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

1. Summary

1.1 This report details the programmes for:

(i) Street Lighting;

(ii) Hampshire Villages Initiative;

(iii) Bridgeworks;

(iv) Intelligent Transport Systems; and

(v) Development Related Works.

2. Street Lighting

Maintenance Contract 2002/07

2.1 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 the present time due to the commissioning time for the new computer system.

2.2 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

2.3 A £1.8 million programme of work is planned for 2005/06 and commenced in late March 2005. The programmed schemes for the Eastleigh area for 2005/06 are set out below:

(i) Chestnut Avenue, Eastleigh - works underway, approximately three weeks behind programme;

(ii) Cedar Road, Eastleigh - works programmed to start end of June 2005;

(iii) Consort Road, Eastleigh - works underway, approximately five weeks behind;

(iv) Hardy Road, Eastleigh - works underway, approximately five weeks behind;

(v) Stoke Common Road, Eastleigh - works underway, approximately five weeks behind;

(vi) The Copse, Eastleigh - works programmed to start early August 2005;

(vii) Ormond Close, Eastleigh - works programmed to start early August 2005;

(viii) Hocombe Park Close, Eastleigh - works programmed to start early August 2005; and

(ix) Richmond Close, Eastleigh - works programmed to start early August 2005.

Community Safety Initiative 2005/06

2.4 The programme for 2005/06 is as follows:

(i) Hornbeam Close/Hawthorne Close footpath, Eastleigh - due to be completed early in 2006; and

(ii) Havendale, Eastleigh - on schedule.

Energy

2.5 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

2.6 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.

3. Hampshire Villages Initiative

Bishopstoke

3.1 The initiative in Bishopstoke is centred on improving provision for the riverside access. Street lighting column work is already completed, and further improvements to riverside access will be completed later this financial year.

4. Bridgeworks

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 road works, 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 Local Transport Plan (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 UK 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 that 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 were prioritised and RCS completed a contract for their replacement to 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.

Archers Road Footbridge, Eastleigh

4.7 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. Hampshire County Council spent £25,000 on extensive repairs in 1998, but further repairs are becoming unviable. There is also major local pressure to provide access ramps to enable use by wheelchairs, pushchairs and those with mobility impairment.

4.8 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 the scheme is included in the initial draft Capital Programme for 2006/07.

Fish Pass Footbridge, Bishopstoke

4.9 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.

Allington Lane No 1 Bridge, Fair Oak

4.10 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 expected to start in January 2006. The work will require single lane traffic controlled by temporary signals, but further details will follow as they are finalised.

Wide Lane Rail Bridge, Eastleigh

4.11 This bridge carries the C351, Wide Lane, over the Southampton/Waterloo railway line, near Parkway Station, and had high priority for safety measures. Osbornes installed safety fences on the south approach to the bridge between March and April 2005. Safety fences were already installed on the north approach as part of the M27 link.

Aluminium Parapets

4.12 Between November 2004 and April 2005 RCS replaced the parapets on:

(i) Tanhouse subway in Hedge End;

(ii) Middle bridge in Chestnut Avenue, Eastleigh;

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

(iv) Whitethorns underpass, carrying the A334, Charles Watts Way.

4.13 Parapets on the Bubb Lane Rail bridge, that carries the B3342, Bubb Lane, over the Eastleigh-Fareham railway line, will also be replaced. Discussions with Network Rail are ongoing and it is hoped to carry out the work in 2005. Further details will follow as they are finalised.

5. Intelligent Transport Systems Group (ITS)

5.1 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.

5.2 The Executive Member for Environment: South Hampshire and Resource Management approved expenditure of £200,000, in the 2005/06 Transport Capital Programme, for extending the implementation of 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 countywide 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.

5.3 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.

5.4 ITS schemes are covered in the report on the Capital Programme elsewhere on the agenda.

6. Development Related Works

6.1 Section 38 Development work currently being undertaken by Hampshire Highways in the Eastleigh area is detailed in Appendix 1.

External Funding

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

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.

570/CT

APPENDIX 1

Section 38 Works in the Eastleigh Borough Council Area