Contact: Richard Cowling, ext 5202 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report provides a progress update on transport schemes within the 2005/06 Capital Programme together with schemes for the 2006/07 Capital Programme that were approved by the Executive Member for Environment: South Hampshire and Resource Management on 18 January 2006. A summary of schemes is shown in the attached appendix.

1.2 The table below shows the county-wide improvement programmes for 2006/07 and, where applicable to the Winchester area, the report items are given for reference.

1.3 Schemes in the Capital Programme are financed from the Local Transport Plan (LTP) and/or external funding (EF) received from developers or other contributors.

2. Capital Schemes 2004/05

Denmead Traffic Management £130,000

2.1 This proposal forms a package of traffic calming and traffic management improvements in Denmead which includes the provision of improved speed limit gateway signing, three pedestrian refuges on Hambledon Road and two in Forest Road, and minor footway improvements including localised enhancements at bus stops.

2.2 Works commenced in July 2005 and by December 2005 most of the scheme was complete. The remaining works, including the provision of short lengths of coloured surface cycle lanes at the five new pedestrian refuge locations and other areas of coloured surfacing and road markings, were completed in February 2006. Further work to enhance the gateway features at the main entry points into the village are expected to be implemented at the start of the financial year 2006/07. Traffic speed monitoring to gauge the effectiveness of the scheme will be undertaken within the first three months of the financial year 2006/07 (April to June).

Central Hampshire Transportation Strategy Villages Initiative £60,000 LTP

2.3 The Central Hampshire Transportation Strategy (CHTS) Villages Initiative has involved three schemes delivered across Winchester City and East Hampshire Districts within this budget.

2.4 One of the schemes was implemented in Easton during 2005/06 involving a change of priorities at the junction of Easton Lane and Chapel Lane in order to influence traffic speeds through the village centre. The scheme was substantially completed in August 2005, however some minor amendments to the warning signs will be undertaken before the end of the current financial year. Post-scheme traffic speed monitoring will be undertaken to gauge the effectiveness of the scheme within the first three months of the financial year 2006/07 (April to June).

3. Capital Schemes 2005/06

Sparkford Road Traffic Management £40,000 LTP 15,000 EF

3.1 Sparkford Road lies on the west side of Winchester City and runs between St. James' Lane and Airlie Road. The scheme aims to improve the management of vehicle speeds along the steep gradient of Sparkford Road and create new footway links on Sparkford Road in the vicinity of the entrance to University College, Winchester. The existing traffic calming build-out to the south of the University entrance will have its priority reversed so that vehicles travelling up hill will have the priority over oncoming traffic. This measure will also help control speeds down the hill as vehicles travelling downhill will now have to give way at both build-outs. Finally, to allow easier passing of large vehicles and thus remove the need for vehicles to mount the footway on the west side of Sparkford Road, a new vehicle overrun area will be added.

3.2 Detailed design was completed in December 2005. Due to the gas main works in Winchester city centre and the resulting traffic diversions, the scheme will be implemented after the city centre roadworks are completed in June 2006.

Winchester Real Time Information Replacement £350,000 LTP

3.3 Real Time Information (RTI) systems play a key role in improving information regarding bus services, and promoting bus travel as an alternative to the car. Since 1995/96 an RTI system has been deployed in Winchester but has become obsolete making operation and maintenance increasingly difficult. Works are now underway to upgrade Winchester's RTI system as part of the county-wide STOPWATCH RTI contract. The fitting of Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technology to the Stagecoach bus fleet operating out of Winchester is now almost complete. The final central system upgrade was delivered at the beginning of February when both timetable and fleet data were added to the system. System testing will take place during March and the new display screens installed early in 2006/07. RTI will also be disseminated on the internet and via mobile phone messaging.

Salters Lane (Harestock Corner) Junction Improvement £140,000 EF

3.4 The junction of Stockbridge Road with Salters Lane/Harestock Road, Winchester (Harestock Corner) is a staggered crossroads with limited pedestrian crossing facilities. The scheme aims to improve speed management between the 40 mph speed limit gateway and the 30 mph gateway near the Stoney Lane junction and provides improved pedestrian crossing facilities both at the Harestock Corner junction and further along Stockbridge Road towards Winchester, in the form of refuges and local footway links.

3.5 Project Appraisal approval was granted in October 2005. Due to technical issues arising after the project appraisal, and the roadworks with resulting traffic diversions in Winchester city centre, the works will commence in May 2006.

Access to East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) £20,000 LTP

3.6 This scheme deals specifically with the access and safety issue of equestrians needing to cross the C9 in Morestead, in order to access the bridleways and livery yards in the area. The scheme provides six horse crossings incorporating traffic signs, new infrastructure and vegetation cutting.

3.7 Horse crossing warning signs have been erected where necessary and road markings have been placed at one of the priority crossing sites. Similar markings will also be implemented at a further four of the priority road crossings along the route. The required vegetation clearance to improve sight lines on private land has been identified and the landowners have agreed to enable vegetation cutting to take place.

3.8 Forming part of the same project a sign review throughout East Meon parish is currently being undertaken at the request of the parish council. It is anticipated that this will result in required improvements to direction signs and removal of unnecessary signage within the East Hampshire AONB.

Chilbolton Avenue Puffin Crossing - £60,000 EF

3.9 This scheme will create a new puffin controlled crossing in Chilbolton Avenue, Winchester, near the junction with Sarum Road. The principal constraint is the need to maintain Chilbolton Avenue as a high and wide load road route, which is also the reason for abandoning an earlier scheme to provide pedestrian refuges near Sarum Road. Works began on 6 February and are expected to completed by the end of March 2006. Further feasibility work to provide further crossings elsewhere on Chilbolton Avenue will continue through 2006/07.

4. Capital Schemes 2006/07

Fontley Road Footway (near Fareham) £200,000 EF

4.1 This scheme resulted from the new housing development at Knowle Village, near Fareham. There are minimal existing pedestrian facilities between the M27 over-bridge and the junction with Segensworth Road. Pedestrians can only walk along the carriageway, which has a 40 mph speed limit. This scheme will result in a new footway along the east side of Fontley Road, between the nurseries at the north end of Fontley Road and the bus stops located to the south of Segensworth Road.

4.2 The scheme is in the latter stages of detailed design, with only an issue of carriageway width at one particular location yet to be resolved. Negotiation with affected landowners will be required to resolve this issue, which is expected to be resolved to enable submission for project appraisal in April to allow construction in the summer months.

Knowle Village to Funtley Footpath £40,000 EF

4.3 As with the Fontley Road Footway scheme described above, this scheme emanates from the Knowle Village development. The purpose of the scheme is to improve an existing rural footpath between the site and Funtley village. This footpath, which is an existing public right of way (Footpath number 85) runs down the east side of the railway line and then cuts across farmland until it reaches Funtley. The surface of the footpath is in poor condition, it can become very wet underfoot during the winter months and one section of the footpath is overgrown with vegetation on both sides. The improvements to the footpath consist of a new surface of limestone scalpings in places to retain the rural nature of the path, new kissing gates to replace the existing styles and trimming back of the overgrown vegetation.

4.4 Detailed design of the footpath improvement was completed in August 2005, however, the location of the site prevents easy access for contractors' vehicles and access via third party land has had to be negotiated. By agreement with the landowner the works are now expected to commence during summer 2006.

Whiteley Accessibility £150,000 LTP £120,000 EF

4.5 This package of schemes aims to improve access in the Whiteley area for pedestrians and cyclists and encourage these sustainable transport modes particularly for short journeys. In conjunction with the Yew Tree Drive bus link scheme, the proposed measures will encourage greater use of public transport. Additional measures will deter the use of inappropriate routes by commuter traffic. All the measures will support local business travel plans and the aims of the Whiteley Area travel plan, which is currently being developed in partnership between the Highway Agency's "Influence Travel Behaviour Team", Hampshire County Council and the Whiteley Business Forum. The proposed measures include:

(i) The provision of pedestrian footway links and a Toucan crossing on Whiteley Way near the Marjoram Way roundabout, to improve pedestrian and cycle access between Whiteley employment areas and the Whiteley Village Shopping Centre;

(ii) Provision of the Whiteley to Swanwick Station cycle route from Rookery Avenue to Duncan Road, in order to improve pedestrian and cycle links between Whiteley and the Park Gate and Segensworth areas;

(iii) The provision of low-cost measures to improve the interchange facilities at Swanwick Station such as improved bus information and additional cycle storage facilities; and

(iv) The closure of Springles Lane to eliminate illegal through traffic movements in contravention of the existing traffic regulation order for the prohibition of driving along this narrow country lane.

4.6 Additional traffic management measures at the junction of Leafy Lane and Parkway may also be developed in conjunction with the Whiteley Business Forum, to further discourage commuter use of Leafy Lane.

4.7 The proposals are currently at an early stage of development and are being progressed for delivery within the 2006/07 programme year.

5. Impact Assessments

5.1 This report provides a position statement only on the progress of schemes in the Capital Programme, therefore an impact assessment in terms of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act has not been undertaken. Such assessments are carried out for each scheme to ensure the County Council's policies on equalities are not compromised.

Recommendation

That Members note the progress with the schemes in the Transport Capital Programme and support those approved for inclusion in the Capital Programme for 2006/07.

799/RC

APPENDIX

2005/06 CAPITAL PROGRAMME

2006/07 CAPITAL PROGRAMME