Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

ITEM 1

PROJECT APPRAISAL

PROJECT:

WINCHESTER REAL-TIME INFORMATION SYSTEM

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

MAY 2005

COMPLETION DATE:

MARCH 2006

PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME: 2005/06

1.

FINANCE (Client Department, Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services [Estates Practice] and County Treasurer)

Current

Capital

Estimate

Programme

(at 2005

(at 2005

prices)

prices)

Capital Expenditure

£'000

£'000

Land to be purchased

Construction

325

325

Fees

25

25

350

350

Less developers/

other contributions

350

350

Financial provision for total scheme

Total Cost

1.

From Committees own resources

(a) Capital programme (as above)

350

(b) Other

350

2.

From other resources

(a)

(b)

(c)

TOTAL

350

Value of land for this project in HCC ownership £

Variations from capital programme

Revenue implications

£'000

% variation

to Committee's

budget

Net current expenditure

56

0.060

Capital charges

62

0.051

TOTAL net expenditure

118

0.111

2.

STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

(Client Department)

In December 2003 the county-wide contract for STOPWATCH Real-Time Information (RTI) was awarded to SLE. Since then the central system and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communications infrastructure have been established, operated from the Winchester Traffic and Travel Information Centre. Deployment of RTI is now underway in Basingstoke and North East Hampshire, centred around the Stagecoach bus fleets, and for the A3 corridor and Fareham/Gosport peninsula building on the Portsmouth City Council RTI system. Works are also planned for the QBP routes operated in the Eastleigh area by Solent Blue Line and will entail integration works with the Southampton City Council RTI system.

In Winchester the STOPWATCH system is currently provided by ACIS and has been operational since 1996. It covers some 35 routes operated by 60 buses running out of the Stagecoach Bar End Depot. In recent months the system performance and ACIS maintenance has fallen below expectations and it is recognised that the system software and hardware requires upgrading.

When drawing up the county-wide contract it was evident that Winchester STOPWATCH would quickly become an anomaly in technical and operational terms even had ACIS won the contract. Winchester STOPWATCH is based on dated technology - beacon based bus tracking - and uses a Private Mobile Radio (PMR) communications system. As a rule RTI systems now employ satellite tracking and in assessing the new contract the decision was made to use GPRS communications for operational, technical and financial reasons. Winchester STOPWATCH is also run by first generation RTI software which is no longer offered to customers and is not suited to system development and improvement.

The proposals allow for the removal of existing vehicle tracking equipment and installation of new automatic vehicle location technology for 60 buses. 30 bus stops will also be fitted with new Thin Film Transistor displays to advise passengers of bus arrivals.

The new system will also enable the dissemination of `off-street' RTPI for all bus services operating in Winchester in the form of mobile phone text messaging and through the internet, thus allowing travellers to make pre trip choices and decisions before arriving at the bus stop.

It is proposed, therefore, that the following phases are implemented to manage the removal of the existing system and the implementation of the new system ensuring that the impact on the travelling public and the system operators is kept to a minimum:

1. ACIS vehicle location technology removed from buses and replaced with SLE bus tracking equipment. For a period all displays would carry scheduled timetable information only.

2. Testing of the GPRS communications and bus tracking accuracy including the incorporation of Winchester onto the central system.

3. Displays removed from stops and replaced with new TFT displays showing bus arrival predictions.

4. SMS and website upgrade on central system to include Winchester RTPI.

5. Final system acceptance and commissioning.

3.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL (Client Department)

National/County Network and Policies

The proposals are consistent with the County Council's policies and objectives of providing greater travel choice and improved public transport systems. The County Council aims to encourage modal shift from private car to public transport and this scheme will help achieve this objective.

Details of Scheme and Design Standards

All scheme details will comply with all relevant United Kingdom/European standards together with Hampshire County Council standards as appropriate.

Environmental Impact

This proposal replaces an existing system housed internally in bus shelters so there will be no environmental impact from this new technology.

Land Requirements

No land acquisition required. All works to be confined within existing public highway limits.

Statutory Procedures

None

Public Consultation

The Stagecoach bus company has been consulted and supports the proposed replacement of the system. Winchester City Council has also been consulted on the proposal and fully supports the replacement and upgrade of the system.

Local Members' View

Local Members are in the process of being consulted on the proposal and their views will be reported as appropriate.

Equalities

The system can be enabled with a key fob audio speech facility for the visually impaired, to make audio announcements of next bus departures. Further investigations into such facilities are under investigation.

Maintenance Implications

ITS equipment is designed to operate over a period of 10-15 years and the system hardware will be added to an annual maintenance contract with SLE. Beyond this period equipment may require upgrades or replacement.

An agreement is in place with Orange to secure GPRS communications at a competitive rate of £2 per SIM card per bus per month for the county-wide RTPI system. This will be taken into account in the setting of the annual budget.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

The provisions of this Act have no impact on this proposal

Sustainability

The installation of the systems support the County Council's policies on improving economic efficiency through better transport management, making better use of the existing transport network and promoting sustainable transport facilities.

4.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

(Client Department)

The option of upgrading the ACIS system and integrating it with the new county-wide system was assessed. However, even if the integration of the system was successful, upgrading the system would be costly and the County Council would be left dealing with two contracts, two suppliers, two systems and two maintenance regimes. The conclusion is that Winchester STOPWATCH needs to be incorporated into the county-wide system provided by SLE.

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

File RTPI SLE F.5298

Environment Department

Monument House