Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT: SOUTH HAMPSHIRE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

ITEM 7

PROJECT APPRAISAL

PROJECT:

YEW TREE DRIVE, WHITELEY

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

SUMMER 2006

COMPLETION DATE:

LATE 2006

PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME: 2006/07

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

500

500

Fees

500

500

Less developers/

250

250

other contributions

250

250

Financial provision for total scheme

Total Cost

1.

From Committees own resources

(a) Capital programme (as above)

250

(b) Other

250

2.

From other resources

(a) Developers Contribution

250

(b)

(c)

TOTAL

500

Value of land for this project in HCC ownership £

Variations from capital programme

Revenue implications

£'000

% variation

to Committee's

budget

Net current expenditure

19.6

0.021

Capital charges

22.0

0.018

TOTAL net expenditure

41.6

0.039

2.

STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

(Client Department)

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

2.9

2.10

2.11

This scheme aims to provide a limited access link road from the existing Yew Tree Drive within the Whiteley development area to the A3051 Botley Road near Park Gate, Fareham. It includes the construction of a new roundabout on Botley Road to provide a junction for the new link road.

Access will be limited to bus, cycle, pedestrian and emergency vehicle use only. The provision of an all traffic link at this point on the A3051 is not proposed as this would be a departure from the local plan until such time as the proposed Whiteley Way link road, that is proposed between the M27 Junction 9 and the A3051 near Botley, is completed. Taxis will not be permitted to use the link due to enforcement issues of taxis/cars trying to pass through rising bollards.

The completion of Yew Tree Drive as a bus only link was approved by the County Council's former Planning and Transportation Committee on 25 January 1999. Subsequently approval was given by the former Planning and Transportation Resources Sub-Committee on 2 October 2000, in line with the recommendation of the Inspector of the Fareham Local Plan Review, to enter into an Agreement with the developer of the land east of Botley Road, Burridge and land north of Whiteley (known as the Dickens Drive development land) relating to the construction of the extension of Yew Tree Drive and its new roundabout junction with Botley Road.

Progression of the bus link scheme is dependent on the developer's construction programme, since implementation is a condition upon occupation of the 51st house at the Dickens Drive development land.

The County Council and the developer are currently negotiating a combined Section 278 and Section 38 Agreement for the new roundabout and link road. The draft Agreement identifies that the County Council's contribution is limited to half of the cost of the scheme, to a maximum of £250,000.

The design will be progressed by the developer at his own expense and in accordance with his own programme. The proposed Section 278/38 Agreement makes provision for the developer to fund the reasonable expenses incurred by the County Council for the checking of the design, specifications and supervision of the scheme.

This Project Appraisal seeks approval for the capital expenditure necessary to meet the County Council's obligations under the planning condition associated with the Dickens Drive development land.

Targets and Outcomes

This new facility provides opportunities to transform bus access into and from Whiteley. Whiteley currently has poor public transport provision and usage but the bus link will mean that bus journey times to Swanwick station, Locks Heath and beyond will be competitive with the private car. The opportunities currently being assessed include innovative services and promotional activities.

In addition to scheduled bus operators, there is substantial interest by employers in Whiteley in the provision of works buses in connection with the Workplace Travel Plans. These travel plans are being produced within a single framework travel plan, the Whiteley Area Travel Plan, which is being developed as part of the Highways Agency's Influencing Travel Behaviour programme in partnership with Hampshire County Council and the Whiteley businesses.

The Whiteley Area Travel Plan is one of the Highways Agency's national pilot sites. The aim of this project is to showcase what can be achieved with travel planning techniques and to reduce car travel, thereby reducing pressure on the motorway and trunk road network. The options for providing additional works bus services are currently being investigated as part of the Whiteley Area Travel Plan partnership project.

The proposed bus gate is located approximately 0.5 kilometres north of Swanwick railway station. It is expected that provision of the bus gate will create the opportunity to improve integration between bus and train services, either through scheduled or works buses. This is expected to contribute towards increasing public transport patronage locally.

3.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL (Client Department)

National/County Network and Policies

3.1

3.2

3.3

The proposal aims to provide a limited access link road to connect the Whiteley development area with the A3051 Botley Road near Park Gate, Fareham. Access will be limited to bus, cycle, pedestrian and emergency vehicle use only.

The Fareham Borough Local Plan Review, Policy T9, permits the provision of a bus only connection from Yew Tree Drive to Botley Road, provided it is safe and excludes access by other vehicular traffic. This policy states that access for all vehicles will not be permitted until Whiteley Way is completed.

The completed scheme will provide an important public transport link that allows bus services to avoid delays caused by traffic congestion at M27 junction 9. The link will also enable better interchange between bus and train at Swanwick Station, located just off Botley Road, approximately 0.5 mile south of Yew Tree Drive. In addition to scheduled bus services, it is intended that works buses will use the bus link, with pedestrians and cyclists having access via dedicated off-road facilities.

Details of Scheme and Design Standards

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.7

The proposals, which will be constructed by the developer, include:

(i) a new roundabout on Botley Road just north of Yew Tree Court to provide junction control with the new link road;

(ii) a single two-way link road of approximately 7.2 metres width and 100 metres length between the new roundabout on Botley Road and Yew Tree Drive. The section of road with the bus gate incorporates a central island to separate opposing bus flows;

(iii) a rising bollard control system and associated signing, etc;

(iv) closed circuit television (CCTV) monitoring equipment to enable remote observation of the use of the bus gate for security purposes; and

(v) a 3 metres wide off-road shared pedestrian and cycle facility adjacent to the link road, to link between Botley Road and Yew Tree Drive.

As is normal procedure with highway schemes constructed by developers, the design preparation will be undertaken by the developer. The designs are submitted to the County Council for checking and approval.

The scheme will be designed in accordance with Department for Transport and County Council Design Standards where appropriate. Where non-standard equipment and traffic signs are required, type approval and/or special authorisation will be sought from the Department for Transport. The scheme has been subjected to a preliminary design stage safety audit, and will be subjected to a detailed design and pre-opening stage safety audit at the appropriate stages in the development of the scheme.

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

Environmental Impact

3.8

An arboricultural statement will be submitted by the developer prior to the commencement of work. The scheme's objective to increase use of public transport should lead to reduced use of the private car and associated environmental effects.

Land Requirements

3.9

Part of the roundabout will be constructed on the existing highway on Botley Road. The remainder of the roundabout and the link road will be constructed on land currently owned by the developer, which will be dedicated as highway upon completion of the works.

Statutory Procedures

3.10

3.11

3.12

As the link road is on land which is currently not highway, the developer has sought planning permission for the proposals from Fareham Borough Council. An application to the Borough Council was approved by the Planning Committee on 21 December 2005.

A Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) will be prepared to restrict motorised vehicle access to scheduled bus services, approved local works buses and emergency service vehicles. Cyclists and pedestrians will be unaffected as a dedicated off-road facility is proposed for these modes.

The developer will initiate the TRO, which will be progressed by Fareham Borough Council under the traffic management agency agreement.

Public Consultation

3.13

No scheme specific public consultation exercise has been undertaken, however both the planning application and the TRO for the bus lane involve the placing of notices in the local press and at the site to enable public comment on the proposals.

Local Member's View

3.14

The local Member, Councillor Woodward, supports the proposal, provided that the route is not open to all traffic, except when an emergency situation closes the Whiteley Way access on to the M27 junction 9. Under these circumstances the Police have the authority to direct drivers to contravene the TRO.

Impact Assessments

3.15

This scheme is intended to improve accessibility to Whiteley for buses, pedestrians and cyclists. 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 the identified transport modes.

Maintenance Implications

3.16

The maintenance implications of this proposal have been considered to enable the revenue implications to be taken into account in the setting of the County Council's highway maintenance budget. The rising bollard equipment is anticipated to operate satisfactorily for between 5 and 10 years, after this time it will need to be replaced.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

3.17

The provision of street lighting, together with CCTV monitoring of the bus gate, will help to deter vandalism and provide evidence in the event of damage/accident claims being received. Responsibility for surveillance of the CCTV system has yet to be resolved.

Sustainability

3.18

The scheme aims to improve accessibility to and from Whiteley for sustainable transport modes, such as buses, walking and cycling. Provision of this facility is expected to encourage increased use of these sustainable transport modes, especially bus transport, both in terms of scheduled services and works buses.

4.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

(Client Department)

4.1

4.2

4.3

Since the roundabout and bus gate proposal has already been agreed in principle, and will be delivered by the developer within his programme, the only alternative options within the proposal relate to the shape and form of the link road and the methods of enforcement.

Alternative methods of junction control were considered prior to the approval to the principle of the roundabout on Botley Road, and the bus link road to connect on to Yew Tree Drive. The alternative forms of junction control included alternative roundabout layouts designs and priority control. These options were rejected in favour of the current proposal.

Alternative methods of bus gate enforcement have also been considered in the development of the scheme. These have included use of the Bus Lane Contravention Regulations 2005, where enforcement of the TRO for the bus lane is undertaken using camera and automatic number plate recognition technologies, instead of the rising bollards proposed. This has been rejected in favour of the current proposal as the support services required to enable such a system to function correctly are not currently available.

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

Project File

Development Control File

Environment Department

Room 415

Room 415