Portishead Branch Line (MetroWest Phase 1) TR040011 Applicant: North Somerset District Council 6.25, Environmental Statement, Volume 4, Technical Appendices, Appendix 16.1: Transport Assessment (Part 12 of 18) – Appendix H, Avonmouth/Severnside The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009, Regulation 5(2)(a) Planning Act 2008 Author: CH2M Date: November 2019 PORTISHEAD BRANCH LINE DCO SCHEME (METROWEST PHASE 1) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Transport Assessment Appendix H Avonmouth/Severnside Impacts (including level crossings) Prepared for West of England Councils June 2018 1 The Square Temple Quay Bristol BS1 6DG 1 Contents Section Page Document History .......................................................................................................................... iv Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1‐1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................ 1‐1 1.2 Analysis years ............................................................................................................. 1‐1 Existing Conditions ...................................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.1 Land uses ................................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.2 Principle links and junctions ...................................................................................... 2‐1 2.3 Existing level crossings ............................................................................................... 2‐1 2.4 Existing collision data ................................................................................................. 2‐4 2.4.1 Docks area ..................................................................................................... 2‐4 2.4.2 Portway ......................................................................................................... 2‐5 2.5 Bus services ................................................................................................................ 2‐6 2.6 Existing freight movements ....................................................................................... 2‐6 2.7 NMU provision ........................................................................................................... 2‐6 Impacts of the Scheme ................................................................................................................ 3‐1 3.1 Strategic operational impacts – rail freight ............................................................... 3‐1 3.2 Local operational impacts – level crossings ............................................................... 3‐1 3.2.1 King Road ...................................................................................................... 3‐1 3.2.2 Gloucester Road (Avonmouth Station) ......................................................... 3‐3 3.2.3 West Town Road ........................................................................................... 3‐4 3.3 Level crossings mitigation .......................................................................................... 3‐6 3.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 3‐6 LinSig Results .............................................................................................................................. 4‐1 King Road Gloucester Road (Avonmouth Station) West Town Road Tables Table 2.1: Summary of collision data for Avonmouth Table 2.2: Contributory factors around Avonmouth Table 2.3: Summary of collision data for Avonmouth Table 2.4: Contributory factors around Avonmouth Table 3.1: Junction Performance at King Road for 2015 Table 3.2: Junction Performance at King Road for 2019 Table 3.3: Junction Performance at King Road for 2029 Table 3.4: Junction Performance at Gloucester Road (Avonmouth Station) for 2015 Table 3.5: Junction Performance at Gloucester Road (Avonmouth Station) for 2019 II CONTENTS Section Page Table 3.6: Junction Performance at St Andrew Road / King Road for 2029 Table 3.7: Junction Performance at West Town Road for 2015 Table 3.8: Junction Performance at West Town Road for 2019 Table 3.9: Junction Performance at St Andrew Road / King Road for 2029 Figures Figure 2‐1: Principal and main roads in Avonmouth Figure 2‐2: ATC locations in Avonmouth Figure 2‐3: 2015 Baseline flows in Avonmouth Figure 3‐1: Surveyed traffic at King Road Figure 3‐2: Future 2019 & 2029 traffic at King Road, with scheme Figure 3‐3: Surveyed traffic at Gloucester Road (Avonmouth Station) Figure 3‐4: Future 2019 & 2029 traffic at Gloucester Road (Avonmouth Station), with scheme Figure 3‐5: Surveyed traffic at West Town Road Figure 3‐6: Future 2019 & 2029 traffic at West Town Road, with scheme iii Document History Portishead Branch Line DCO Scheme (MetroWest Phase 1) Transport Assessment Avonmouth/Severnside Impacts (including level crossings) Reference Number: 674946.CS.70.01/TA Client Name: West of England Councils This document has been issued and amended as follows: Version Date Description Created by Verified by Approved by 01 April 2016 Draft ÁK/JE HS HS 02 June 2018 Final ÁK/JE GW HS IV SECTION 1 Introduction 1.1 Background This Appendix brings together analysis of issues in the Avonmouth/Severnside area, and specifically sets out the assessment of potential impacts that the MetroWest Phase 1 scheme could have on existing level crossings on Severn Beach line in the area; level crossings are located where the Severn Beach Line crosses: King Road (port entrance); Gloucester Road (Avonmouth Station); and West Town Road (near the Portway). Impacts on the level crossings are limited to the effect of increasing train services. The road routes served by the level crossings are used by rail users accessing the stations. 1.2 Analysis years Note that the analysis presented in this Appendix uses both 2021 and 2019 as ‘opening year’, as well as 2031 and 2029 as horizon years. Assessments of MetroWest Phase 1’s impact on the level crossings in the Avonmouth/Severnside area was initially carried out earlier in the scheme’s development process, when the opening year was intended to 2019. Subsequent changes to MetroWest Phase 1’s scope and opening year (changing to 2021) has no material impact in terms of road or rail traffic at level crossings in the Avonmouth Severnside area. Also, analysis of future traffic flows can only take into account potential changes derived from TEMPRO future year growth indices, and localised factors such as port throughput and modal usage for inland distribution (which could vary significantly over time) have not been taken into account. As such, and given that background traffic is only anticipated to be a few PCUs higher in 2021 compared to 2019 (and similarly in 2031 compared to 2029), the full LinSig analysis has not been repeated at this stage, and references in this Appendix remain to 2019 and 2029, as well as 2021 and 2031. The thrust of the conclusions remains the same. 1‐1 SECTION 2 Existing Conditions 2.1 Land uses Avonmouth is a mixed industrial and residential area of Bristol. It contains the Port of Bristol and the large commercial and industrial area to the immediate north east. The area also has a residential area that merges into nearby Shirehampton. There are three level crossings in the area. King Road crossing is the principal access point to the Port of Bristol. Gloucester Road serves a small residential area and also is the crossing point between platforms at Avonmouth Railway Station. Finally, West Town Road provides a secondary access route to the Port of Bristol and a small industrial estate. In addition to the above, the other elements of the scheme will involve signal and track layout changes in Avonmouth. Existing Network Rail access points to the operational railway line will be utilised for these works. 2.2 Principle links and junctions Given Avonmouth’s land use, it is well connected to the strategic highway network. The M5 runs through the heart of the area – dominated by the Avonmouth Bridge and there are two principal junctions – junction 18 which connects with the A4 Portway into Bristol and junction 18a with the M49. The M5, M49 and a certain stretch of the A4 Portway are maintained by Highways England. Figure 2.1 shows the principal roads. In order to identify the main traffic movements in the area, a series of automatic traffic counts (ATC) were carried out. Figure 2.2 shows the locations of ATCs. Figure 2.3 shows the resulting assessment of base year traffic flows. 2.3 Existing level crossings There are three existing level crossings on Severn Beach line in the Avonmouth/Severnside area, that will be impacted by the introduction of the scheme. These include: King Road – is the principal access route from the M5 to the Port of Bristol and is heavily used by HGVs. The level crossing is located at the entrance to the Port and although passenger rail services are currently modest throughout the day, these will increase under the scheme proposals. Kings Road itself currently has separate entry and exit one‐way arms leading to the PortKing Road evel crossing within the City of Bristol and on the current. Gloucester Road (Avonmouth Station) – this level crossing is located to the immediate