TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT LONDON BRIDGE STATION CONTENTS Page 1 Introduction & Background 3 1.1 Overview 3 1.2 Scoping Process 3 1.3 Site Location 3 1.4 Description of the Project 4 1.5 Project Objectives 4 1.6 Previous Applications 5 1.7 Relationship with Transport & Works Act Order 5 2 Policy Background 6 2.1 Introduction 6 2.2 National Policy 6 2.3 Regional Policy 7 2.4 Local Policies 8 3 Study Area 10 4 Cumulative Impacts 12 5 Baseline conditions 13 5.1 Land uses 13 5.2 Road network 15 5.3 Existing station 17 5.4 Passenger flows in/to/from the station complex 19 5.5 Other public transport, walking and cycling 20 6 Trip Generation 26 6.1 Passenger flows in/to/from the station complex 26 6.2 Car parking 27 6.3 Vehicle trips 28 7 Construction Period Impacts 30 7.1 Construction period and worksites 30 7.2 Stainer Street and Weston Street closures 30 7.3 St Thomas Street closure 30 7.4 Construction trips generated and routes 31 7.5 Road network impacts – during construction 32 7.6 Traffic management during construction 40 7.7 Impacts on buses during construction 40 7.8 Impacts on pedestrian and cycle routes during construction 41 7.9 Impacts on train services and passengers during construction 41 8 Permanent Impacts 43 8.1 Overview 43 8.2 Diverted trips 43 8.3 Potential wider highway network changes 46 8.4 Operational impacts 48 8.5 Parking 51 8.6 Public transport impacts – overview 51 8.7 Impact on rail passengers – across the rail network 51 8.8 Impact on rail passengers at London Bridge 54 8.9 Pedestrian flows in the station complex 54 8.10 Bus network 54 8.11 Walking 56 8.12 Cycling 57 8.13 Taxis 59 9 Mitigation 61 9.1 Road network 61 9.2 Public transport 61 9.3 Travel Plan 61 9.4 Delivery and Servicing Plan 61 9.5 Construction Logistics Plan 61 9.6 Planning obligations / Section 278 discussions 62 10 Summary and Conclusions 63 10.2 Public transport 63 10.3 Trip generation, parking, deliveries and servicing 63 10.4 Road network 63 10.5 Walking 64 10.6 Cycling 65 10.7 Taxis 65 Appendix 1 - Scoping Report Appendix 2 - Comments On Scoping Report Appendix 3 – Minutes of Scoping Meetings on 6 December 2010 and 28 February 2011 Appendix 4 – Summary of PERS / CSA Audit Results Appendix 5 – Accident data analysis Appendix 6 – Cycling Assessment Appendix 7 – Train Operations During Construction Appendix 8 – Pedestrian modelling of existing station Appendix 9 – Pedestrian modelling of proposed station Appendix 10 – Pedestrian Modelling of Local Streetscape and Crossings Appendix 11 – Base Year Traffic Modelling report Appendix 12 – Future Year Traffic Modelling report Appendix 13 – Highways Optioneering Modelling report Appendix 14 – Strategic Traffic Modelling report Appendix 15 – Travel Plan TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT LONDON BRIDGE STATION REDEVELOPMENT 1 INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND 1.1 Overview 1.1.1 This Transport Assessment (TA) has been prepared as part of the planning application for redevelopment of London Bridge Station. 1.1.2 It has been prepared in line with the Department for Transport’s Guidance on Transport Assessment, Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Transport Assessment Best Practice Guidance Document, and the London Borough of Southwark’s Sustainable Transport Supplementary Planning Document. 1.1.3 This TA also acts as a supporting report for the traffic and transport chapter of an Environmental Statement (ES) which is being submitted with the planning application. 1.2 Scoping Process 1.2.1 A Scoping Report was issued in November 2010. Comments on the Scoping Report were received from TfL and Southwark. Further discussions were held between Network Rail, TfL and Southwark to agree the final scope of the TA. A pre-application meeting was held on 6 June 2011. 1.2.2 Appendix 1 reproduces the Scoping Report. Appendix 2 reproduces the comments received on the scoping report, and shows how they have been addressed in this TA. Appendix 3 reproduces the notes of further technical meetings held on 6 December 2010 and 28 February 2011 to agree traffic proposals and modelling requirements. 1.3 Site Location 1.3.1 The Project site is located in the London Borough of Southwark (LBS) on the south bank of the River Thames and is located at the southern end of London Bridge, one of the key crossings of the river and which provides an important route into the City of London. For the purpose of the planning application, the site is bounded by the red line as shown in Figure 1.1, and is about 6.2ha in area. Figure 1.1: Site Location Plan This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. © Crown copyright Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. 0100040692 2010 London Bridge Station Redevelopment TA Prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd June 2011 Page 3 for Network Rail TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT LONDON BRIDGE STATION REDEVELOPMENT 1.4 Description of the Project 1.4.1 The Project is proposed by Network Rail and forms part of the Thameslink Programme (TLP). The TLP is a wider scheme that will introduce new and improved stations, new track, new cross-London routes and new longer and more frequent trains in order to reduce overcrowding. Up to 18 train paths per hour are proposed through the redeveloped station. 1.4.2 The Project proposes a new station concourse without which the Thameslink programme cannot be delivered. It is relevant to note that the track works themselves already have the benefit of consent under the Transport and Works Act Order granted for the Thameslink scheme. 1.4.3 The proposal is for: Provision of a new Station layout at London Bridge, including construction of new Station Concourse, together with the demolition of existing arches; the demolition of Listed train shed and part of the wall on St Thomas Street; and the demolition of 84 Tooley Street and the construction of new replacement facades on Tooley Street and St Thomas Street; landscaping and other works associated with the station. 1.4.4 The planning application and ES will relate to the station building redevelopment and the works required for that. They will not examine in-principle issues relating to the rail works themselves as these already have the benefit of permission granted through the Transport and Works Act Order confirmed in 2006. 1.4.5 Main construction is due to begin in 2012, after the Olympic and Paralympic Games period, and is due to finish in 2018. 1.5 Project Objectives 1.5.1 Operational Objectives x The main objective of the proposal is to enable the Thameslink Programme to be delivered. x The Thameslink Programme requires change in platform configuration at London Bridge, increasing the number of through platforms and reducing the number of terminating platforms. Without these operational changes 80% of the benefits of the Thameslink Programme cannot be delivered. x This operational work is one of the last parts of the Thameslink Programme work to be completed. x The operational work at London Bridge requires a new station; the existing station will not physically be able to operate after the platform and track alterations have been implemented. x The Thameslink Programme will dramatically increase the number of people who can use the railway, providing major benefits: o increasing trains through central London by up to 300%, with up to 24 train paths per hour at peak times o increasing capacity with longer, 12-car, trains o removing bottlenecks; the worst are at London Bridge Station London Bridge Station Redevelopment TA Prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd June 2011 Page 4 for Network Rail TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT LONDON BRIDGE STATION REDEVELOPMENT o providing direct access to more destinations o reducing crowding on London Underground 1.5.2 Station Objectives x London Bridge Station is at maximum capacity during peak hours and the objective is to provide a better station environment for passengers. x To provide a more coherent station to replace the 'piecemeal' existing station. x To provide a north/south link between Tooley Street & St. Thomas Street by creating a ground level concourse for both train users and the local area, assisting in the regeneration of the area. 1.6 Previous Applications 1.6.1 There is a long planning history at London Bridge Station and this history, through both the Planning Acts and the Transport and Works Act (TWA), establishes a baseline for the current proposal. 1.6.2 In summary:- a) There is an extant planning permission for a new station with an above station office development. This is known as the Masterplan Scheme. This was approved in 2000, and the decision issued in 2003 after completion of a s106 Agreement. It was 'extended' in 2008 and a small element has been implemented. Although extant this Masterplan permission is now to be set to one side and the new proposal is proposed to replace it. It does however set down the principle of a ground level concourse. It also sets down the principle of permanently closing Stainer Street and Weston Street, in connection with the new concourse. b) Listed Building Consent (LBC) for the demolition of the Listed Train Shed was granted alongside the Masterplan permission and this was 'renewed' by virtue of a new LBC application approved in 2008; this will expire in 2011. A new LBC application will be submitted with the new station proposal, however the extant LBC sets down a precedent for the demolition of the Train Shed.