Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT: SOUTH HAMPSHIRE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

ITEM 6

PROJECT APPRAISAL

PROJECT:

ALTON ACCESSIBILITY - PHASE II

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

FEBRUARY 2006

COMPLETION DATE:

APRIL 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

Nil

nil

Construction

82.5

82.5

Fees

124.0

124.0

206.5

206.5

Less developers/

13.0

13.0

other contributions

193.5

193.5

Financial provision for total scheme

Total Cost

1.

From Committees own resources

(a) Capital programme (as above), subject to additional allocation of £50,000 being approved

193.5

(b)

193.5

2.

From other resources

(a) Developer contribution

13.0

(b)

(c)

TOTAL

206.5

Value of land for this project in HCC ownership £

Variations from capital programme

Revenue implications

£'000

% variation

to Committee's

budget

Net current expenditure

1.7

0.002

Capital charges

19.0

0.016

TOTAL net expenditure

20.7

0.018

2.

STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

(Client Department)

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

This scheme forms the second and final element of a package of accessibility measures for Alton town centre for 2005/06, emanating from the strategic objectives of the Local Transport Plan. Measures include small-scale pedestrian improvements in the town centre that have been identified through consultation as being significant in terms of the positive effect they will have on pedestrian access. A package of measures for 2005/06 was identified which would contribute to alleviating pedestrian severance problems and developed through a community street audit in October 2004 (by a group of local representatives and scheme stakeholders). Areas for inclusion in the parent project for 2005/06 are:

(i) Whitedown Lane;

(ii) Paper Mill Lane to Ashdell Road footpath lighting;

(iii) Lenten Street/Queens Road area;

(iv) Ashdell Road/Lower Turk Street railway bridge footway;

(v) Normandy Street/Orchard Road roundabout;

(vi) Mill Lane cross roads; and

(vii) general vehicle sign audit/development of signing strategy.

The first Project Appraisal was approved in October 2005 and covered items (i) and (ii) plus some elements of (iii). This final Project Appraisal covers all remaining items of work from the 2005/06 Alton Accessibility project, except for (iv) which is being trialled for three months and hence likely to be implemented in the 2006/07 programme year. As the total cost of the 2005/06 scheme is greater than the original £250,000 allocation, a portion of the 2006/07 Alton Accessibility programme budget is being allocated to the 2005/06 programme. The 2006/07 scheme budget will be adjusted accordingly.

Vehicle signing has been consistently identified as a major issue by retailers and the Town Council. Although the town is quite clearly signed from the major road networks (eg the A31 and M3), once approaching the town the signs for the car parks are confusing and the car parks are inconsistently named. There are also very few signs directing traffic out of town until one is already on the outskirts of the town itself. There are several tourist attractions in the Alton area, with ambiguous and confusing current signage. The new signing strategy aims to resolve all of the above issues. Items (vi) and (vii) have been amalgamated for delivery purposes.

A location plan is attached and a detailed plan will be displayed at the meeting.

Targets and Outcomes

This scheme is designed to fulfil the following second Local Transport Plan (LTP2) objectives:

(i) improve accessibility to services;

(ii) promote safety;

and contribute to the following LTP targets:

(i) town centre access (public satisfaction);

(ii) town centre access (modal split of trips to town centre);

(iii) town centre access (severance);

(iv) accessibility (no county targets have yet been set for this item);

(v) footway condition;

(vi) percentage of people feeling safe outside the home during the night time (60% target at time of next residents' survey).

3.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL (Client Department)

National/County Network and Policies

3.1

3.2

This scheme supports Corporate Strategy Aim 2 `ensuring that Hampshire continues to be a place where people of all backgrounds want to live, work and visit' by providing more of the infrastructure to make the town more accessible.

The new street lighting element of the scheme in Ackender Road supports Corporate Strategy Aim 4 `working in partnerships with others to make people feel safe in their own communities' by reducing the fear of crime along an important pedestrian link near the town centre.

Details of Scheme and Design Standards

3.3

The scheme comprises:

(i) New vehicle signing strategy

Modified vehicle signage covering Alton town centre and the immediate surrounding road network. The aim of the strategy is to reduce the clutter of existing signs but resolve the issue of an overall lack of clarity and consistency of signing - especially for those leaving the town centre (as described above). The proposed change to the overall number of signs can be summarised as follows:

33 new signs in new locations

31 existing signs modified

16 existing signs deleted

The new signing strategy results in a net increase of 17 signs in the area.

(ii) Normandy Street/Orchard Road roundabout area

Provision of pedestrian refuges at the south-west and south-east exits of the roundabout with associated dropped kerbs on the refuges and opposite footways by widening the existing roundabout splitter islands. The refuges will include reflective bollards.

Provision of a 6 metre long new footway link (and associated dropped kerbs and tactile paving) along Orchard Road approximately 75 metres south of the roundabout to link in with existing footway.

Dropped kerb crossings and tactile paving in Victoria Road at its junction with Normandy Street.

(iii) Ackender Road footpath

Seven new street lighting columns on the footpath that runs between Ackender Road and Westbrook Road. This footpath serves as a convenient link between the residential areas on the west side of Alton and the town centre and is currently unlit.

Environmental Impact

3.4

The signing strategy results in a net increase of 17 signs, some of which will have an urbanising effect due to their location away from the immediate town centre area. However, none of the proposed signs are lit and are located where signage already exists, therefore the overall urbanising effect will be minimal.

Land Requirements

3.5

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

Statutory Procedures

3.6

None required for this scheme.

Public Consultation

3.7

3.8

3.9

3.10

3.11

A public consultation exercise on transport issues and proposals took place in November 2003. This prioritised a number of key transport issues raised by residents and stakeholders.

A community street audit in October 2004, which involved representatives from East Hampshire District Council, The Alton Society, the Alton Community Centre and Hampshire Constabulary, used the results of the previous public consultation exercises as a basis for preliminary design solutions. The records of these events were used as the basis for design work.

In October 2005 a technical note describing the aims of the new signing strategy, plus the plan for delivering it, was issued to, and supported by, the key stakeholders.

A stakeholder consultation exercise took place on 4 November 2005 to present the new vehicle signing strategy. Representatives from all Alton based tourist attractions and hotels were invited to the event, together with the Alton Chamber of Commerce (to ensure the views of retailers were represented), Alton Initiatives Management, Alton Town Council and East Hampshire District Council. Feedback from the attendees was collated and appropriate modifications were made to the signing designs as a result.

The homes adjacent to the Ackender Road footpath, which is to have the new lighting columns, were notified of the intended lighting scheme by letter.

Local Member's View

3.12

The local Member, Councillor Ludlow, supports the scheme.

Impact Assessments

3.13

This scheme will improve accessibility for all to important services and amenities in and around Alton. Assessment of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act has been considered in the development of this scheme, which is not expected to compromise equalities in terms of race and gender but to improve accessibility for all.

Maintenance Implications

3.14

The maintenance implications are limited as the scheme comprises minor modifications to the existing highway infrastructure. A detailed assessment has been undertaken and the minor maintenance implications will be taken into account when setting the annual base budget for maintenance.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

3.15

The new lighting along the Ackender Road footpath will have a positive impact on the reduction/prevention of crime and the fear of crime.

Sustainability

3.16

3.17

By improving accessibility to services, pedestrian comfort and the perception of safety, this scheme encourages walking to and from local amenities as an alternative mode of transport.

The bollards to be installed on the refuges at the Normandy Street/Orchard Road roundabout will be made of reflective material rather than being lit. The road signs being installed as part of the new signing strategy are all unlit.

4.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

(Client Department)

4.1

Orchard Lane roundabout: widening of splitter island to create a pedestrian refuge on the north-east exit was rejected at the detailed design stage as the resulting carriageway width would have proved a problem for large vehicle turning movements. Widening the carriageway to accommodate the splitter island could only have been achieved by significantly reducing the footway widths adjacent to the carriageway. This was considered unacceptable.

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

Alton Accessibility 2005/06 scheme file

Environment Department

Room 415