Bodmin Transport Strategy Development Appendix A – Short Executive Summary May 2017 Bodmin Masterplan Transport Strategy Cornwall Council December 2010 QM Issue/revision Issue 1 Revision 1 Revision 2 Revision 3 Remarks DRAFT Date 17 December 2010 Prepared by D Grant/G Davis/Vissum Model Team Signature Checked by G Davis Signature Authorised by D Grant Signature Project number 11031101 File reference \\ser02exe1uk.uk.wspgroup.com\development\A projects\31101 Bodmin Masterplan\Text\REPORTS\Bodmin Transport Strategy (4) 17.12.2010 Short Exec Sum.doc WSP Development and Transportation 1st Floor Keble House Southernhay Gardens Exeter Devon EX1 1NT Tel: +44 (0) 1392 267500 Fax: +44 (0) 1392 267599 http://www.wspgroup.com WSP UK Limited | Registered Address WSP House, 70 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1AF, UK | Reg No. 01383511 England | WSP Group plc | Offices worldwide Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 1 Introduction 6 2 Summary of work undertaken 7 3 Current Position and Key Issues 10 4 Traffic Model 27 5 Transport Strategy 35 6 Conclusions 60 Appendix A Transport Study Brief Appendix B Smarter Choices Assessment Appendix C Vehicle Trip Rates Appendix D Baseline Assessment Appendix E Bodmin Parkway Passenger Interview Survey Appendix F Priory Cark Interview Survey Appendix G Air Quality Management Plan “Smart Targets” Appendix H Core Masterplan Appendix I Growth Masterplan Appendix J Discovery Route Appendix K Cornish Way Appendix L Distributor Road Alignments Executive Summary The Transport Strategy represents a coordinated land use and transportation approach to addressing existing transport issues and supporting growth to 2026 and beyond. The Strategy provides a coordinated approach encompassing all the available modes of travel with emphasis on promoting the more sustainable modes. Bodmin benefits from being a compact town, but suffers from having a single east-west route for traffic to and from the town as well as through the town. Two key junctions become congested at peak periods and these are the St Petroc’s Church roundabout and the double mini-roundabouts at Dunmere Road. Improvements schemes are recommended for those two junctions. There is also congestion on Turf Street. The A30 junctions operate within their capacity and no improvements are proposed. There are air quality exceedences on Dennison Road at its eastern end and at St Leonards which are entirely due to traffic emissions. It can therefore be argued that Bodmin’s road network is operating at capacity in certain locations at peak periods. This means that in order to support growth expansion measures need to be put in place to address the capacity issue. It was stated very clearly by participants at the workshops with key stakeholders that a new route across the town is required. Walking and cycling are realistic options in Bodmin as demonstrated by the successful “Walk to Work” project. A number of pedestrian and cycle schemes are proposed. The existing bus services are serving mainly the residential areas of the town with very little patronage from the employments areas. The existing town bus service operates on an hourly service. It is proposed that the frequency needs to be improved to half hourly or better to attract more usage. Bodmin Parkway is currently used mainly for outwards travel from Bodmin and Wadebridge with little inward travel. There are issues about the coordination of rail and interconnecting bus services. It is proposed that a more regular service could be provided by means of a shuttle bus service between the town and the parkway. It is also proposed that consideration be given to a small park and ride site on the eastern side of Bodmin close to the A30, probably close to the Carminow Cross junction that could serve the parkway and the town via the shuttle bus. Consultations with Bodmin and Wenford Railway reveal that using it to provide a commuting link to Bodmin Parkway is unrealistic for commercial and operational reasons. Most of Bodmin’s car parking is on the eastern side of the town and the charges for the Priory Car Park are cheap, which helps attract drivers to the town centre, but does not help encourage sustainable travel. From a purely transportation perspective the preferred option is to increase charges to reduce car travel and to direct the revenue to sustainable transport measures. The proposals incorporate additional parking on the western side of the town centre to serve expansion of the town centre westwards and to intercept cross town trips. It is proposed that the parking lost at Dennison Road as part of the town centre redevelopment is replaced at Priory Car Park, including potentially decking the existing 11031101 1 car park. A new second access to Priory Car Park from Priory Road is proposed, while retaining the existing Turf Street access. It is recommended that consideration be given to directing car park receipts towards supporting sustainable transport measures. Driver interview surveys at Priory Car Park reveal that up to 46% of drivers would be encouraged to switch to bus travel by greater frequency and greater coverage of services. Around 65% of drivers said they would not be discouraged by higher parking charges. The masterplan is able to contribute towards the Council’s air quality initiatives in a number of ways: Possible new road links to serve development and potentially offer alternative routes for some traffic using Dennison Road and Turf Street. Provision of a traffic model which can be further developed for air quality modelling. Using the traffic model to assess traffic origins, destinations and trip purposes. Potential enhancement of the town bus service to encourage more sustainable travel. Location and management of town centre parking to influence travel patterns. Measures to encourage walking and cycling. From the findings of the Visum traffic model built to test the masterplan options the conclusion reached are that: The Core Masterplan results in increases in traffic in the town as would be expected with additional development, but is considered to be at acceptable levels and at a level of development that would be difficult to resist. Traffic levels for the Growth Masterplan are similar and in many locations lower than the Core Masterplan and so to a large extent the Northern Distributor Road is off- setting the additional development. There are increases in traffic at the eastern end of Dennison Road and Turf Street. Some of the growth of traffic included in the model comes from background growth due to factors other than development such as employment, income, car ownership and fuel price. Some of the growth of traffic comes from committed development. In addition to the junction improvements included in the model, the Dunmere Road/Westheath Avenue double roundabout also needs improvement. The new connection to Priory Car Park from a signalised version of the Priory Road/Launceston Road junction is recommended. The level of forecast traffic on the A30 is within its capacity. Although junction improvements are included in the model it is expected they could be refined through the design process to maximise their operational efficiency. The level of traffic in the town can also be influenced by the parking strategy and the effort put into delivering Smarter Choices. 11031101 2 The Transport Strategy includes proposals for a range of “Smarter Choices” measures to encourage sustainable travel. An assessment of these is included in Appendix B. It is clear that substantial growth in Bodmin can not be delivered without a distributor road to serve that development and remove extraneous traffic from the town centre. The transport strategy mirrors the masterplan strategy. There is a strategy for the town centre improvement and expansion; the “Core Masterplan” and a strategy for the wider “Growth Masterplan”. The transport strategy associated with the Core Masterplan incorporates: Implementation of Smarter Choices in accordance with the strategy set out in Appendix B. Improvements to the St Petroc’s Church Square junction providing a full size roundabout within a high quality urban square. Improvements to the Dunmere Road double mini-roundabout to convert it to a full roundabout. Conversion of the Priory Road/Launceston Road junction into a signalised one incorporating a new access to Priory Car Park. A potential east-west diversion route for some traffic via Barn Lane / Beacon Road / Lostwithiel Road / Respryn Road / Carminow Road. Improvements to the Cooksland Road junctions with Launceston Road and Priory Road, which are to be delivered as part of S106 planning obligations. Improvements to Dennison Road between Berrycombe Road and St Petroc’s Church Square. Improvements to the Dennison Road / Berrycombe Road junction, creating a new urban square. Improved walking and cycling routes, including: x A route from the Camel Trail to Castle Canyke x Connect Camel Trail and St Guron’s Way through the town centre. x Links across the A30 x Discovery Route x Improvements to Cornish Way National Route 3 x Legible Town Centre x Better Spaces for Pedestrians and Cyclists x Cycle Parking Public transport improvements, including: x A small bus and coach interchange on Priory Road. x Enhancement of the town bus service by increasing the frequency and extending the coverage as well as improved bus stops and information. x A shuttle bus connection between the town centre and Bodmin Parkway. 11031101 3 x A small Park and Ride on the eastern side of the town which would serve Bodmin Parkway and the town centre and can be served by the shuttle bus service. x Improved bus stops at key locations. Additional car parking on the western side of the town centre within the redevelopment of the Berrycombe Road area. Replacement of the Dennison Road parking at the Priory Car Park and provision of a second access to the car park from Priory Road to remove trips to and from the east from St Petroc’s Church Square and Turf Street.