Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

ITEM 14

PROJECT APPRAISAL

PROJECT:

WINCHESTER CAR PARK INFORMATION SYSTEM

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

SEPTEMBER 2006

COMPLETION DATE:

MARCH 2007

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 2006

(at 2006

prices)

prices)

Capital Expenditure

£'000

£'000

Land to be purchased

Construction

180

180

Fees

20

20

200

200

Less developers/

100

100

other contributions

100

100

Financial provision for total scheme

Total Cost

1.

From Committees own resources

(a) Capital programme (as above)

100

(b)

2.

From other resources

(a) Winchester City Council

100

(b)

(c)

TOTAL

200

Value of land for this project in HCC ownership £

Variations from capital programme

Revenue implications

£'000

% variation

to Committee's

budget

Net current expenditure

nil

nil

Capital charges

26

0.02

TOTAL net expenditure

26

0.02

2.

STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

Winchester benefits from an existing car park information system that directs motorists to car parks with available spaces, reducing the number of motorists circulating around the city searching unnecessarily for an available space. Long-stay and short-stay car parks are differentiated to ensure the motorist can locate an appropriate car park. Elements of the existing system are now life-expired and difficult to maintain, and as a result the system is no longer able to operate satisfactorily. It is therefore proposed to replace the existing system.

Modern car park information systems provide more flexibility than earlier systems, and it is proposed to replace the existing `rotating prism' variable message signs (VMS) with more versatile `free text' VMS that are able to display the actual number of spaces. Modern communications will be used too, making the system easier to expand and integrate within the Hampshire County Council Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) network.

The project appraisal proposes the installation of eight car park VMS in Winchester city centre. The work is to be funded jointly by Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council.

Surveys conducted by the County Council show that car park information systems are ranked highly by the public as one of the new intelligent transport systems. The benefits include less frustration when looking for a space and reduced time spent by vehicles on town centre roads looking for spaces, resulting in a reduction in vehicle emissions which contributes to a healthier environment.

The car park signs will be based on designs deployed successfully by similar projects in Basingstoke and Fareham, and will display the number of vacant spaces in selected car parks in Winchester. The system will be controlled and monitored from the County Council's Traffic and Travel Information Centre in Winchester.

The information will also be displayed on the ROMANSE (www.romanse.org.uk) website, indicating the number of car parking spaces currently available in each of the selected car parks in Winchester, together with a prediction of the number of spaces expected to be available in 30 and 60 minutes time. This will provide drivers with pre-trip information about where to park, further reducing congestion by enabling them to select the most appropriate car park, or to delay travelling or use an alternative mode, including Park-and-Ride. It will be possible to add new signs and car parks in the future as funds become available to increase the effectiveness of the system.

Targets and Outcomes

The proposal aims to provide accurate information about the availability of appropriate car park spaces (short- and long-stay) to improve the utility and management of existing car parks, and to reduce unnecessary congestion that would otherwise occur as motorists move from car park to car park in search of a free space. Research carried out recently in Stratford-upon-Avon, which is comparable with Winchester in terms of visitor attraction, indicates that car park VMS helped 71% of local drivers and 65% of visitors locate an appropriate car park. The ITS Group has a performance indicator for car park information, aiming to achieve 95% accuracy in the occupancy data displayed.

This proposal will also help to support Action 4 of Winchester City Council's Air Quality Action Plan which states "We will work with the County Council to replace the real-time information system in bus stops in and around the city and implement variable message signing (VMS) for town centre car parks."

3.

IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL

National/County Network and Policies

3.1

The proposals are consistent with the County Council's transportation strategy of using network management tools to utilise the full potential of the existing infrastructure.

Details of Scheme and Design Standards

3.2

3.3

3.4

Eight Light Emitting Diode (LED) Car Park Information signs will be installed around Winchester to replace the existing obsolete hardware (see attached location plan). VMS are deemed to be street furniture and therefore planning consent is not required as this is permitted development.

The proposals include the installation of car park VMS at the following locations:

(i) Bar End Road approach to city (WI1);

(ii) Magdalen Hill approach to Chesil Street (WI3);

(iii) Southgate Street approach to High Street (WI5);

(iv) Gladstone Street approach to junction with Sussex Street (WI7);

(v) Stockbridge Road approaching junction with Andover Road (WI8);

(vi) North Walls near Jewry Street junction (WI10);

(vii) North Walls approaching Friarsgate (WI11); and

(viii) Friarsgate approaching Lower Brook Street (WI4).

These signs will provide information about the following eight car parks which are currently monitored:

(i) Tower Street;

(ii) Chesil Street Multi-Storey;

(iii) St Catherine's Park-and-Ride;

(iv) Barfield Park-and-Ride;

(v) The Brooks;

(vi) Middlebrook Street;

(vii) Friarsgate; and

(viii) St Peter's.

Environmental Impact

3.5

3.6

The proposal has minimal consequences for the environment. The new signs will be continuously illuminated and will use more electrical power than the signs they replace, which use rotating prisms and are non-illuminated. They are intended to have a higher visual impact than the existing signs, and the additional energy consumption is considered acceptable in achieving a greater influence on driver behaviour. The new signs will use LEDs, which are an energy efficient technology, to minimise power consumption and the signs will be switched off overnight. The new VMS will consume an estimated 3.15 kilowatts per hour of electricity per sign in a typical day at a cost of 22 pence. In relation to other facilities, as an indicator a typical signalised junction will consume around 24 kilowatts per hour of electricity per day at an approximate cost of £1.73.

The proposal is designed to make the most effective use of available car parks, and provide scope for directing motorists to use specific car parks in preference to others if required to help achieve traffic and event management objectives. Reducing circulating traffic will reduce unnecessary congestion and help meet air quality objectives for Winchester. Maximising the effectiveness of car parks will assist the City and County Councils in making sustainable decisions about car park provision in Winchester.

Land Requirements

3.7

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

Statutory Procedures

3.8

The necessary statutory requirements will be satisfied in the development of this proposal in relation to Department for Transport criteria regarding the size and legibility of the signs.

Public Consultation

3.9

3.10

3.11

There are no statutory requirements for public consultation as this project largely replaces an existing system. A number of signs have been removed (Andover Road and Friarsgate) for maintenance and are presently missing. One new sign is proposed to be located at Gladstone Street.

The size of the new signs does not differ substantially from those they replace, and they will be located in their current positions. Winchester City Council officers have been consulted on the design of the sign faces and information that will be displayed, which differs from the existing system.

The proposed scheme has been approved by the Winchester City Council Cabinet.

Local Members' Views

3.12

The local Members, Councillors Allgood, Mrs Bailey, Mrs Dickens, Felicity Hindson, Mason, Mrs Peskett and Mrs Porter have been consulted. Councillors Mrs Bailey, Felicity Hindson, Mason, Mrs Peskett and Mrs Porter support the proposals. Councillors Allgood and Mrs Dickens have not yet responded.

Impact Assessments

3.13

3.14

The proposal to replace the existing VMS is aimed solely at motorists and is not considered to have any impact on other road users. Research indicates that these car parking information systems are most effective for less confident drivers and those less familiar with a location. In this way the proposal may help make Winchester more accessible. The VMS and associated on-line car park information may provide motorists with special needs and limited mobility additional confidence that they will be able to access services.

The provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act have no implications for this proposal.

Maintenance Implications

3.15

3.16

The existing rotating prism signs have been in operation for 18 years and are now considered life-expired. They are expensive to maintain, and are increasingly being judged to be beyond economic repair. Replacing them with more modern signs is a cost-effective measure if the VMS system is to continue to operate reliably. The replacement signs will incur routine maintenance, but the associated costs will be less than with the current signs. The life expectancy of the new system is 10 to 15 years provided that suitable annual maintenance is carried out as recommended by the manufacturer.

By using the latest technology, ongoing communications costs will be significantly reduced. By connecting to the Orange General Packet Radio Service and removing the reliance on British Telecom analogue lines, costs will be reduced from approximately £850 per annum to approximately £60 per sign per annum.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

3.17

The provisions of the Act have no impact on this proposal.

Sustainability

3.18

3.19

3.20

The system supports the County Council's policies to make best use of the existing transport network and to provide sustainable transport in Hampshire.

Reducing circulating traffic will reduce unnecessary congestion and help meet air quality objectives for Winchester. Maximising the effectiveness of car parks will assist the City and County Councils in making sustainable decisions about car park provision in Winchester.

Although car park information is aimed solely at motorists, reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality will benefit bus passengers and pedestrians, and make Winchester a more attractive environment.

4.

IMPROVEMENT - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

4.1

4.2

4.3

To continue to use those VMS that remain operational to direct motorists to car parks with available spaces, and permanently set those non-operational signs to replicate existing `static signs' such that they direct motorists to the car park nearest to the VMS. This option is not recommended as the users lose further confidence in the system as signs become more unreliable.

To switch off the car park monitoring system and remove the VMS entirely. This option is not recommended as it would remove the ability to influence driver behaviour and reduce the Authority's scope to manage traffic in Winchester effectively and deliver improvements in air quality.

To retain the car park monitoring system but remove the VMS entirely, with car park occupancy information made available on-line via the ROMANSE on-line website only. This option is not recommended as it would limit the ability to influence driver behaviour in much the same way as the option discussed above. It would also require static signing to replace the removed VMS.

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

Winchester Car Park VMS Project

Environment Department

Monument House