Eastern Division Belfast City Council
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EEASSTEERNN DDIVVIISIONN RReportt to BELFASST CCITTY COOUNNCIL Spring 2009 2 CONTENTS PAGE FOREWORD BY DIVISIONAL ROADS MANAGER 5 1.0 INTRODUCTION 6 2.0 STRATEGIC ROAD IMPROVEMENTS 9 2.1 M1/ Westlink Improvements 10 2.2 M2 Improvements 11 2.3 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 16 3.4 Bus Measures 17 3.5 Maintenance of Structures 18 4.0 NETWORK TRAFFIC AND STREET LIGHTING 23 4.1 Collision Remedial Schemes 24 4.2 Traffic Schemes 24 4.3 Pedestrian Measures 25 4.4 Safer Routes to School 27 4.5 Traffic Signs 27 4.6 Carriageway Markings 29 4.7 Legislation 31 4.8 Disabled Parking Bays 32 4.9 Street Lighting 33 4.10 Cycle Measures 35 4.11 Traffic Calming 36 4.12 Car Parking 39 4.13 Residents’ Parking 40 4.14 Decriminalised Parking Enforcement 40 5.0 NETWORK TRANSPORT TELEMATICS 41 5.1 Network Transport Telematics 42 6.0 NETWORK MAINTENANCE 45 6.1 Carriageway Resurfacing 46 6.2 Footway Resurfacing 47 6.3 Drainage 49 6.4 Surface Dressings 50 6.5 Public Realm 50 6.6 Liaison with Utilities 52 7.0 NETWORK PLANNING 55 7.1 Adoptions 56 7.2 Planning Applications 58 3 4 FOREWORD BY THE DIVISIONAL ROADS MANAGER Tom McCourt Kevin Monaghan Divisional Roads Manager Deputy Divisional Roads Manager Members of Council I am pleased to present to you this report, which highlights the work Roads Service has completed in the Belfast City Council area last year, and the programme of works that we are undertaking to complete in this financial year. The high volume and quality of the work presented demonstrates the continuing commitment of Roads Service to improving transport within Belfast. The progress to date should be self-explanatory and I will be pleased to receive any comments. 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 Barry Jordan 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 M1/ WESTLINK IMPROVEMENTS The M1/Westlink is a key part of the Strategic Road Network, which forms part of the Trans-European Road Network and the Eastern Seaboard Corridor. It also provides access to the largest commercial area in Northern Ireland, as well as the major commercial and passenger Port of Belfast and Belfast City Airport. The M1/Westlink improvements have an estimated capital value of £104m and include:- Widening the M1 and Westlink to provide a continuous dual three lane carriageway from Stockman’s Lane to Divis Street; Constructing vehicular underpasses at Broadway and Grosvenor Road; Replacing the bridges at Stockman’s Lane junction and improving the roundabout; Closing Roden Street / Mulhouse Road signalised junction; Introducing bus priority measures between Broadway and Roden Street; and Providing a shared cycleway / footway between Broadway and Grosvenor Road. The M1/Westlink improvements have been funded by the private sector using a Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) form of contract. This is the first privately financed road project in Northern Ireland. The contract includes the maintenance of 60 km of motorway and trunk roads for 30 years. The contract was awarded in February 2006 to Highway Management (NI), which comprises of local contractors John Graham (Dromore) Limited and Northstone (NI) Ltd (formerly Farrans Ltd) and the major German multi-services group Bilfinger Berger. The Grosvenor Road Junction with Westlink was completed in March 2008 and the new roundabout at Stockman’s Lane junction was completed two months later. In July 2008, Broadway Underpass was opened to traffic for the first time, some 13 months ahead of the original programme. The overall M1/Westlink Scheme was substantially completed and officially opened on 4 March 2009, some 6 months ahead of programme. At the height of construction over 450 people were employed on the M1/Westlink and M2 improvements schemes and to date, over two million man hours have been worked on the construction of these schemes. Construction of two new underpasses at Broadway and Grosvenor Road junctions will ensure shorter and more reliable journey times, which will benefit all road users, including public transport, the haulage industry, as well as private car users. Broadway Underpass 10 2.2 M2 IMPROVEMENTS This DBFO package of works also includes the widening of the M2 to provide 3 lanes in each direction between Sandyknowes and Greencastle junctions. The M2 improvements have an estimated capital value of £19m and include:- 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. On 3 September 2008 the new Hightown Bridge, which carries the Hightown Road over the M2 in Glengormley, was constructed and opened to traffic, 4 months ahead of schedule. Both the Collin and Longlands Bridges were completed 11 April this year. The overall M2 Improvements Scheme remains on target for completion in May 2009. M2 Motorway 2.3 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. 11 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 in the Autumn. Roads Service is aware of proposals for a new junction on the A2 Sydenham Bypass associated