ITEM CMDT4
CABINET MEMBER FOR TRANSPORT – 24 APRIL 2008
CONSULTATION ON VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGNING
Report by Head of Transport
Introduction and Background
1. As part of the Council’s Local Transport Plan (LTP) priority of tackling congestion, a Policy Document is being drafted to set the vision and objectives for managing the County’s road network and making better use of available road space. This will be considered by Cabinet on 20 May 08. Alongside the development of the policy document an Implementation Strategy is being developed that will include the actions and timescales for rolling out equipment across the network. One of the early actions will be to introduce variable message signs on the approaches to Oxford and approval to this is being sought here.
2. In conjunction with the Oxford Westgate Development, the County Council will be introducing six Variable Message Signs (VMS) on the approaches to Oxford’s Ring Road to provide drivers with live information on traffic conditions, road-works and parking. Central to the operation of the system is a Traffic Management Database which receives live data from a number of sources and decides which message to display, with varying degrees of operator intervention. The proposed locations of the six initial VMS signs are shown at Annex 1 (download as .doc file).
3. This report details comments received in response to the consultation on the installation of Variable Message Signs on the principal approaches to Oxford and the current policy document that accompanies the new traffic information management (TIM) system of which these signs are a key element.
4. This project will provide the initial infrastructure for the County Council to start to provide network information to the travelling public and the ability to actively communicate with drivers on the network. The type of signs proposed are free text signs, to allow maximum flexibility with regard to the information that can be provided on them. It is also desirable that this first stage does not build in features that impede our opportunities to expand the system in the future.
5. Initially the signs will be used to inform the travelling public of road-works, incidents and when P&R and the Westgate car parks are full. As the various TMC systems are expanded to provide real time journey and abnormal congestion information, then the VMS signs can also be used to display information such as journey time to the City centre by bus, journey time to the next P&R car park-if the first choice is full and routes with abnormally high congestion.
6. This is necessary as well as desirable because Part 2 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 places a Network Management Duty on all local transport authorities. This element of the legislation, which came into force in January 2005, obliges OCC and its neighbours to ensure expeditious movement of vehicles on the highway network and to co-operate with other organisations, such as the Highways Agency, to achieve this objective across a wider area.
7. Traffic Management and Control applications can assist the Network Manager in fulfilling the Network Management Duty by collecting data on current traffic conditions, identifying the location and nature of incidents on the network, providing route and car park guidance information for road users and highlighting the proximity of planned highway works or scheduled events. This in turn enables the definition and implementation of appropriate management strategies.
Consultation
8. Informal consultation on the scheme was carried out with the Highways Agency, Police and district council officers and all county councillors between 14 January and 22 February 2008. The principal issue with the five district councils is over the placement of the large signs in their areas and also seeking initial feedback on the policy document. Four of the five districts submitted written responses and West Oxfordshire District Council responded verbally (reserving the right to comment more fully once the equipment is assessed in operation). South Oxfordshire District Council felt these signs in the Green Belt were undesirable and asked whether the signs on the A40 westbound from London and those proposed on the A4074 could be closer to the city. The Vale of White Horse District Council were supportive but like Cherwell District Council they raised concerns about diversionary effects and decluttering older signage.
Officer Comments on Consultation Responses
9. Officers recommend proceeding with the six locations as described in the consultation. They have also assessed other bridge mounted alternatives and some other alterations to location that would put these signs in the urban area rather than in the Green Belt. However it is not really practical to avoid the Green Belt on principle and designers are only being asked to do so by one district. The over bridges at Cumnor and Sandford that have been examined are just too skewed in relation to the traffic passing under them to offer a suitable alternative to the recommended post mounting.
10. Siting on bridges might have deflected some of the questions raised in the consultation about position. These issues included trying to stay in the urban area (rather than the green belt) where possible and giving due regard to possible volumes of traffic that might divert off the principal routes and onto smaller local roads. This is true of the Sandford and Cumnor locations. On the A40 westbound from the M40 use of the minor bridge at Holton is potentially more suitable but SODC actually asked for a site closer to Thornhill Park & Ride. This would be closer to the tree or hedge line and more intrusive or more easily obscured by vegetation than the preferred site. Officers believe the layby site is better than verge side positions nearer Thornhill. Here a single tree only will need infrequent attention and the sign is among buildings and stationary vehicles.
11. A number of respondents asked for inclusion of the A34 in the package or at least some demonstration of partnership working with the Highways Agency. Officers are currently in discussions with them about shared use of VMS signs and CCTV and the need for early implementation of two VMS signs on the A34. These signs would be complementary to any additional signs the Access to Oxford project is likely to bring in 2013/14.
12. Other sites raised in discussions were Botley Road and the Eynsham Toll Bridge. These sites can be considered in future phases. Officers think that variable message sign sites need to have a certain diversity of message and not simply do the job of a static sign. Places on the network with greater potential for different advice at positions of driver choice have been preferred in this first stage to those that have a more limited range of applicability.
13. A table showing the consultation issues and responses in more detail is included at Annex 2 (download as .doc file).
How the Project Supports LTP Objectives
14. Traffic Management and Control assists the County Council in delivering the Local Transport Plan objectives in many ways. In particular the VMS signs proposed will assist by:
(a) Tackling Congestion by improving network management through the ability to provide information and influence travel on the network. (b) Delivering Accessibility (social inclusion) by managing the network in an efficient way may enable expansion of commercial bus services. (c) Safer Roads by advising travellers of incidents on route enhancing hazard awareness and reducing frustration. (d) Better air quality indirectly by making more sustainable modes such as bus services, cycling and walking more attractive as alternatives to the car, through the display of comparative journey times, by delivering public transport service status information in “real-time” and by identifying and informing people of specific air quality issues.
Financial and Staffing Implications
15. The total budget for this scheme is £480k to be funded by £50K of SCE capital allocation in 08/09, £350K from the Westgate Development and £80k of assorted developer contributions.
16. Staffing to implement and deliver the scheme will be resourced within current Oxfordshire Highways staffing levels. However, to operate the system an additional member of staff will be required. This post has the approval of the Transport Management Team and is currently going through the job evaluation process.
17. Full financial details are shown in the project resource appraisal, attached at Annex 3 (download as .doc file).
RECOMMENDATION
18. The Cabinet Member for Transport is RECOMMENDED to ;
(a) approve the implementation of the initial six Variable Message Signs as shown in Annex 1 to this report and the procurement of the associated Traffic Management Database; and
(b) ask officers to negotiate arrangements with the Highways Agency for additional signs on the A34 and a common management strategy, within Access to Oxford project development.
STEVE HOWELL Head of Transport Environment & Economy
Background papers: Consultation documentation
Contact Officer: David Clough telephone: 01865 815743
April 2008
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