Archived decisions

Agenda Item 7

Report to the

Transport for South Hampshire Joint Committee

Date: 30 September 2009

Report by: Peter Murnaghan

tel: 01962 846920 email: [email protected]

Subject: Access to the Strategic Development Areas at North Fareham and North and North East Hedge End.

Purpose of the Report

This report reviews the technical studies undertaken recently into the transport and access impacts of the planned Strategic Development Areas (SDAs) at North Fareham and North and North East Hedge End and sets out the next phase of study.

Recommendation

That the Joint Committee accepts the consultants' reports and approves the next phase of study into the wider transport impacts and mitigation options for the developments.

Introduction

1. The South East Plan has confirmed the requirement for two SDAs at North Fareham and North and North East Hedge End, as a result of earlier collaborative working by the PUSH authorities. These would contribute towards the 80,000 new dwellings across South Hampshire within the plan period to 2026. In the case of North Fareham SDA, the Plan envisages 10,000 new dwellings and 121,000 square metres of new employment development. At North and North East Hedge End, the proposal is for 6,000 dwellings and 74,000 square metres employment floorspace. The local planning authorities have identified indicative locations for these new settlements, which in the case of Hedge End covers land within Winchester as well as the Eastleigh authority area. In both cases there is a need to better understand the transport and access implications. This is vital as background data for the Local Development Documents of the planning authorities, as well as assisting the planning of the settlements themselves.

2. The planning assumption is that each of the SDAs will feature employment, retail, education, community and some leisure facilities within their sites, so as to encourage a high degree of self containment and to discourage long distance commuting. The bi-polar nature of the sub-region recognises the dual attraction of the two cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, with an expectation that the two SDAs will look to their neighbouring city for higher level employment, retail and leisure facilities. It is recognised that that some of the opportunities will be provided in the neighbouring towns, such as Fareham.

3. In transport terms, however, the common factor for both settlements is the M27 motorway. This currently suffers from peak time congestion around many of its junctions and this is forecast to worsen as a result of the underlying growth in traffic. Against this backdrop, planned development growth, including the addition of two significant developments, presents a major challenge if South Hampshire is not to suffer from serious problems on its transport arteries. Indeed, Policy SH7 of the South East Plan recognises the capacity and management performance of the M27 as a key issue to be addressed, along with the need for the transport and planning authorities to work together to resolve access to the two SDAs. Transport for South Hampshire (TfSH) is specifically named in this context.

4. The impact of additional traffic onto a congested motorway and strategic road network may be ameliorated not only through the land use policy of self containment, but also the TfSH policy of Reduce, Manage and Invest. This supports measures to manage the demand for travel by the private car and encourages more sustainable alternatives, such as extending the Bus Rapid Transit, making use of rail capacity and providing convenient facilities to encourage cycling and walking, in preference to car journeys.

5. The Joint Committee approved, at its April meeting, the development of a robust evidence base to test the effects of the major transport schemes and interventions across the sub region. This evidence base modelling suite will be developed by the end of 2010, to allow option testing in 2011. It will enable the testing of these measures and the cumulative effect of the growth of traffic associated with development at the SDAs, together with the growth of traffic elsewhere in the sub-region, taking account of underlying background trends in demand for travel.

6. However, in advance of this wider model, technical studies are needed to inform the forward planning required by the districts councils' Core Strategy documents and collaborative working with developer and landowner interests. To this end, a number of technical studies have already been undertaken, which are reviewed in this report.

Access to North Fareham SDA

7. Earlier study work, notably Setting Strategic Direction: North Fareham SDA (February 2008), had identified the primary access as being via a new road link to M27 junction 11, with the current A32 being downgraded, so as not to sever the development that would straddle this road. As a consequence of this, the current eastward-facing junction 10 would be modified to offer priority for buses and high occupancy vehicles only. It also envisaged extensive bus priority measures within the SDA and off-site, coupled with some form of area wide demand management if significant traffic generation was to be avoided. The TfSH Towards Delivery statement (April 2008) reflected these findings with a strategy to reduce the need to travel and manage existing transport infrastructure as a priority, together with the investment identified in the consultant's report.

8. Subsequent study work by the developer's consultant investigated possible access points for Bus Rapid Transit into the development site, which complemented the earlier work.

9. However, it was necessary to test these assumptions, to meet the requirements for Fareham's Core Strategy and also to establish whether alternative road options might offer a better solution. Accordingly, Mott Gifford were commissioned in late 2008 to undertake two linked studies. The first `A32 Realignment Options Identification' reported in January 2009. This investigated the alternative alignments for the new link road between the existing A32 Wickham Road and M27 junction 11, involving an assessment of constraints, environmental impact, geometry and cost. Seven options were studied, each with different earthworks (cuttings and embankments), bridges across the Wallington River, junction arrangements and landtake requirements. The estimated cost of these seven options ranged from £26 million to £43 million. It was not necessary to identify a favoured option at this stage, but this study provides valuable background data in determining the range of options that are available.

10. The second study `Fareham SDA Access Study' (February 2009) assessed five options for linking the SDA with the M27 motorway. These ranged from a `Do minimum' solution, arrangements to offer west facing access to the motorway either at junction 10, or a new junction further west, to the previously published proposal for the realigned A32 to junction 11, with restricted access at junction 10. The feasibility of each of these options was tested in terms of policy, design standards, traffic capacity, cost/benefit and deliverability.

11. The last option came out as the most suitable access option for the SDA, featuring a segregated left turn lane from the new A32 onto the M27. However, based on the available traffic data for the AM peak period, the consultants concluded that for this facility to work, the development would need to reduce its eastbound traffic generation by between 50% and 60%. Traffic modelling data for the PM peak period was not available at the time of the study. As this is likely to introduce different flow characteristics around the junction 11 roundabout, this aspect will need to be investigated further. TfSH is aware that the Highways Agency has expressed concerns at the prospect of additional traffic being added to the M27 at junction 11, without careful consideration being given to suitable mitigation measures.

Access to North & North East Hedge End SDA

12. Again, building upon earlier work and the Towards Delivery statement, a study was commissioned from MVA consultants to analyse the transport impacts of this SDA. This study reported in May 2009. Because of its greater distance from the M27 motorway, this study did not look at the feasibility of particular road links, but concentrated on the degree to which the new settlement would impact on the community. The study assessed the likely generation and distribution of trips, noting the many factors that have a direct bearing on access requirements. These include the land use mix, the design and location of the development and other factors that influence demand for travel, such as transport infrastructure, levels of self containment or internalisation, the availability of jobs elsewhere, education policy and the impact of smarter travel interventions.

13. The consultant looked at traffic flows on the local road network, estimated the distribution of trips to destinations using a gravity model, calculated the share by transport mode, based on the local 2001 Census results, against a range of scenarios for different levels of effectiveness of both internalisation and smarter travel intervention. This estimated that a high level of internalisation might result in 20% fewer trips leaving the development in the AM peak than would be the case with a low level of internalisation. Similarly a low rate of smarter travel intervention could result in a 10% reduction in car use, whereas a high level of intervention could result in a 30% cut in car use. Taking the combination of these two key measures - internalisation and smarter travel interventions - with scores each of low, medium and high, there were nine possible scenarios. For simplicity, the consultant considered just the two extremes of low-low and high-high.

14. This study concluded that the development layout and design, together with smarter travel interventions each have a tangible impact on the number of trips, particularly car trips, emerging onto the transport network. Taken together these interventions can result in a significant reduction in overall travel demand and will mitigate against some of the development's impacts. There will remain some impacts though, notably at the Maypole Roundabout and M27 junctions 7 and 8, which will need to be addressed. If substantial new road infrastructure is not provided from the SDA to the M27, significant investment in non-car modes and demand management strategies will need to be in place for the SDAs, including effective land use planning which maximises the use of walking, cycling and public transport.

15. The consultant makes a number of recommendations that will positively influence the sustainability of the SDA including:

(i) maximising the on-site facilities and encouraging self containment to encourage people to live and work in the SDA and the adjacent urban area;

(ii) measures to reduce the impact of traffic, including smarter travel planning and demand management, bus, cycle and walking links and easy access to the rail station and the Hedge End retail area;

(iii) locating the SDA close to the station will ensure that the use of rail is maximised, as an alternative to car use;

(iv) the site layout, mix of land uses and densities should be bold and imaginative - based on good urban design principles - to encourage the use of sustainable modes of travel;

(v) the feasibility of the possible road link to M27 junction 8 should be considered in greater detail, together with the interaction of the Botley Bypass and possible alterations to the Windhover Roundabout; and

(vi) further work should be carried out on the opportunities to develop a framework for sustainable land use and transport, in place of assuming continuing traffic growth, as a response to the climate change agenda.

Further study

16. Each of these studies has moved forward the understanding of the possible impact of the two SDAs, in terms of planning principles to contain their impact on the transport network. The consultants' study reports are reproduced on the TfSH website (www.tfsh.org.uk). However, a further tranche of work is required to progress in tandem with the feasibility and masterplanning work for each SDA. The recent studies have not considered the question of traffic flows on the minor roads to the north of the M27, nor has the cumulative effect of these two developments been assessed, together with the other developments in progress, such as that at North Whiteley. These will be influenced by the planning approaches that are taken at the SDAs and other developments, the prevailing conditions on the M27, and the level of investment that is forthcoming to mitigate the effects of travel demand.

17. In advance of the South Hampshire-wide transport model becoming available, it is proposed to refine the earlier work by an assessment of the wider effects of the two SDAs on the motorway and local road network, and propose a programme of interventions and measures for implementation. This will need to align with the Delivering A Sustainable Transport System (DASTS) objectives of Central Government. This next study, working title `M27 Corridor Developments Study', will make use of the research now to hand, together with a series of planning assumptions that will be agreed with the developers and local planning authorities. An outline of the M27 Corridor Transport Study is summarised in the Appendix to this report. The relevant Local Planning Authorities within the TfSH area, including Eastleigh Borough Council, Winchester City Council, Southampton City Council and Fareham Borough Council have been consulted on the brief and will continue to be engaged during the study, along with the Project Managers of the two SDAs and other key stakeholders, including PUSH and the Highways Agency. Its cost will be accommodated within the allocation for Access to the SDAs in the TfSH Revenue Budget 2009/10.

Conclusion

18. Building on the earlier work, the new study will aim to quantify the wider transport impacts and identify the mitigation options for the new developments. By assembling evidence to progress the development of key schemes for future funding, it will provide a basis for discussion with the community, planners and developers. It will inform the Area Action Plan and Special Development Plans of the local planning authorities. It will also form a baseline against which to test scenarios in the developing model.

19. A report on the outcome of this next study will be reported to the Joint Committee in Summer 2010.

Fareham Strategic Development Transport for South Hampshire

Area Office

A32 Realignment

Options Identification

Mott Gifford

January 2009

Fareham SDA Transport for South Hampshire

Access Study Office

Mott Gifford

February 2009

Informing Development Decisions Transport for South Hampshire

North/North East Hedge End Office

Strategic Development Area

Analysis of Transport Impacts

MVA Consultancy

May 2009

2153Rpt/PJM

APPENDIX

Outline scope, outcomes and objectives of the M27 Corridor Transport Study

This study will examine the effect, individually and cumulatively, of the developments along the M27 between Junctions 5 and 11, taking in the two SDAs, together with North Whiteley. It will look at access options to the North Fareham SDA and the North and North East Hedge End SDA, to highlight the measures required in mitigation of their effect on the overall transport network. It will inform the feasibility and joint masterplanning work for each development.

Scope

The study will:

· Be carried out by consultants for Transport for South Hampshire (TfSH) acting in close conjunction with the newly appointed Strategic Development Area (SDA) Project Managers, the Highways Agency, respective developer interests, the local planning authorities and Hampshire County Council as local transport and highway authority.

· Cover the M27 junctions 5 to 11 and the key local roads likely to be affected by the development at the two SDAs and North Whiteley. It will also take account of the planned Botley bypass and the link to the new Whiteley Way via A3051, as well as the need to link to the Eastern Access to Southampton package of measures from Windhover.

· Provide sufficient clarity to satisfy the parties mentioned above that the transport and access solutions are appropriate both for the individual developments and the `in combination' effects of the developments at 2016 and 2026.

· Relate to developments, using the accepted Masterplan (where available for North Whiteley) and a series of planning assumptions for the SDAs, in agreement with SDA project managers.

· Consider the relative attraction of centres of employment, not necessarily assuming that the adjacent employment area will cater for residents in the local development area. The development of employment at Eastleigh Riverside to be taken into account in determining travel patterns to it. Access into Eastleigh Riverside does not, however, form part of this study.

· Include all transport modes and seek to maximise the effects of the Reduce and Manage strategies.

· Make use of existing data and refer to past studies. This will include recent Origin and Destination survey data, traffic counts, vehicle delay, travel plan coverage, bus/rail patronage, etc.

· Take account of parallel study into Developing the Wider Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Network for South East Hampshire, liaising through the Client Manager over any areas where the proposed BRT interface with North Fareham SDA might appear to be sub-optimal.

· Consider the contribution to wider economic and sustainability goals.

Objectives and Outcomes

The study will:

· Identify a range of options that are affordable and deliverable.

· Identify the transport impacts of the new developments, both singly and in-combination.

· Support the economic and growth aspirations of Eastleigh Borough Council, Fareham Borough Council, Winchester City Council, PUSH, the promoters and the South East Plan.

· Consider all transport interventions that will be necessary, including options for investment in Smarter Choices initiatives, management measures and infrastructure.

· Identify any areas where external features (eg locational decisions or planning assumptions) could have a positive, or negative impact on the transport and access arrangements.

· Provide a robust technical appraisal that forms a background document to the Core Strategy, Area Action Plan or Special Planning Document for the respective local planning authorities.

· Include a breakdown of costs for key elements of transport infrastructure, both on- and off-site and including any soft demand management measures, which would be necessary to implement the developments. To feed into wider economic viability studies produced for each SDA.

Outcome will be a document that will inform decision making regarding transport and access to the two SDAs, the impact on traffic flows along the M27 corridor, scope for modal shift or demand management and necessary investment.

Timescale

Study to be completed by March 2010

Budget

To be funded from the £200,000 allocation Access to the SDAs within the TfSH Revenue Budget 2009/10.