Contact: Dominic McGrath, ext 6054 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report updates the Panel on recent decisions impacting on the strategy area.

2. Current Issues

2.1 The report provides updates on the following issues:

(i) Light Rail Update;

(ii) South East Plan;

(iii) Gosport Peninsula Access Panel;

(iv) Quay Street Roundabout; and

(v) Hamble Lane/Portsmouth Road Junction - Surveys.

3. Light Rail Update

3.1 As previously reported, the project Promoters had been pressing the Government for a decision on the Light Rail scheme prior to the Parliamentary summer recess. On 16 June 2005 the Minister in charge of light rail for the Department for Transport wrote to the Promoters. He confirmed that he understood the time constraints and that he hoped to be able to make a decision soon. On the rising of Parliament at the end of July for its summer recess, no decision was made. Subsequently officers have been pressing for an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State, to find out why no decision was made and what the timetable is for a decision.

3.2 The Promoters have written to the Secretary of State for Transport identifying two options to sustain procurement within the current constraints of the Transport and Works Act Order. These will allow more time to reach a decision. However, if Government is unwilling to fund this light rail scheme it has been urged to make a swift decision so that the Promoters can refocus their efforts and spending on other priorities. The scheme continues to enjoy the strong support of the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA), the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) and the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). The Promoters continue to press for an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State.

4. South East Plan

4.1 SEERA has produced its South East Plan which sets out targets for the location and amount of new housing across the region between 2006 and 2026. This includes a target for Hampshire as a whole (which includes Portsmouth and Southampton) and targets for three sub-areas: South Hampshire, North Hampshire, and Central Hampshire and New Forest.

4.2 The next step is to split those sub-regional figures into targets for individual Districts. Hampshire County Council and the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (which comprises all the local authorities in South Hampshire) are undertaking this task at the request of the Regional Assembly. Options for Districts-level housing targets have been drawn up, on which public consultation will take place between 5 September and 21 October 2005. The options are set out in the public consultation document "Where shall we live".

5. Gosport Peninsula Access Panel

5.1 It was originally intended to hold the next Panel meeting shortly after the County Council elections in May, and the subsequent appointment of Hampshire County Council representatives to the Panel.

5.2 The main purpose of the next meeting is the latest position regarding the re-submission of the South Hampshire Rapid Transit 1 project. Consequently, a meeting after this decision is considered to be more useful since this will allow Members to discuss the transport strategy of the peninsula with a greater degree of clarity than has been possible previously.

5.3 It is proposed to arrange the next meeting of the Panel as soon as the position on Light Rapid Transit becomes clearer.

6. Quay Street Roundabout

6.1 A planning proposal for the old foundry site has been put forward by Tesco. Although the County Council has been consulted, an application will not be registered until revised transport proposals are put forward with a Traffic Impact Assessment and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been submitted. The Transport Consultants working on behalf of Tesco are undertaking further work on Quay Street Roundabout as the initial scheme put forward was considered unacceptable by the County Council. Highways Development Control, along with Fareham Borough Council, are unable to make any further progress on the proposals until these documents have been submitted and the application registered.

7. Hamble Lane/Portsmouth Road Junction - Surveys

7.1 Further to previous discussion at the Panel regarding this junction, the following surveys were undertaken on Tuesday 13 September:

(i) turning counts at Windhover Roundabout, the Tesco roundabout, Jurd Way junction and Hamble Lane/Portsmouth Road Junction;

(ii) journey patterns through these junctions; and

(iii) pedestrian and cycle counts at the Toucan crossing at Lowford Hill.

The survey results are currently being analysed and will be presented to this Panel at a subsequent meeting.

8. Impact Assessments

8.1 This report provides a position statement on the progress of various schemes and initiatives of interest to the Panel. An impact assessment in terms of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act has not been undertaken. Impact assessments are normally reported in the specific reporting for each scheme, as they develop. The schemes and initiatives are not expected to compromise the County Council's policies for equality and diversity, and are anticipated to improve access for all users in most cases.

Recommendation

That the contents of the report be noted, and that the Panel advises the Executive Member for Environment: South Hampshire and Resource Management of its views on the various issues raised.

614/DMcG