Eastern Division Belfast City Council
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EEASSTEERNN DDIVVIISIONN RReportt to BELFASST CCITTY COOUNNCIL Autumn 2009 2 CONTENTS PAGE FOREWORD BY DIVISIONAL ROADS MANAGER 5 1.0 INTRODUCTION 6 2.0 STRATEGIC ROAD IMPROVEMENTS 9 2.1 M2 Improvements 10 2.2 A2 Sydenham Bypass Improvement Scheme 11 3.0 NETWORK DEVELOPMENT 13 3.1 Major Works 14 3.2 Minor Works 15 3.3 Route Improvement Studies 15 3.4 Bus Measures 16 3.5 Maintenance of Structures 16 4.0 NETWORK TRAFFIC AND STREET LIGHTING 19 4.1 Collision Remedial Schemes 20 4.2 Traffic Schemes 20 4.3 Pedestrian Measures 21 4.4 Safer Routes to School 22 4.5 Traffic Signs 22 4.6 Carriageway Markings 22 4.7 Legislation 24 4.8 Disabled Parking Bays 24 4.9 Street Lighting 25 4.10 Cycle Measures 26 4.11 Traffic Calming 27 4.12 Car Parking 28 4.13 Residents’ Parking 28 5.0 NETWORK TRANSPORT TELEMATICS 29 5.1 Network Transport Telematics 30 6.0 NETWORK MAINTENANCE 33 6.1 Carriageway Resurfacing 34 6.2 Footway Resurfacing 35 6.3 Drainage 35 6.4 Surface Dressings 36 6.5 Public Realm 36 6.6 Liaison with Utilities 37 7.0 NETWORK PLANNING 39 7.1 Adoptions 40 7.2 Planning Applications 41 3 4 FOREWORD BY THE DIVISIONAL ROADS MANAGER Tom McCourt Kevin Monaghan Divisional Roads Manager Deputy Divisional Roads Manager Members of Council I have pleasure in presenting this latest Roads Service report to Belfast City Council. This contains an update of progress made so far this year. T McCourt T McCourt Divisional Roads Manager Eastern Division ‘Hydebank’ 4 Hospital Road Belfast BT8 8JL 5 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Eastern Division is one of 4 Divisions within Roads Service. It spans the local Council areas of Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and North Down. (See Fig.1 below) Figure 1 – Eastern Division and Council Areas Eastern Division works within the overall structure of Roads Service (see figure 2 below) which is based on separate business units for those who order services (the client) and for those who provide services (Roads Service Consultancy and Roads Service Direct). Chief Executive Geoff Allister Director of Network Director of Acting Director of Director of Acting Director of Services Engineering Corporate Services Finance Strategic Programmes Andrew Murray Bob Cairns Michaela Glass John McNeill J.W. White Eastern Division Tom McCourt Transportation Unit DRM John Irvine Business Support Unit Kevin Monaghan (Acting) DDRM Michaela Glass Roads Service Direct Ken Hutton Northern Division Jim Beattie Roads Service Southern Division Consultancy (Acting) John Humphreys Bertie Ellison Western Division Pat Doherty Figure 2 – Organisation Context 6 Tom McCourt (9025 3002) [email protected] Divisional Roads Manager Norman Chambers (9025 3006)[email protected] Network Traffic and Street Lighting Traffic Management minor improvements, pedestrian priority, traffic orders, signing, collision remedial schemes, Street Lighting, resident and disabled parking, car parks and pay and display spaces, cycling and traffic calming. Colin Sykes (9025 3080) [email protected] Network Planning Development Control, Private Streets and Transport Assessments Brian Maxwell (9025 4500) [email protected] Network Transport Telematics Traffic signal control, operation of the Traffic Information and Control Centre, Traffic and travel information and European projects INSTANT and STREETWISE. Attracta Tremers (9025 3036) [email protected] Business Support Financial control, land acquisition and disposal, human resources, building maintenance and office supplies. Kevin Monaghan (9025 3002) [email protected] Deputy Divisional Roads Manager Roy Spiers (9025 3129) [email protected] Strategic Route Improvements Developing and progressing Strategic Highway Improvements within Eastern Division. Stephen Pollock (9025 3071) [email protected] Network Development Major and minor works programme, structures, bus priority, ‘Park and Ride’, BMTP, forward planning, scheme financial control and programming, council reports, business plan and communications. Colin Brown (9025 3111) [email protected] Network Maintenance Maintenance of adopted roads and footways including inspections, resurfacing, drainage, grass cutting and weed control, winter gritting and liaison with the utility companies. 7 Figure 3 – Eastern Division Management Structure 2.0 STRATEGIC ROAD IMPROVEMENTS Principal Engineer – Roy Spiers(028 90253129) [email protected] He is supported by the following staff: Strategic Road Improvement 1 – Lionel Walsh (ext. 53017) [email protected] Lionel is responsible for developing and progressing the M1/Westlink and M2 Improvement schemes. Lionel is supported by Colin McBurney (ext. 53016) Strategic Road Improvement 2 – Colin Pentland (ext 53276) [email protected] Colin is responsible for developing and progressing the Sydenham By-Pass widening scheme. Strategic Road Improvement 3 – Basil Hassard (ext. 53272) [email protected] Basil is responsible for developing and progressing the A2 Shore Road Greenisland dual carriageway scheme and the M1/A1 Sprucefield Bypass scheme. Basil is supported by Bobby Murray (ext. 53232) 9 2.1 M2 IMPROVEMENTS Following completion of the M1/Westlink improvements which were officially opened in March 2009, work continued on the widening of the M2 to provide 3 lanes in each direction between Sandyknowes and Greencastle junctions. The scheme involved: widening the Belfast-bound carriageway of the M2 to provide a third lane between Sandyknowes and Greencastle junctions, widening the country-bound carriageway of the M2 to provide three lanes through the Greencastle junction and replacing the Hightown, Collinbridge and Longlands overbridges. Construction work on the M2 began in Spring 2007 and on 3 September 2008 the new Hightown Bridge, which carries the Hightown Road over the M2 in Glengormley, was completed and opened to traffic 4 months ahead of schedule. The Collin and Longlands Bridges were completed on 11 April 2009. The M2 Improvements Scheme was officially opened on 9 June 2009, some 2 ½ months ahead of programme. The scheme has provided greater carriageway capacity on the M2 and this has reduced congestion and delays and improved journey times, particularly at peak times. It has also extended the life of the Hightown, Collin and Longlands Bridges. M2 Motorway 10 2.2 A2 SYDENHAM BYPASS IMPROVEMENT SCHEME The A2 Sydenham Bypass is one of the most heavily used carriageways in the Belfast Metropolitan Area and forms a vital section of the strategic highway network, linking Bangor and Belfast. The road also provides access to the key gateways of George Best Belfast City Airport, Belfast Port and to several large residential areas. The proposed scheme will widen a 2.5km stretch of the existing A2 Sydenham Bypass from a dual 2-lane carriageway to a dual 3-lane carriageway. Following the completion of the initial assessment process and the consultation event held during May 2008, the scheme design is being advanced to allow the preferred options report to be finalised this year. Roads Service is aware of proposals for a new junction on the A2 Sydenham Bypass associated with Titanic Quarter and is providing advice to Planning Service to allow the best integration of both projects to be achieved. Roads Service will continue to consult with the key stakeholders including Belfast City Council and the East Belfast Partnership. 11 12 3.0 NETWORK DEVELOPMENT Principal Engineer – Stephen Pollock (90253071) [email protected] He is supported by the following staff: Works and Structures - David Grills (90 253153) [email protected] This team is responsible for major works, minor works and Structures. Bus Priority - Harry Armstrong (90253022) [email protected] This team is responsible for Quality Bus Corridors, other bus measures and the implementation of “Park and Ride” schemes. Forward Planning Team 1-Colin Kelly (9025 3151) [email protected] This team is responsible for forward planning strategic transportation schemes and recently finalised the Belfast MetropolitanTransport Plan (BMTP). It is also responsible for A Groups, staff magazine, business plan, council reports, financial Monitoring. Forward Planning Team 2- Heather Bradley (9025 3164) [email protected] This team continues to assess the suitability of sites for development as forwarded by the DOE Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) team. It is also responsible for forward planning non-strategic route capital improvement schemes and respond to enquiries on Major Works schedules. 13 3.1 MAJOR WORKS A55 Knock Road Widening Work is continuing on the development of the A55 Knock Road Widening scheme. This includes progression of an environmental impact assessment, scheme design, traffic modelling and evaluation of alternative suggestions. The work will be used to prepare an Environmental Statement, notice of intention to make a Direction Order and notice of intention to make a Vesting Order. We intend to publish these Statutory Orders for public comment towards the end of 2009. Following receipt of any objections and comments to the published proposals, the Department may then decide to hold a public inquiry. It is only after receipt of the public inquiry inspector’s report that a final decision to proceed with the scheme will be taken. The commencement of construction will depend on the satisfactory completion of an economic assessment, completion of the statutory process and the availability of funding. The Investment Delivery Plan for Roads, which was published earlier this year, identified this scheme for delivery during the period 2013/14 to 2017/18. A55 Traffic lights at Shandon Road/Shandon Park 14 3.2 MINOR WORKS 2009/10 Progress Report Scheme Status Widening of A12 Westlink at York Street In Progress Provision of a 100m long left-turn only lane from Westlink into York Street, at the existing Westlink / York Street junction. Work started on 12th June 2009 and is due to be completed by the end of October 2009. Before In Progress 3.3 ROUTE IMPROVEMENT STUDIES The Division’s programme of assessing trunk roads and non-strategic rural routes will continue throughout 2009/2010.