Archived decisions

Contact: Andrew Peryer, tel 02392 545417 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report details the programmes for:

(i) Street Lighting;

(ii) Bridgeworks;

(iii) Intelligent Transport Systems; and

(iv) 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 present 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 contactor's performance, such as changing the method of time measurement from `calendar' to `working' days. 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.

Energy

2.3 Following the start of the new supply contract in April 2004, consumption had 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

2.4 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 makes this an innovative system for the future.

Column Replacement Programme 2005/06

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

Nottingham Place, Lee-on-the-Solent - works completed

Victoria Square, Lee-on-the-Solent - works completed

Britten Road, Lee-on-the-Solent - works completed

High Street, Lee-on-the-Solent - works completed

Studland Road, Lee-on-the-Solent - works completed

Manor Way, Lee-on-the-Solent - works completed

Olave Close, Lee-on-the-Solent - works completed

Newton Place, Lee-on-the-Solent - works completed

Ferrol Road, Gosport - works completed

Richmond Road, Gosport - works completed

Tintern Road, Gosport - works completed

Carnarvon Road, Gosport - works completed

The Avenue, Gosport - works completed

Queens Road, Gosport - works completed

Sydney Road, Gosport - works completed

Carlton Road, Gosport - works completed

Avenue Road, Gosport - works completed

Elmhurst Road, Gosport - works completed

Grove Avenue, Gosport - works completed

Kings Road, Gosport - works completed

St Andrews Road, Gosport - works completed

Beryton Road, Gosport - works programmed to start November 2005

Norman Road, Gosport - works programmed to start November 2005

Leesland Road, Gosport - works programmed to start November 2005

Community Safety Initiative 2005/06

2.5 The programme for 2005/06 is as follows:

Brewers Lane - 1 Column, programmed start November

Gregson Avenue - 5 Columns, programmed start January 2006

3. Bridgeworks

3.1 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.

3.2 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

3.3 Most work on bridges is capital funded via the Local Transport Plan (LTP), but inspections, routine and maintenance and environmental maintenance of subways are revenue funded.

Load Assessment and Strengthening

3.4 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 substandard bridges is ongoing.

Road/Rail Interfaces

3.5 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

3.6 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 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:

Gosport Bridgeworks Programme 2005/06

Anns Hill Arch

3.7 This bridge carries Anns Hill Road over the disused railway line and had severe deterioration of the concrete fence panels. The west side panels were repaired during July to November 2004. A contract was awarded to Osbornes to replace the panels on the east side. Works started on site in August and is planned to finish in December 2005. Traffic management will be similar to that for the west side, narrow lanes and off-peak single lane traffic controlled by temporary signals.

Alver Bridge

3.8 This bridge, which carries the C411, Alver Road over Alver Lake is not to current standards and has extensive deterioration of the concrete. A feasibility study is being continued, including local consultation, on the long-term solution. This may be concrete repairs and a traffic restriction, such as a weight limit, or a replacement bridge.

4. Intelligent Transport Systems

4.1 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.

4.2 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.

4.3 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.

4.4 Progress on schemes 2005/06 within Gosport is as follows:

Works to integrate with Portsmouth City Council's Real-Time Passenger Information system for the tracking of buses along the A32 are taking longer than initially anticipated and are still ongoing. Following integration approximately 16 new style displays will be installed in bus shelters on the Fareham/Gosport Peninsula. Each sign can show multiple bus departures and graphical representation of each route. A prototype has already been successfully tested on site.

4.5 Fareham and Gosport Quality Bus Partnership includes the provision of a Bus Departure Information System at Gosport Bus Station. The equipment is installed and is operational.

5. Development Related Works

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

Royal Clarence Yard Development

5.2 The works to signalise the A32 Mumby Road/Weevil Lane junction commenced mid August with completion due at the end of this year.

Cherque Farm Development

5.3 Work to construct the signalised junction at Portsmouth Road/Cherque Way is programmed to start this month. Preparatory utility works have been ongoing but the main highway works are programmed to commence in Portsmouth Road in January 2006. The junction should be complete by June 2006 although the opening of Cherque Way to through-traffic still requires agreement with the developer.

External Funding

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

Quay Street Roundabout

5.5 A planning application for the old foundry site has been received from Tesco. Although the County Council has been consulted, it will not be registered until revised transport proposals are put forward with a Traffic Impact Assessment and an Environmental Impact Assessment. 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.

6. Impact Assessments

6.1 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.

588/CL

APPENDIX 1

Section 38 Progress Report for Gosport

APPENDIX 2

COUNTY COUNCIL HELD DEVELOPER FUNDING

Current Programme

Note 1: This scheme is jointly funded by developer contributions from both Gosport and Fareham areas.

£

Total Held to fund the above Capital Programme Schemes 153,675

Possible Future Schemes

Total funding allocated to future schemes above 751,820

Unallocated 50,513

Total Held: 956,008

Contributions Received since last HTAP

Possible Future Funding