Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 About Sustrans Sustrans makes smarter travel choices possible, desirable and inevitable. We’re a leading UK charity enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. We work with families, communities, policy-makers and partner organisations so that people are able to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with better places and spaces to move through and live in. It’s time we all began making smarter travel choices. Make your move and support Sustrans today. www.sustrans.org.uk Head Office Sustrans 2 Cathedral Square College Green Bristol BS1 5DD © Sustrans 201 Registered Charity No. 326550 (England and Wales) SC039263 (Scotland) VAT Registration No. 416740656 Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 Table of contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1 2. Oundle to Warmington - Alignment Options ................................................................................ 3 3 Warmington to Peterborough – Alignment options .................................................................... 27 4 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 39 Appendix B – Environment Agency Response .................................................................................. 43 Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 1. Introduction East Northamptonshire Council asked Sustrans to carry out an Engineering Feasibility Study for a segregated pedestrian and cycle route between Oundle and Peterborough via Warmington. This route would form a section of the East Northamptonshire Greenway developed by the Council over a number of years. At a meeting on the 20th September 2017 representatives of the local Town and Village Council’s agreed to progress the development of a route following Nene Way, an existing long distance walking route classified as a byway open to all traffic (BOAT) between Ashton and Warmington. Village Council representatives went on to identify potential links from this core route to Oundle. In addition options were discussed to take a route from Warmington to the Peterborough Green Wheel at Haddon including via Elton. This study examines the feasibility of the potential links and identifies any improvements required along the route. As part of the process Natural England and the Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust were consulted and there comments are included in this report. Where appropriate cost estimates have also been provided by route section. All costs are from a Sustrans database of unit costs derived from schemes Sustrans has built. Design costs (15%), a contingency (20%) and a contractor’s management (10%) have been added. Traffic management, land purchase costs and VAT are not included. In carrying out this study the following core principles for ensuring cycle routes are of a high quality have been followed: Coherence Directness Safety Comfort Attractiveness Adaptability In line with current Highways England guidance, Interim Advice Note 195, the designs take into consideration the variety of bicycle styles available. The longer term objectives of the route are to provide a high quality walking and cycling corridor that forms a section of the East Northamptonshire Greenway. The design therefore recognises that the style of bicycles may change during the course of the week. The diagram overleaf is taken from HE 195 and provides basic design sizes for a number of bicycle styles. Any control barriers installed along the route reflect the dimensions indicated, however this report suggests that barrier controls are not installed from the outset, and that other options should be considered before installing them. 1 Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 Figure 1.1 Highways England IAN 195 Bicycle dimensions 2 Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 2. Oundle to Warmington - Alignment Options The study has been divided into sections to reflect the differing nature of the route. Crossing the A605 and the River Nene have also been given individual sections as the key barriers to route development. The study starts in Oundle and heads north to Warmington. General Alignment The route out from Oundle is dependent on the crossing points of both the A605 and the River Nene. The options considered are: 1. Oundle Town Football Club / Waitrose, new path along field boundary, under A605 Bridge, Riverside path to existing River Nene Bridge. 2. A427 North Street / Station Road, through Oundle Wharf site, new path along field boundary to the Riverside path and existing River Nene Bridge. 3. A427 North Street / Station Road, A605/A427 roundabout and path adjacent to Nene Way 4. Existing Pedestrian cut-throughs /Public Footpaths, crossing of A605, path across field on existing Public Footpath to existing River Nene Bridge. In addition a route following the existing riverside footpath heading south has been considered as a link into Oundle from the south and as a potential route section to Thrapston. Figure 2.1 – Location Plans 2.1 Route from Oundle (Option 1 – Riverside Route) 3 Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 A first option avoiding the need to cross the A605 is to provide a route under the road at the existing road bridge where there is plenty of room between river and bridge pier to install a path. Figure 2.2 – Option 1 – Riverside Route The link across the flood plain to the road bridge could come from East Road / North Street where, with landowner permission, a path could follow a line between the Football Club and Waitrose continuing along the existing field boundary to meet the existing riverside PRoW. Any path in this area will require Environment Agency permission and a response to an initial enquiry is included as Appendix B. Key points from the response are that the proposed cycle route (s) is within a High Risk Flood Zone (Flood Zone 3). Therefore any planning application would need to include a Flood Risk Assessment stating how the site would be managed to avoid increased flood risk elsewhere. Bespoke Flood Risk Activity Permits would be required for both the cycle route and any changes to the existing River Nene Bridge. To take a route from North Street into central Oundle Black Pot Lane could be utilised. This lane includes a footway and sufficient verge on the North side to provide a shared use path through to New Street where the 20mph zone begins. Back at North Street a Toucan crossing would provide a link from the Football ground/Waitrose link. Given the proximity of an existing set of signals a linked arrangement may need to be installed. 4 Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 Photo 2.1 and 2.2 – Football Ground/Waitrose Boundary. Photo 2.3 and 2.4 – North Street to Riverside PRoW. Cost Estimate Location Description Estimate Black Pot Lane Footway widening for shared use £25,000 North Street Toucan crossing £33,000 Between Football Club and New path £53,500 Waitrose. River Nene Flood Plain New path £131,000 Total £242,500 5 Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 2.2 Route from Oundle (Option 2 – North Street / Station Road and Riverside PRoW) Figure 2.3 – Option 2 – North Street / Station Road and Riverside PRoW An alternative route to the Riverside PRoW via North Street / Station Road was explored. The existing North Street / Station Road footpath has sufficient verge to be widened out for use as a shared use facility between the East Road junction and the access to the Oundle Wharf site. From this access the footpath width is constrained by the River Nene parapet bridge. Widening to an appropriate width for a shared use facility could only be achieved by narrowing the carriageway for approximately 130m to reach a break in the parapet wall (leading to the PRoW). It is unlikely that a reduction in the carriageway width would be acceptable to the Highway Authority given the importance of this route as a signed HGV route and key ‘A’ road link into the centre of Oundle. The height of the parapet wall also forms an obstacle to the development of this route option. The substandard height would not be simple to rectify given the historic nature of the wall. Photo 2.5 – Station Road Bridge parapet wall 6 Oundle to Peterborough Green Wheel Cycle Route Engineering Feasibility Report November 2018 Should the issues noted above be overcome then progression of the route down a ramp from carriageway level to the field below would be relatively straight forward. However, a route through the Oundle Wharf site (subject to landowner permission) leading to the fields beyond would be the easiest way to link into the Riverside PRoW. Again, as with option 1 Environment Agency approval would be required to construct a route and the PRoW would need to be converted for use by cycles. The ecological survey work required before Environment Agency approval could be obtained would also form the basis of potential ecological