Contact: Brian Millen, tel 01256 764444 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) Development Related Works; and

(v) Street Lighting.

2. Regeneration of Older Urban Areas

North Camp, Farnborough

2.1 The Regeneration of Older Urban Areas (ROUA) programme is working closely with Rushmoor Borough Council in developing proposals for North Camp that accord with the Local Transport Plan objectives.

2.2 Detailed plans are now being finalised for the southern end of Camp Road and the well-used route across the adjacent public open space. The plans will take account of the emerging infrastructure requirements of the Aldershot Urban Extension and it is hoped that the improvements will be implemented in early 2006.

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. Further responsibility now sits with the ITS group for the monitoring of, and improvement to, the operation of the highway network as a result of the Traffic Management Act.

3.2 The former Executive Member for Environment approved expenditure of £200,000 in the 2005/06 Transport Capital Programme, for extending the implementation of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in Hampshire. Buses operating in the Eastleigh area will be fitted with automatic vehicle location technology so that they can be tracked and incorporated into the county-wide Real-Time Passenger Information system (STOPWATCH). The funding will also allow Hampshire and Portsmouth Real-Time Information (RTI) systems to be integrated, allowing bus data and information exchange and the provision of real-time information on services in the Havant, Gosport and Fareham areas. This information will be provided on electronic displays at bus stops and via the internet and mobile phones.

3.3 The continuing development of the Hampshire Traffic and Travel Information Centre (TTIC) in Winchester has enabled a number of systems to be deployed and operated in Hampshire. Collectively these applications help provide improved traffic and travel information and contribute to the delivery of the County Council's transport policies. The provision of timely and accurate information can help reduce congestion, manage incidents and improve accessibility. The funding will allow further improvement to the central systems in the TTIC, enhancing information collection and outputs. The work will also provide the basis for developing tailored and personalised journey planning and travel information.

3.4 Progress on schemes during 2005/06 within Rushmoor is as follows:

(i) conversion of an existing Zebra crossing to a Puffin crossing on the A323 Ash Road near Herrett Street, Aldershot is complete;

(ii) refurbishment of the existing traffic signals at the junction of Queens Road and Grosvenor Road in Aldershot was carried out to upgrade the pedestrian facilities. These works have been funded by Rushmoor Borough Council and are complete; and

(iii) as part of the county-wide STOPWATCH Real-Time Passenger Information (RTPI) system, the Stagecoach fleet of 84 buses in Rushmoor will be fitted with automatic vehicle location equipment (as of August 2005 66 buses had been fitted). Up to 28 signs will be installed at bus stops along Route 1 and Route 6. Further work will be undertaken to develop web-based and mobile phone dissemination facilities. Discussions are taking place on integrating information between the Hampshire and Surrey RTPI systems.

3.5 The following scheme is scheduled for implementation during 2005/06:

(i) a new, externally funded Puffin crossing at Minley Road, Cove, Public Notice is on site.

4. Bridgeworks

4.1 This programme summarises:

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

(ii) 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 Raynesway Construction Southern (RCS) carry 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

4.4 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

4.5 This programme was brought about by EU legislation that allowed 40 tonne lorries on UK 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. A rolling programme for protective measures has commenced that 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 and installed before 1994 are not to current standards. All such parapets on county bridges were prioritised and RCS completed a contract for their replacement between September 2004 and April 2005. Three bridges, in East Hampshire, Eastleigh and Rushmoor, were omitted from this contract for operational reasons and were carried over to 2005/06. Details for individual bridges are given below.

Works in the Rushmoor Area

Aluminium Parapets

4.8 Between February and April 2005 RCS replaced the parapets on 10 structures in Rushmoor:

(i) six bridges and two retaining walls on the A331, northern Blackwater Valley Route, Farnborough; and

(ii) Willems Park and Wellington Avenue subways in Aldershot.

4.9 The work on Norris (Old) bridge, over the Basingstoke Canal at the Ively Road/Fleet Road roundabout, was postponed to avoid the major improvements in Fleet Town Centre.

4.10 As an interim measure, in October 2005 temporary concrete barriers will be installed adjacent to the existing parapets. This work will require overnight lane closures controlled by temporary traffic signals. The permanent repairs include edge strengthening, as well as replacement of the parapets, and construction is planned for 2006/07. Further details will follow as they are finalised.

5. Development Related Works

5.1 Development related works carried out within the Rushmoor Borough Council area by Hampshire Highways are set out in Appendix 1. Details of external funding and schemes relevant to that funding held by the County Council's Environment Department are detailed in Appendix 2.

6. Street Lighting

Maintenance Contract 2002/2007

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 from `calendar' to `working' days. It is not possible to be more precise at present due to the commissioning time for the new computer system.

6.2 The partnership arrangement has now been in place for six months. There have been some changes to the assessment of the contractor's performance, such as changing the method of time measurement from `calendar' days to `working' days and reducing the number of days to complete works in general. The new arrangements have split the original Street Lighting Team into two new groups with the Contract Delivery Team located mainly at Cosham working alongside the contractor and the Corporate Management Team at Winchester dealing with public interface, probity and audit, as well as the management of the Community Safety Initiative, new works and the Column Replacement Programme.

Column Replacement Programme 2005/06

6.3 A £1.8 million programme of work is planned for 2005/06 and commenced in late March, 2005. The programme for the Rushmoor area is as follows:

Eastern Road, Aldershot - works completed June 2005

Farm Road, Aldershot - works completed June 2005

Hanover Gardens, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Brookhouse Road footpath, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Hornbeam Close, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Holmbrook Gardens, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Cromwell Way, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Fairfax Road footpath, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Brookwood Road, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Fernhill Lane, Farnborough - works due to start November 2005

Randell Close, Farnborough - works due to start November 2005

Pennine Way, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Pentland Place, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Mendip Road, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Snowdon Road, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

The Findings, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Pennine Way footpath, Farnborough - works completed May 2005

Community Safety Initiative 2005/06

6.4 No bids were received for this year from the Rushmoor area.

Energy

6.5 Following the start of the new supply contract in April 2004, consumption has tended to rise at a slightly higher rate than expected but still within budget. The main problem facing the County Council is, however, the prospective increase of 70% plus in energy costs in April 2006 when a new supply contract will be required.

New Computer System

6.6 The new street lighting computer management system, Deadsure, designed to monitor the street lighting maintenance contract, became operational on 10 February 2005. The new system was required as the previous system, SLIMs, was mainframe-based and the mainframe was switched off at the end of March 2005. There are still a number of problems to resolve, particularly as regards data and reports, 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 innovative system for the future.

7. Impact Assessments

7.1 This report provides a position statement only, therefore an impact assessment in terms of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act has not been undertaken.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

533/BGM

Shaded cells represent schemes adopted since last report

COUNTY COUNCIL HELD DEVELOPER FUNDING APPENDIX 2

Current Programme

£

Total Held to fund the above Capital Programme Schemes ............................................. 562,361

Possible Future Schemes

Total funding allocated to future schemes above ....................................................................... 396,177

Maintenance:........................................................................................................ 10,323

Station Road/ Grove Road Aldershot Maintenance

Bus Services:......................................................................................................... 440,305

Aldershot Bus Service

Farnborough Bus Service

Unallocated ............................................................................................................ 971,844

Total Held: ................... 2,381,010

Contributions Received since last HTAP and included in above *(unallocated)

Possible Future Funding

Note: The above will only produce contributions IF the development proceeds.