Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

ITEM 4

PROJECT APPRAISAL

(Externally Funded)

PROJECT:

HEDGE END TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

OCTOBER 2007

COMPLETION DATE:

MARCH 2008

PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME: 2007/08

1.

1.1

1.2

Scheme

The purpose of this report is to set out the case for implementing the Hedge End Transportation Package. This will allow the New Growth Point Bid funding provided by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to be used before the end of 2007/08.

Improving public transport infrastructure and passenger facilities will attract more users and so relieve traffic growth and improve accessibility. This will benefit both existing residents and future residents to new development areas. The Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) supports the project and has made it a priority bid to the DCLG for funding in 2007/08. The DCLG has recognised the importance of this package of improvements to encourage increased sustainable travel options and has agreed to fully fund the estimated cost. By improving accessibility and sustainable transport this project maximises well-being and enhances quality of place.

2.

2.1

Recommendation

That the Hedge End Transportation Package, at a cost of £850,000 to be externally funded by the Department of Communities and Local Government's New Growth Point Bid, be approved.

3.

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

Introduction

As with most of south Hampshire, traffic conditions in Hedge End are putting increasing pressure on the local road network. These pressures are forecast to grow in the future, and this will be compounded by proposed major residential developments introducing approximately 6,000 new properties to the area.

It is therefore an appropriate time to provide improvements in public transport facilities in this area to benefit existing residents and to enhance the bus routes which are likely to be used by services serving new developments in the area. Better management of the existing network is required, specifically by promoting greater use of public transport by making it more frequent, reliable and accessible.

In Hedge End the existing bus services have little, if any, bus priority provided at major junctions (often the cause of delays) and passenger facilities are not the standard now expected by the travelling public. The Transportation Package will establish positive improvements providing bus routes with priority at points of congestion and high quality passenger facilities. To introduce these before the new developments are inhabited will provide an improved travel choice and public transport accessibility for existing residents.

Should this project appraisal be approved the capital programme will need to be amended at its next review to accommodate this scheme.

4.

4.1

Details

The proposed package is a set of complementary bus and passenger facility improvements that will increase the overall attractiveness of bus travel, both around Hedge End and to the major retail and recreational destination of Southampton city centre. The main features are:

(i) 24-bus stop television screens for real-time passenger information (RTPI);

(ii) eight upgraded bus shelters;

(iii) 20 bus stop pole real-time information displays for bus stops without bus shelters;

(iv) one real-time information display;

(v) the creation of an interface with the Southampton City Council RTPI system so that facilities are uniform along the service corridors into Southampton;

(vi) bus tracking on six buses;

(vii) bus priority at three junctions;

(viii) two public information kiosks in Hedge End;

(ix) automated bus passenger monitoring system;

(x) improved intelligent bus priority for traffic signal junctions; and

(xi) 16 new high quality bus-shelters to support RTPI screens.

5.

5.1

5.2

Targets and Outcomes

The bus priority works are intended to initially reduce peak morning journey time delays to Southampton for the Bluestar 3 service by three minutes (10%). This improved reliability, combined with the improved passenger facilities, is intended to increase bus passenger usage by 5% within 12 months of the works being completed.

Over the longer term the availability of established, reliable and high quality bus services will have the maximum ability to influence the travel patterns of new residents as they move into the developments.

6.

6.1

Standards

All the proposals have been developed to comply with appropriate County Council standards and national guidelines and regulations.

7.

7.1

Statutory Procedures and Consultation

The only statutory consultees are the utility companies affected by road works and these are being undertaken as part of the normal design process. All additional consultation appropriate for such works within the highway will be undertaken during implementation of the project. Southampton City Council has been consulted on the proposals and is supportive of a link with its RTPI system for city centre services that extend beyond its boundary into Hampshire.

8.

8.1

Policy Considerations

The promotion of public transport, as a method of managing highway network use, reducing congestion growth and improving air quality, is supported in the current Local Transport Plan.

9.

9.1

Environmental Impacts

Without the proposals there will be increasing environmental impact in Hedge End from the forecast traffic growth and additional development traffic. There are negligible environmental impacts in carrying out the proposed works and a successful increase in bus use will have a positive environmental impact compared to `do nothing'.

10.

10.1

Land Requirement

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

11.

11.1

11.2

11.3

11.4

11.5

11.6

Alternative Arrangements

Studies of the Hedge End area have identified various potential schemes to help manage local traffic growth by improving bus reliability and increase bus use. The Botley Road Bus Link (`the Bus Link') was identified as an important and unique opportunity to utilise an abandoned stretch of highway to improve bus access between the south of Hedge End and Southampton, and avoid the congestion at the Windhover junction.

Hampshire County Council developed the Bus Link in partnership with Eastleigh Borough Council, Southampton City Council and the bus operators. Whilst the Bus Link was not on the route of the busiest services between Hedge End and Southampton, one commercial bus operator indicated that it was keen to be involved with such a landmark feature for bus services. The development of the Bus Link progressed and it attained sufficient priority to be entered into the County Council's 2008/09 transportation capital programme. The key to the Bus Link's viability was the partnership provision, with the County Council providing capital investment in infrastructure and the bus operator providing complementary investment in vehicles and service.

In 2006 a new funding opportunity became available when the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) offered a fund for infrastructure projects to promote the development of New Growth Points. Through the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (`PUSH') a bid was submitted for the Botley Road Bus Link which was approved for 2007/08 (saving County Council capital programme funding). However, at around the same time, the bus operator which had been involved in the development of the Bus Link was taken over, and the new operator was unwilling to provide a service through the proposed Bus Link without support from the public purse. The County Council sought competitive tenders from operators for a service that would use the Bus Link, but this course of action made the project too expensive for the budget available and exposed the County Council to indefinite revenue support for the operator's service. Therefore construction of the Bus Link has been deferred until a solution can be agreed. Once the proposed Strategic Development Area is under development, future ridership and the viability of this route will change.. Detailed access to the proposed Strategic Development Area is still being studied and this work may well influence the preferred route, funding priorities and sources. The South Hampshire Strategy anticipates construction of the Strategic Development Area and its infrastructure starting in 2016.

The terms of the New Growth Point funding do not allow it to be rolled over to another year. The County Council, in partnership with Eastleigh Borough and Southampton City Councils, prepared a substitute bid for a package of transportation improvements in Hedge End. This package has now been approved by the DCLG, without which the funding would be withdrawn and potentially allocated to an alternative growth point, elsewhere in the country.

Notwithstanding the local Member's concerns, it would be unjustifiable to proceed with construction of the Botley Road Bus Link in the absence of a firm commitment by the bus operator to make use of the facility once built, on an appropriate financial basis. It is therefore considered that more benefit will be obtained for the current residents of Hedge End by the alternative package of measures now proposed.

To `do nothing' would miss this opportunity to improve bus service operations in an area likely to experience increased congestion.

12.

12.1

12.2

12.3

Local Members' View

The local Members, Councillors Boulton, Blampied and House, have been consulted.

Both Councillors Boulton and Blampied support this scheme.

Councillor House supports the scheme but is concerned that "the context has to be understood that this is being brought forward as the County Council has failed to honour a commitment made to communities in Hedge End and the Hamble Peninsular to deliver on opening Botley Road as a new public transport link".

13.

13.1

13.2

Impact Assessments

The passenger bus-shelter improvements, together with dropped kerbs and tactile paving, will give improved access for the disabled and mobility impaired.

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 access for all.

14.

14.1

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

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

15.

15.1

15.2

Sustainability

Greater use of public transport is a more sustainable form of travel, and air quality should also improve with the reduction in traffic growth.

The design and specification of the project demonstrates the advantages of investment in the principles of appropriateness, high quality and long life, and supports the County Council's corporate Urban Living Strategy.

16.

Financial Arrangements

16.1

Expenditure

£'000

Funds Available

£'000

Design Fee

35

DCLG New Growth Point Funding

850

Supervision

15

Project Works

800

Land

Nil

____

____

Total

850

Total

850

____

____

16.2

Revenue Implications

£'000

% Variation to Committee's budget

Net increase in

current expenditure

52

0.049

Capital Charge

109

0.083

____

____

Total Expenditure

161

0.132

____

____

17.

17.1

17.2

Maintenance Implications

The maintenance of the traffic signal and RTPI systems will be undertaken by the County Council's Intelligent Transport Systems group.

The new-bus shelters will become the responsibility of Eastleigh Borough Council in line with established arrangements.

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

Hedge End Transportation Package (NGP Bid 2007/08)

Environment Department

Highways and Transport Policy