5 IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMME

5   IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMME

 5.1 PROGRAMME AND FUNDING SUBMISSION

5.1.1  This section sets out a programme to achieve the investment strategy and policies of the Local Transport Plan for the period 2001/02 to 2005/06. This programme reflects the current levels of capital funding for transport schemes and has taken account of the Government’s indications of future funding for transport infrastructure.

5.1.2  The proposed capital programme is set out in Table 1 and is the result of extensive consultation and participation in the prioritisation of the schemes.

5.1.3  Provision has been made to implement proposals that support the re-introduction of passenger services on the Ashington, Blyth and Tyne railway, a major public transport scheme which accords with the new policy direction set out in the Transport Bill 1999. The heavy rail element of this scheme will be subject of a bid for Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) funding. 

5.1.4  Expenditure on structural road and bridge maintenance has been increased in 2000/2001. The County Council welcomes this additional funding which will enable a start to be made on tackling the backlog of work which has amassed over recent years.

5.1.5  The County Council would welcome future transport funding settlements of such a level as to facilitate increased bridge and retaining wall maintenance programmes. This topic was investigated by the CSS Bridges Group and described above at paras 4.3.1.17 to 20 and 4.3.1.25 to 4.3.1.29.

FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PROGRAMME

SUMMARY TABLE 1

The text and financial summary tables that follow describe individual projects valued at more than £250,000 and groups of smaller projects as part of packages of related schemes or in programme areas. The Council considers that the elements of this implementation programme are essential to realise the objectives of this LTP.

5.1.1     MAJOR TRANSPORT SCHEMES

Public Transport Projects/Packages

Project TITLE:

        PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICES ON THE ASHINGTON,

        BLYTH & TYNE RAILWAY

Project Description

        The major public transport scheme included in the LTP is the planned upgrading of the freight railway system in the south east of the County to enable the re-introduction of passenger trains between Ashington, Bedlington, west Blyth, and Tyneside. The scheme has been identified as having the potential to improve transport links in the area for some time, and the conclusion of the South East Northumberland Public Transport Study, undertaken by JMP Consultants in 1996, confirmed that the re-introduction of passenger trains represented the most cost effective and feasible option with good transport integration benefits. Alternative strategies were evaluated, and these are discussed in greater detail at Appendix 10. The scheme will form the basis of a major public transport corridor, as the Ashington, Blyth and Tyne (ABT) Railway will operate as part of an integrated public transport system for the districts of Wansbeck and Blyth Valley, including co-ordination with local bus networks, the establishment of park-and-ride facilities at specified locations, and the improvement of pedestrian and cycle routes to and from stations.

          Discussions are continuing with Railtrack, Northern Spirit as a potential train operator, and NEXUS as the Passenger Transport Authority for the districts of Tyne and Wear. Integration with the Tyne and Wear Metro network will be achieved by the construction of an interchange station at Backworth, in North Tyneside, with the potential for linkages with the Stephenson’s Jobs Corridor. The major bus operator ARRIVA Northumbria, Blyth Valley and Wansbeck District Councils, and North Tyneside Council are represented on the working group, as is the regional regeneration agency One NorthEast.

          A feasibility study has been undertaken by Scott Wilson (Scotland). The study reviewed the following main aspects of the project:

·           potential travel demand;

·           market research examining the views of the local community;

·           operational characteristics of potential services;

·           key infrastructure requirements;

·           analysis and preliminary layout of potential stations;

·           potential integration of public transport modes;

·           environmental impacts;

·           social impacts;

·           economic analysis.

FIGURE 16 PROPOSED ASHINGTON, BLYTH AND TYNE RAIL NETWORK

Preferred Service Operation

The preferred option - which emerged following the evaluation of a number of alternatives - is a two train per hour service between Newcastle Central and Ashington Central, calling at Bedlington, Newsham (at the western edge of Blyth) and Backworth.

At Ashington, the proposed re-opening of the station offers good opportunities for integration with local bus services and is well located at the heart of the town centre. Bedlington Station provides a central location which is easily accessible and offers good possibilities for integration with other transport modes, including bus and car. Newsham station offers extensive possibilities for park-and-ride facilities; direct integration with local bus services will be possible if slight alterations are made to existing bus routes.

Annual operating costs are estimated at approx. £2.5m. An operating loss is expected to be incurred in the short to medium term.

Journey times of approximately 35 minutes between Ashington and Newcastle are forecast.

The study indicates that the passenger train services will offer regeneration benefits in terms of access to employment, leisure, health and higher education facilities. The route will also act as a transport corridor with the potential for adjacent development, which could result in the generation of developer contributions towards infrastructure related to the rail service. The Ashington Investment Study has now commenced, with the intention of producing a strategy for the regeneration of the local economy, and re-opening of the line is seen as one of the key features of the strategy

Funding will be sought from several sources. Advice from the Government Office for the North East is that funding for assets subsequently administered by Railtrack cannot be financed throughthe LTP. An application for Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) funding pre-qualification was made in respect of these elements, covering items such as track and signalling improvements and station construction. In March 2000 the shadow Strategic Rail Authority announced that the project was not yet in a state of readiness to pre-qualify for RPP funding, and that further justification needed to be provided in respect of the scheme on two fronts, technical and financial. In particular, there is a requirement to establish a commitment from Railtrack to fund the capital works on the operational railway, so that RPP funding can subsequently be provided for the service in the form of revenue support, which could then be recouped to some degree by means of track access charges. . As RPP funds are payable only through the train operating company, the current re-franchising process for local passenger trains in North East England complicates the position. The County Council and its partners will seek to have the proposed service specification included within the terms of the new franchise. A more detailed technical study is proposed at a cost of approximately £150,000. In view of the importance of this study to the future prospects of the scheme a bid for LTP funding is being made to allow it to go ahead.

LTP funding is being sought in respect of elements of the scheme which are ‘non-railway’ but which contribute towards integrated transport objectives. This category includesinterchange facilities at the three stations within Northumberland as described above, pedestrian and cycle links, improved lighting, information technology and CCTV facilities to integrate stations, not only with other forms of public and private transport, but also with the adjacent communities which they serve. Details are still to be finalised, but given RPP approval by 2001, preparatory works would need to be started at the same time, to ensure that these elements are ready in parallel with the Railtrack elements of the scheme. For this work to proceed, £2.400m of LTP funding is being sought, spread over the five years of the plan.            

OBJECTIVES

        The main objectives of the scheme are:

• to improve access to jobs and services for residents of south east Northumberland;
• to encourage modal shift towards public transport and away from use of the car;
• to improve integration between different modes of transport in Northumberland and Tyneside;
• to provide improved rail travel opportunities at a regional level;
• to help to facilitate the regeneration of south east Northumberland;
• to reduce social exclusion and disadvantage;
• to reduce demand for road improvement and parking;
• to reduce road accidents;
• to improve air quality.

POTENTIAL FOR REGENERATION

The proposal is strongly supported by the County Council and by Wansbeck and Blyth Valley Councils because of the role which a passenger rail service can play in the economic and social regeneration of south east Northumberland. Both Blyth Valley and Wansbeck have high levels of deprivation measured against a set of twelve indicators; in 1998, Wansbeck was ranked 58 and Blyth Valley 94 out of 354 local authority districts in England. In 1999 there were 12 unemployed persons for every vacancy in Wansbeck, compared with a Great Britain average of 6 persons per vacancy. New Objective 2 Programmes are being developed to benefit the area; the railway can offer a range of indirect benefits to this programme of community economic development. 

DETAILS OF OPERATION

        The proposed passenger train service will operate between Ashington and Newcastle Central Station, formed of diesel multiple unit trains. A half-hourly frequency is proposed, giving an average waiting time of 15 minutes, with periods of operation reflecting the prime journey purposes of accessing employment and training opportunities, journeys to and from work, shopping trips, and interchange with long distance rail services.

          The initial proposed service pattern strikes a balance between providing access to communities, and end-to-end journey times which are competitive with travel by road. Three stops between Ashington and Newcastle are planned initially but further stops could be considered in the light of subsequent operational experience, and the availability of finance.

          Stations will include public transport interchange facilities wherever possible. Through ticketing and timetable co-ordination with local bus services in south east Northumberland will be sought to provide an integrated public transport network enabling seamless journeys to be made. Stations and trains will be required to meet Disability Discrimination Act requirements, and particular attention will be given to routes to and from stations, to ensure that barriers to movement are minimised. Stations will be of a high quality to inspire consumer confidence and to maximise personal safety, featuring good pedestrian and cycle route access, waiting shelters, quality lighting, CCTV security, and real-time bus and train information.      

Track Improvement Works

Railtrack and Scott Wilson have carried out preliminary scoping works to assess the level of works required. It has been identified that train paths will be available, subject to the provision of a passing loop to enable the operation of a half-hourly service.  Significant track and signalling upgrading will be needed to permit the higher train speeds necessary to provide a competitive end-to-end journey time, and level crossings will also require improvement at several locations.

MAJOR TRANSPORT SCHEMES

SUMMARY TABLE 2

REVENUE IMPLICATIONS

Based on services starting in 2003

5.1.2 PUBLIC TRANSPORTSCHEMES

Programme Title: PUBLIC TRANSPORT IMPROVEMENTS

Programme Description:

        The programme for public transport improvements, details of which are contained in the Appendix, comprises a range of capital works to improve conditions for users of public transport, and to increase awareness of services, so that services become both an increasingly acceptable alternative to using the car, and meet the needs of all individuals, including the elderly and people with disabilities. Through the formation of Quality Partnerships with bus operators and discussions with train operating companies, it is expected that bus and train services will also improve to complement works financed under the LTP.

          The main components of the public transport programme are summarised below, and details of the proposed capital investment required are contained in the financial summary table which follows:

• Town Bus Services

Investment in bus stop information and waiting areas to complement new vehicles to be provided by bus operators in a quality partnership.  This will help achieve a target to reduce the number of short journeys made by car in the main towns in Northumberland.

• Bus Stop Improvements

Assistance to District Councils to enable them to negotiate improved bus shelter provision and better maintenance of shelters across their areas by entering a contract to obtain advertising revenue from their shelters.

Improvement and upgrading of bus stops, shelters, kerbs and lay-bys when other streetworks are taking place or when Parish or District Councils make requests and are willing to maintain the shelters to a high standard.

Investment at bus stops will as much as possible be linked to associated improvements to vehicles and targets to improve use of the routes.

• Bus and Rail Station and Interchange Upgrading

Improvements at interchanges to provide clear information about where and when services depart, safe and convenient access, including access for people with disabilities, to the relevant bus stops or rail platforms, and safe, well lit and comfortable places for passengers to wait in.

Schemes are underway at Berwick and Cramlington.  There will need to be additional work in these locations in future years.  The target will be to increase the user satisfaction of those interchanging at these places.

A major new interchange at Hexham was programmed for the current financial year but the proposals were linked to a private development which has been delayed.  The scheme has therefore been rolled forward to the 2001-2002 period.  The target will be to increase the number of people interchanging between bus and rail.

A further extension of the public address system to other stations on the Tyne Valley line.

Continued improvement of town centre bus stops and waiting facilities in Blyth to allow reorganisation of bus routes to pass through the town centre and focus on a new bus/rail interchange at Newsham South.  This proposal is associated with the proposed re-opening of the Ashington, Blyth and Tyne railway and the target will be to achieve integration of bus services with the railway.

• Cycle facilities

A continual process to increase and improve cycle storage at transport interchanges.

• Regional Journey Planner, Call Centre and Information

Continue to work with bus operators and other Local Authorities to upgrade the journey planner used in the regional call centre and to develop the service being offered.

The upgrade will be in line with the standards for delivery of the national information service and will include improve fares information, give a finer grain of location information and involve better input and exchange of data with transport operators and with neighbouring areas. Associated developments will seek to exploit the investment already made in gather and maintaining the timetable data at the call centre, on the internet, and in information provided within Northumberland. The target for the Regional Journey Planner is to continue to meet the PTI specification, accurately and promptly.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT SCHEMES

SUMMARY TABLE 3

CAPITAL BID

FUNDING SHORTFALL

If the programme cannot be funded in full it will be adjusted as follows:

• Town bus services:  works to be carried out will be reduced with a corresponding reduction in the target.
• Bus Stop improvements: will be carried out in full with greater than proportional reductions in the improvement in interchanges.
• Bus Station and Interchange upgrading: will be proceed at a reduced specification, with the full requirements being moved forward to subsequent years.
• Cycle Storage: This will be reduced proportionately.
• Regional Journey Planner and Call Centre: A substantial part of the funding requested is a contribution to a regional project which must proceed with 100% funding from each local authority.  This part will be met in full with a reduction or delay in progressing the associated projects to exploit the data.
• Information Systems at Rail Stations: This will be reduced proportionately.

REVENUE IMPLICATIONS

5.1.3     LOCAL SAFETY SCHEMES

Programme Title: LOCAL SAFETY SCHEMES

Programme Description:

• The programme proposed for 2001/2002 is based upon a comprehensive analysis of injury accident trends and locations. A broad ranging list of improvements are proposed with special emphasis on the vulnerable road user, in particular measures which reduce accidents to children on their way to and from school.
• The programme is split into 5 separately defined categories and includes:

a) The introduction of low cost remedial treatments at high                £200,000

     risk sites where a significant number of accidents have

     occurred over a 3-year period. Table 1 in Appendix 5 lists

     25 sites where accident patterns have been identified and

     low cost measures are considered to be beneficial. Many of

     these scheme involve only traffic signs and road markings

     and an average cost of £8,000 per scheme is estimated.

b) Route and Area Action Schemes on sections of roads and            £100,000              

     urban areas with high accident rates. 5 sites are listed in                             

     Table 2 of Appendix 5 with an estimated average scheme

    cost of £20,000.

c) Improved facilities for pedestrians on routes to schools and in      £80,000

     main centres where a substantial amount of pedestrians are

     at risk. Table 3 in Appendix 5 lists 4 sites with an anticipated

     average cost of £20,000.

d) Mass action measures - General application of tried and tested      £40,000

     engineering road safety improvements. This will include edge of

     carriageway road markings on rural A class roads; anti skid

     surface treatment on the approach to pedestrian crossings;

     and flashing amber lights adjacent to school entrances and

     school crossing patrols. Sites with a recent history of injury

     accidents will be targeted. Experience shows that a level of

    expenditure of £40,000 will result in a three year saving of 8

    road casualties.

e) Speed management - Following consultation with the police            £80,000  

    the introduction of new and extended speed limits on sections

     of roads with a history of speed related injury accidents.

     Table 4 of Appendix 5 lists 5 sites with an anticipated

     average cost of £8,000. It is also proposed to introduce

    three permanent speed camera sites (£25,000) and a trial

    programme of interactive speed warning signs (£15,000) at

    problem locations. 

• Tables 1 to 4 in Appendix 5 list engineering schemes proposed for 2001/2002 together with the number of casualties that have occurred at these sites over a three year period and the predicted casualty saving. Using past data for local safety schemes (Table 9 in ‘A Strategy For Road Safety’) it is anticipated that the 2001/2002 programme will result in a predicted three year saving of 124 road casualties with 20% of this reduction being for children under the age of 16.

• As part of a 5 year plan similar programmes of Local Safety Schemes are planned for the following 4 years. The broad categories will remain with more emphasis on larger Urban Safety Management measures which require a longer lead-in time. The estimated cost for the 2001/2002 proposed schemes will be £500,000 and will need to increase to £600,000 per year to fund the more comprehensive programme proposed in subsequent years.

LOCAL SAFETY SCHEMES

SUMMARY TABLE 4

FUNDING SHORTFALL

If the full level of expenditure was not forthcoming a pro rata percentage reduction would be made across the five defined categories. Schemes would be prioritised on the basis of the up to date three-year casualty figures.

5.1.4     MINOR IMPROVEMENTS

Programme Title: MINOR IMPROVEMENTS

Programme Description:

        The minor improvements programme has for a number of years targeted resources in town centres and in neighbourhoods to enable particularly the most vulnerable members of society, such as schoolchildren, the disabled and the elderly, to travel in a sustainable and safe way to their destination. To achieve this a network of pedestrian and cyclist priority routes leading to schools, town centres and services has been identified with district authorities, schools and organisations representing disabled people. A database containing requests from members of the public, elected members and other interested bodies is also maintained and used in the process of prioritising area action plans within this and other programme areas.

Seminars and meetings were arranged to encourage the participation of the Community, Parish and District Councils in the development of this Full LTP. Community, Parish and District representatives were asked to comment on the LTP strategy, and also put forward their own transport priorities. Similarly, the views of the general public were sought by means of newspaper advertisements and exhibitions. The views put forward have influenced the prioritisation of packages of schemes within the minor improvements programme.

          The allocation for integrated transport in the 2000-2001 Provisional LTP settlement has enabled the Council to implement packages of interrelated measures in the County’s main centres in order to achieve maximum benefits for the community. It should also be recognised that occasionally individual projects may be considered in isolation, particularly in rural areas where for example there may be a missing link in the existing footpath or street lighting network which may prevent children from walking to school safely, for instance.

          The minor improvements programme is therefore made up of a number of interrelated measures that will generally be implemented as a package of projects aimed at a particular location. Locations will be routes to schools, town centres where there is a concentration of commercial and social activity and neighbourhoods where people live and need to move around safely. The main elements of the minor improvements programme are summarised below and details of the proposed capital investment required are contained in the financial summary table that follows:

• Travel Plans

measures to improve road safety and provide facilities to encourage children and adults to travel to school and work by sustainable modes of transport

• Town Centre and Neighbourhood Action Zones

measures to deter commuter traffic, improve safety and the environment and give priority to pedestrians, people with disabilities, cyclists and public transport

• Measures on Main Pedestrian and Cycle Routes

to improve road safety and provide facilities to encourage a shift to more sustainable methods of travel

• Public Transport

The main elements are dealt with in section 5.1.2 however the measures will be implemented as part of the integrated proposals detailed above and include passenger waiting facilities, public transport information system, and public transport interchange facilities.

• Non-Accident Related Safety Measures

to improve road safety at non-accident related locations by implementing measures such as, traffic calming and speed limits to prevent accidents and improve the environment.

• Street Lighting

provision of new or improved lighting to improve road and personal safety and complement other initiatives to encourage a shift to sustainable methods of travel.

MINOR IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMME

SUMMARY TABLE 5

FUNDING SHORTFALL

The level of funding required for the programme outlined above is realistic in terms of the amount of LTP funding that is likely to be available over the 5-year period. If however there is a funding shortfall there would be a reduction in the number of measures that could be carried out overall and depending on the size of the reduction an impact on the targets that can be achieved. The table below indicates how a shortfall of 20% would affect the proposed programme. The level of funding for travel plans would be maintained and the allocation for town centres protected as far as possible because travel to school and work are the areas with the highest levels of traffic congestion and road safety problems.

MINOR IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMME

IMPACT OF 20% FUNDING SHORTFALL

5.1.5     PRINCIPAL ROAD MAINTENANCE

Programme Title: PRINCIPAL ROAD MAINTENANCE

Programme Description:

        The Principal Road Maintenance programme is a focused and realistic bid for funding to maintain and improve the condition of the main non-trunk roads in Northumberland. It concentrates expenditure where the need is greatest, with regard to both the current condition of the network, and the strategic nature of individual routes. The need for increased expenditure on the existing network can be justified by improved safety, more reliable public transport operations, better conditions for walkers and cyclists, and reduced expenditure on public liability claims. The bid also recognises that in the more remote areas of the County, residents are solely dependent upon the road network, and that several County roads carry significant levels of transit traffic between England and Scotland.

          The bid has taken the following approach:

• A189 Spine Road

The Spine Road between Ashington and Tyne and Wear, along with the proposed re-opening of the Ashington, Blyth and Tyne Railway, is a central element of the County Council’s commitment to the economic regeneration of south east Northumberland. This has been recognised in the past by the Government Office and English Partnerships, which have provided finance to enable the road to be built to dual carriageway standards south of Woodhorn. The more southerly reaches of the route were built up to thirty years ago, and there is a need for strengthening works at several locations. Some sections of the road are also without central reserve crash barriers; the County Council wishes to install these at the earliest opportunity to prevent ‘cross-over’ accidents, unfortunately such accidents resulted in a fatality on the Spine Road in 1999 and another serious accident in February 2000.

• Road Overlay, Surfacing, Strengthening and Reconstruction

The programme has been formulated to ensure the best use of limited resources by employing repair techniques best suited to the condition of the road at each location. Further details of the programme can be found in Appendix 6.

• Earthworks and Landslips

The battle with nature is a continual one and the bid includes schemes to ensure that the highway network can remain open and in as safe and stable a condition as possible.   

PRINCIPAL ROAD MAINTENANCE

SUMMARY TABLE 6

FUNDING SHORTFALL

A 20% shortfall in funding for Principal Road Maintenance would greatly reduce the length of the network receiving treatment. Priority would be given to schemes involving reconstruction and strengthening along with earthworks. This effectively would mean that the shortfall would come out of resurfacing schemes which give the greatest length of treatment. This will inevitably affect the Performance Indicators with the zero residual life length expected to increase.

5.1.6     BRIDGE ASSESSMENT STRENGTHENING AND STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE

Programme Title: BRIDGE ASSESSMENT STRENGTHENING AND STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE

Programme Description:

        During the Plan period the County Council proposes to progress its bridge assessment, strengthening and structural maintenance programme. The Council aims to complete all “first-run” bridge assessments by April 2003  - further analysis may then be required to suit revised assessment guidelines or the deteriorating condition of individual structures. The Council will continue with the application of interim measures and may have to introduce weight restrictions at certain bridges.

Subject to the level of funding allocated, the County Council aims to complete the strengthening of all bridges on the HGV network within the LTP period - principal road bridges will take place throughout the LTP period. The strengthening of bridges that are not on the HGV network will in general be afforded higher priority.

          The programming of major bridge strengthening or maintenance operations will be arranged to suit other works planned for that route or area of the County - please refer to the section on maintenance. In this way, disruption to the travelling public will be minimised, and works costs should benefit from economies of scale.

          Details of the projects to be undertaken within the Plan period are shown in Appendix 7 It should be noted that the strengthening programme may have to be revised to accommodate works to Railtrack bridges if assessment failures are revealed. 23 Railtrack highway bridges are being assessed - including 8 over the East Coast Main Line - by the County Council in joint venture with Railtrack. The Council will liaise with Railtrack in the preparation of measures needed in the event of an assessment failure.

          The Council proposes the use of LTP funds to develop the computerised bridge database system and is considering the development of bridge condition indices. The Council also proposes to increase the frequency of bridge inspections - especially for vulnerable or heavily trafficked structures. These measures are proposed to ensure that maintenance funds are allocated in the most cost effective way.

In the event of funding being allocated below the bid level, the County Council will scale down its bridges programme accordingly. The most significant impact may be on the bridge strengthening element of the programme. Schemes would be undertaken generally in accordance with the priorities indicated in the bridges appendix, but may be undertaken at a later date than currently envisaged. The Council has limited revenue resources available for bridge works - typically £250,000 per year - which facilitate a basic inspection and maintenance programme of the authority’s 2094 highway bridges.

PROJECTS OF INDIVIDUAL COST £250,000 OR GREATER.

        Details of all bridge strengthening projects for the plan period are shown in Appendix 7. A summary of costs is shown at Summary Table 7. The projects listed below are estimated to cost £250,000 or greater:

• A1068 Lesbury Mill Bridge Strengthening.

Provide new bridge on improved road alignment. One span of this 2 span masonry arch structure is currently protected by a temporary support system.

Priority no 1.

Cost estimate - £1,600,000

Implementation programme - January to December 2001.

• A193 Seaton Sluice Bridge Strengthening.

Strengthen steel deck.

Priority no 17.

Cost estimate - £400,000

Implementation programme - July to October 2002.

• A189 Bedlington Station North Bridge Strengthening.

Strengthen 3 span bridge carrying dual carriageway A189 road.

Priority no 18.

Cost estimate - £300,000

Implementation programme - August to November 2002.

• A1167 Berwick Station Railway Bridge Strengthening.

Strengthen 4 span steel bridge over East Coast Main Line railway.

Priority no 20.

Cost estimate - £400,000

Implementation programme - February to June 2003.

• A189 East Sleekburn Bridge Strengthening.

Strengthen 4 span pre cast beam bridge.

Priority no 21.

Cost estimate - £300,000

Implementation programme - July to October 2003.

BRIDGE ASSESSMENT, STRENGTHENING AND MAINTENANCE

SUMMARY TABLE 7

FUNDING SHORTFALL

If funding is allocated at lower than bid level the proposed programme will be revised to suit. The Council wishes to complete the bridge assessment programme at the earliest opportunity and to make progress on addressing the backlog of bridge maintenance works. The bridge strengthening programme might be implemented over a slightly extended period if funds are available for the continued application of interim measures. A funding shortfall would delay completion of the planned bridge strengthening programme. Strengthening schemes would be undertaken generally in accordance with the priorities indicated but the programme would be extended. Funding will be needed throughout the LTP period for the continued application of interim measures.

5.1.7     ROAD SCHEMES

Programme Title: ROAD SCHEMES

Programme Description:

County Roads

No major road schemes, i.e. in excess of £5m are contained within the LTP programme to 2006.However at this time the first stage of the Morpeth Northern Bypass, which is estimated to cost less than £5m, has been identified as the County Council’s preferred scheme for implementation during the period of this LTP.

Non Core Trunk Roads

The Council further requests that funding be made available for the implementation of improvement schemes to the non-core A696/A68 trunk road in the interim period before 1 April 2003 - the target date for detrunking - at these locations:

• A696 Heeston Bank - construction 2001/02 - current estimate £500,000.

Substandard carriageway and verge widths with a history of collisions at the bend. This proposal is to implement the recommendations of an accident study of June 1998 - carriageway and verge widenings over a length of 200 metres.

• A696 Raylees Bridge - construction 2002/03 - current estimate £500,000.

At this location there is a narrow 5.8 metre carriageway over the bridge with verges just 300mm wide. Low masonry parapets offer no protection against 6 metre drop to the river below - no space to erect safety fences. The proposal is to widen the bridge to accommodate a 7.3 metre carriageway and provide safety fences in verges.

Morpeth Northern Bypass (Stage One)

Introduction

The Northumberland County Structure Plan refers to the need for a high quality inter-urban link between settlements in the south east of the County and the A1 Trunk Road, ‘providing direct access to the Wansbeck Business Park and improving links to other businesses in the Ashington area…..and easing congestion in the centre of Morpeth.’

The scheme is also contained within the Castle Morpeth District Local Plan, which has yet to be adopted. The Inspector’s Report arising from the local plan inquiry confirmed the inclusion of the scheme in the Local Plan, with the scheme standing on its merits as a strategic route connecting the A1 with Wansbeck district.

‘Making the Step Change’, prepared by One NorthEast and the Northumberland Strategic Partnership, is the template for an ambitious and comprehensive regeneration strategy to tackle the deep-seated economic and social problem extant in south east Northumberland. Part of this strategy involves the re-introduction of passenger trains between Ashington and Tyneside, and the improvement of the A19/A189 corridor. There is also a recognition of the need for improved links between the Ashington area and the A1 Trunk Road, so that transport links are brought up to a high standard from several directions and in both road and rail modes.

Serious structural weaknesses persist in south east Northumberland despite the efforts of public agencies, businesses and local communities, in large part due to the legacy of the coalfield and its peripheral location in a peripheral and disadvantaged region. Good communication links by road and rail are seen as essential to the future success of the area by all agencies engaged in the regeneration process, and the provision of infrastructure such as the Morpeth Northern Bypass is an integral part of this strategy. The bypass serves an EU Objective 2 Area and UK Development Area. The Wansbeck Regeneration Investment Strategy and the Morpeth Integrated Land Use & Transportation Strategy, both of which include the active involvement of a wide variety of local stakeholders, are dependent to some extent on the completion of the scheme. 

The inclusion of stage one of the Morpeth Northern Bypass in the LTP for 2001-2006 meets the following over-arching national objectives underlying the New Approach to Appraisal:

• to protect and enhance the built and natural environment

The scheme will help to relieve the centre of Morpeth of the effects of some of the traffic currently accessing the town from the south.

• to improve safety for all highway users

The road will be built to contemporary design standards and will reduce traffic flows at a number of locations which have a high incidence of accidents. A cycleway/footway facility will be provided throughout.

• to contribute to an efficient economy, and to support sustainable economic growth at appropriate locations

The economic regeneration of south east Northumberland is a priority of the County Council, in line with the aspirations of District Councils and the regional development agency One NorthEast. This scheme will provide the first step in the provision of a new, high standard strategic gateway to and from the A1 Trunk Road. It will also assist in facilitating the provision and development of employment land identified to the northern part of the town.

• to promote accessibility to everyday facilities for all, especially those without a car

The first stage of the scheme from the A1 to the A192 will reduce town centre traffic to a limited extent, allowing parallel demand management measures to be implemented. The later stages of the scheme will remove a greater proportion of through traffic allowing more extensive pedestrian prioritisation to be considered in Morpeth.

Details

1. Morpeth Northern Bypass Stage One: A1 to A192 link

 By the construction of a new all-movements junction with the A1 Trunk Road, a more direct access     will be available to the north-west area of Morpeth. The existing below-standard slips to and from the A1 at Fairmoor will be closed, although the junction will remain open for Northgate Hospital, and for access to county roads west of Fairmoor. The new junction will improve links to an adjacent area zoned for employment activity in the Castle Morpeth Local Plan. The impact upon town centre traffic in Morpeth will be beneficial if limited, until the rest of the bypass scheme is in place. Consultants have been appointed by the County and Borough Councils to investigate the potential for demand management measures within the town centre. The removal of a proportion of existing traffic flows bythe provision of the link will increase the scope for measures prioritising non-car users to be applied in central Morpeth.     

The main impact of the Morpeth Northern Bypass Stage 1 has been demonstrated by an environmental assessment to be in the vicinity of the grade-separated A1 junction; amelioration measures will be put in place to minimise adverse impacts. The junction with the A192, in the form of an at-grade roundabout, will calm traffic speeds on the 60mph section of the A192 between Fairmoor and Lancaster Park. The link will run mostly at-grade with the existing landscape, and will be relatively inconspicuous. There will be environmental benefits for most properties in Fairmoor with the partial closure of the existing junction. Environmental impacts will be broadly neutral. Some disturbance during construction and at the junction with the A1 will be balanced or outweighed by air quality and noise level improvements in the town centre. Road safety will be improved by reduced pedestrian/vehicle conflict in the town centre resulting from lower traffic flows. There will be no adverse impact upon public transport operations arising directly from the scheme, with anticipated beneficial indirect impacts upon transport operations in the town centre.

Economic impacts are strongly positive. Substantial journey time and vehicle operating cost savings are identified by cost/benefit analysis; the value of savings exceeds scheme costs by over 400%. Sustainability impacts are broadly positive. The scheme makes full provision for the needs of cyclists, pedestrians and equestrian users by the inclusion of a shared use facility parallel to the road. Although it is not expected that during the first stage public transport services will make extensive use of the route, the resulting abstraction of traffic from the centre of Morpeth will, as described above, facilitate the introduction of bus priority measures and should ensure higher levels of network reliability.   

2.   Morpeth Northern Bypass Stage Two and the Pegswood Bypass

The second stage of the scheme continues eastwards from the A192 across the northern boundary of the St. George’s Hospital site, joining the A197 road at the top of Whorral Bank, then crossing the East Coast railway line to form stage three, a southern bypass of Pegswood. Taken as a whole, the three stages constitute the ‘A1 to south east Northumberland link road’ scheme.

Completion of the scheme will deliver the regeneration benefits described above for south east Northumberland as a whole, and will also benefit Pegswood, where the settlement is currently bisected by heavy traffic with resulting road safety implications.

The removal of the majority of traffic from the village centre will allow the implementation of traffic calming, pedestrian priority and environmental enhancement measures.

Stage two of the scheme also unlocks the potential of the large brownfield site to the north of Morpeth. It has been demonstrated that access cannot satisfactorily be gained via existing roads. Stage two of the scheme will provide an adequate and safe access to and from the area.  In the longer term the development of the St George’s Hospital site would help to maintain and enhance the vitality of Morpeth in its role as a market town serving a wide rural catchment area. The second stage will remove a higher proportion of through traffic from the town centre, offering the opportunity for further demand management measures to be implemented, if required.

ROAD SCHEMES PROGRAMME

SUMMARY TABLE 8

FUNDING SHORTFALL

If the Morpeth Northern Relief Road is unsuccessful in receiving funding, the effect upon the main aims and objectives of the Local Transport Plan will be as follows:

• To create and maintain a safe, efficient and integrated transport system. If the scheme is not constructed, traffic levels in Morpeth cannot be alleviated by the removal of through trips to and from the area north-west of the town centre. This will affect the ability to implement demand management measures in the town centre without causing increased levels of congestion and pollution, and having an adverse effect upon the reliability of bus services.

• regenerating Northumberland’s economy. The scheme, as the first part of a new link between the A1 Trunk Road and south east Northumberland, is critical to the regenerationof the Wansbeck and Blyth Valley districts. Without the new junction from the A1, the later stages of the scheme will be unable to provide accessibility from the trunk road network to the Ashington area, and would instead performa less strategic role which does not fulfil LTP and Local Plan objectives.

• promoting a safe and healthy environment.The road will remove a proportion of traffic currently using Telford Bridge in central Morpeth, with a forecast reduction in the level of accidents and a lower level of emissions from vehicles. Demand management measures will be easier to implement with reduced traffic flows.

• achieving sustainable development. The wider effects of the scheme will be to enable the development of the north western area of Morpeth north of Lancaster Park on an established public transport corridor.

• environmental and social revitalisation. The scheme will be instrumental in achieving the revitalisation of the south east of the county with the introduction of a new junction with the A1 north of Morpeth. The later stages of the scheme will remove some heavy goods vehicle traffic from the town centre.

• integrated transport. The road will extend the network of cycleways in south east Northumberland, and will facilitate improved reliability of bus services in Morpeth.