ARCHERS SPRING, LAND NORTH of WELWYN ROAD, HERTFORD. Transport Assessment Feasibility Stage
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Appendix 15 ARCHERS SPRING, LAND NORTH OF WELWYN ROAD, HERTFORD. Transport Assessment Feasibility Stage 30/07/2014 Quality Management Issue/revision Issue 1 Revision 1 Revision 2 Revision 3 Remarks Draft Feasibility Stage Date 30/6/2014 30/7/2014 Prepared by S Betts S Betts Signature Checked by D Gooding D Gooding Signature Authorised by D Brimmer D Brimmer Signature Project number 70002900 70002900 Report number File reference Project number: 70002900 Dated: 30/07/2014 2 Revised: ARCHERS SPRING, LAND NORTH OF WELWYN ROAD, HERTFORD Transport Assessment Feasibility Stage 30/07/2014 Client London and Regional Properties Ltd Consultant WSP UK Limited Unit 9, The Chase Hertford SG13 7NN UK Tel: +44 19 9252 6045 Fax: +44 19 9252 6001 www.wspgroup.co.uk Registered Address WSP UK Limited 01383511 WSP House, 70 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1AF WSP Contacts David Brimmer Senior Technical Director David Gooding Senior Engineer 3 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................ 5 2 Background Information......................................................... 6 3 Planning Policy .................................................................... 10 4 Development Proposals....................................................... 16 5 Accessibility ......................................................................... 18 6 Trip Generation and Distribution .......................................... 20 7 Traffic Impact Assessment .................................................. 24 8 Summary and Conclusions .................................................. 33 Figure 1 Site Location Figure 2 Street Map Figure 3 Cycle Map Figure 4 Bus Stop Locations Figure 5 Bus Map Figure 6 Train Map Figure 7 Indicative Walking Isochrone Figure 8 Indicative Cycling Isochrone Figure 9 Facilities Plan Figure 10 Journey to Work Car Driver Map Appendix A Highway Authority Response for Renewal of Planning Consent, 3.9.2013 Appendix B Bus Timetable Information Appendix C Train Timetable Information Appendix D Observed Traffic Data Appendix E Development Layout Appendix F Proposed Access Junction Appendix G Service Vehicle Swept Paths Appendix H Trip Generation Appendix I Traffic Flow Diagrams Appendix J Junction Analysis: Proposed Access Junction Appendix K Junction Analysis: Welwyn Road / Thieves Lane Appendix L Junction Analysis: Welwyn Road / Windsor Drive Appendix M Junction Analysis: Welwyn Road / North Road Appendix N Junction Analysis: A414 / Hertingfordbury Road Appendix O Framework Travel Plan Appendix P Accident Plot Project number: 70002900 Dated: 30/07/2014 4 Revised: 1 Introduction 1.1 Foreword 1.1.1 WSP has been commissioned by London & Regional Properties Ltd to prepare a Transport Assessment to support a proposal for a residential development on land adjacent to Welwyn Road in Hertford known as Archers Spring. For the purpose of this Transport Assessment it has been assumed that the site will accommodate up to 350 dwellings. 1.1.2 The site has been previously used for mineral extraction and subsequently land filling. It also has planning consent for a Racquets and Fitness Club, incorporating 350 car parking spaces which was last renewed in 2013. 1.1.3 The Archers Spring site forms one of two sites on land west of Hertford in the Draft District Plan referred to as Hert3, land north of Welwyn Road. A second west of Hertford site is also proposed in the District Plan and is referred to as land south of Welwyn Road. This Transport Assessment considers the effects of the Archers Spring site but also assesses the cumulative impact of developing the land south of Welwyn Road. 1.1.4 Assessment and following discussions with the highway authority regarding the scope of the transport assessment work. 1.2 Report Structure 1.2.1 This Transport Assessment is structured as follows: Section 2 describes the transport context of the site, with regards to the local road network, walking, cycling and public transport Section 3 highlights planning and transport polices which are relevant to the site; Section 4 sets out the development proposals with regards to land use, access for vehicles, parking, pedestrians and cyclists; Section 5 describes the accessibility of the site by non-car modes; Section 6 describes the assessment of the demand for travel generated by the development and the previous uses and approved land uses; Section 7 describes the assessment of impact of the proposed development on the local street network; and Section 8 provides a summary of the Transport Assessment and an overall conclusion as to the transport impact of the development proposals. 5 2 Background Information 2.1 Site Description 2.1.1 The Archers Spring site is situated on the north western edge of Hertford in Hertfordshire. The site is bounded to the south by the B1000 (Welwyn Road), to the east by the gardens of houses that front onto Bentley Road, to the north by woodland, and to the west by open fields. A site location plan is shown in Figure 1 of this report. 2.1.2 The application site is covers approximately 12 hectares and is currently vacant. The site has a field access to Welwyn Road, but the access is obstructed to prevent unauthorised access to the site. 2.2 Previous Planning Applications 2.2.1 The application site was granted planning consent for a racquets and sports facility in 2002, with the planning consent last being renewed in 2013 following an extension of time application (application reference 3/13/1348/FN). The highway authority response from the renewed planning consent is contained in Appendix A. 2.3 Local Road Network 2.3.1 Welwyn Road forms the southern boundary of the application site, and is a two-way single carriageway road. As it passes the application site, Welwyn Road is subject to a 40mph speed limit which increases to 60mph (national speed limit) to the west of the site. To the east of the application site, between Bentley Road and Windsor Drive, the speed limit on Welwyn Road drops to 30mph. 2.3.2 Welwyn Road connects Hertford to Welwyn Garden City. To the east, Welwyn Road ends at the junction with the A119 North Road where there is a mini-roundabout. Welwyn Road also meets Thieves Lane and Windsor Drive at closely spaced mini-roundabouts, located adjacent to The Sele School, approximately halfway between the site and North Road. 2.3.3 Thieves Lane runs from north to south and connects Welwyn Road to the A414, which provides a link to St Albans, Hatfield, and the A1 (M). 2.3.4 A street plan of the area surrounding the site is shown in Figure 2 of this report. 2.4 Walking and Cycling 2.4.1 There are no footways directly outside the site on Welwyn Road, with footways starting at the housing located on the northern side of Welwyn Road, to the east of the site near Bentley Road. A footpath connection is located to the north-east corner of the site adjacent to the Sele Farm Community Centre at Perrett Gardens, providing a pedestrian link close to the Sele Farm Terminus bus stop, and allowing easy access between the site and the residential area to the east of the site. It should be noted, however, that there is not a formal public right of way across the site. 2.4.2 There are no dedicated cycling facilities near the site, however Welwyn Road is 7.5m wide with relatively low traffic volumes during most times of the day and therefore is suitable for cyclists to use safely. Further towards Hertford town centre, there are cycle lanes along North Road and Beane Road, linking to the cycle network within the town. Figure 3 shows an extract of the cycle routes in and around Hertford. Project number: 70002900 Dated: 30/07/2014 6 Revised: 2.5 Bus Services 2.5.1 The closest bus stop to the site is located on The Ridgeway to the east at the Sele Farm Terminus. Bus services run frequently between Sele Farm and Hertford bus station, also connecting to Hertford North and East railway stations, Ware, Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Hatfield and Waltham Cross. A bus service that runs between Harlow, Welwyn Garden City, St Albans and Heathrow Airport also passes the site. The locations of the nearby bus stops are shown on Figure 4. 2.5.2 A summary of the bus services can be found in table 2.1 below. Bus information for the site can be found in Appendix B. An extract of the Hertford bus map is shown on Figure 5. Table 2.1 Bus Services (as on 1 May 2014) Bus Stop Bus No. Operator Route Frequency Frequency (Weekdays) (Weekends) 310 Arriva The Waltham Cross Evening hourly Evening hourly Shires & Essex Cheshunt Broxbourne service only. services only on Hoddesdon Ware Saturdays. Hertford No Sunday service. 395 / 396 Arriva The Sele Farm Hertford 15-20 mins 15-20 mins Shires & Essex / Ware Hertford Sele during daytime, Hourly Centrebus Farm (Circular) daytime. during evening Farm Terminus South Hourly during Sele evening. 388 Centrebus Welwyn Garden City - Five full trips Five full trips on South Hertford per day. Saturdays. No Sunday service 724 / 725 Green Line Harlow Hertford Hourly. Hourly on Welwyn Garden City Saturdays. Hatfield St Albans Road Stop Stop Road Two-Hourly on Watford Sundays. Rickmansworth Welwyn Uxbridge Heathrow 641 Uno Hatfield Hertford Two-hourly Two hourly on Broxbourne during Saturdays. daytime. No Sunday service. H3 Centrebus Horns Mill Hertford - Hourly during Hourly on South Campfield Road daytime. Saturdays. Stop o/s Turpins No Sunday Bus Close service. 7 2.6 Train Services 2.6.1 The nearest railway station to the application site is Hertford North, which is situated on the railway line between Letchworth, Stevenage and London. Hertford North station is located approximately 1.5km from the application site. 2.6.2 The destinations served by train services from Hertford North are as follows: London Moorgate (Monday to Friday only); London Kings Cross (Weekends only, except for late evening/ early morning services); Stevenage; Enfield; and Letchworth.