Contact: Richard Chinn, tel 023 8042 7000 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report covers a wide range of activities undertaken by specialist teams within the Environment Department and gives details on programmes for:

(i) Regeneration of Older Urban Areas;

(ii) Intelligent Transport Systems;

(iii) Bridgeworks;

(iv) Hampshire Country Towns Initiative;

(v) Development Related Works;

(vi) Recreational Cycling; and

(vii) Street Lighting.

2. Regeneration of Older Urban Areas

Rumbridge Street, Totton

2.1 In partnership with New Forest District Council and Totton and Eling Town Council, the County Council has prepared long-term planning, design and management guidance for the regeneration of Totton town centre. Phase One comprises streetscene and traffic management improvements in Rumbridge Street, utilising joint funding of approximately £1 million.

2.2 Work related to Phase One is currently in progress. Further details are contained in item 5.

3. Intelligent Transport Systems (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 has reached significant levels, increasing the amount of on-street ITS equipment operated and maintained by the ITS Group. The Traffic Management Act 2004 and guidance for the second edition of the Local Transport Plan (LTP), currently being developed, has placed further responsibility on the ITS Group for the monitoring of and improvement to the operation of the highway network.

3.2 Progress on schemes during 2004/05 within the New Forest is as follows:

(i) Works are currently underway to install a new Puffin crossing at Station Road New Milton. This new crossing is expected to be operational during this month.

(ii) Works to complete the installation of the new Urban Traffic Control (UTC) computer system in New Milton to coordinate the operation of the traffic signals at the junctions of Ashley Road with Station Road and Ashley Road with Spencer Road are ongoing. The UTC computer system will respond to changing traffic patterns, and will reduce some of the delays currently experienced by drivers during off-peak periods.

3.3 There are no current plans for new ITS works during 2005/06 within the New Forest area, but proposals may come forward during the year.

4. Bridgeworks

4.1 Below is a summary of:

(i) schemes completed in 2004/05;

(ii) schemes started in 2004/05, but carrying over into 2005/06; and

(iii) schemes due to start in 2005/06.

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

4.3 The County Council's term maintenance contractor, Raynesway Construction Southern Ltd (RCS) carries out the majority of maintenance work. Some specialist works, such as graffiti removal, and larger schemes, such as bridge replacements, are awarded by separate tender.

Funding

4.4 Most work on bridges is funded from capital via the LTP, but inspections, routine maintenance and environmental maintenance of subways are revenue funded.

Load Assessment and Strengthening

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

Road/Rail Interfaces

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

Aluminium Parapets

4.7 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 awarded to RCS for their replacement. Work on site started in September 2004 and is due for completion later this month. Details for individual bridges are set out below.

Structural Painting

4.8 A contract is currently being prepared and details of bridges affected will follow, as they are finalised.

Works in New Forest Area

Redbridge Rail Bridge, Totton

4.9 This bridge carries the A35, Totton Bypass, over the Bournemouth to Waterloo railway line. The east parapet was damaged in a road traffic accident and temporary concrete barriers protect the site at present. Bridge engineers are currently discussing construction of the permanent works with RCS, and details of timing and traffic management will follow.

Leybrook Bridge, Sandford and Fordbridge, Ripley

4.10 Leybrook bridge carries Dragon Lane, U121, over a tributary of the River Avon at Sandford and Fordbridge carries London Lane, UI08, over a tributary of the River Avon at Ripley. Both bridges have been assessed as sub-standard for load carrying and it had been planned to replace them in late summer 2004. However, work was delayed due to a problem with land entry and additionally this would have led to closing the roads during a very busy time for local farmers. Because of this, and to avoid the winter weather, it was decided to postpone the work until June 2005. Exact details of timing and traffic management have not yet been finalised.

Litchford Hill Bridge, New Milton

4.11 This small bridge at the end of Willowdene Close, New Milton is sub-standard for load carrying and is being monitored. It is planned to strengthen the bridge in 2005/06 and local consultation, particularly concerning timing and traffic management, will follow.

Holmsley Rail Bridge

4.12 This bridge carries the A35 over Station Road, C10, at Holmsley and is still owned by Rail Property Limited (RPL), the branch of Network Rail responsible for bridges over disused railways. The County Council and RPL are still in discussion with a view to reaching agreement on future ownership and maintenance of the bridge. The Panel will be updated as discussions progress.

Lyndhurst Road Railway Bridge, Ashurst

4.13 This bridge carries the A35, Lyndhurst Road, over the Bournemouth to Waterloo railway line at Ashurst and has been deemed a high priority for safety measures. A feasibility study is to be carried out, including local consultation, in 2005/06. Timing of work on site will depend on the solution chosen and discussions with Network Rail.

Totton Bypass Footbridge, Totton

4.14 This footbridge crosses the A35, Totton Bypass near Bartram Road. A specialist contractor, Chemries Ltd, will be re-surfacing the bridge and approach ramps from between 1 and 22 March 2005. The footbridge will be closed during the works, with pedestrians diverted to the signalled crossing west of the bridge. There will also be some very short-term off-peak lane closures whilst materials and plant are unloaded.

Avon Causeway Bridge on Hampshire/Dorset border

4.15 Dorset County Council is replacing the bridge that carries the Avon Causeway over the River Avon, under a "design and build" contract. As the bridge is on the Hampshire/Dorset border, consultations with Hampshire County Council are on-going and the scheme will be considered at a Hampshire County Council planning meeting on 6 May 2005.

Aluminium Parapets

4.16 RCS has already replaced the parapets on two bridges on the A338 Fordingbridge Bypass, two on A35/A326 Totton Bypass and one near Cadnam. The parapets on three small bridges in Marchwood were re-assessed as satisfactory and not needing replacement.

4.17 The parapets on Brockenhurst bridge on the A337 will be replaced in two stages during this month, phase 1 on 5/6 March and Phase 2 on 12/13 March. During the works, three-way traffic lights will be in operation at the junction of the A337, Lyndhurst Road and Balmer Lawn Road, Brockenhurst.

4.18 The parapets on Stuckton bridge, over Ditchend Brook, Stuckton will be replaced at the end of March and single lane traffic, controlled by signals, will be necessary during the works.

5. Hampshire Country Towns Initiative

5.1 The Country Towns Initiative is a County Council programme which carries out schemes of environmental enhancement in the county's rural centres to reinforce their environmental, social and commercial attractiveness. It focuses on highways and other public areas and works in partnership with local councils and representative organisations. It brings together funding from the County Council, the appropriate District Council and local sources, and links highway and environmental objectives and funding.

Hythe Promenade

5.2 Highway and environmental improvements to Hythe Promenade to an estimated value of £771,000 were approved by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources on 21 January 2005. The scheme is being promoted in partnership with New Forest District Council, Hythe and Dibden Parish Council and the local community and brings together highways and environmental funds from a range of sources. It links to the emerging highways and transport strategy for Hythe, the Pier and the Pier public transport Interchange. Subject to tender evaluation, a start on site is expected in May 2005.

6. Development Related Works

6.1 Works within the New Forest area currently being carried out under Section 38 Agreements are detailed in Appendix 1.

6.2 Appendix 2 contains information relating to developer funded schemes.

7. Recreational Cycling

7.1 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 the New Forest

Improvements to the Castleman Trail, Ringwood

7.2 The Castleman Trail is a disused railway line through the New Forest. Before it was closed in the 1960's, the trail linked Southampton with Dorchester via Poole. A number of sections of the trail have been reopened as recreational paths for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, and have proved very popular. In May 2003, a 1.1km section of the trail was reopened, linking Ringwood with the Hampshire/Dorset border.

7.3 This project proposes to extend the trail east from Ringwood for a length of 1.5 Kilometres. This new section will be dedicated as bridleway and will be surfaced with a durable unbound surface which will be in keeping with the local environment. This forms a first section of the trail providing a link between Ringwood and Burley.

7.4 The total cost of the scheme is estimated to be £35,000 of which £9,900 is being contributed by the Recreational Cycling budget. Work is due to start on site at the end of February and is expected to take 5 weeks to complete.

7.5 The project is being carried out in partnership with the County Council's Rights of Way section and Estates Practice. A suitable link through Ringwood is currently being progressed through the Ringwood Cycling and Walking project managed by the Environment Department.

8. Street Lighting

Maintenance

8.1 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 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 embedded with the Contractor, Southern Electric Contracting, at its offices in Cosham and Basingstoke.

Column Replacement

8.2 The column replacement scheme in Ringwood Road, Totton has recently been completed and the remainder of the current year's programme should have been completed by the date of the meeting.

8.3 A £1.7m county-wide programme for 2005/06 is scheduled to commence in April and includes a scheme at Leelands, Lymington.

Community Safety Initiative (CSI)

8.4 The CSI programme for 2004/05 reported at the Panel meeting on 21 September 2004 is nearing completion. A works order for the scheme at Alfred Close, Totton is with the contractor and it is hoped that work will be complete by the end of March.

8.5 The draft 2005/06 programme is shown below and the final programme is to be submitted for Executive Member approval on 22 March 2005:

(i) Watermans Lane, Hythe

(ii) Mountfield to Southampton Road footpath, Hythe

(iii) School Road, Hythe

(iv) Curlew Close and Curlew Drive, Hythe

(v) Tern Close, Hythe

(vi) Somerville, Gorley Road and Whitehart Field, Ringwood

(vii) Calmore Road, Totton

(viii) Cooks Lane, Totton

Energy

8.6 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 this 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

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

8.8 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.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

214/TL