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

1. Summary

1.1 This report details the programmes for:

(i) Hampshire Villages Initiatives and Regeneration of Older Urban Areas;

(ii) Intelligent Transport Systems;

(iii) Bridgeworks;

(iv) Development Related Works; and

(v) Street Lighting.

2. Hampshire Villages Initiatives and Regeneration of Older Urban Areas

Hampshire Villages Initiatives - Bishopstoke

2.1 Hampshire County Council is in consultation with Bishopstoke Parish Council for the provision of riverside access improvements. It is anticipated that these improvements will be completed during 2005/06.

Regeneration of Older Urban Areas - Bursledon

2.2 Works have been completed in association with Bursledon Parish Council to refurbish the riverside viewing area and public dinghy launching hard at the foot of Lands End Road, Bursledon.

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 and the Local Transport Plan guidance has placed further responsibility on the Group for monitoring and improving the operation of the highway network.

3.2 Progress on ITS schemes during 2004/05 within Eastleigh are covered elsewhere on this agenda.

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 Limited (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 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.

Bridgework Programme for 2004/05

Montague Road Retaining Wall, Bishopstoke

4.8 This scheme was reported at the October 2004 meeting as completed.

Archers Road Footbridge, Eastleigh

4.9 This precast concrete footbridge over the Romsey/Eastleigh railway line was built in 1935, with stepped access only, and is nearing the end of its useful life. A total of £25,000 was spent on extensive repairs in 1998, but further repairs are becoming uneconomic. There is also local pressure to provide access ramps to enable use by wheelchairs, pushchairs and those with mobility impairment.

4.10 The initial estimate for a new footbridge with ramps is £1,000,000, not including any Network Rail land charges. Discussions and surveys regarding replacement are ongoing and a bid for funding will be considered for the LTP submission in July 2005.

Bowlake No.1 Bridge, Stoke Common

4.11 This bridge carries the C117, Bishopstoke Lane, over Bow Lake between Bishopstoke and Brambridge. The existing reinforced 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.

4.12 This structure is outside the Borough boundary, but is reported to this Panel as the traffic management proposals will affect roads within the Borough.

Allington Lane No 1 Bridge, Fair Oak

4.13 This bridge carries the C194, Allington Lane, over a tributary of the River Itchen, just north of the junction with Firtree Lane, and is sub-standard for load carrying. A strengthening scheme is being prepared, with construction due to start in July 2005. The work will probably require single lane traffic controlled by temporary signals, but further details will follow as they are finalised.

Fish Pass Footbridge, Bishopstoke

4.14 This footbridge carries the footpath alongside the B3037, Bishopstoke Road, at the junction with Riverside in Bishopstoke. Some elements of the bridge are in poor condition and options for repair or replacement in 2005/06 are being investigated. Further details will follow as they are finalised.

Wide Lane Railway Bridge, Eastleigh

4.15 This bridge carries the C351 Wide Lane over the Southampton/Waterloo railway line, just south of Southampton Parkway Station, and has a high priority for protective measures. Erection of safety fencing to the south side of the bridge commenced on 28 February 2004. Most work can be undertaken off the highway, but occasional `off-peak' lane closures will be required.

Aluminium Parapets

4.16 During November and December 2004 RCS replaced the parapets on:

(i) Tanhouse subway in Hedge End;

(ii) Middle bridge in Chestnut Avenue, Eastleigh; and

(iii) two underpasses on the A335, Wide Lane, near Junction 5, M27.

4.17 RCS will be replacing the parapets on Whitethorns underpass, carrying the A334, Charles Watts Way, over the exit from the retail park, in April 2005. The works will require lane closures on the A334, Charles Watts Way.

4.18 Discussions with Network Rail concerning replacement of the parapets on Bubb Lane railway bridge are ongoing and further details will follow.

5. Development Related Works

5.1 Works within Eastleigh currently being carried out under Section 38 Agreements are detailed in Appendix 1.

5.2 External funding and schemes relevant to that funding, and controlled by the County Council's Development Control section, are detailed in Appendix 2.

6. Street Lighting

Maintenance

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

Column Replacement

6.2 The column replacement programme for the current year will be completed by the end of February 2005:

(i) Kingsway, Eastleigh - works completed 20 January 2005;

(ii) Kings Close, Eastleigh - works completed 20 January 2005;

(iii) Hocombe Drive, Eastleigh - works underway and due for completion 4 February 2005;

(iv) Gordon Road, Eastleigh - works underway and due for completion;

(v) Nichol Road, Eastleigh - works underway and due for completion 4 February 2005;

(vi) Pine Road, Eastleigh - works underway and due for completion 28 January 2005;

(vii) Bodycoats Road, Eastleigh - works completed 20 December 2004;

(viii) Valley Road, Eastleigh - works underway and due for completion 11 February 2005;

(ix) Parkway Gardens, Eastleigh - works underway and due for completion 11 February 2005; and

(x) Nickson Close, Eastleigh - works underway and due for completion 11 February 2005.

6.3 A £1.7 million programme for 2005/06 is scheduled to commence in April 2005 and the programme for the Eastleigh area is as follows:

(i) Chestnut Avenue, Eastleigh;

(ii) Cedar Road, Eastleigh;

(iii) Consort Road, Eastleigh;

(iv) Hardy Road, Eastleigh;

(v) Stoke Common Road, Eastleigh;

(vi) The Copse, Eastleigh;

(vii) Ormond Close, Eastleigh;

(viii) Hocombe Park Close, Eastleigh; and

(ix) Richmond Close, Eastleigh.

Community Safety Initiative (CSI)

6.4 The CSI programme for 2004/05 is nearing completion but has been affected by a number of late withdrawals. The programme status for the Eastleigh area is as follows:

(i) Long Lane, Bursledon, Eastleigh - scheme withdrawn by Borough Council;

(ii) Botley Road, Hedge End, Eastleigh - design works in progress as at 25 January 2005;

(iii) School Lane, Hamble, Eastleigh - awaiting approval from Borough Council; and

(iv) Woodhouse Lane, Hedge End - on hold pending design alterations by the Borough.

6.5 The draft programme for 2005/06 is as follows, subject to Executive Member for Environment approval:

(i) Hornbeam Close/Hawthorne Close footpath, Eastleigh; and

(ii) Havendale, Eastleigh.

Energy

6.6 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

6.7 The new street lighting computer management system Deadsure took over the responsibility of monitoring the street lighting maintenance contract on 10 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.

6.8 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.

Other Works

6.9 Underspending within the maintenance budget has enabled the County Council to bring forward the replacement of columns on Winchester Road in Chandlers Ford.

(i) Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford - works programmed to start 31 January 2005 with completion by 4 March 2005.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

9210/CT