Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy- Consultation Document
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Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Part 1 Consultation Document February 2012 This document has been produced by: The Planning Policy and Conservation Team, Surrey Heath Borough Council, Surrey Heath House, Knoll Road, Camberley Surrey GU15 3HD For further information please-mail us at [email protected] Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Part 1- Consultation Document Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Vision and Objectives 4 3 Transport in and around Camberley Town Centre 5 Commuting and Accessibility 5 Highways 5 Car Parking 7 Rail 9 Bus Services 11 Current Initiatives 13 Park and Ride Services 14 Appendices 23 Appendix 1. Camberley Town Centre accessibility by public transport in the am peak. 25 Appendix 2 Location of on-street car parking within and around Camberley Town Centre 27 Appendix 3. Suggestions for possible actions to improve the accessibility of Camberley Town Centre 29 All maps and plans are produced under OS licence no 180018679 2009. Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Part 1- Consultation Document Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Part 1- Consultation Document 1 Introduction 1.1 This document is the first stage in preparing an Access Strategy for Camberley Town Centre and its surrounding area. This Part 1 Study has been prepared in partnership with Surrey County Council. We recognise that access and transport are key issues for the town centre. This Part 1 Study identifies as far as possible the baseline evidence for Camberley Town Centre and the issues arising. We want to hear from local residents and businesses on what issues they think should be identified and what actions need to be identified in an Access Strategy for Camberley Town Centre. 1.2 In particular we would like comments on the following: Do you agree with the issues identified on page 26? Are other any other issues that should be included? Which of the improvements or actions listed in Appendix 3 would you support? Are there any other improvements or actions that you would like to see being considered/ 1.3 Comments can be made on any aspect of this document by using the downloadable forms that can be found on http://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/futureofcamberley and e-mailing these to [email protected]. Or, by posting them to the Planning Policy and Conservation Team c/o Surrey Heath Borough Council, Surrey Heath House, Knoll Road, Camberley, Surrey GU15 3HD. The period for comments begins on Monday 5th March 2012 and closes at 5pm on Monday 23rd April 2012 Backgound 1.4 The Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy ( the Access Strategy) seeks to identify the key transport issues facing the town centre and how access to the services and facilities within it can be improved. That is, the community’s ability to access key services and facilities within and immediately surrounding Camberley Town centre by all transport modes. 1.5 The Access Strategy will be used to guide development within Camberley in the period up to 2028. It will identify an action plan and proposals that can be 1 Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Part 1- Consultation Document used as the basis for further work and for directing future funding and resources as they become available. Plan 1 Boundary of Camberley Town Centre 1.6 Work on the Access Strategy and the responses to this consultation will inform the policies and proposals of the Camberley Town Centre Area Action Plan (AAP). It will also provide inputs into other documents such as the Community Infrastructure Levy Schedule and Supplementary Planning Documents as required. 1.7 The Access Strategy will be developed through a number of stages as set out in Figure 1. 1.8 This document sets out in summary the evidence base currently available for Camberley Town Centre. It identifies a list of possible actions that have arisen from Camberley Transport Conference, background studies and other work with Surrey County Council and seeks views on these. The access strategy also identifies further work that needs to be undertaken. 2 Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Part 1- Consultation Document Figure 1: Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Development Process Stage 1 Desk study to identify evidence base, key issues and information required. Carry out any surveys etc needed. Seek public comments on key transport concerns Stage 2 Generation of potential solutions to problems and issues identified in Stage 1. Review of solutions and options to be included in draft Action Plan . Look at costs/funding , who to deliver, phasing and likelihood of achieving this Agreement to Stage 1 and Stage 2 reports by SCC Local Area Committee and SHBC to go forward to Stage 3. Stage 3 Planned adoption and/or inclusion into existing and emerging policy documents Public consultation Stage 4 Implementation of schemes - This stage will be subject to funding availability, approvals and further consultation on the detail of individual schemes 3 Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Part 1- Consultation Document 2 Vision and Objectives 2.1 The overarching objectives for Camberley Town Centre as set out in the Core Strategy include: To promote and deliver sustainable development in the Borough. Improve travel choice and transport services to encourage sustainable travel patterns and, in particular, reduce reliance on the private car. Promote the role of Camberley town centre as a secondary regional centre and as a safe and attractive retail, cultural and entertainment centre with a high quality of environment. 2.2 The Vision for Camberley Town Centre as set out in the Preferred Options AAP (2008) is : Camberley Town Centre will be a thriving centre offering a wide range of shops, excellent leisure facilities, high quality office premises and residential opportunities, and a full range of community services for the local and wider community. There will be a high quality of design with an attractive streetscene, and a range of natural and civic open spaces for use by the public. There will be easy access to the centre with a good public transport system, and an emphasis on pedestrian priority. 2.3 Objective 5 of the AAP is: To improve accessibility within and to the Town Centre by all means of transport. 2.4 The objective of this study is: to understand the current situation within and around the town centre and identify actions/options to improve the accessibility and sustainability of Camberley Town Centre. 2.5 The Part 1 Access Study looks at what modes of transport are used to access the town centre, where from and how accessibility can be improved. The study therefore looks beyond the town centre. 4 Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Part 1- Consultation Document 3 Transport in and around Camberley Town Centre Commuting and Accessibility 3.1 Travel patterns are based on travel to work data from the 2001 Census. An analysis of this data found that for those people who travel by car and commute out of Camberley the most popular destinations were Farnborough, Bracknell and Heathrow Airport. An analysis of the origins of those people travelling to work in Camberley showed a much more dispersed pattern but most were clustered around the town centre. The patterns for other modes of transport were similar. From this it is concluded that whilst people living in Camberley commute some distance to work, most of those who commute to work within Camberley, live locally. 3.2 This work will be updated once the results of the 2011 Census are known. Until the data from that census is available, some of the trend information must be treated with caution. 3.3 In respect of predicted changes in commuting based on the current town centre. It is considered that whilst numbers employed in shops and restaurants/licensed premises will increase this will be offset by the decline in employment in commercial offices as these buildings are converted or redeveloped for other uses. Thus there is not expected to be any significant change in commuting arising from changes in employment within the town centre. However, overall employment within the Borough is predicted to increase by up to 7,500 by 2028 and this will affect Camberley Town Centre. 3.4 Housing numbers in the town centre will also increase and this will affect traffic flows. This is likely to have a different effect on peak hour traffic flows and commuting in the town centre. Further work will be undertaken to look at this issue. 3.5 The accessibility of the town centre by each mode of transport varies by mode and time of day. In summary however Camberley Town Centre is accessible from most of the western and central parts of the Borough in less than 30 minutes by public transport ( see Appendix 1). Highways 3.6 The level of traffic growth that may occur in the Camberley area over the period of the LDF up to 2028 is difficult to predict. The high level of office floorspace vacancies , growing unemployment and downturn in the retail trading conditions mean that current traffic conditions do not reflect what might more usually be expected. However, with significant employment growth predicted for Surrey Heath and neighbouring districts, it is likely that 5 Camberley Town Centre Access Strategy Part 1- Consultation Document there will be some traffic growth regardless of the level of development in Camberley town centre. However, the scope for highway improvements is limited. 3.7 Most traffic travelling through the town centre passes by on the London Road A30 and is from commuting to/from areas around Heathrow Airport either by the A30 or via Junction 3 of the M3 motorway. Current peak flows along the A30 are well within capacity.