (ITS)

3.1 The ITS Group of the Environment Department manages the feasibility, design, implementation, operation and maintenance of traffic control and traffic and travel information systems throughout Hampshire. In 2004/05 ITS deployment reached significant levels, increasing the amount of on-street ITS equipment operated and maintained by the Group. The Traffic Management Act has placed further responsibility on the Group for the monitoring of and improvement to the operation of the highway network.

3.2 Progress on schemes during 2004/05 within Winchester is as follows:

(i) MIRACLES. Progress continues to schedule following the report to the Panel in November and a further detailed report will be submitted to the next meeting.

3.3 The following schemes are proposed for implementation during 2005/06:

(i) Replacement of the Winchester passenger transport real-time information system.

4. Bridgeworks Programme 2004/05 and 2005/06

General

4.1 The Bridges Section of the Environment Department is responsible for all existing county highway structures, together with new structures built as part of roadworks, housing and industrial schemes. This covers inspection, maintenance, replacement, load assessment and strengthening.

4.2 Raynesway Construction Southern (RCS) carries out most maintenance through a term contract. Some specialist works, such as graffiti removal, and larger schemes, such as bridge replacements, are awarded by tender.

Funding

4.3 Most work on bridges is capital funded via the Local Transport Plan (LTP), but inspections, routine maintenance and environmental maintenance of subways are revenue funded.

Load Assessment and Strengthening

4.4 This programme was brought about by EU legislation that allowed 40 tonne lorries on British roads from 1 January 1999. The assessments are now complete and strengthening of sub-standard bridges is ongoing.

Road/Rail Interfaces

4.5 Following the Selby crash in February 2001, parapets and safety fences at road/rail interfaces, most of which are bridges, have been prioritised. A rolling programme for protective measures has been started and this will continue over several years, as funding is made available.

Aluminium Parapets

4.6 The Highways Agency has identified that aluminium vehicle parapets made by BACO, installed before 1994, are not to current standards. All such parapets on county bridges have been prioritised and a contract for their replacement has been awarded to RCS. Work on-site started in September 2004 and is due for completion in March 2005. Details for individual bridges are given below.

Structural Painting

4.7 A contract for structural painting in 2005/06 is being prepared and details on bridges affected will follow as they are finalised.

Bridgeworks Programme 2004/05 and 2005/06

Bowlake No.1 Bridge, Stoke Common

4.8 This bridge carries the C117, Bishopstoke Lane, over Bow Lake between Bishopstoke and Brambridge. The existing concrete arch is in very poor condition, with severe corrosion, and will be replaced with a new brick arch. The scheme is out to tender at present, with work due to start on 14 March and finish in June 2005. Bishopstoke Lane will be closed to vehicles during the work, but there will be access for pedestrians and cyclists.

Garnier No.1 Bridge, Winchester

4.9 This bridge, which carries Garnier Road over a branch of the River Itchen, is severely corroded and is at present over-spanned by a temporary structure. Because it allowed access to the old Hampshire Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC), construction of its replacement could not start until after the opening of the new HWRC at Bar End, in December 2004.

4.10 RCS is planning to start on-site on 21 February, with completion due in April 2005. Garnier Road will be closed to vehicles during the work, but a temporary footbridge will allow access for pedestrians and cyclists.

Ludwells Bridge, Waltham Chase

4.11 This bridge carries the C118, Lower Chase Road, over a tributary of the River Hamble, between Waltham Chase and Swanmore. It is sub-standard for load carrying and a replacement is being designed. The work will need a road closure and further details will be provided as the scheme develops. It is anticipated that these works will now be deferred until the spring/summer of 2005.

Maddoxford Bridge, Boorley Green

4.12 This bridge carries the U198, Maddoxford Lane, over Ford Lake, between Boorley Green and Curdridge. It is sub-standard for load carrying and its strengthening is planned for February to April 2005. A road closure with signed diversion will be in place during the work.

St Cross Tunnel, Winchester

4.13 This bridge carries the B3335, St Cross Road, over the Southampton/Waterloo Railway, just north of Bushfield roundabout. Following the Selby accident in 2001, all road/rail interfaces in Hampshire have been prioritised, and the potential risk to safety at St Cross Tunnel was amongst the highest in the county.

4.14 To address this issue, safety fencing was installed in front of the existing parapets and realigned the carriageway and eastern footway. Work started on-site in July and was completed in October 2004.

Micheldever Station Railway Bridge, Micheldever

4.15 This bridge carries the C19, Andover Road, over the Southampton/Waterloo railway line just south of Micheldever Station and has high priority for safety measures.

4.16 A feasibility study is underway and this will include local consultation. One option is single lane traffic controlled by signals, together with extra kerbing, to keep vehicles away from the bridge parapets and to reduce traffic speeds.

Aluminium Parapets

4.17 RCS has already replaced the parapets on five bridges on the A31, Alresford and Bishop's Sutton Bypass and on Ridgeway subway, Badger Farm, Winchester.

4.18 Replacement of the parapets on Battery subway under the A3090, Badger Farm Road, Winchester, had previously been deferred until the junction layout at Oliver's Battery Road/Badger Farm is decided. However, if the junction is not to be changed in the shorter term, the parapets, together with strengthening the parapet anchorage, will be done in 2005/06.

5. Development Related Works

5.1 Development related works carried out within the Winchester City Council area by Hampshire Highways are attached as Appendix 1.

5.2 Details of external funding and schemes relevant to that funding held by the County Council's Development Control section are detailed in Appendix 2.

6. Recreational Cycling

6.1 The Environment Department, in partnership with the Recreation and Heritage Department, administers the county-wide Recreational Cycling infrastructure programme, which has an allocation of £100,000 from the Transport Capital Programme in 2004/05.

2004/05 Schemes in Winchester Area

National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 12 - Basingstoke to Alton and New Alresford

6.2 This project proposes to extend the existing NCN south from Basingstoke to Alton and New Alresford. This will provide opportunities for an increase in cycling in this area, supporting cycle trips to school, work and for leisure.

6.3 These proposals have been developed in partnership with Winchester City Council, East Hampshire District Council, Forest Enterprise, Sustrans and local cycle user groups, including Hampshire Cycling and the East Hampshire Cycle Forum.

6.4 The overall project comprises three separate schemes, all of which are budgeted for in the 2004/05 recreational cycling programme. These are as follows:

(i) Chawton Park Wood (East Hampshire):

Chawton Park Wood, managed by Forest Enterprise, provides a safe and attractive route for recreational cyclists. This scheme will provide surface improvements to a 1.5 kilometres section of bridleway through the wood. The works were expected to be competed by the end of February 2005. The scheme is estimated to cost £40,000.

(ii) Cliddesden Lane/Woods Lane cycle link scheme, Basingstoke:

This scheme provides an important off-carriageway cycle link between Woods Lane and the shared use footway on the north-west side of Cliddesden Lane. The works have now been completed at a cost of £16,000.

(iii) NCN signing scheme - Basingstoke to Alton and Alresford:

Following the completion of the schemes identified in items (i) and (ii) the NCN route between Basingstoke and Alton /Alresford will be signed at an estimated cost of £12,000. This scheme is due to be completed by the end of the financial year.

National Byways Route (Winchester to Cirencester)

6.5 The National Byway is a signed leisure cycle route around Britain focusing on places of interest and heritage. In 1999 the first National Byway route in England was opened, forming a 153 mile route between Winchester and Shaftsbury. Since then, the network has grown to some 4,000 miles across the country. In partnership with the National Byway, Wiltshire County Council and South Gloucestershire Council, a new route has been proposed to link Winchester with Cirencester. The proposed route follows the existing signed Winchester to Shaftsbury route via Kings Somborne and Stockbridge to Houghton. The new route will then head through Broughton, the Wallops, Grateley and Fyfield before meeting the Hampshire/Wiltshire border just north of Appleshaw. The estimated cost of the scheme in Hampshire is £5,000 and a start was anticipated late in this financial year. However, this scheme has been deferred pending further routing discussions with Wiltshire County Council, agreement over which is essential before the Hampshire section of the works can proceed.

Wickham to Fareham Phase 1 (Improvements to Bridleway 82)

6.6 This scheme has provided surface improvements to Bridleway 82, which forms an important off-carriageway recreational route between the Wickham to Fareham disused railway line and the Henry Cort School. The scheme has been completed at a cost of £3,500 to the programme.

7. Street Lighting

Maintenance

7.1 The maintenance contract continues to provide over 99% of all street lights on at any one time, with performance levels improving since the change to `working days'. The maintenance contract was originally measured in calendar days and this has been changed to Monday to Friday, or `working days'. Further improvements are anticipated when the `Working Closer Together' Project commences in early March 2005. This Project will see the present street lighting team being split into two new sections: Corporate and Contract Delivery. The Contract Delivery team will be situated with the Contractor, Southern Electric Contracting, at its offices in Cosham and Basingstoke.

Column Replacement

7.2 Generally, the column replacement programme for the current year will be completed by the end of February 2005. More specifically for the Winchester area the position on the 2004/05 programme is as follows:

(i) Fromond Road, Winchester - works underway and due for completion 21 February 2005; and

(ii) De Lucy Avenue, Alresford - works completed 16 December 2004.

7.3 A £1.7 million programme for 2005/06 is scheduled to commence in April 2005 but there are no column replacement schemes due in the Winchester area for 2005/06.

Community Safety Initiative (CSI)

7.4 The CSI programme for 2004/05 is nearing completion but has been affected by a number of late withdrawals. The current status of the works for 2004/05 are set out below:

(i) Ashburton Road, Alresford - City Council undertaking further investigation;

(ii) Colebrook Street, Winchester - scheme withdrawn by City Council;

(iii) Norman Road, Winchester - scheme withdrawn by City Council;

(iv) St Catherines/Portal Road footpath, Winchester - scheme withdrawn by City Council;

(v) The Weirs, Winchester - orders to be placed with contractor;

(vi) Waynflete Place, Winchester - orders to be placed with contractor;

(vii) Wykeham Place, Winchester - orders to be placed with contractor;

(viii) The Brook, Old Alresford - site checked in January and orders to be placed with contractor;

(ix) Braeside Close, Olivers Battery - works completed 5 October 2004;

(x) Hoads Hill, Wickham - orders place 18 January 2005 due for completion 22 February 2005; and

(xi) Holt Close, Wickham - orders place 18 January 2005 due for completion 22 February 2005.

7.5 The draft programme for 2005/06 (all subject to the approval of the Executive Member for Environment) is set out below:

(i) Park Road, Denmead;

(ii) Elizabeth Close, Wickham;

(iii) School Road, Wickham;

(iv) Nations Hill, Kings Worthy;

(v) Fryers Close footpath, Kings Worthy; and

(vi) St Georges Square, Bishops Waltham.

Energy

7.6 Following the start of the new supply contract in April 2004, consumption has tended to rise at a higher rate than expected. The reason for the unexpected rise in the early part of the year has been investigated but no clear explanation has arisen. However, this trend has now reduced and energy is expected to be contained within the readjusted budget.

New Computer System

7.7 The new street lighting computer management system Deadsure took over the responsibility of monitoring the street lighting maintenance contract on 8 February 2004. The new system was required as the previous system, SLIMs, was mainframe-based and the mainframe is due to be switched off at the end of March 2005.

7.8 There are still a number of problems to solve but the inclusion of the street lighting GIS database and the expectation of the web browser and mobile field-based operational returns make this an exciting prospect for the future.

Additional Works

7.9 A scheme to relight Eastgate Street and the Broadway roundabout has been largely completed but there is still work to be done on additional units around the roundabout which are wayleave dependent and will probably be finished in 2005/06.

Moorside Road

7.10 Additional funds became available from the maintenance budget and the opportunity was taken to replace the lighting along the majority of Moorside Road, due to the condition of the columns, and to supplement the column replacement programme. This work will be completed by the end of the financial year.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

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
None.

9188/CT