Liverpool to Manchester Overhead Line Electrification Environmental Assessment Report Volume 1: Main Text
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Liverpool to Manchester Overhead Line Electrification Environmental Assessment Report Volume 1: Main Text August 2011 Liverpool to Manchester OLE Environmental Assessment Report 5096672_ATK_R_027_Rev4.docx Liverpool to Manchester OLE Environmental Assessment Report Liverpool to Manchester Overhead Line Electrification Environmental Assessment Report Volume 1: Main Text August 2011 Notice This report was produced by Atkins Limited for Network Rail for the specific purpose of Liverpool to Manchester Overhead Line Electrification. This report may not be used by any person other than Network Rail‟s express permission. In any event, Atkins accepts no liability for any costs, liabilities or losses arising as a result of the use of or reliance upon the contents of this report by any person other than Network Rail. Document History JOB NUMBER: 5096672 DOCUMENT REF: 5096672/ATK/R/027 4 FINAL ISSUE (distribution EIA Teams 22/08/11 sites) 3 FINAL ISSUE EIA Teams 04/04/11 2 FINAL ISSUE EIA Teams 01/04/11 1 DRAFT EIA Teams 18/03/11 Revision Purpose Description Originated Checked Reviewed Authorised Date 5096672_ATK_R_027_Rev4.docx Liverpool to Manchester OLE Environmental Assessment Report Volume 1: Main Text Contents Section Page Glossary of Terms iv Executive Summary v Part I – Background Information 1 1. Introduction 2 1.1 General 2 1.2 Background to Project – The Case for Electrification 2 1.3 Scope and Content of the EAR 3 Part II - The Proposed Scheme 5 2. The Proposed Scheme 6 2.2 Site Location 6 2.3 Description of Site and Adjacent Land 6 2.4 Proposed Scheme 8 2.5 Access 12 2.6 Construction Programme 12 2.7 Construction Stage Environmental Management 12 Part III – Environmental Assessment 16 3. Noise and Vibration 17 3.1 Summary of Findings 17 3.2 Introduction 17 3.3 Assessment Methodology 19 3.4 Criteria of Assessment 22 3.5 Baseline Conditions 23 3.6 Key Environmental Issues 24 3.7 Mitigation 28 3.8 Environmental Impact Assessment 30 3.9 Summary 30 3.10 Conclusions 30 4. Historic Environment 32 4.1 Summary of Findings 32 4.2 Introduction 32 4.3 Assessment Methodology 33 4.4 Criteria for Assessment 35 4.5 Baseline Conditions 37 4.6 Key Environmental Issues 38 4.7 Mitigation 40 4.8 Environmental Impact Assessment 41 4.9 Conclusions 47 5. Landscape and Visual Impacts 49 5.1 Summary of Findings 49 i 5096672_ATK_R_027_Rev4.docx Liverpool to Manchester OLE Environmental Assessment Report 5.2 Introduction 49 5.3 Assessment Methodology 50 5.4 Criteria of Assessment 51 5.5 Baseline Conditions 52 5.6 Key Environmental Issues 52 5.7 Mitigation 76 5.8 Environmental Impact Assessment 76 5.9 Summary 76 5.10 Conclusions 76 6. Ecology 77 6.1 Summary of Findings 77 6.2 Introduction 77 6.3 Assessment Methodology 78 6.4 Criteria of Assessment 84 6.5 Baseline Conditions 86 6.6 Key Environmental Issues 98 6.7 Mitigation 100 6.8 Environmental Impact Assessment 104 6.9 Summary 106 6.10 Conclusions 106 7. Mitigation Summary 108 8. Conclusions 114 List of Tables Table 3.1 – Consultation Summary 18 Table 3.2 - Example threshold of significance effect at dwellings 21 Table 3.3 - Guidance on effects of vibration levels perceptible to humans 22 Table 3.4 - Transient vibration guide values for cosmetic damage 22 Table 3.5 – Noise Assessment Criteria 23 Table 3.6 - Average noise levels for BS5228 criteria 23 Table 3.7 - Likely noise Levels from demolition works at various distances 25 Table 3.8 - Likely noise Levels from bridge rebuilding works at various distances 26 Table 3.9 - Likely noise Levels from track lowering works at various distances 26 Table 3.10 - Likely noise Levels from overhead line support installation at various distances 27 Table 3.11 - Predicted PPV levels from percussive piling works 27 Table 3.12 - Likely noise Levels from haul road construction 28 Table 4.1 – Description of asset value 35 Table 4.2 – Broad criteria for assessing the scale of benefit and adverse change 36 Table 4.3 – Determination of environmental effect 37 Table 4.4 – Summary of assessment results 43 Table 5.1 – Existing landscape/townscape baseline conditions and potential effects 53 Table 5.2 – Existing visual amenity baseline conditions and potential effects 58 Table 7.1 – Table of proposed mitigation 109 List of Figures Figure 2.1 - Environmental Management Flow Chart 14 ii 5096672_ATK_R_027_Rev4.docx Liverpool to Manchester OLE Environmental Assessment Report Volume 2 Appendices Appendix A - Figures/Drawings Appendix B – Structures List and Access Points Appendix C – Noise and Vibration Appendix C.1 Noise Measurement Survey Results C.2 Plant and Equipment List Appendix D – Heritage Asset Impact Assessment Appendix E – Landscape and Visual Impact Appendix E.1 Criteria of Assessment E.2 Landscape and Townscape Character Baseline Conditions E.3 Landscape and Visual amenity Photographs Appendix F – Ecology Appendix F.1 Jacobs Report F.2 Whitcher Wildlife Reports F.3 Phase 1 Habitats Plans and Target Notes F.4 Desk Study Summary F.5 UK BAP Priority Habitats Within 500m of the Site F.6 NBN Gateway 10km Grid Square Protected Species Data F.7 Precautionary Method of Working F.8 Summary Legislation Table Appendix G – Policies and Standards Appendix H – Contaminated Land and Waste Materials Appendix I – Flood Risk Appendix A Environment Agency Advisory Comments Appendix B Environment Agency Comments iii 5096672_ATK_R_027_Rev4.docx Liverpool to Manchester OLE Environmental Assessment Report Glossary of Terms Term Meaning / Definition CRE Contracts Requirement - Environment dB Decibel EA Environment Agency EAR Environmental Assessment Report FC Forestry Commission GLVIA Guideline for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment GMEU Greater Manchester Ecology Unit HRA Habitat Regulations Assessment LNR Local Nature Reserve LWS Local Wildlife Site MAGIC Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside MEWP Mobile Elevated Working Platform NBN Gateway National Biodiversity Network Gateway NE Natural England NERC Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 NGR National Grid Reference NSR Noise Sensitive Receivers OLE Overhead Line Electrification Overbridge A Bridge Over the Railway PEAR Preliminary Environmental Assessment Report PPGs Pollution Prevention Guidelines PMW Precautionary Method of Working PPS9 Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation PPV Peak Particle Velocity rECOrd Biological Records Centre for Cheshire RRV Road Rail Vehicles SAC Special Area of Conservation SBI Site of Biological Interest SINC Site of Importance for Nature Conservation SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest Underbridge A Bridge Under the Railway iv 5096672_ATK_R_027_Rev4.docx Liverpool to Manchester OLE Environmental Assessment Report Executive Summary Introduction This Environmental Assessment Report (EAR) has been produced by Atkins on behalf of Network Rail. It sets out the potential significant environmental impacts as they are presently understood (before completion of detailed design) for the construction and operation of the Liverpool to Manchester Railway Overhead Line Electrification (OLE), and has been prepared in accordance with Network Rail‟s environmental and sustainability policy. The EAR follows on from the Preliminary Environmental Assessment Report1 which „scopes out‟ environmental impacts associated with the scheme that are not considered to be potentially significant. The report assesses the potential significant impacts of the scheme on landscape and visual receptors, noise and vibration receivers, ecology and the historic environment. It suggests mitigation required to limit the impacts of the scheme, and sets out further action that is required before scheme construction. As part of the assessment process consultation has been undertaken with Natural England and local authorities and a number of site visits, surveys and desk studies have been completed. The Scheme The scheme covers approximately 50km of railway that runs through seven local authorities comprising Liverpool City Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Council, St Helens Council, Warrington Borough Council, Wigan Council, Salford Council and Manchester City Council. The aim of the scheme is to electrify the line to allow more easily maintained and reliable electric trains, rather than diesel to operate passenger services on the line. This requires that OLE gantries are installed approximately every 50m along the length of the scheme. Some works are also required to structures along the scheme, including attachment of OLE, raising of parapets, demolitions and reconstructions and lowering of the track alignment in order to pass the new OLE beneath some structures. Four distribution sites are also proposed, which distribute the electric current to the OLE across the scheme. Ecology The report concludes that once the recommended mitigation measures are implemented, there will be no significant adverse impacts anticipated to occur as a result of the scheme on ecology. However, once detailed design of the scheme has been finalised, further consultation with Natural England will be required, and Habitats Regulations Assessment screening will need to be undertaken to confirm that the features for which Manchester Mosses is designated as a Special Area of Conservation will not be adversely impacted by the scheme. Noise and Vibration There would be no adverse operational noise impacts as a result of the scheme. The potential construction noise impacts of the scheme would be spread across the scheme area during different stages of the works but the impacts on any one location are likely to be limited in duration. Significant noise effects are predicted for certain noisy types of construction activities where dwellings are within 100m and in direct line-of-sight of the activities. Piling may also cause significant effects at dwellings within 50m and in direct line of sight of the activities. There is potential 1 Atkins, Liverpool to Manchester Overhead Line Electrification, Preliminary Environmental Assessment Report, Ref 5096672/ATK/R/018 Rev1, April 2011 v 5096672_ATK_R_027_Rev4.docx Liverpool to Manchester OLE Environmental Assessment Report for significant impacts from vibration, particularly from piling, which can be mitigated as part of the detailed design process.