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Division(s):
Wantage, Grove, Marcham, Drayton, Wantage Rural and Shrivenham
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ITEM EX16
EXECUTIVE
– 19 APRIL 2005
WANTAGE
& GROVE AREA STRATEGIC TRANSPORT STUDY
Report by
the Interim Head of Transport
Introduction
- The purpose of
this report is to seek approval from the Executive for a provisional
strategy which represents stage 1 of the Wantage & Grove Area Strategic
Transport Study (STS). The provisional strategy is the result of initial
work carried out by Halcrow to identify strategic transport issues in
the study area and potential ways to address these issues through a
package of highway, public transport and cycle route improvements. Copies
of Halcrow’s reports on this stage of the work have been placed in the
Members’ Resource Centre.
- Approval is sought
at this early stage in order to be able to demonstrate at the Vale of
White Horse Local Plan Inquiry in May, progress towards identification
of a package of transport measures that would form the basis of a longer
term transport strategy for the area and could help to deliver proposed
Structure and Local Plan developments, as identified in section 2.4
of Halcrow’s report.
Background
- Work on a strategic
transport study for the area started in December 2004 and aims to address
the transport issues arising as a result of planned housing development
at Grove and expansion of employment at Harwell International Business
Centre (IBC) and Milton Park up to 2011 and 2016 as a result of the
emerging Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire Local Plans and the
revised Oxfordshire Structure Plan. The study is also taking into account
proposals in the emerging South East and South West Plans in the period
up to 2026. The study area extends outwards from Wantage & Grove
to include consideration of trips to the principal towns and major employment
sites at Harwell IBC and Milton Park and is illustrated on the attached
Plan (download as .pdf file).
- The mechanism
for taking forward the study is similar to the model adopted for Integrated
Transport Strategies in other towns. However the nature of the study
is far more strategic. The study is being overseen by a Members Steering
Group (MSG) including representatives of the County and District Councils
as well as Wantage Town and Grove Parish Councils. However, to address
the new regional planning agenda, it is necessary to take a wider strategic
view and consider a longer timescale in comparison with earlier Integrated
Transport Strategies. Correspondingly, the study is not considering
detailed issues or measures within the two settlements. Terms of Reference
for the study have now been adopted by the MSG and are attached as Annex
1 (download as .pdf file).
- The study was
informed by the Transport Networks Review (TNR) and the provisional
(phase 2) Didcot Integrated Transport Strategy (ITS). The first meeting
of the MSG took place on 19 January 2005 and took the form of a workshop
to identify the principal transport issues across the study area. A
second meeting of the MSG took place on 28 February 2005 at which Halcrow
presented the findings from the workshop and details of the emerging
strategy. Discussions have also taken place with representatives of
major employment sites to understand work related travel patterns.
- At this provisional
stage schemes have been identified in principle and further work on
specific routes, engineering feasibility and public acceptability will
need to be carried out in stage 2 of the work. Stage 2 will seek to
develop the provisional strategy by carrying out further technical analysis
to define the individual schemes in more detail and assess their contribution
to the overall strategy and the County Council’s Local Transport Plan
(LTP) objectives. It will also consider how the future configuration
and mix of land uses in the Harwell IBC and Milton Park areas can be
planned to maximise the transport outcome.
- Due to the restrictions
on consultation during the pre-election period it has not been possible
to arrange for public consultation on the emerging strategy before the
start of the Local Plan Inquiry. However, this is planned to take place
as part of the wider LTP consultation exercise in autumn 2005.
Stage
1 Study Process
- A starting point
has been the LTP shared priorities that have been agreed between the
Department for Transport and the Local Government Association. All transport
schemes for inclusion in the LTP will be expected to address these national
priorities which are: Tackling Congestion; Improving Accessibility;
Improving Air Quality; and Improving Road Safety. In addition a fifth
local priority has been identified for Oxfordshire’s LTP: Quality of
Public Spaces and the Street Environment.
- Data sources for
the study included the 2001 Census, traffic counts in Wantage &
Grove conducted in 2002 and 2004 and accident statistics. These data
sources were used to build up a picture of current movements and to
identify congestion and accident hotspots. Although the Census data
only covers journeys to work, these are the most significant movements
during the peak periods when the transport network is at its most congested.
- Halcrow identified
the most important strategic routes to cater for these movements by
all forms of transport and assessed the likely number of new trips that
would be generated from development sites proposed in the Structure
and Local Plans. Factors were applied to assess the impact of the increased
traffic on individual routes. The trip movements and trip generation
work demonstrated the importance of major employment and housing sites
on traffic movements in the area and the clear links between Wantage
& Grove, Harwell IBC, Milton Park and Didcot and also the links
with Oxford and Abingdon.
- A number of transport
issues and potential schemes in the study area have already been identified
through work on the TNR and Didcot ITS and these were supplemented by
a wide range of issues raised at the workshop. Accident and congestion
hotspots as well as accessibility problems were categorised on a corridor
or area basis. Halcrow used available data to identify each of these
schemes as strategic or local.
- A list of potential
strategic schemes were related to the identified issues or problems.
These schemes were then subject to an initial sifting exercise. Potential
strategic schemes were assessed against the LTP shared priorities as
well as three further assessment criteria: affordability/financial sustainability;
practicality/public acceptance; and relationship with local plans and
strategies.
- At this early
stage in the process it has only been possible to highlight general
issues that will need to be assessed as potential schemes are further
developed in stage 2 of the study. The result of this sifting process
is presented as a series of assessment tables (tables 5.1a – 5.1k) in
Halcrow’s draft final report.
- Although local
issues identified at the workshop will not be taken forward directly
through the STS, they will be referred to the Wantage & Grove Traffic
Advisory Committee for prioritisation based on local needs. Where the
relevant criteria are met, appropriate schemes can be developed and
taken forward for consideration through other programmes such as casualty
reduction and community safety. A list of local schemes identified at
the workshop has been appended to Halcrow’s report.
- This work has
resulted in a provisional strategy to deal primarily with east-west
movements through Wantage & Grove and beyond to Harwell IBC and
Milton Park; and north-south movements towards Oxford and Abingdon.
Stage
1 Provisional Strategy
- The following
potential strategic schemes are put forward for agreement in principle
to enable further assessment work to take place in stage 2 of the study.
However it is important to stress that no route alignments for the potential
highway schemes have been developed at this stage of the study:
- Eastern relief
road (north-east Wantage bypass) – Mably Way to A417;
- Northern Grove
link road – to join A338 south of Bellingers Garage;
- Junction improvements
at Rowstock roundabout on A417;
- Frilford junction
improvements (A338/A415);
- Wantage – Grove
– Oxford Premium Bus Route;
- Improved east
– west bus services;
- Cycle links
to Abingdon/employment sites;
- High quality
cycle ways between Wantage and Grove;
- Western relief
road – link from A417 to join eastern relief road (thus forming a
full Wantage relief road);
- Steventon Road
realignment (would only go ahead if an Upper Thames reservoir was
developed);
- Grove/Wantage
Rail Station.
- The TNR identified
the need for a Wantage eastern relief road (referred to in the TNR as
a north east bypass) in connection with proposed development at Grove.
However, objections have been received in response to its inclusion
in the Vale of White Horse Local Plan and a petition has been received
from local residents who are concerned about the environmental impact
and pressures for further development. These concerns would need to
be addressed in stage 2 of the study.
- The Vale of White
Horse Local Plan requires construction of a northern Grove link road
before commencement of the third phase of housing development on the
Grove airfield site. However, objections have been received to the inclusion
of the link road, particularly by Williams F1 who have an adjacent employment
site and local residents who are concerned that there may be pressure
to release land for housing development north of Grove.
- The need for junction
improvements at Rowstock roundabout to reduce peak hour queuing has
been highlighted through Didcot ITS stage 2 work.
- The TNR has identified
a need for improvements at Frilford junction in conjunction with a Marcham
bypass to improve road safety and reduce peak hour queuing as a first
stage in improvements to the A415 route.
- All the potential
public transport schemes within the provisional strategy have been identified
through the TNR including a Wantage – Grove – Oxford Premium Bus Route,
improved east west bus services to link Wantage & Grove, Harwell
IBC, Milton Park and Didcot Parkway and in the long-term the possible
reopening of Grove rail station.
- The Wantage –
Grove – Oxford Premium bus route would provide an upgrade to current
services in terms of frequency and reliability. Further analysis in
stage 2 will need to concentrate on viable service patterns, the need
for supporting infrastructure including priority measures and available
sources of funding.
- Improvements to
east west bus services would provide better access between existing
and planned residential areas, major employment sites and Didcot Parkway
rail station. Further analysis in stage 2 will need to concentrate on
potential service patterns, supporting measures to assist buses and
how improvements can be financed from contributions by developers and
employers.
- Potential strategic
cycle links could improve access to employment sites and between Wantage
and Grove and also provide additional leisure opportunities.
- The trigger for
most of these schemes is likely to be planned developments up to 2011
that have been identified in Local Plans. However three of the schemes
that have been identified would only be considered for implementation
in the period beyond 2011. These include a Wantage western relief road,
a possible realignment of Steventon Road and the reopening of Grove
rail station.
- A Wantage western
relief road has been a long-term aspiration locally and it is recommended
that the case for this should be considered further as the second phase
of a full Wantage relief road. However, the western relief road on its
own would not address issues of through movements in Wantage town centre.
- A possible realignment
of Steventon Road in connection with the proposed Upper Thames reservoir
was raised as an issue for the study to take into account but this would
only go ahead if the reservoir were developed. It remains the view of
the county and district councils that the need for a reservoir has still
to be proven.
- In stage 2 of
the study there will be a need to consider whether a reopened Grove/Wantage
rail station could have a long-term role in meeting the demand from
planned and future development in the study area.
- The next stage
of the study will need to consider the potential schemes for implementation
before 2011 in more detail. Public consultation will be carried out
as part of this further work. The timetable for the rest of the study
will be finalised following the decision of this Executive, but the
aim would be to deliver a final strategy by the end of 2006.
- Comments from
members of the Steering Group, local members and Wantage Town/Grove
Parish Councils on the provisional strategy will be reported at the
meeting.
Environmental
Implications
- The provisional
strategy contains measures to influence travel behaviour and encourage
use of public transport as well as additional highway infrastructure.
The latter schemes would have both environmental benefits and disbenefits.
More detailed assessment will be needed as work on the strategy progresses.
Financial
and Staff Implications
- Developer contributions
towards the emerging strategy would be sought from the developments
planned in the area. However, some funding would be required from the
Transport Capital Programme. The costs and sources of funding will be
detailed as part of continuing work in stage 2 of the study.
RECOMMENDATION
- The Executive
is RECOMMENDED to approve the provisional strategy for the Wantage &
Grove Area STS (as summarised in the report and described in detail
in section 6 of Halcrow’s draft final report) as the basis of a package
of measures to be presented to the Vale of White Horse Local Plan Inquiry
in May.
RICHARD
DIX
Interim Head
of Transport
Background
papers:
Wantage & Grove Area Strategic Transport Study Draft Final Report,
March 2005
Wantage &
Grove Area Strategic Transport Study Final Scoping Note, January 2005
Wantage &
Grove Area Strategic Transport Study Technical Note; Problems/Issues and
Potential Schemes, February 2005
Contact
Officers: Richard Carr/Paresh Shingadia, Tel 01865 815735/815703
April 2005
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