Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

ITEM 6

PROJECT APPRAISAL

PROJECT:

PORTCHESTER COMMUNITY SCHOOL AND CASTLE PRIMARY SCHOOL - SAFER ROUTES TO SCHOOL

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

JANUARY 2007

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

nil

nil

Construction

50

50

Fees

30

30

80

80

Less developers/

other contributions

80

80

Financial provision for total scheme

Total Cost

1.

From Committees own resources

(a) Capital programme (as above)

80

(b) Other

80

2.

From other resources

(a)

(b)

(c)

TOTAL

80

Value of land for this project in HCC ownership £

N/A

Variations from capital programme

Revenue implications

£'000

% variation

to Committee's

budget

Net current expenditure

1.1

0.001

Capital charges

7.5

0.006

TOTAL net expenditure

8.6

0.007

2.

STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

(Client Department)

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

This scheme will maximise safety in the built environment by promoting safer routes to school.

Portchester Community School is located south of the district centre off White Hart Lane and has a roll of 826 pupils. Of these, 56% live within a mile of the school with a further 34% between one and three miles. A broad range of courses and activities is also offered each weekday evening and a nursery and pre-school unit is located on the campus. The School Travel Plan (STP) was approved in 2003 and issues raised include the speed of traffic on White Hart Lane, congestion at the start and finish of the school day and lighting on footpaths alongside the school grounds. The primary objective is to increase the number of cyclists and decrease the number of vehicle users to the school site. This will be achieved by improving the pedestrian and cycle facilities in the vicinity of the schools, which will raise the sense of safety and encourage more parents and pupils to walk or cycle.

Since the STP was completed new footpath lighting has been installed on Fisherman's Walk, which runs along the eastern boundary of the school campus, in association with the Portchester Home Zone project. In 2005/06 Safer Routes to School (SRTS) funding was provided to substantially increase the amount of secure cycle parking as well as a new pedestrian/cycle access onto Chalky Walk, which runs along the western boundary of the school campus and provides a convenient link to a subway which runs under the A27 west of Portchester district centre.

Castle Primary School is located off Castle Street and has a roll of 423. There is a second pedestrian access off White Hart Lane and both have School Crossing Patrols (SCPs). Two-thirds of the pupils live within the catchment area, with another 20% over the Portsmouth City boundary. The STP was approved in 2005 and the aims include cutting congestion at the school gates and along Castle Street and White Hart Lane at the beginning and end of the school day, improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and encourage alternatives to travel by private car.

White Hart Lane and Castle Street form the local distributor road for the predominantly residential area of Portchester which lies south of the A27. Traffic surveys were taken in October 2005 and may be summarised as follows:

Community School

Castle Primary

Entrance

White Hart Lane SCP

Castle Street SCP

Average Weekday Volume

12 hr 7am-7pm

4139

4661

5327

Morning 8-9am

429

516

562

Afternoon 3-4pm

406

434

517

Average Weekday 85%ile speed (mph)

12 hr 7am-7pm

32.4

29.9

28.8

Morning 8-9am

29.7

28.0

27.7

Afternoon 3-4pm

31.4

25.7

26.7

2.6

2.7

2.8

2.9

2.10

White Hart Lane and Castle Street are used by two bus services, each of which has a 30 minutes frequency in each direction. Partly because of these services, there are extensive 'No Waiting at Any Time' restrictions on both roads. In the three year period April 2003 to March 2006 there were five reported slight injury accidents resulting in six casualties along White Hart Lane in the vicinity of the schools, but none in Castle Street. Two accidents involved pedestrians, but neither casualty was of school age; one involved a motor-cyclist and two involved car drivers, one car passenger was also injured.

Targets and Outcomes

The second Local Transport Plan (LTP2) for the period 2006-2011 includes modal share targets for both primary and secondary schools. For the former, it is to reduce the proportion of journeys made by car from 31% to 30% by 2010/11 from a 2004/05 base. For the latter it is to reduce car journeys from 12% to 11% over the same time-frame.

The Castle Primary STP survey shows that 61% of pupils currently walk to school, with 37% travelling by car. Although there are no specific targets in the STP, if practical 77% of parents identified walking as their preferred mode of transport.

The Portchester Community STP, written in 2003, has 67% of pupils walking, 3% cycling, and 14% using a car. A 'hands-up' survey in September 2005 showed that cycling had increased to 10%, no doubt influenced by the improved cycle parking facilities.

Monitoring will be undertaken with surveys carried out by the schools.

3.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL (Client Department)

National/County Network and Policies

3.1

3.2

LTP2 includes seven primary objectives. Of these, the proposed works will contribute to the following:

(i) to promote safety;

(ii) to widen travel choice; and

(iii) to support wider quality of life objectives.

The scheme also forms part of the developing County Council programme of Safer Routes to School infrastructure initiatives linked to STPs.

Details of Scheme and Design Standards

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.7

Portchester Community School is located to the rear of residential properties on the north side of White Hart Lane, with only a relatively narrow vehicular and pedestrian access on the road frontage. The primary objectives have therefore been to improve drivers' awareness of the school and to discourage parking in its immediate vicinity. This will be achieved by enhanced gateway signing, more extensive 'School Keep Clear' zig-zag markings and some additional 'No Waiting at Any Time' restrictions. The latter generally run across properties that have vehicular dropped crossings, so parking in these locations is technically an obstruction. To further emphasise the school zone, a pinch-point is proposed west of the school entrance near to Chalky Walk. This will reduce the carriageway width to 4.5 metres over a short distance, which is still sufficient for two cars to pass, although only one large vehicle such as a bus can use it at a time. Pedestrian dropped crossings will be provided, thus making it a convenient feature for local residents using Chalky Walk. Similar measures have been successfully employed elsewhere in Hampshire, including in the vicinity of schools, and have generally made a contribution to reducing injury accidents. Minor improvements to the existing lighting along Chalky Walk are also proposed.

For Castle Primary School the primary measures are upgrades to the two SCP sites. As well as new 'School' signs with flashing amber lights there will be buff coloured anti-skid surfacing on each approach traffic lane. As with the Community School, it is proposed that the 'School Keep Clear' zig-zag markings and 'No Waiting at Any Time' restrictions are extended to discourage parking in the immediate vicinity of the SCPs. This will also improve the visibility and thus security of the operators and their charges. These proposals have been developed following on-site discussions with the two operators. A pinch-point is also proposed east of the SCP site in White Hart Lane outside the Catholic Church. Whilst generally similar to that proposed west of the Community School, it will not be designed to accommodate pedestrians.

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

The proposals conform to current national and County Council standards where applicable.

Contact will be maintained with the schools and the community to encourage sustainable travel but there is no budget provision to enhance this scheme with further capital works.

Environmental Impact

3.8

The scheme should have a positive effect on the local environment by allowing the two schools to promote alternatives to the car.

Land Requirements

3.9

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

Statutory Procedures

3.10

3.11

As required by the Traffic Calming Regulations the emergency services and the local bus operator have been consulted on the proposals. No objections have been received.

The statutory procedures associated with the 'No Waiting at Any Time' proposals are to be progressed by Fareham Borough Council under the terms of the Traffic Management Agency Agreement. It is not envisaged there will be any problems in progressing this element of the scheme within an appropriate timescale.

Public Consultation

3.12

3.13

3.14

3.15

3.16

A plan of the initial proposals was displayed at the Community School and Fareham Borough Council offices between 23 and 30 May 2006. Information letters were delivered to properties in the local area and comment forms were available. However the local Member, Councillor Price, was concerned that this may not have been sufficient and therefore another exhibition was held at the Community School between 3 pm and 8 pm on 18 and 19 July 2006. On this occasion County Council officers were in attendance to answer questions. In the intervening period the only significant amendment was deletion of a 'Bus Stand' on White Hart Lane since confirmation had been received from the Community School that the bus serving pupils from Southwick could safely use the school car park.

Invitation letters for the second exhibition were delivered to approximately 270 local properties and provided to all the pupils at both schools, making a grand total of about 1,350 invitees. In addition, letters with drawings were sent to the Portchester Civic Society and the Portchester Society. The developer of a property adjacent to Chalky Walk was also contacted, due to the proximity of the pinch-point.

Thirty-eight people attended the exhibition, the vast majority of whom were local residents. Although 23, or 60%, indicated 'Disagree' or 'Strongly Disagree' on their comment forms, this has to be considered in comparison with the non-attendance of over 1,300 invitees. Analysis of the comment forms shows that much of this discontent was associated with the proposal for a pinch-point east of the Community School to match the one near to Chalky Walk. Due to the large number of vehicle dropped crossings in the area this was located in front of some properties which had no off-street parking. This feature, and the associated waiting restrictions, has therefore been deleted from the scheme now proposed. The pinch-point east of the Castle Primary SCP site in White Hart Lane has been added subsequent to the exhibition and has been the subject of personal consultation with nearby residents.

A fairly common comment was the lack of enforcement of the existing waiting restrictions. Fareham Borough Council and the County Council are currently part way through the procedures to allow the Borough to take over enforcement responsibilities from the Police in spring 2007. A higher level of enforcement may then be expected. At the present time no Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is proposed for the 'School Keep Clear' zig-zag markings, but Fareham Borough Council may pursue this outside most schools in the future.

The scheme has been prepared in liaison with Borough Council officers who are processing the associated TRO. Fareham Borough ward Members also support the scheme.

Local Member's View

3.17

The local Member, Councillor Price, has been involved in the development of the scheme and supports the proposals.

Impact Assessments

3.18

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.

Maintenance Implications

3.19

The scheme includes additional highway signs, reflective bollards to highlight the crossing points and pinch-points, and buff coloured anti-skid surfacing on the approaches to the School Crossing Patrol sites as is now becoming standard practice. The revenue implications will be taken into account when the annual base budget is set.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

3.20

The provision of the Act have no impact on these proposals.

Sustainability

3.21

The proposals assist in promoting or facilitating alternatives to the car.

4.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

(Client Department)

4.1

Not to proceed with an SRTS scheme for either school would be contrary to the County Council's aim of assisting schools with approved Travel Plans to promote alternatives to the car.

4.2

The School Travel Plans have both requested introduction of a 20 mph zone along their sections of White Hart Lane and Castle Street. This has also been raised by some other consultees, possibly because of the adjacent Portchester Home Zone, where low speeds are now the norm following extensive re-modelling of the highway environment.

4.3

County Council policy on 20 mph zones largely follows national guidance in that they should be generally self-enforcing. Most 20 mph zones in Hampshire have required relatively severe road humps in order to achieve this regime. However, bus operators, and their passengers find these features extremely uncomfortable. Thus, were they to be promoted, significant objections could be expected both from the operator, and perhaps some of the many other local residents who use these roads on their daily journeys, particularly as the issues raised by the schools occur for limited periods in the morning and afternoons of term time, whereas they would be affected 24 hours a day. It should be noted that existing traffic speeds in the vicinity of the schools are relatively modest and the current injury accident record do not in themselves justify such measures.

4.4

4.5

Speed cushions, which can be straddled by larger vehicles such as buses, have been employed on some traffic calming schemes. However, their effectiveness as a speed moderating device is less than for full width road humps, and 85%ile speeds of about 30 mph have resulted. This is much higher than is required for a prospective 20 mph zone, and is not dissimilar to existing traffic speeds.

Although Regulations now permit isolated road humps, there is an over-riding duty of care on the highway authority under the Highways Act. It would therefore be prudent to ensure that there is a sufficient speed reducing feature in advance of a series of road humps or speed cushions. However the high density frontage development along both White Hart Lane and Castle Street would make it very difficult to install such measures.

LINK(S) TO CORPORATE STRATEGY

Yes

No

Hampshire safer and more secure for all

√

Maximising well-being

Enhancing our quality of place

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

Portchester Community School STP file

Castle Primary School STP file

Environment Department Room 402

Environment Department Room 402