Local Plan Strategy Highway Settlement Summaries
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Local Plan Strategy Highway Settlement Summaries June 2016 CREWE Highway/Transport impact of proposed residential local plan allocations. Crewe’s highway network is constrained, a function of the limited number of railway crossings. Tests by way of VISSIM modelling were undertaken to understand the level of existing traffic delay compared with the level of delay expected in the future with development in place. This was then used to shape the level and location of development and any necessary mitigation measures. Further, updated modelling work has been carried out using the North Crewe VISSIM model. This has tested committed developments along with the proposed strategic sites from the proposed changes to the Local Plan Strategy (2016). A note of the findings of this work has been prepared, Cheshire East Local Plan: Indicative Modelling outputs February 2016, which has been published alongside this town report. The note concludes: • Additional developments may experience delays associated with congestion that is currently predicted within the North Crewe network. • A number of sensitive areas in the North Crewe network may be affected by flows associated with the development. • However, these areas would have also experienced delays and queues without the site allocations in place. However there is no accounting for behavioural changes such as reassignment of vehicle movements (which would take place during congestion), home working and modal shift changes (transfer of trips to public transport/walking/cycling). To provide more informed modelling results of how a future transport network would operate and the required mitigation more dynamic modelling would need to developed. In general, the analysis shows more and larger delays in the morning and afternoon peaks as would be expected, with lesser delays in the inter-peak. However the modelling undertaken as expected indicates delay increases at junctions along the North Crewe corridor where new developments are in close proximity. In order to minimise the level of delay a complimentary list of mitigation schemes have been developed to help manage the level of impact on the highway network. The residual impact on the highway network with the mitigation in place is considered to be broadly acceptable. Furthermore, targeted mitigation on key growth corridors, such as the Sydney Road / A500 / A530 corridor will ensure that the impact of development on the key transport arteries of the town are prioritised informed by additional modelling reported in a Technical Note. Mitigation measures required to address these impacts Committed Highway Schemes, including: Sydney Road Rail Bridge – signals removed and bridge widened to accommodate 2 lanes of traffic operating free-flow; Crewe Green roundabout junction improvements Future Deliverable Mitigation Schemes include: A500 corridor improvements Nantwich Road at Gresty Road / South Street improvements Realignment of Smithy Lane and new roundabout junction on A530 A500 Nantwich by-pass / A530 roundabout capacity improvements.* (Alvaston Roundabout) New Link road to open up development land at Leighton West via new roundabout on Smithy Lane; Smithy Lane/Flowers Lane and Parkers Road/Bradfield Road junction improvements. Replace signals at junction of Eardswick Lane and Flowers Lane with a new roundabout. A500 Nantwich Bypass / A534 roundabout capacity improvements * (Peacock Roundabout) A500 Nantwich Bypass / A51 roundabout capacity improvements * (Cheerbrook Roundabout) Flag Lane Link – linking Flag Lane and Dunwoody Way via Harrison Drive. A532 Earle Street / Macon Way roundabout junction improvement *Also included in the Nantwich highway mitigation package How mitigation would be planned/resourced; The schemes above are included in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan and will be part funded through the future CIL charging regime/s106 contributions. Larger, more strategic schemes will also be the subject of funding bids for central government funding. Targeted travel planning and investment in Local Public Transport, (including access to the railway station) to achieve a reduction in the number of new vehicle trips on the highway network. A replacement Bus Station is also required. Promoting cycling and walking by developing pedestrian/bike infrastructure. MACCLESFIELD Highway/Transport impacts of proposed residential local plan allocations Updated traffic modelling shows that areas of the existing highway network will operate over capacity during the peak hours. Significant infrastructure improvements are required to avoid significant impacts on the highway network. The following key locations have been identified from the modelling work that would benefit from a mitigation strategy: A537 Chester Road corridor, from the Broken Cross junction to Fieldbank Road; A537 Cumberland Street corridor, from the Prestbury Road roundabout to Churchill Way; The A523 Silk Road / Hibel Road junction; A536 Congleton Road / B5088 Oxford Road ‘Flowerpot’ junction; A538 Churchill Way / A536 Park Road roundabout; A523 Silk Road, between Buxton Road and Brook Street; A523 Mill Lane, between the Silk Road and Windmill Street; A range of mitigation measures were tested to mitigate the proposed Local Plan development. In Macclesfield, the focus has been on improvements to the existing highway network rather than extensive new highway infrastructure. This has been shaped by a review of the outputs of detailed highway modelling. With the proposed mitigation strategy in place it is considered that an acceptable level of mitigation can be achieved and delivered incrementally without the need for significant large scale new road building. Mitigation measures required to address these impacts; These include: Link Road from A536 Congleton Road to A523 London Road Silk Road / Hibel Road roundabout – proposed signals Hibel Road junction improvements and signal coordination Broken Cross modified existing roundabout Flowerpot junction – capacity improvements Mill Lane – increase in northbound capacity Silk Road / Windmill Street – ghost island provision Town Centre Movement Strategy A537 Chester Road / Ivy Road junction improvements A537 Chester Road / Fieldbank Road provision for right turn storage Park Lane / Churchill Way / Park Street – junction improvements How mitigation would be planned/resourced; The schemes above are included in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan and will be part funded through a future CIL charging regime and s106 contributions. Larger, more strategic schemes will also be the subject of funding bids for central government funding. Schemes will be prioritised for incremental delivery aligned to the pace and location of development. There will also be targeted travel planning and investment in Local Public Transport, (including access to the railway station) to achieve a reduction in the number of new vehicle trips on the highway network. CONGLETON Highway/Transport impact of proposed residential local plan allocations Congleton’s highway network is congested at peak times, a function of the limited number of river crossings and the convergence of several main roads in the town; this has resulted in the declaration of several Air Quality Management Areas. Traffic modelling has been undertaken to understand the level of existing traffic delay compared with the level of delay expected in the future (2030) with development detailed in the emerging Local Plan. This modelling has then informed the necessary mitigation measures. In general, the analysis shows more and larger delays in the morning and afternoon peaks as would be expected, with lesser delays in the inter-peak. As expected, junction delay also increases where new developments are in close proximity. Key junctions that suffer congestion and where development traffic increases the scale and duration of queuing include: A34 Rood Hill / A54 Rood Hill / A34 Clayton By-pass (signalised junction) A34 Clayton By-pass / Barn Road / A34 Clayton By –pass (roundabout junction) A34 West Road / West Street / A34 Clayton By-pass (roundabout junction) A34 West Road / A54 Holmes Chapel Road / A34 Newcastle Road / A534 Sandbach Road (roundabout junction / gyratory) In order to fully accommodate the development proposed in the LPS for Congleton it is considered essential that a new link road between the A534 and A536 is provided which recently gained planning permission. This new strategic link also(Congleton Link Road) has wider benefits over and above the base mitigation strategy, including improving access to employment, addressing Air Quality management areas, reducing community severance on existing routes and improving strategic highway links across the Borough. The scheme is included in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan and will be part funded through allocated central Government funding, developer contributions and CEC capital funding. The nature of the existing observed movements in the Congleton area is such that public transport has limited viability as an alternative to the private car for most local trips. Investment will be made in a series of town centre public realm schemes to enhance the attractiveness of the town centre and provide opportunity to retain retail spend locally; reducing the need to travel. Various network models have been engaged to assess the highway impact of the additional housing sites proposed to be allocated within the Local Plan Period (2030). It is considered that these represent a conservative position as traffic conditions are