Contact: Jonathan Ryder, ext 5162 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report provides a progress update on transport schemes within the 2004/05 Capital Programme, together with the schemes for the 2005/06 Capital Programme that were approved by the Executive Member for Environment on 21 January 2005. The summary of schemes is shown in the attached appendix.

1.2 Schemes in the Capital Programme are financed from the Local Transport Plan (LTP) and/or external funding (EF) received from developers or other contributors.

1.3 The table below shows the county-wide improvement programmes for 2005/06 where applicable to the Eastleigh area. Information concerning the schemes originating from these programmes is given elsewhere on this agenda and the report item is given for ease of reference.

	County-wide Allocation
County-wide Programme 2005/06	£'000s LTP	£'000sEF	Report Item
Central Intelligent Transport Systems	200		10
Minor Schemes	200		6
Community Safety Initiative	60		10
Minor Traffic Management	460		7
Safer Routes to School Programme	1,500		9
Casualty Reduction Programme	3,000	245	8

2. Capital Schemes 2004/05

Valley Park to Toynbee School Cycleway - £235,000 EF

2.1 The first phase of this work has been completed as a part of the Chandler's Ford railway station scheme and involved the construction of a ramp providing a shared use pedestrian and cycle facility from the station to Bournemouth Road.

2.2 Phase II forms part of the Knightwood Development Funded Programme and is aimed at providing a valuable connection between the railway station and the residential areas near Toynbee School. The project forms part of Eastleigh Borough Council's proposed cycle network, and will ultimately contribute to a safer route for pupils and staff attending the school.

2.3 The Phase II works will complete the scheme from the station area to Meon Crescent and will include:

(i) conversion of the existing Pelican crossing on Bournemouth Road to a Toucan crossing;

(ii) conversion of the footway on the eastern side of Bournemouth Road (between the Toucan crossing and the Central Precinct car park), including the footpath link to Meon Crescent, to shared use footway/cycleway; and

(iii) widening of the footway in front of the Central Precinct, including the relocation of the bus stop and a telephone box.

2.4 Detailed design of the scheme has been completed and a project appraisal was approved by the Executive Member for Environment in November 2004. The costs of the proposed scheme exceed the originally approved sums, which necessitated a further report to the Executive Member. The scheme has, however, attracted a grant from SUSTRANS, which will off-set some of the cost increases. Procurement of the works is currently underway and works are expected to start on-site in mid-April 2005, after the completion of other public utility works nearby on Bournemouth Road.

Eastleigh Quality Bus Partnership - Leigh Road Selective Vehicle Detection - £70,000 LTP

2.5 This is one of a number of schemes which make up the Eastleigh Quality Bus Partnership - a partnership between the County Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, Solent Blue Line and First - with the aim of improving services, roadside infrastructure and passenger facilities. The proposal aims to help improve journey times and punctuality for buses along the Leigh Road Corridor in Eastleigh. It is intended to introduce a Selective Vehicle Detection (SVD) system at the following existing traffic signal controlled junctions along Leigh Road:

(i) Romsey Road/Upper Market Street;

(ii) Romsey Road/Leigh Road;

(iii) Leigh Road/Passfield Avenue/Woodside Avenue;

(iv) Leigh Road/M3 Southbound Slip Road;

(v) Leigh Road/Travel Inn;

(vi) Leigh Road/Oakmount Road; and

(vii) Leigh Road/Bournemouth Road.

2.6 Traffic signals sensor equipment recognises the approaching bus and the signals respond, either by extending the green signal time for the approaching bus or, if the signal facing the bus is at red, by reducing the green time on the opposing approaches, thus enabling a green light for the bus to be quickly achieved.

2.7 A project appraisal for the scheme was approved by the Executive Member for Environment on 11 January 2005, and work to implement the measures is expected to start in late March 2005. Most of the work involves signal equipment modifications; however some minor civil engineering work is required which will be undertaken in off-peak periods.

Eastleigh Quality Bus Partnership - Access to Bus Station - £50,000 EF

2.8 The scheme aims to introduce Selective Vehicle Detection (SVD) at the puffin crossing on Southampton Road (outside the rail station). This will assist buses making the right turn towards the bus station area, as the signals are triggered by the presence of the bus. Work started in October 2004 and was completed in January 2005. The traffic islands separating the traffic lane from the contra-flow cycle lane on the Leigh Road access to the bus station have also been removed.

2.9 Commissioning of the system will be completed after testing which is currently underway. Solent Blue Line has been provided with transponders for fitting to the buses, which is currently being done.

Eastleigh Quality Bus Partnership Bus Infrastructure - £200,000 LTP

2.10 A total of £200,000 has been allocated to enable the programme of roadside infrastructure improvements on the Eastleigh Area Quality Bus Partnership routes to continue. The proposals include the provision of new bus shelters, raised kerbs, improved pedestrian access and passenger information at bus stops along the selected routes. Priority sites have been identified by both Solent Blue Line on Route 2, now known as `Bluestar 2', (Fair Oak-Eastleigh-Stoneham-Southampton), on Route 9 (Southampton-Bursledon-Hedge End-West End-Eastleigh) and 9A (Hamble-Bursledon-Hedge End-West End-Eastleigh), 49/49A (Eastleigh-Shawford/Colden Common-Winchester) and by First on Route 16 (Hamble-Netley-Southampton). Delivery of the project is being managed by the Engineering Services Unit at Eastleigh Borough Council in partnership with the Eastleigh Area Quality Bus Partnership Working Group.

2.11 Work to install improved access facilities at 51 bus stops along the routes commenced in January 2005 and is expected to be completed by mid-March. The contract for the provision of 18 bus shelters has been awarded to the successful tenderer, and installation of the shelters is expected to commence during March and take four weeks to complete.

Maunsell Way, Hedge End, Traffic Calming - £350,000 EF

2.12 This scheme forms part of the Hedge End Area Transport Strategy. The measures aim to improve speed management on Maunsell Way and improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. The measures include:

(i) a proposed school safety zone outside Berrywood Primary School, which will include signed gateways, road narrowing and formalised crossing areas;

(ii) construction of new footways and cycleways to provide a continuous pedestrian/cycle shared use facility along Maunsell Way;

(iii) conversion of the existing priority junctions at Locke Road, Drummond Road and Stroudley Way to mini-roundabouts; and

(iv) rationalisation of the existing informal pedestrian crossing points along Maunsell Way by either removing, upgrading or installing additional crossing facilities. Localised street lighting upgrades will be undertaken where existing priority junctions are being converted to mini-roundabouts.

2.13 Works commenced at the beginning of the 2004 school summer holidays and were substantially completed in December 2004. However, some of the weather-dependent operations, such as road markings, were completed in January 2005. Some of the outstanding work to reinstate the grass verges will be undertaken as soon as weather permits in the new planting season, after 1 March.

2.14 Post-implementation monitoring of the scheme will be undertaken to determine the impact of the scheme on traffic speeds and volumes.

Eastleigh Controlled Parking Zones - £175,000 EF

2.15 This scheme relates to the provision of a controlled parking zone and restricted parking zone in Eastleigh, using developer contributions from the Pirelli and Causton sites.

2.16 The scheme is being developed by officers at Eastleigh Borough Council and is detailed elsewhere on the agenda (Item 7).

Bournemouth Road Pedestrian Crossing, Chandlers Ford - £80,000 EF

2.17 New development has increased pedestrian flows across Bournemouth Road near the Hampshire Corporate Park. The new Puffin crossing is expected to improve conditions for pedestrians. Construction work began in April 2004 and all works were completed in May 2004.

Chestnut Avenue Puffin Crossing by Falkland Road - £75,000 EF

2.18 This proposal aims to provide a signal-controlled pedestrian crossing on Chestnut Avenue, to the north-west of the Falkland Road/Tollgate roundabout. The scheme aims to improve conditions for pedestrians accessing the developments on the south side of Chestnut Avenue. The scheme originally formed part of the planned cycle route from Falkland Road to Stoneham Lane; however, detailed design of the cycle route was not sufficiently advanced to enable a start of work this financial year, and has been deferred to the 2005/06 programme. The controlled crossing will be implemented initially as a Puffin crossing and modified to a Toucan crossing when the cycle route is implemented.

2.19 The detailed design of the proposed crossing has identified that the existing central island, which prohibits a right turn into a side access, will have to be removed for pedestrian safety reasons. It is proposed that a Traffic Regulation Order to ban this manoeuvre will be incorporated into the scheme.

2.20 A project appraisal for the controlled crossing was approved by the Executive Member for Environment in December 2004, and procurement of the contract works is underway with a start on-site expected in April 2005.

Hamble Lane Toucan Crossing (near Portsmouth Road junction) - £50,000 EF, £19,000 LTP (Pedestrian Crossing Programme)

2.21 The new Toucan crossing located to the south of the Portsmouth Road junction will improve pedestrian and cycling facilities between Old Netley and Lowford. The crossing has been installed and all works were completed in July 2004.

Hedge End Rail Station Improvements - £60,000 EF

2.22 This scheme forms part of the Hedge End Area Transport Strategy, and detailed design of the scheme has been completed.

2.23 The proposals aim to improve access to the rail station for buses by changing the central island circulatory movements outside the station from two-way to one-way traffic, thus improving the bus turning facility. The existing bus stop is to be relocated to a position directly in front of the station. The kerbing at the relocated bus stop is to be replaced with kerbs suitable for low-floor buses, which will improve access for users with mobility difficulties.

2.24 Traffic Regulation Orders have been prepared for Stroudley Way in order to introduce parking controls, with the aim of improving safety for buses, cyclists and pedestrians accessing the station, by limiting the amount of parking and creating passing places for traffic. Given the number of objections from users the proposals have been modified to permit more on-street parking than originally envisaged.

2.25 The main objectives of the scheme were to provide a mini-roundabout at the Maunsell Way junction and improve the access for buses. The mini-roundabout has been implemented and the parking arrangements on Stroudley Way have been approved for implementation. The remaining scheme proposals will be introduced as soon as possible.

A335/B3037 Twyford Road Roundabout, Eastleigh - £96,000 EF

2.26 This scheme aims to improve conditions for pedestrians at this junction by increasing the size of the traffic separation islands at the roundabout and through the provision of two additional pedestrian refuges. One will be sited on the Station Hill approach and one on Twyford Road, approximately 15 metres north of the roundabout. Widening of the existing traffic separation islands on Romsey Road and Bishopstoke Road is also proposed, as is widening of the footway leading from Romsey Road to Twyford Road. Modifications to the existing guardrailing will be undertaken to help ensure pedestrians cross the road at the appropriate locations.

2.27 A developer contribution of £36,000 is available for the works and an additional £60,000 for the scheme has been made available by Eastleigh Borough Council.

2.28 A project appraisal was approved in December 2004 by the Executive Member for Environment, and works commenced on-site on 31 January 2005 with a planned duration of six weeks. In order to help minimise disruption to peak traffic flows, the works will be undertaken during restricted hours of 0930-1600, with work to construct the pedestrian refuge on Twyford Road undertaken over two consecutive Sundays in the contract period. The contract also includes some evening work near the end of the contract for the provision of specialist anti-skid surfacing.

Kipling Road Traffic Management - £30,000 EF

2.29 Funded from the Caustons development, this scheme aims to discourage traffic from using Kipling Road as a rat-run between Woodside Avenue and Leigh Road. Following earlier consultation work undertaken by Eastleigh Borough Council, a scheme is being developed to introduce traffic calming measures on the road. A further option to extend the measures into Brookwood Avenue, between Kipling Road and Leigh Road, is also being considered.

2.30 A preliminary design for speed cushions has been prepared by design consultants Atkins, and stakeholder consultation is being undertaken in advance of further consultation with residents about the scheme details. Subject to satisfactory conclusion of the consultation work, the scheme design will be developed to a detailed design stage for delivery later in 2005.

3. Capital Schemes 2005/06

Eastleigh Quality Bus Partnership (Derby Road Passfield Avenue) - £70,000 EF

3.1 This scheme was identified through the Eastleigh Quality Bus Partnership as requiring improvement to maintain bus punctuality on services Bluestar 2 and 65A. The scheme aims to convert the existing priority controlled junction to a mini-roundabout.

3.2 A preliminary design has been progressed which has identified safety issues concerning the maintenance of a safe and satisfactory access to properties adjacent to the existing junction. This has necessitated further design work to overcome these issues and provide accommodation works to the property frontages. Initial negotiations have taken place with the property owners, who have responded positively to the proposals in principle. The design is to be progressed to ensure that the proposals are workable and that agreements about the accommodation works can be formalised with the residents.

Hound Road Cycleway, Netley - £125,000 EF

3.3 The Hound Road cycleway is identified in the Hamble School Travel Plan and the Hamble Area Transport Strategy. A total of £125,000 has been allocated (£15,000 developer contribution and £110,000 from Eastleigh Borough Council) for implementation of the scheme. Eastleigh Borough Council is undertaking the preliminary design of this scheme, which aims to provide an off-road route from the railway bridge on St Mary's Road, along Hound Way and Hound Road to Hamble Lane and Hamble Secondary School. Preliminary design is continuing; however, the design of a pedestrian and cycle refuge on Hound Road, together with the associated road widening, has taken the scheme over budget. Officers are currently investigating alternative design solutions to help reduce costs.

A27 Botley Road North, Hedge End, Bus Access - £315,000 LTP, £100,000 EF

3.4 As part of a partnership agreement signed in March 2003, the County Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and Southampton City Council agreed to develop proposals for a bus-only connection that will provide a more direct link for bus routes between Hedge End and the city of Southampton. The bus company is willing to enhance bus services in parallel with the provision of this link.

3.5 The proposal is to allow buses to travel the whole length of Botley Road between the A3024 and the A27, thereby avoiding Windhover roundabout and permitting an improved service. It is proposed that cyclists, pedestrians and emergency vehicles will also be able to use this link. However, measures are being investigated to ensure safe and efficient operation of the restricted access for these transport modes. Currently about one third has been converted to a cycleway with verges, and the third nearest the A27 is a single track road leading to a travellers' site. A significant length of the road lies within Southampton and several officer meetings, including bus company representatives, have taken place to secure a satisfactory scheme.

3.6 Detailed design for both the link road and the proposed traffic signal controlled junction on the A27 has been substantially completed. To ensure the route is only used by buses, Traffic Regulation Orders need to be progressed to achieve enforceable restricted access. Parking for the travellers' site also needs to be provided to keep the route clear of parked vehicles, and is subject to obtaining planning permission. Upon the resolution of these matters a project appraisal for the scheme will be submitted to the Executive Member for Environment; however the timing of this is dependent on the potential level of objections to the traffic regulation orders and planning permission. Works to improve the route are currently expected to commence in either September 2005 or January 2006.

Hamble Bus Route 16 - Capital Grant - £100,000 EF

3.7 This is a grant towards the enhancement of bus services on this route, from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes between the hours of 0830 and 1730, Monday to Friday. The proposal aims to improve the bus service and accessibility standards through the provision of new dedicated low-floor buses, drivers and re-branding of the route. The proposal originates from the Eastleigh Quality Bus Partnership and includes a grant of £50,000 towards the proposal from Eastleigh Borough Council.

3.8 Commencement of the new services is dependent on delivery of the new buses, which are expected during the summer of 2005.

Leigh Road Corridor, Eastleigh - £200,000 LTP, £300,000 EF

3.9 This proposal aims to improve conditions for pedestrians and enhance the street environment on the section of Leigh Road between Cranbury Road and High Street in Eastleigh for the benefit of users and residents.

3.10 The scheme includes widened footways, raised carriageway levels, resurfacing with enhanced materials, linking the church area to the recreation ground, revised parking and delivery arrangements for local shops and The Point, and the provision of new street furniture and landscape planting.

3.11 The scheme includes a proposal to add a pedestrian phase to the existing traffic signals at the Romsey Road/Leigh Road junction to improve pedestrian access between Leigh Road and the town centre.

3.12 The scheme is being developed by Eastleigh Borough Council and is jointly funded by Hampshire County Council, using a combination of capital funding and developer contributions.

3.13 A public exhibition was undertaken in July 2004, where positive support for the preliminary proposals was achieved. The detailed design is currently being developed with a view to achieving project appraisal approval for a commencement of works after the completion of the Factory Road scheme in early 2006.

Chestnut Avenue Cycleway, Eastleigh - £225,000 EF

3.14 This scheme aims to provide an off-road cycle facility along Chestnut Avenue between the Tollgate Roundabout and Stoneham Lane, where it would connect with existing cycle facilities.

3.15 A preliminary design of the cycleway proposals has been completed, however there is a disparity between the estimated scheme costs and the available budget, mainly due to the need to provide retaining wall structures to support adjacent residential gardens. The scheme details are currently being reviewed so that the scheme can be developed to detailed design early in 2005/06, for implementation later in the financial year.

Factory Road Traffic Management, Eastleigh - £375,000 LTP, £200,000 EF

3.16 This scheme aims to provide an environmental improvement to Factory Road to improve the attractiveness of the route for pedestrians and cyclists between the developments at the former Pirelli site and the town centre. The scheme includes the provision of traffic calming in the form of speed tables, footway widening and formalised parking bays.

3.17 A public exhibition of the preliminary proposals was undertaken in June 2004, where the proposals were positively received. Unfortunately objections were received from the public utility companies who objected to the proposal to provide tree planting along the road. The scheme has accordingly been reviewed and this element withdrawn from the proposals.

3.18 The detailed design of the scheme is progressing, including amended traffic regulation orders to accommodate revised parking layouts, with a view to achieving project appraisal approval in May 2005, with construction work planned to commence in August 2005. The works are expected to take about four months to construct.

Hamble Lane/Ensign Way Pedestrian Refuges - £25,000 EF

3.19 This scheme originates form the Barratt's development at Ensign Way, Hamble-le-Rice, where developer contributions were taken for the construction of two new pedestrian refuges, together with modifications to the existing refuge in Ensign Way.

3.20 The two new refuges are to be constructed on Hamble Lane, one on each side of the Ensign Way junction, together with modifications to the one on Ensign Way itself. The refuges are expected to improve pedestrian access in this area.

3.21 The proposals are being developed by officers at Eastleigh Borough Council and are expected to be implemented during the summer of 2005.

Recommendation

That Members note the progress with the schemes in the Transport Capital Programme and support the schemes approved for inclusion in the Capital Programme for 2005/06.

9211/JR

APPENDIX

Transport Capital Programmes 2004/05 and 2005/06