Formatted APPENDIX A - REPORT ON CORE AREAS OF WORK
Carriageway Resurfacing Programme
1. Luton‟s highway network is an essential communication link that serves almost everyone everyday of the week and for a wide variety of reasons from simply visiting friends and relatives to vital business deliveries. Roads are an extremely valuable asset and in Luton their Gross Replacement Value is currently £574.2m and currently depreciating by £2.65m each year. In other words for Luton‟s roads to remain in a steady state condition £2.65m needs to be spent annually on road resurfacing or reconstruction.
2. The condition of the classified road network (A, B & C roads) is assessed annually using national criteria with the unclassified network assessed every two years. Highway maintenance is increasingly a matter of managing the deterioration of Luton‟s roads. Weather predictions for future years indicate an increasing trend for more exceptional weather conditions resulting in further pressure on highway maintenance budgets. A prolonged spell of wet or cold weather, such as the rain in 2012, can lead to some roads rapidly deteriorating requiring short notice changes to the resurfacing programme.
3. In 2012/13 a total of £1,520,000 capital and c. £380,000 revenue funding was originally allocated to resurfacing. Due to the extremely wet summer it proved necessary to allocate an additional £125,000 of capital and £450,000 of revenue funding to the resurfacing programme. Consequently, in 2012/13 we spent a total of c. £2,475,000 on resurfacing 370 roads. Formatted: Not Highlight
4. The additional revenue funded resurfacing programme carried out in March 2013 is shown below: -
Road Length Treated Ward Estimated Cost (£) Crawley Green Road From Vauxhall Way to Devon Road Crawley 102,000 (scheduled for March 2013) Hillcrest Avenue All Icknield 25,000 Hillview Crescent All Icknield 25,000 Kent Road All (scheduled for March 2013) Dallow 120,000 Lothair Road All Stopsley 72,000 Midland Road From Dudley Street to Railway High Town 50,000 Station Car Park (scheduled for February 2013) Northview Road All Round Green 55,000 Total Cost £450,000
5. Based upon results of assessments and referrals from area Highway Inspectors, Highway Services has developed a programme of work for carriageways which need immediate and significant improvement. The five-year programme addresses 104 of the roads in the worst condition. Although the conditions indicate work is required immediately the programme is based upon the likely available capital and revenue budgets for the next 5 years. The level of deterioration is dependent on many variables and occurs at differing rates. As a result the condition of the network is under continual assessment with the work programme similarly under review.
6. Alternative methods of carriageway treatment to compliment the resurfacing programme and aid efficient maintenance are being assessed. These will be used to treat surface course defects and limit the ingress of water; factors which accelerate the deterioration of a carriageway. It is anticipated that these treatments will extend the life of the carriageway by up to ten years and delay the need for expensive full carriageway resurfacing. 14/7
7. As part of this, it is proposed to use Micro-asphalt in 2013/14; this material is designed to stop carriageway surface fretting due to an ageing binder. It seals surface imperfections and repairs and provides an even running surface. Micro-asphalts are essentially tough bitumen emulsions combined with stones that are spread as a homogeneous material. They are delivered by tanker, can be laid quickly and then trafficked within an hour thus minimising disruption.
8. In 2013/14 it is recommended that a total of £1,693,000 is allocated to the Carriageway Resurfacing Programme. This is made up of the LTP Highway Capital Maintenance Ggrant (£1,010,000), a £500,000 revenue contribution (this is dependent upon the level of reactive maintenance required) and the Additional Highways Maintenance Grant (£183,000).
9. The Carriageway Resurfacing Five Year Programme is attached as Appendix B.
Area Studies
10. In 2012/13 £26,000 of LTP and £11,600 LSTF funding was spent on this area of work. In March 2012, Executive agreed that there should be a one-off reallocation of £500,000 from the Integrated Transport Capital Grant to the Highway Maintenance Grant to enable some change in emphasis of the delivery of schemes away from autumn/winter to spring/summer delivery, this in combination with the loss of the LBC capital funding and the reduced Integrated Transport Grant has slowed progress on the Area Studies programme. The position remains that 15 of the 24 areas are complete and with the concentration on consultation and design in 2012/13 it is the aim that the remaining 910 areas will also be completed within the timescale of the current LTP Implementation Plan 2011-2015.
11. Whilst the Sundon Park area itself is complete the associated changes to the pedestrian/cycle route under the railway at the Sundon Arch bridge have been delayed. When work commenced in November 2012, closure of the bridge caused considerable traffic problems and consequently the Traffic Manager decided that it had to be called off after just one day. Following negotiations, work has been rescheduled for the end of March 2013 and will be carried out over three consecutive weekends to minimise traffic problems.
12. As part of the Lewsey Area a new Puffin type traffic signal controlled pedestrian crossing was completed on Leagrave High Street to serve the Barnfield West Academy. Otherwise work on the Lewsey Area has been confined to consultation and/ design in preparation for implementation in summer 2013.
13. The current position with the remaining areas is as follows: - i. Stopsley – consultation complete. Implementation summer 2013; ii. Lewsey Farm – initial consultation last year, proposals drawn up with secondary consultation to follow. Planned implementation summer 2013; Formatted: Not Highlight iii. Bushmead – initial investigation has taken place, draft proposals drawn up with consultation late spring/early summer with planned implementation late summer 2013; Formatted: Not Highlight iv. Bramingham - initial investigation has taken place, draft proposals drawn up, public consultation late spring/early summer with planned implementation late summer 2013; Formatted: Not Highlight v. Putteridge – initial investigation has taken place, draft proposals drawn up, public consultation late spring/early summer with planned implementation late summer 2013; Formatted: Not Highlight ii. Formatted: Bullets and Numbering vi. Limbury – Willow Way Residents Parking Scheme (Willow Way, Hurst Way, Rydal way, Ambleside & River Way) public consultation recently finished and results being evaluated, scheme likely to be dropped. Other area studdrafty proposals are being Formatted: Not Highlight drawn up with public consultation planned for late 2013 or early 2014; Formatted: Not Highlight
8 Formatted: List Paragraph, Right 0 ch, Space Before: 0 pt, No bullets or vii. Crawley – initial investigation in progress with draft proposals to follow, public numbering, Tab stops: Not at 1.69 cm consultation late 2013 or early 2014. iii.early summer. Formatted: Bullets and Numbering iv.viii. West Icknield – initial investigation in progress with draft proposals to follow, Formatted: Not Highlight public consultation early 2014;initial investigation has taken place, draft proposals to be drawn up with public consultation late summer/early autumn. v.Bushmead – initial investigation has taken place, draft proposals to be drawn up with consultation late spring/early summer with planned implementation late summer. vi.Crawley – initial investigation in progress with draft proposals to follow, public consultation late 2013 or early 2014. vii.Putteridge – initial investigation has taken place, draft proposals have been drawn up, public consultation late spring/early summer with planned implementation late summer. viii.ix. Wigmore – initial investigation to commence 2013. ix.Bramingham - initial investigation has taken place, draft proposals to be drawn up, Formatted: Highlight been drawn up, public consultation late spring/early summer with planned implementation late summer.
14. As part of this programme we work closely with the local community to introduce a wide variety of traffic measures including 20mph speed limits, traffic calming, safety around schools, improved pedestrian and cycle facilities, waiting restrictions and environmental improvements. Only those measures supported by a significant majority of people responding to our consultation are introduced.
15. It is recommended that £525,000500,000 of LTP and £65,000 of LSTF funding should be allocated to this work programme for 2013/14. The emphasis will be on completing the Area Studies programme in order to meet the 2015 deadline of the LTP Implementation Plan.
Local Safety Schemes and Road safety Initiatives Formatted: Not Highlight 16. A total of £38,000 of LTP funding was spent on this area of work in 2012/13 together with the accident investigation and assessment work to ascertain the proposed schemes for 2013/14.
17. Local Safety Schemes are investigated in a data led manner with the locations with the worst accident problems being treated first. This should ensure that we reduce accidents by the greatest amount with the limited funding that is available. Eight priority areas (five clusters and seven routes) have been investigated.
18. During 2012/13 local safety scheme funding was put towards the conversion of the two Zebra crossings on Bramingham Road approaching the Three Horseshoes roundabout to Toucan crossings. The Zebra crossings had a history of injury accidents involving drivers in the second lane not appreciating someone was crossing. Minor safety related modifications were carried out at previous schemes in line with the recommendations of road safety audits.
19. Due to uncertainties with the Bedfordshire Police collaboration with Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire Police forces and Type approval for average speed cameras and digital fixed safety cameras the average speed camera system for A505 Dunstable Road (from Skimpot Road to Chaul End Lane) and the phased conversion of the existing wet-film traffic safety cameras to digital imaging has been delayed.
9 20. It is recommended that £100,000 of LTP funding should be allocated to Local Safety Formatted: Not Highlight Schemes work for 2013/14. A priority list for this area of work is attached at Appendix ?C.
21. The enforcement element of the traffic safety cameras in Luton is self-funding through speed awareness workshops and therefore, in line with the LTP3 focus on promoting road safety education, training and publicity to influence road users‟ attitudes and behaviour.
22. Publicity campaigns aimed at motorcyclists, drivers (drink drive, watch out for motorcyclists, watch out for pedestrians, seatbelt, young drivers), cyclists and pedestrians have been carried out through 2012/13. Training events were held for young drivers and motorcyclists. The majority have been in partnership with the other members in the Bedfordshire and Luton Casualty Reduction Partnership.
10 23. The Revenue Support Grant will be used for the following in 2013/14: -
Education, Training and Publicity (ETP) Project Estimated Formatted Table cost (£)
Speed (including safety cameras maintenance, speed indicator 55,000 Formatted: Right devices, publicity)
Bedfordshire Police Accident data recorder 8,000 Formatted: Right
Pedestrians (education, training and publicity) 20,000 Formatted: Right
Motorcycles (education, training and publicity) 15,000 Formatted: Right
Car drivers and occupants (education, training and publicity 40,000 Formatted: Right including Belt up for Life and Responsible Road User)
Children 2,000 Formatted: Right
Evaluation 10,000 Formatted: Right
Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 16.A total of £41,500 of LTP funding was spent on this area of work in 2011/12 together with the accident investigation and assessment work to ascertain the proposed schemes for 2012/13.
17.Local Safety Schemes are investigated in a data led manner with the locations with the worst accident problems being treated first. This should ensure that we reduce accidents by the greatest amount with the limited funding that is available. Eight priority areas (four clusters and four routes) have been investigated.
18.During 2011/12 a scheme was introduced at the Vauxhall Way/Crawley Green Road roundabout to improve driver lane discipline on the approach and through the roundabout. Minor safety related modifications were carried out at previous schemes in line with the recommendations of road safety audits.
19.In addition, the use of average speed cameras to reduce casualties on the A505 Dunstable Road (from Skimpot Road to Chaul End Lane) has been investigated along with the phased conversion of the existing wet-film traffic safety cameras to digital imaging.
20.It is recommended that £200,000 of LTP funding should be allocated to this work for 2012/13. A priority list for this area of work is attached at Appendix D.
21.The enforcement element of the traffic safety cameras in Luton is self-funding through speed awareness workshops and therefore, in line with the LTP3 focus on promoting road safety education, training and publicity to influence road users‟ attitudes and behaviour.
22.Publicity campaigns aimed at motorcyclists, drivers (drink drive, watch out for motorcyclists, young drivers), cyclists and pedestrians have been carried out through 2011/12. The majority have been in partnership with the other members in the Bedfordshire and Luton Casualty Reduction Partnership.
23.The Revenue Support Grant will be used for the following in 2012/13: -
Education, Training and Publicity (ETP) Project Estimated cost
Speed (including safety cameras maintenance, speed indicator £58k devices, publicity)
11 Bedfordshire Police Accident data recorder £8k
Pedestrians (education, training and publicity) £20k
Motorcycles (education, training and publicity) £15k
Car drivers and occupants (education, training and publicity £28k including Belt up for Life and Responsible Road User)
Work Related (education, training) £5k
Events (publicity) £8k
Evaluation £15k
Safer Routes to Schools Challenge
24. During 2012/13 £25,500 was spent on this programme of work (excluding work around schools in our Area Studies work programme). Work was completed for Downside Primary School and at Pirton Hill Primary School a scheme designed with a no footway parking Traffic Regulation Order due to be advertised late March 2013. Design work for Wigmore Primary is in progress.
25. No applications have been received for the Safer Routes to School Challenge for inclusion in the 2013/14 programme of works. However, an application from Tennyson Road Primary School was received in 2011/12 and this will be investigated.
26. A portion of the budget will also be used to provide No parking on footway traffic regulation orders outside schools to reduce the number of vehicles parking on footways outside schools and encourage walking and scooting to school.
27. It is proposed that £50,000 should be allocated to this work for 2012/13, with the following schools to be treated.
School Estimated Formatted Table cost (£)
Wigmore Primary School 20,000 Formatted: Right
Footway parking Traffic Regulation Orders 20,000 Formatted: Right
Tennyson Road Primary 5,000 Formatted: Right
Safer Routes to School Challenge initial investigations and minor 5,000 Formatted: Right safety around schools works
28. The Safer Routes to Schools Challenge remains open to bids from schools for future works. LSTF funding is being used to keep the School Travel Advisor until the end of March 2015.
Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, First line: 0 cm, Right 0 ch, Space After: 0 pt
12 Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) – School Travel Formatted: Font: Bold, Underline Formatted: Font: Bold, Underline 29. The LSTF has enabled us to continue promoting Sustainable Travel to Schools. During Formatted: Font: Bold, Underline 2012/13 £167,500 has been spent on promoting Sustainable Travel to Schools through the LSTF. It has been agreed with DfT that we can defer £30,000 to 2013/14. Formatted: Font: Bold
30. An Assistant School Sustainable Travel Advisor has been employed until 31 March 2015 to assist the School Sustainable Travel Advisor (formally the School Travel Plan Officer) and the Cycle Instructor Projects Officer.
31. A new on line system (Modeshift‟s STARS) to monitor school travel plans has recently been introduced and 17 . XX schools have already signed up. Formatted: Highlight
32. The Sustrans Bike It Officer is working intensively with xx6 schools, supporting a further 6 schools and keeps a watching brief on the x6 original Bike It schools. Performance in Education delivered play in a day and workshops to 20 primary/junior schools in March. Other promotional activities have included Scooter training, Walk to school in May and October, Walking and Cycling promotion in September, Heart FM radio advert competition in February.
33. The first Schools Sustainable Travel Awards were held in July with The Meads winning the best overall school
34. In-line with the LSTF, during 2013/14 it is proposed to spend £227,500 of LSTF funding on promoting Sustainable Travel to Schools, it is proposed to allocate the budget as follows.
LSTF – Sustainable Travel to Schools Estimated Formatted Table cost (£)
School Travel Plan Advisor and assistant 48,000 Formatted: Right
Sustrans Bike It officer 62,500 Formatted: Right
Bikes for Schools project 37,500 Formatted: Right
Scooter Training/ Balance Bike Training (Balance Buddies) 3,000 Formatted: Right
Promotional Activities designed to encourage walking 25,000 Formatted: Right
Promotional Activities designed to encourage cycling 25,000 Formatted: Right
Promotional Activities designed to encourage other forms of 20,000 Formatted: Right sustainable travel and reduction of parking outside schools
Sustainable Travel to Schools Awards and STARS 6,000 Formatted: Right
35. For 2013/14 we have been successful in our bid for £80,000 from the Department for Transport Bikeability Cycle Training grant fund for Level 1/2 and 3 Bikeability cycle training. We have also been provisionally granted a further £80,000 for Bikeability in both 2014/15 but this may be dependent on results achieved.
Formatted: Indent: Left: 1.27 cm, Hanging: 1.27 cm, Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm Formatted: Bullets and Numbering
13 24.During 2011/12 £25,000 was spent on this programme of work (excluding work around schools in our Area Studies work programme). Work was completed for Rabia Girls and Boys Schools and Grasmere Nursery.
25.Applications have been received from Downside Primary, Pirton Hill Primary and Tennyson Road Primary for the Safer Routes to School Challenge for inclusion in the 2012/13 programme of works.
26.It is proposed that £50,000 should be allocated to this work for 2012/13, with the following schools to be treated.
Formatted: Space Before: 12 pt School Estimated cost
Formatted: Space Before: 12 pt Wigmore Primary School £20k Formatted: Right, Space Before: 12 pt Footway parking Traffic Regulation Orders 25 Formatted: Space Before: 12 pt Formatted: Right, Space Before: 12 pt Downside Primary School £20k Formatted: Space Before: 12 pt Formatted: Right, Space Before: 12 Pirton Hill Primary School £5k pt Formatted: Space Before: 12 pt Safer Routes to School Challenge initial investigations and minor £5k Formatted: Right, Space Before: 12 safety around schools works pt Formatted: Space Before: 12 pt 27.The Safer Routes to Schools Challenge remains open to bids from schools for future works. Formatted: Right, Space Before: 12 pt LSTF funding is being used to keep the School Travel Advisor until the end of March 2015 with the possibility of employing an assistant also LSTF funded. LBC will continue Formatted: Bullets and Numbering encouraging schools to have active travel planning and take part in the challenge process.
Pedestrian Schemes (including School Crossing Patrols) Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 28.36. In 2012/13 a total of £25,000 of LTP and £217,000 of LSTF funding was spent on a wide range of pedestrian facilities (excluding work carried out within the Area Studies programme). This includes introducing flush kerbs/tactile paving at many locations and junctions; these are delivered on an on-demand process until the funding is used. Requests come from a variety of sources such as correspondence, Officers, Councillors, Area Boards and Ward Forums. As part of this the sub-standard traffic islands in Turners Road South either side of its junction with Somerset Avenue were replaced with pedestrian refuges.
29.37. The street scene/footway and shared use footway/cycle improvements for the Hill Rise shops in Sundon Park were completed. Whilst this was primarily a street scene/footway improvement this also included a considerable element of cycle improvement as part of the „Links to Schools‟ route along Sundon Park Road linking National Cycle Route 6 (NCN6) to Lealands High School and beyond.
30.38. As part of the on-going programme of School Crossing Patrol minor improvements works were carried out the sites on St. Ethelbert Avenue, Trinity Road, Farley Hill, Bushmead Road, Cranbrook Drive, Waulud‟s Bank Drive and Bramingham Road.
31.39. Working closely with Building Schools for the Future the public footpath linking Stoneygate Road with the new Challney Girls High School was widened, surfaced and new street lighting installed. This was aimed at encouraging more pupils to walk to and from the school and help to alleviate the traffic congestion in Addington Way.
14 32.40. Improvements were made to the Midland Road route to the main railway station. The entrance to the footbridge was widened and the zebra crossing repositioned to suit this and better serve the main pedestrian desire line. This work was combined with the resurfacing of Midland Road between the repositioned zebra crossing and Old Bedford Road.
33.41. Minor improvements to subways at Telford Way and Crawley Green Road at Vauxhall Way were carried out this included sand blasting and repainting of the tunnel. This is to be followed by the installation of improved and more efficient t lighting in 2013/14.
34.42. It is recommended that £18550,000 (£85,000 LTP and £100,000 LSTF) is allocated to this area of work in 2012/13. The priority list of pedestrian schemes, including School Crossing Patrols, has been attached as Appendix ED to this report.
Cycling Schemes Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 35.43. In 2012/13 £44,000 of LTP and £43,000 of LSTF funding was spent on improving cycle facilities. A further three bridges on or linking to National Cycle Route 6 (NCN6) on Riverside Way have been refurbished with new cycle safe parapets, all five bridges on the route are now up to a proper standard. Design work was carried out on modernising the next length of Riverside Way between Neville Road and Bancroft Road and this will be installed in 2013/14. The LSTF funding will have enabled Riverside Way/NCN6 route and the five bridges to be upgraded one year earlier than originally scheduled.
36.44. Whilst work commenced on improving NCN6 at Sundon Arch in 2012/13 it has proved difficult to complete. The underground equipment for two new Toucan crossings has been installed but the relocating the footway under the arch from the south to the north side of the road has proved difficult to carry out. Network Rail initially had some concerns with the possible increase of vehicle damage to their bridge but this was overcome with some minor design changes. When work commenced in November 2012 but the weekday closure of the arch caused considerable traffic problems and consequently the Traffic Manager decided that it had to be called off after just one day. Following discussions, work has been rescheduled to start the end of March 2013 and will be carried out over three consecutive weekends to minimise traffic problems.
37.45. Investigations and design into a Luton towards Hitchin cycle route were carried out, including a new link from St. Thomas‟ Road to the Inspire Luton Sports Village utilising part of the access road to the old Regional Sports Centre. This link is due to be installed in 2013/14 at estimated cost of c. £70,000. New signing has been installed on Bradgers Hill Road and the overgrown bushes and vegetation on Bradgers Hill itself has been cleared back to expose the street lighting and any bank slippage removed to maintain the available width and improve drainage.
38.46. Working closely with the Sustrans Bike-it officer a 50% contribution was made to three schools for the provision of new and improved cycle parking facilities. In 2012/13 these were Wenlock Primary, The Meads Primary and Sundon Park Junior Schools.
39.47. It is recommended that £185,000 (£85,000 LTP and £100,000 LSTF) is allocated to this area of work in 2013/14. The priority list of cycle schemes has been attached at Appendix FE.
Public Transport Improvements and Bus Priority Measures
48. In 2012/13 £110,000 of LTP and £98,500 of LSTF funding was spent on this area of Formatted: Bullets and Numbering work.
40. Work continued on the programme of improving bus stops across Luton and a total of 46 were improved in 2012/13, this work includes bus stop clearways, new higher kerbing to improve level floor access, new shelters and seating plus equipment in preparation for the installation of Real Time Passenger Information displays.
15 41.49. In addition, a further 53 on-street bus stops have been improved as part of the Luton Dunstable Busway.
50. Real time passenger information has been rolled out in Luton. All local bus operators Formatted: Body Text Indent 3, have had their vehicle fleet fitted with equipment to track their buses in real time, the Indent: Left: 0 cm, Hanging: 1.06 cm, Space Before: 12 pt, After: 12 pt, operators are now 100% fitted. Bus stop displays are being rolled out across Luton Numbered + Level: 2 + Numbering where bus routes are achieving above 85% of their services being tracked in real time, Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 + the stops are chosen by the bus operators. Working with Central Bedfordshire, Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0 cm + Tab after: 0.63 cm + Indent at: 0.63 additional displays are being installed as part of the Luton Dunstable Busway giving a cm, Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm holistic approach to improving public transport facilities across Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis.
42. RTPI has been rolled out over the past three years; this has enabled us to fully fit our Formatted: Not Highlight main bus operators Arriva, Centrebus and Grant Palmer with on board tracking Formatted: Bullets and Numbering systems. We have a new Server to Server (S-S) Link with neighbouring Buckinghamshire which will allow cross boundary buses to be displayed on our on street displays. Additional services which come into Luton are being fitted with dual tracking to allow them to be shown on our displays.
43.The text service is operational and we have changed the S-S link direct to Travelline which is reliable. We now need to publicise this to our clients.
44.Eleven stops on the Centrebus No.10 route now have operational Real Time Passenger Information equipment and displays.
45.51. It is recommended that £150,000 of LTP and £100,000 LSTF funding is allocated to this area of work in 2013/14. The priority list of public transport improvements and bus priority measures is attached at Appendix FG?.. Formatted: Not Highlight
Modernisation of the Traffic Signal Stock and Urban Traffic Control Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 46.52. There are currently 92 sets of traffic signals in Luton with a Gross Replacement Value in excess of £13m. Each set has a nominal life of 15 years. Due to insufficient funding over a sustained period of time there are currently 13 sets due for modernisation and some of are becoming increasingly un-maintainable with spare parts no longer available.
47.53. Ten sets of traffic signals were added to our maintenance inventory during 2012/13, 4 on the Luton Dunstable Busway route, the Hitchin Road/Butterfield Green Road junction, a Puffin crossing on Leagrave High Street, the rebuilt M1 Junction 11, Toucan crossings on Bramingham Road (1) and when the works around Sundon Arch are completed another two Toucan crossings. Conversely, the traffic lights were removed at the Dunstable Road/Chaul End Lane roundabout and those at Guildford Street/Library Road bagged-over for eventual removal.
48.54. To manage the problem of ageing, obsolete and difficult to maintain traffic signals we need to replace some five to six sets of signals per year. In 2012/13 we replaced two sets at a cost of £231,000, without this investment, signal faults will continue to increase and in some cases the only option may be to switch the signals off. If the signals are switched off road user safety will be severely compromised and the liability of the Council will be put into question.
49.55. Those modernised in 2012/13 with improved pedestrian and cycle facilities added (where appropriate) were: - i. Birch Link. ii. Park Street/Cumberland Street junction Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 50.56. In order to help maintain progress design work has already commenced on the next batch of traffic signals so that installation can go ahead with minimum delay. It is
16 recommended that £200,000 of LTP funding should be allocated and it is proposed to modernise and upgrade the following traffic signal sets in 2013/14: - i. Dunstable Road junction with Waller Avenue ii. Dunstable Road junction with Kingsway Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 51.57. It is also appropriate to use other LTP funding where signals are being significantly modified to introduce measures such as cycling and walking facilities and Urban Traffic Control/SCOOT or MOVA operation. A priority list for traffic signal improvements has been attached as Appendix H.
52.58. Traffic signal work in 2012/13 also included the following: - i. Commencing the installation two new Toucan crossings either side of Sundon Arch Bridge as part of a “Links to Schools” project joining up the National Cycle Route 6 (NCN6) and the new Sundon Park Road shared-use cycle route and provide a link to Lealands High School and Sundon Park Primary School. Unfortunately, work had to be delayed when the closure of the Sundon Arch Bridge caused an unacceptable level of traffic congestion; work is now scheduled for late March with the bridge closed over three consecutive weekends. On completion of this work the existing Puffin crossing on Toddington Road can be removed. ii. As part of the Lewsey Area Study and working closely with Building Schools for the Future work commenced mid-February on installing a new Puffin Crossing on Leagrave High Street to serve the new Barnfield Academy West. iii. A new traffic signal arrangement at the junction of Hitchin Road/Butterfield Green Road/Cannon Lane to serve the Inspire Luton Sports Village was completed in May 2012. iv. New Toucan Crossings were installed on Bramingham Road for NCN6 at the Three Horseshoes Roundabout to replace two zebra crossings. This work was completed in September 2012. v. The Highways Agency as part of the M1 Junction 10 to 13 Managed Motorway project have rebuilt M1 Junction 11. As part of this the LBC traffic signals at the junction have been handed over to the Highways Agency and will be upgraded as part of the works and will include pedestrian crossing facilities at the M1 slip roads. On completion of these works in summer 2013 the traffic signals will be handed back to LBC for future maintenance. Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, v.59. A priority list for traffic signal improvements has been attached as Appendix HG. Hanging: 1.07 cm, Space Before: 12 pt, After: 6 pt, Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm + 1.69 cm 53.A substantial element of the LTP Integrated Transport allocation has been invested in a UTC/SCOOT system. The UTC part of the system allows traffic signals in an urban area Formatted: Bullets and Numbering to be networked via a central computer and the SCOOT part allows the traffic signals on the network to be automatically changed dependent upon the traffic demand. This in turn can reduce congestion, improve pedestrian safety (by reducing cycle times) and reduce emissions (by managing congestion) compared to fixed cycle time on an unlinked network. We have secured an XML gateway which will deliver strategic Bus Priority at signals. This works in conjunction with the RTPI system which tracks buses and shows their deviation to scheduled times. This information is then fed into the UTC System which will give priority to late running buses through the network.
Parking Schemes Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, 60. During 2012/13 £130,000 LTP funding was spent on parking schemes, with the following Hanging: 1.07 cm, Numbered + Level: 2 + Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start work carried out: - at: 1 + Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0 cm + Tab after: 0.63 cm + Indent at: i. 23 applications for on-street disabled persons parking bays were processed in 0.63 cm, Font Alignment: Baseline, Tab 2012/13 resulting in 8 new bays being installed. The need for each bay is reviewed stops: Not at 0.63 cm + 3.14 cm Formatted: Font: Bold
17 annually and this process resulted in 10 bays that were no longer required being removed in order to free-up on-street parking for general use; ii. A Residents Parking Scheme was introduced in the Park Town area. Parking bays were marked out in 9 streets and the car parks associated with the high-rise flats were also included in the scheme. The scheme has been successful in removing commuter parking but has inevitably caused displacement. It is proposed to further extend the scheme in 2013/14 to deal with the displacement and consultation on this has already commenced; iii. The existing Hospital Area Residents Parking Scheme was further extended into the area south of Dunstable Road. The scheme has been successful in removing commuter parking but has inevitably caused displacement. It is proposed to further extend the scheme in 2013/14 to deal with the displacement; iv. Parking problems at 10 junctions were investigated and subsequently waiting restrictions have been or are due to be introduced at 7 of these junctions by March 2013.
61. It is recommended that £75,000 of LTP funding is allocated to this area of work in 2013/2014. The priority list for this area of work is attached at Appendix ?H. Formatted: Font: Bold Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 54.During 2011/12 £50,500 LTP was spent on parking schemes, with the following work carried out: - i.62 applications for on-street disabled persons parking bays were processed in 2011/12 resulting in 14 new bays being installed. The need for each bay is reviewed annually and this process resulted in 22 bays that were no longer required being removed in order to free-up on-street parking for general use; ii.Consultation was carried out with residents in the Park Town area to determine which streets were experiencing parking problems. A scheme has been designed for the streets where residents stated there were problems and a second stage consultation took place in February/March 2012 with a view to any agreed scheme being introduced in 2012/13. iii.Consultation was carried out with residents in the Hospital area to determine which streets were experiencing parking problems. A scheme has been designed for the streets where residents stated there were problems and a second stage consultation took place in February/March 2012 with a view to any agreed scheme being introduced in 2012/13. iv.Parking problems at 15 junctions were investigated and subsequently waiting restrictions have been or are due to be introduced at 11 of these junctions by March 2012. v.A scheme to introduce waiting restrictions along Dallow Road in response to concerns by Arriva, the local bus company. The scheme has been publicly advertised, objections considered and overruled, and restrictions will be marked out as soon as the weather allows.
55.It is recommended that £75,000 of LTP funding is allocated to this area of work in 2013/2014. The priority list for this area of work is attached at Appendix I.
LTP Modelling and Monitoring Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, 62. During 2012/13 £48,000 of LTP funding was spent on this area of work. Travel monitoring Hanging: 1.07 cm, Space After: 0 pt, Numbered + Level: 2 + Numbering is vital to the production of LTP3 progress reports, other strategic documents and Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 + strategies and to support bids for external funding. It is equally important that schemes Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0 cm + that are being introduced are monitored to ensure that they are achieving the desired Tab after: 0.63 cm + Indent at: 0.63 outcomes. In this context, the monitoring of travel in the Luton-Dunstable corridor and cm, Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm around Luton town centre forms a key element of monitoring the impact of major schemes such as the Luton Dunstable Busway and the Town Centre Transport Scheme.
18 63. The annual monitoring regime includes routine monitoring of traffic across various cordons; bus punctuality, rail passenger and congestion monitoring surveys, and Formatted: Not Highlight maintenance of equipment. During 2012/13 the number of continuous all-year traffic monitoring sites was increased from 11 to 12 and the number of active Cycle monitoring sites increased from 2 to 4. Formatted: Font: Not Bold, Not 64. It is recommended that £49,000 is allocated to this area of work in 2013/14. This Highlight reduction in the monitoring and modelling budget has been achieved principally as a Formatted: Not Highlight result of bringing further elements of the monitoring regime in-house. Formatted: Highlight 56.During 2011/12 £43,000 of LTP funding was spent on this area of work. Travel monitoring is Formatted: Bullets and Numbering vital to the production of LTP3 progress reports, other strategic documents and strategies and to support bids for external funding. It is equally important that schemes that are being introduced are monitored to ensure that they are achieving the desired outcomes. In this context, the monitoring of travel in the Luton-Dunstable corridor and around Luton town centre forms a key element of monitoring the impact of major schemes such as the Luton Dunstable Busway and the Town Centre Transport scheme.
57.The annual monitoring regime includes routine monitoring of traffic across various cordons and screenlines; rail passenger and congestion monitoring surveys; modelling work; and maintenance of equipment. During 2011/12 eleven continuous all-year traffic monitoring sites were introduced onto the main road network.
58.It is recommended that £49,000 is allocated to this area of work in 2012/13. This reduction in the monitoring and modelling budget has been achieved principally as a result of bringing some elements of the monitoring regime in-house.
Bridge Maintenance Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 59.65. In 2012/13 £54,000 of LTP funding was spent on this area of work. Bridges provide a vital role in the economy and serving the community. It is therefore essential that the bridge stock is maintained in safe and good condition, but in the most cost effective manner. Gross Replacement Value of bridges and other structures in Luton is c. £77m.
60.66. Regular bridge inspection and maintenance was carried out during 2012/13 and specialist bridge management software is used to enable efficient asset management of highway structures, including prioritisation of inspection and maintenance programmes. However, there remains a backlog of bridge deck waterproofing and parapet works that cannot currently be funded, every effort is being made to co-ordinate these works with the carriageway Maintenance carriageway resurfacing programme in order to reduce costs.
61.67. Hatters Way footbridge was built in 1987 and the mastic asphalt surface had deteriorated quite badly. The surfacing and the waterproofing layers were both removed and replaced during October/November 2012 at a cost of £46,000.
62.68. The bridge in Midhurst Gardens was assessed by Bedfordshire County Council in the 1997 as being „weak‟ and a Traffic Regulation Order limiting the weight of vehicles crossing to 17 tonnes was introduced to prevent further damage. As Midhurst Gardens is a short residential cul-de-sac priority was given to rebuilding the other „weak‟ bridges at Osborne Road and Montague Avenue before reconsidering the condition of the Midhurst Gardens bridge.
63.69. Previous bridge strength codes of practice were rather conservative and the latest codes are less onerous. The strength and condition of the Midhurst Gardens bridge was completely reassessed in 2012/13 using the latest codes and it was found to be suitable for the weight limit to be removed. There are now no bridges in Luton subject to a weight limit.
19 64.70. In 2013/14 it is recommended that a total of £50,000 of Highway Capital Maintenance funding should be allocated for the replacement of the expansion joints on Chapel and Park Viaducts.
Footway Replacement Programme Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, 65.71. Highway Services completed five eight footway reconstruction schemes in 201231/143 Hanging: 1.06 cm, Space After: 0 pt, on the following roads: - Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 65. Brompton Close 65. Eldon Road 65. Kent Road 65. Warren Road 65. Harefield Road 65. Saywell Road 65. Collingdon Street Formatted: Highlight Wellington Street (Stuart Street toDunstable Road to Adelaide Street)
65.72. 2. The footway reconstruction programme is drawn-up using historical assessment data provided from condition surveys plus referrals from area Highway Inspectors. Each footway is then assessed by a Highway Engineer, examining the level and percentage of trips, the condition of the kerbs and the number of rocking slabs.
66.Condition is the primary determinant when assessing candidates for reconstruction. However there are also a number of other variables that are taken into consideration when deciding, these include the level of footway overrun from vehicles, the volume of pedestrian usage, the number of vulnerable pedestrians using the footways and the locality of schools, doctor‟s surgery, or other facilities likely to be used by pedestrians.
67.73. Each scheme has an associated report documenting the condition of the footway detailing the reasoning for reconstruction and the method of treatment.
68.74. In 20132/143 it is anticipated that a revenue contribution of approximately £340,000 can again be made available for these works. However, if the proposed Council revenue funding reductions are approved by Executive then this will be the final year of this programme of work.The Footway Reconstruction Five-Year Programme is attached as Appendix ?.
Street Lighting Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 69.Street Lighting is an integral part of the highway infrastructure with a Gross Replacement Value in excess of £23.6m. In common with the majority of Highway Authorities throughout the country, Luton Borough Council‟s street lighting stock has suffered from historic under funding. There are currently in excess of 6,600 columns within the borough that are past their intended life span.
75. The Table below shows the current age profile of Luton‟s highways lighting column stock and a comparison with the age profile shown in the 2012 report. The marked change in the past year is due to rationalisation following extensive site visits related to the roll-out of the CMS system which identified a number of wrongly dated columns. In addition, some 800 columns listed as 10 years old last year have now moved into the 11 to 20 Formatted: Font: Bold years bracket. There are currently in excess of 5,400 highway lighting columns within Formatted Table Luton approaching or past their intended life span. Formatted: Font: Bold Age 2012/13 2013/14 2012/13 2013/14 Formatted: Font: Bold Range (Number of (Number (%) (%) Formatted: Font: Bold Formatted: Font: Bold
20 (years) columns) of Formatted: Font: Bold co lu m ns ) Formatted: Font: Bold 0 to 10 5994 5276 32.8 29 11 to 20 5606 7550 30.7 41.5 21 to 25 1756 1235 9.6 6.8 26 to 30 1568 844 8.7 4.6 30+ 3322 3312 18.2 18.1 Totals 18246 18217 100% 100% Formatted: Font: Bold Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 69.
69.76. Given that a new column (present contract specification) has a design life of 30 years and given that Luton Borough Council has a stock of over 18,000 columns then the yearly budget to maintain a steady state should be in the region of £850,000 to £900,000 (this analysis excludes any columns on land designated as Housing Land). Whilst funding remains below this level the backlog of columns beyond their design life will continue to increase. It should be noted the design life of columns installed in the 60‟s and 70‟s and 80‟s was between 20 and 25 years.
69.It should also be noted that even funding of the level required to maintain a balanced design life profile would not address the problem of the backlog, but it is officers‟ belief that this could be dealt with using a risk managed strategy based on continual assessment of the older stock. Accordingly,
70.77. iIn January 2008 the lighting team began to carry out structural analysis of the column stock. The methodology adopted was to test the columns that would pose the greatest risk should a catastrophic failure occur i.e. 8 to 12 metre columns on main roads. In 2012/13 a total of 1,428 columns were tested, of these 1,174 (81.6%) passed with a green status and were given a six year guarantee of structural safety, 198 (13.8%) were given an amber status and a three year guarantee and 66 (4.6%) rated as red „complete failures‟ were immediately removed and replaced. The 66 removed and replaced were in addition to the annual programme of lighting column replacements.
71.Of the 8,868 columns and sign posts tested to date, 368 were identified as needing renewal Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, within 6 months of which 120 were identified as so urgent that they were advised to be Hanging: 1.06 cm, Space After: 6 pt, removed the same day as they were tested. Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm
71.In 2012/13 £325,000 of LBC funding was spent on replacing street lighting columns; a total of 156 columns were removed and 154 new columns installed as follows: -
78. 71. Churchill Road 71. Dunstable Road (Birch Link to Oakley Road) 71. Grampian Way 71. Laxton Close 71. Linley Dell 71. Nayland Close 71. Stockingstone Road 71. Penda Close footpath
21 Formatted: Space After: 0 pt, Tab 71.79. In addition, 10 new LED lighting columns were installed on the public footpath linking stops: Not at 0.63 cm Stoneygate Road with the new Challney Girls High School in Addington Way.
71. Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, 72.The level of funding in the Capital Programme for 2013/14 is £650,000; this allows for the Hanging: 1.06 cm, Space After: 0 pt, replacement of over 300 columns (this is inclusive of connection charges). Given that a Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm new column (present contract specification) has a design life of 30 years and given that Luton Borough Council has a stock of over 18,000 columns then the yearly budget to maintain a steady state should be in the region of £850,000 to £900,000 (this analysis excludes any columns on land designated as Housing Land). Whilst funding remains below this level the backlog of columns beyond their design life will continue to increase. It should be noted the design life of columns installed in the 60‟s and 70‟s and 80‟s was between 20 and 25 years. Formatted: Font: Bold 73.It should also be noted that even funding of the level required to maintain a balanced design life profile would not address the problem of the backlog, but it is officers‟ belief that this Formatted: Font: Bold could be dealt with using a risk managed strategy based on continual assessment of the older stock.
74.The table below shows the current age profile of Luton‟s highways lighting column stock. (Housing columns are not included) rpass 0 to 10 11 to 20 21 to 25 26-30 30+ Totals Age Overdue for Overdue for Overdue for ran replace replacem replace ge ment ent ment (yea - Potentially rs) Structu rally unsou nd Number of 5,994 5,606 1,756 1,568 3,322 18,246 Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, colu Hanging: 1.06 cm, Right: -0.17 cm mns % 32.8% 30.7% 9.6% 8.7% 18.2% 100.00% Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, Hanging: 1.06 cm, Right: -0.17 cm
Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, 75.For 2013/14 the level of funding in the Capital Programme for street lighting column Hanging: 1.06 cm, Space After: 0 pt, replacement has been doubled to £6250,000; this allows for the replacement of over 300 Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm columns (this is inclusive of connection charges, traffic management and limited hours Formatted: Bullets and Numbering working costs on traffic sensitive roads). A costed three-year programme of Street Lighting Replacement work is attached at Appendix I?The street lighting programme Formatted: Font: Bold of work is prioritised according to condition and reflects current capital and Formatted: Font: Bold revenue budgets. Those lighting columns overdue for replacement will be re-tested in 2013/14 in order to assess their remaining life. Therefore, it is only possible to include a meaningful work programme for 2012/13 which is shown in the table below.
80. Once the testing process has been completed it will be possible to revert to a costed five-year Street Lighting Replacement Programme of work for subsequent years.
22 Formatted: Font: Bold, Underline 76.. Formatted: Normal, Space After: 0 pt Traffic Management Act Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 77.81. Under the Traffic Management Act 2004 Local Highway Authorities are required to manage their road network to secure the expeditious movement of all traffic and to facilitate the same on the network of others. The Network Management & Congestion Strategy 2008-2012 was produced to comply with this duty and this element of the capital programme is used to deliver the associated action plan..
82. During 20121/132 £35,00040,000 of LBC capital was spent on this area of work. This Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, involved the complete removal of the remaining traffic signal equipment at the Dunstable Hanging: 1.06 cm, Space After: 0 pt, Road/Chaul End Lane junction along with kerb realignments, new signing and road Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm markings to return the junction to a fully functioning roundabout.
78.83. There will be no LBC capital allocation for this area of work in 2013/14.. Extensive traffic surveys were carried out in the vicinity of the Dunstable Road/Chaul End Lane roundabout along with an experimental shut down of the traffic signal control. Initially, this covered Tuesday 21st to Thursday 23rd June at peak times and this was made full-time from the beginning of November and the roundabout has been operating well. The only negative comments received have been from pedestrians. This element of the capital programme is required for delivery of the action plan associated with this strategy, accordingly in 2012/13 it is proposed to allocate £35,000 for the following: - i.Removal of the traffic signals from the Dunstable Road/ Chaul End Lane roundabout and return to full-roundabout operation. Investigation into pedestrian facilities requirements in the area. ii.Investigate traffic improvements at the Three Horseshoes Roundabout (Priority 1 junction from Network Management & Congestion Strategy 2008-2012) Formatted: Space After: 0 pt Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) Formatted: Right 0 ch, Space After: 79.Luton Borough Council‟s successful LSTF bid was based upon implementing two key 0 pt, Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm principles to encourage more sustainable travel in and around Luton; firstly through Formatted: Bullets and Numbering improvement of the local walking /cycling and public transport networks and secondly the intensive application of Smarter Choices programme in workplaces, schools and directly to households.that includes incentives to encourage greater use of sustainable modes.
80.The improvements to the walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure are covered by LSTF Capital funding referred to earlier in this Appendix. The Smarter Choices programme is being delivered principally through LSTF Revenue Funding. Implementation of projects within the 1st year of funding in 2011/12 has primarily focused on supporting existing programmes of work which had lost funding due to reduction in central government funding, such as sustainable travel to schools (see Paras 80 to 84 below). Other areas of work funded have included; Formatted: Right 0 ch, Space Before: i.Liftsharing – Continuing to promote Luton and Central Beds lift share web site. Working 12 pt, Tab stops: Not at 1.65 cm with employers to ensure that lift sharing is further supported by preferential parking on site, where possible.
ii.Public Transport Improvements - We are currently in the process of delivering major public transport service and infrastructure improvements in Luton through the Luton Dunstable Busway major scheme, which will, along with related initiatives, significantly enhance the Luton public transport network.
iii.Night time Economy Survey - Survey to find out who, how and where people travel from/to Luton Town Centre.
23 iv.Independent travel for special needs- Sustainable travel training for Luton schools, based around building confidence (for parents & students) in route familiarity, sustainable travel options and communication skills.
v.Eco – driving training for LBC and commercial bus drivers - Fuel savings of between 10 and 15% if eco-driving techniques are adopted. Project will be extended (with appropriate funding) to the cover LBC staff, Private Hire/Hackney carriage drivers and distribution and warehousing companies in Luton.
vi.Safer walking routes- Safety improvements to „The Moor Path‟, including improved signage and additional CCTV.
vii.Mobile camera parking enforcement - Mobile enforcement camera Formatted: Space Before: 12 pt at schools to prevent illegal parking near to school gates.
To keep bus lanes and cycle lanes free of cars.
To keep traffic flowing in difficult to enforce areas. Formatted: Right 0 ch, Space Before: viii.Bus Shelter / RTPI- Upgrading bus shelters to facilitate the expansion of the RTPI 12 pt, Tab stops: Not at 1.65 cm network including REACT 3 facilities to benefit the visually impaired and generally increase bus patronage.
ix.Seating Improvements in the Town Centre- Improvements to Street furniture in George Street to encourage walking and cycling. Formatted: Right 0 ch, Space After: 81.For the following years 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15, the delivery of a Smarter Choices 0 pt, Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm programme will be a key focus, to encourage a modal shift away from single occupancy car use and towards sustainable transport choices . Personalised Journey Planning Services on offer to both households and business within Luton. Other funded areas of work will be, but not exclusively, include; Formatted: Right 0 ch, Space Before: i.Workplace Travel Plans – Creating a modal shift in travel to work by promoting the use 12 pt, Tab stops: Not at 1.65 cm of bus services, walking and cycling between people‟s homes, the town centre and other key employment areas.
ii.Branding, Marketing and Promotion - Providing families and individual residents with information about sustainable travel, together with a range of Incentives to use or try alternatives to the car.
iii.Personalised Journey Planning – Providing the tailor-made information and support to individuals so they can choose to walk, cycle and use public transport more often.
iv.Station Travel Plans to bring together all the stakeholders with an interest in the rail stations within Luton (rail industry, LBC, passenger groups, bus and taxi operators, cyclists and others) to develop and agree common objectives and a coordinated approach to delivering them. Formatted: No underline TravelLuton Campaign Formatted: Space After: 0 pt 84. The focus of TravelLuton is to encourage a modal shift away from single occupancy car Formatted: Left, Indent: Left: 0 cm, use and more toward the use of sustainable transport choices, such as the use of public Hanging: 1.06 cm, Space Before: 6 pt, After: 6 pt, Numbered + Level: 2 + transport or simply encouraging people to walk or cycle more. Building upon the success Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: of the campaign to date, the focus for year two has been to build upon those programmes 1 + Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0 cm of work which have had the most positive change in terms of changing travel behaviour, + Tab after: 0.63 cm + Indent at: these have included: - 0.63 cm, Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm
i. Branding - A new sustainable travel brand was created (TravelLuton) which Formatted: Left incorporates a defined logo, colour and type face for individual forms of travel
24 covering walking, cycling, bus, train, car and air travel. Images used depict local places and „Luton‟ people everyone can relate too; Formatted: Left, Indent: Hanging: ii. Travel Awareness Campaign – Used Luton Line (4 page wrap and 6 months 1 0.59 cm, Space Before: 6 pt page add/editorial), workplace marketing illustration and campaign created, iOntravel software guidance developed, used radio sponsorship and campaign with Heart and Gold FM, Diverse FM (including outside broadcasts), Billboard design, production and campaign, 23 streetlamp banners produced, Mobility Week event advert x 2, Xmas shopping ad with L&D@Large, Smarter Driving campaign 4 x newspaper ads, ad in Chamber of Commerce magazine, News New Year‟s Resolutions advert x 3, The Mall Screen for 13 weeks plus production, Commuter challenge 2 x newspaper adverts, Mall stand 1 week w/c 07.01.13; iii. Walking & Cycling Maps - Existing bus and cycle maps have been redesigned and reprinted, incorporating improved frequency and stop information, easier route planning and clearer contact information and branding linked to Travel Luton via the use of QR codes. The number of Bus maps produced 10,000 and the number of Cycle maps produced 5,000; iv. Public Transport Information - TravelLuton.co.uk has been developed which is a Luton-specific web based travel portal, combining real time transport information with online journey planning, live traffic and travel maps, Facebook and Twitter integration. The number of web site visits from site launch (1 July 2012) is 5,003 unique visits; v. Liftshare - Site has been redesigned to reflect the TravelLuton brand and has been Formatted: Font: Italic relaunched. Site currently has 700 public registered users and 60 private; Formatted: Normal, Left, Indent: vi. Workplace Engagement – Used Lutonline, L&D Express, Luton on Sunday, leaflet Hanging: 0.59 cm, Right 0 ch, Space drops, sponsorship of events, Chamber of Commerce and FSB communications, e- Before: 6 pt, After: 0 pt shots and 1-2-1 visits to build awareness of TravelLuton with local employers. Electric vehicle charging points have been installed at two sites at the University of Bedfordshire and supporting works completed to launch 6 additional points around the town, co-funded cycle parking at major employers such as Whitbread, L& D Hospital and London Luton Airport, taken over 100 Luton based employees through Smarter Driving training, created site specific sustainable transport maps for L&D Hospital, London Luton Airport and Vauxhall and created easy to follow guidance and templates to help businesses through the travel planning process; Formatted: Left, Indent: Hanging: vii. Employer Based Personal Journey Planning - A total of 98 business engagements 0.59 cm, Space Before: 6 pt have been delivered, 571 employees spoken to directly, 33 community and Formatted: Font: Not Italic workplace events attended where 1891 households were engaged; viii. Household Based Personal Journey Planning - The Travel Luton team have actively engaged with households through residential engagements (door-knocking) in Sundon Park, Bramingham, Icknield (East) and Barnfield Wards. A range of bespoke resources have been created to incentivise the journey planning process; these include bus taster tickets, branded TravelLuton incentives such as pedometers, cycle locks and lights and rewards such as monthly gym passes for Active Luton leisure centres. The total number of households 'targeted' 9,930 (all pathways – residential, community and workplace), the total number of participants „engaged‟ 3,960, the number of incentives given out 6,636, number of challenges issued 6,182, number of resources (paper) given out 20,814 and total number of travel club members 2,103; ix. Station Travel Plans - Site and access audits have been undertaken to identify sustainable travel routes to Luton stations (Luton Station audit taking place once Busway works completed). Site specific sustainable transport maps for all stations are being produced. Bus, cycle and walking route signage is being improved to and Formatted: Body Text Indent 3, Left, Indent: Left: 0 cm, Hanging: 1.06 cm, from the stations in partnership with Sustrans; Right -0.97 ch, Space Before: 12 pt, After: 12 pt, Numbered + Level: 2 + 85. For the remaining years of the funding (2013/14 and 2014/15) the delivery of the Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 + Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0 cm TravelLuton will move away from solely promoting the brand but will rather target those + Tab after: 0.63 cm + Indent at: groups such the young urban professional or older more affluent couples who research 0.63 cm, Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm
25 has indicated are more likely to change their travel behaviour, if engaged appropriately. Other funded areas of work will be, but not exclusively, include: -
i. Focusing the personalised and workplace journey planning along the Busway route to provide tailor-made information and incentives to encourage people to use the services; ii. Engaging with SME‟s in workplace travel planning, focusing on their needs rather than simply promoting that TravelLuton also inking business together to form wider travel planning groups; iii. Targeting the branding, marketing and promotion to specific groups who are more likely to change their travel behaviours; iv. Producing station travel plans to bring together all the stakeholders with an interest in the rail stations within Luton to develop and agree common objectives and a coordinated approach to delivering them; v. Developing a bespoke „Travel Hub‟ facility at the new Luton station interchange. Providing facilities such as ticket kiosks, personalised travel planning service, toilets and a rest-room for bus drivers, possible retail opportunities and cycle hub provision; vi. Wheels to Work (W2W) scheme provide an innovative way to overcome transport barriers for young people in securing employment and or education/training for a short period, until a longer term solution can be found, by offering personal advice on travel planning and the loan of mopeds/scooters; vii. In order to enhance utilisation of the existing on-street electric charging bays, LBC are entering into 6 month pilot project with E-Car, who will be basing two electric pay-per-use cars in Luton which will be available for use for town centre based businesses (including LBC). Formatted: Left, Space Before: 6 pt, No bullets or numbering 82.The LSTF has enabled us to continue promoting Sustainable Travel to Schools. Formatted: Normal, Indent: Left: 1 Since the start of the project in July 2011 £160,000 has been spent on promotional cm, Hanging: 0.65 cm, Right 0 ch, Space Before: 6 pt, After: 0 pt, activities including extending the LBC School Travel Plan officers contract to 31 Numbered + Level: 1 + Numbering March 2015, employing a full time Sustrans Bike It officer, Bike maintenance Style: i, ii, iii, … + Start at: 1 + contact with Sustrans and other promotional activity. Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0.63 cm + Tab after: 1.65 cm + Indent at: 83.The cycle training team has been re-branded and we have purchased a fleet of 100 1.65 cm cycles and two tricycles for cycle training. The fleet are maintained and transported Formatted: Bullets and Numbering through a contract with Sustrans. Bikeability cycle assemblies and Dr Bikes are Formatted: Font: Not Bold offered before every Bikeability training course which engenders enthusiasm for the training and ensures the courses are full. This has ensured that we deliver the DfT Cycle Training grant allocation in full. 84.The Sustrans Bike It Officer is working intensively with 10 schools and keeps a watching brief on the 5 original Bike It schools. Performance in Education delivered „Travel and Me‟ play and workshops to 20 primary/junior schools in March. Other promotional activities have included Scooter training, pilot for Balance Bike training (Balance Buddies), Walk to school month in October, Cycle Santa, Walking and Cycling promotion in March. 85.In-line with the LSTF, during 2012/13 it is proposed to spend £197,500 of LSTF funding on promoting Sustainable Travel to Schools, it is proposed to allocate the budget as follows. LSTF – Sustainable Travel to Schools Estimated cost
School Travel Plan Advisor and assistant £50k
Sustrans Bike It officer £60k
26 Bikes for Schools project £37k
Scooter Training/ Balance Bike Training (Balance Buddies) £3k
Promotional Activities designed to encourage walking £20k
Promotional Activities designed to encourage cycling £20k
Promotional Activities designed to encourage other forms of £4.5k sustainable travel
Sustainable Travel to Schools Awards £3k
Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 86.For 2012/13 we have been successful in our bid for £80,000 from the Department for Transport Bikeability Cycle Training grant fund for Level 1/2 and 3 Bikeability cycle training. We have also been provisionally granted a further £80,000 for Bikeability in both 2013/14 and 2014/15 but this may be dependent on results achieved.
MAJOR TRANSPORT SCHEMES Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, Funding Major Transport Schemes Hanging: 1.27 cm, Tab stops: Not at 1.65 cm 86. Local transport schemes costing more than £5m are mainly funded through the Formatted: Font color: Auto Department for Transport‟s (DfT) “Development Pool”, although there are other funding opportunities for rail schemes. Members should note that from 2015/16 capital funding will be devolved to Local Transport Boards (LTB); a report to Executive on 4th February 2013 provides further details of these arrangements. Formatted: Font color: Auto
87. The draft Assurance Framework appended to that Executive report has been updated to reflect subsequent amendments as a result of the DfT‟s comments and, in line with the third recommendation and resolution of that report, those changes were presented to and agreed by Environment and Regeneration Portfolio Holders at their meeting on 27th February 2013. Members should note that the key role of the LTB is to make decisions on the prioritisation and capital funding of major transport schemes (defined as any scheme costing more than £2.5m) from 2015/16 onwards. Formatted: Font color: Auto
88. Notwithstanding this, as a scheme Promoter each individual authority within the LTB:
i. would still be responsible for promoting its own major transport schemes through Formatted: Normal, Indent: Hanging: their own Executive and Scrutiny arrangements; 0.65 cm, Space Before: 0 pt, Numbered + Level: 1 + Numbering ii. as part of the Assurance Framework, any Business Cases for shortlisted schemes Style: i, ii, iii, … + Start at: 1 + Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0.63 cm must be submitted to the LTB for review prior to taking a decision on that scheme; + Tab after: 1.65 cm + Indent at: iii. would be required to fund a review of the Business Case for major transport 1.65 cm schemes funded in part by the LTB, which would be carried out by a consultant that Formatted: Normal, Indent: Hanging: has not undertaken any work on that scheme; and 0.65 cm, Space Before: 6 pt, Numbered + Level: 1 + Numbering iv. could still formally respond to any concerns about schemes being promoted by Style: i, ii, iii, … + Start at: 1 + Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0.63 cm neighbouring Highway Authorities. + Tab after: 1.65 cm + Indent at: 1.65 cm
Luton Railway Station and surrounding area
89. During the last three years a substantial amount of work has been carried out at and around Luton Railway Station, including the opening of the new station multi-storey car park and replacement footbridge to High Town/Midland Road, completion of the first stage of the ground level route between the Station and Bute Street and the Thameslink work to lengthen the platforms.
27 90. Following publication of Compulsory Purchase Orders to open up the entrance by Station House, a CPO originally programmed for March 2012 was deferred until October. The Secretary of State‟s decision was received in January and the improvements at the Midland Road entrance to the station are now substantially completed.
91. It is hoped that a new Station Square can be constructed in front of the station entrance once the construction of the bus interchange and the bus only road in front of the station is completed. This work would need to be funded by Network Rail and the train operating company. A design for the new entrance was previously agreed. Funding was initially approved for the project but was subsequently withdrawn. Some funding is still available for a new internal station footbridge and lifts to make the station DDA compliant, and these proposals will also require changes to the station building. Network Rail is progressing discussions on funding with the Department for Transport. Council officer continue to lobby for the full station improvements initially proposed.
92. Proposals are being developed for a travel centre adjacent to the interchange which will include an information centre, travel planning centre, café and toilets. Plans for this are being funded through Luton‟s LSTF allocation.
Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, Hanging: 1.27 cm
28 Luton Dunstable Busway
93. The contract for design and construction of this dedicated Busway between Houghton Regis, Dunstable and Luton town centre and onto Luton Airport was awarded in May 2010. Access points along the Busway will maximise the opportunities for buses to serve the three town centres from nearby residential areas and ensure that busway services are able to serve other important employment, shopping and education sites. The scheme is also capable of being extended to serve the growth area to the north of the conurbation.
94. In addition to a high quality segregated route, the scheme incorporates improved passenger facilities and features including on-bus smartcard ticketing and around 200 enhanced stops on the local road network to include real-time passenger information, level boarding and, where appropriate, improved shelters. As such, the scheme will facilitate a step-change in the quality of public transport provision, contributing to an increase in public transport patronage and helping stem the traffic growth in the A505 corridor and around the town centres. It will also make a major contribution to the modal shift targets included in the Airport‟s Surface Access Strategy.
95. Following the opening of the Kiss and Ride facility, taxi rank and disabled parking in late August, the final phase of the works to provide a new bus-only road past the station (including the junctions at each end) was completed in late November. The CCTV and real time passenger information displays at the interchange have been installed and connected back to the CCTV room in the Town Hall. It is expected that the new interchange and the bus-only road between Church Street and New Bedford Road will be operational soon.
96. Work on the bridges and a junction is almost complete. The main delays are a result of the bad weather on pad and beam laying (including the in-situ guideway casting across the bridges). The pad laying in particular has suffered as a result of the poor weather, as the pads are laid on a wet concrete blinding. Construction work is expected to be largely completed in late April 2013, followed by a three month commissioning period. It is expected that bus services will start operating in the summer.
Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme (LTCTS)
97. This £24 million scheme involves completion of the ring road around the northeast side of the town centre, together with traffic management measures on the north side of the town centre. The scheme initially also included a new transport interchange outside the rail station; this is now being delivered as part of the construction of the Luton Dunstable Busway and is being funded by Growth Area Funding (GAF).
98. The scheme will be progressed in accordance with the wider Luton Town Centre Development Framework and facilitates development of the Station Quarter, Power Court and High Town East. Removal of extraneous traffic from Luton town centre will provide significant benefits to pedestrians and public transport users, as well as to service vehicles that need to access the town. Significant land parcels are in the process of being acquired from Network Rail, with advanced accommodation works already complete, including space provided for the road under the new station multi-storey car park.
99. In December 2011 the Department for Transport provisionally approved £15.85 million of funding, subject to completion of the Statutory Procedures and DfT approval of the final Business Case. A Public Inquiry to consider the CPO‟s was held in January/February 2012 and the Secretary of State‟s decision was received on 10 April 2012.
100. In July 2012, the procurement process commenced to appoint the construction contractor, and the outcome of this process was reported to Executive on 21st January. In particular Members should note that the scheme will be constructed using a NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract Option B: Priced Contract with Bill of Quantities, which is very different to the Form of Contract used for the Luton Dunstable Busway. The Business Case to secure DfT full approval was submitted on 23rd January, and approval
29 is anticipated imminently. It is hoped that the construction contract will be signed in April 2013 with the new road opening Summer 2014. The public realm works in the town centre will then follow.
Northern Entrance to Luton Airport Parkway Station
101. Luton Airport Parkway station opened in 1999, and currently has one vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access to the south-west side off Gipsy Lane. The planned Napier Park and Stirling Place development sites lie immediately to the north-east of the station. Use of the station, which is related to increased passengers at Luton Airport, has grown from 1.9 million passengers per year (mppa) in 2004/05 to approx 2.5 mppa in 2011. The percentage of passengers using rail to get to and from the airport has increased from 16% to 22% over this period. Consequently there is peak period crowding at the existing single entrance.
102. The creation of a new northern entrance to Luton Airport Parkway station will improve access for airport passengers undertaking part of their journey by rail, and will be of particular benefit to passengers using the London-bound (up-slow) line by reducing peak period crowding via the existing single entrance. In addition residents, employees and visitors to the Napier Park/Stirling Place mixed use development will benefit from the new station entrance. The two station entrances will eventually be connected by a new dedicated one-way bus route.
103. Construction of the new station entrance is now complete following some delays as a Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm, result of a change to the developers of the Stirling Place site and due to the approval Hanging: 1.06 cm, Keep lines together, processes by Network Rail and the train operator. It is hoped that the new (initially un- Tab stops: Not at 0.63 cm staffed) station entrance will be opened in April 2013.
M1 Junction 10a Improvement
104. In January 2009 the Council secured funding and appointed consultants to undertake engineering and environmental design to improve the existing M1 Junction 10a roundabout, which experiences significant queues and delays particularly at peak travel times. A high proportion of the existing employment sites in the south and east of Luton are accessed off Junction 10a including Vauxhall, Capability Green Business Park, London Luton Airport and the surrounding campus, and Butterfield. The Junction 10a improvements are also necessary to provide capacity for increased demand arising from development in this part of the town (including growth of the airport). In the last 4-5 years, the Highways Agency has submitted holding directions to various planning applications for key employment and mixed use development sites that will eventually provide around 17,000 new jobs in this area.
105. Following public consultation in Summer 2009 on a number of options, the Council engaged with key stakeholders in order to develop a preferred design solution. A public information exhibition on the preferred grade-separated junction solution was held in September 2010. Following pre-submission consultation in Autumn 2011, the Development Consent Order (DCO) was submitted to the Infrastructure Directorate of the Planning Inspectorate in June 2012, and accepted by them the following month. The DCO hearing process commenced with the pre-hearing meeting in mid-November and will be completed in mid May, after which the Inspector will complete his report which will be submitted to the Secretary of State (SoS).
106. A bid for a £19.5m funding contribution for this scheme from the Government‟s Regional Growth Fund was submitted in July 2011, and confirmed as being successful that October subject to completion of Due Diligence procedures. An independent Due Diligence check was carried out by Grant Thornton between April and July 2012, and their report noted that the total cost of the scheme (including scheme development, construction and supervision costs and land / compensation payments), was nearly £30m.
30 107. The report also noted that the Council has applied for a further £7m of funding from the Highways Agency‟s (HA) Pinchpoint fund. The DfT announcement about this fund on 8th October 2012 did not include a contribution to the M1 Junction 10a improvements. As a result of an extensive lobbying campaign in October/November in order to seek a review of the DfT decision not to include a HA contribution to the M1 Junction 10a scheme, on 8th December BIS confirmed a further £5.3m contribution from the Regional Growth Fund, bringing the total Government contribution to implement the scheme of £24.8m.
108. In August 2012 an OJEU contract notice was published seeking Expressions of Interest for the construction of the scheme. Following return of the Pre Qualification Questionnaires a shortlist of contractors to be invited to Tender has been agreed by the Project Board. Members should note that the Form of Contract being used is the same as that for the Town Centre Transport Scheme, and the Tenders will be issued once the detailed design has been completed later this Spring.
109. The procurement process is being twin-tracked alongside the ongoing DCO process. Whilst the DCO process is progressing, the SoS Decision is not expected until November. Construction is currently programmed to start in early 2014 and completion in Summer 2015, although earlier receipt of the SoS Decision (particularly given the low number of objections to the scheme) could result in a start on-site before the end of the calendar year.
East West Rail
110. The western section of the East West Rail scheme between Oxford and Bedford was included in the High Level Output Specification (HLOS) for rail improvements to be delivered in the period 2014-19 (referred to as Control Period 5) published by the Department for Transport last July. The scheme was subsequently included in Network Rail‟s Strategic Business Plan for Control Period 5, published in January 2013.
111. In February 2011 the Council undertook some initial work on options for linking Luton and its airport by rail to the western half of the South East Midlands LEP area. Following that, in June 2012 the Council commissioned Tony Gee and Partners to undertake further work on these options, including a review of capacity of the Midland Main Line (MML) between Bedford and Luton to accommodate rail services. This initial work concluded that options for a rail chord in the vicinity of Stewartby and another at Bletchley, linking the Marston Vale Line respectively to the MML and West Coast Main Line, created opportunities to provide two train services an hour between Luton and Milton Keynes, significantly extending the benefits of the western section of East West Rail scheme between Oxford and Bedford. This initial work indicates good value for money, with a Benefit Cost Ratio of 1.8, over and above the BCR of 6.3 for the western section of East West Rail.
112. The results of this initial work have been presented to and discussed with the South East Midlands LEP, the recently formed East West Rail Joint Delivery Board, and the East West Rail Consortium. At a recent meeting of the Consortium, Network Rail expressed concern about the freight capability at the eastern end of the western section of East West Rail through the St John‟s area of Bedford, as this could be a pinchpoint for freight trains on its proposed electric spine. Two of the Council‟s options for the Stewartby Chord referred to above could facilitate both north and south facing connections to the Midland Main Line, which would address Network Rail‟s concerns. In order to address this issue, the Council has recently commissioned further work on the Stewartby Chord proposals.
113. In the longer term, the provision of the Stewartby Chord can also provide another, probably cheaper, option of extending East West Rail towards Cambridge from the Midland Main Line (known as the Central section). The East West Rail Consortium is working closely with Network Rail to develop a brief for consultants to undertake work on the Central section, which they we hope to commission in the next few months.
31 Other junction improvements Formatted: Underline
114. In mid January the Department for Transport published details of its Local Pinchpoint Fund for 2013/14 and 2014/15. Officers met to discuss what schemes could be submitted that meet the main criteria; that funding should be spent in these years and should cost at least £1.429 million (including a minimum 30% local contribution). Two bids have been submitted to the DfT; improvements to the Windmill Road/Kimpton Road junction, and to the section of Dunstable Road between the traffic signalised junction with Cardiff Road/Inkerman Street and the offset roundabout at its junction with Hatters Way/Telford Way. Given the construction of the Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme is due to start in mid 2013 and be complete by July 2014; both submissions assume a start of works in Summer 2014.
115. The Kimpton Road/Windmill Road junction is currently a mini-roundabout, which is over- capacity at peak times; congestion is expected to worsen as a result of increased traffic following the Napier Park/Stirling Place development on the old Vauxhall motors estate. An assessment of various options undertaken by consultants URS indicated that the preferred solution is to realign the south part of Windmill Road along the disused rail corridor and create a new 4 leg roundabout with the Busway at Kimpton Road. Members should note that the local contribution will be from advance Section 106 money received for the Napier Park development and the developer has agreed to use those funds for this purpose.
116. The section of Dunstable Road proposed for improvement currently comprises three lanes in a northbound direction and two in a southbound direction, except for a short length of localised widening for right turning vehicles on the southbound approach to the traffic signals at its junction with Cardiff Road/Inkerman Street. Traffic frequently queues on the southbound carriageway all day, but there is spare capacity on the northbound carriageway. The proposed scheme moves the central reserve over to create two northbound lanes and three southbound lanes, and re-constructs the Cardiff Road/Inkerman Street junction including replacing the traffic signals which are 30 years old and 15 years beyond their nominal service life. Members should note that a substantial part of the local contribution will be from the Traffic Signals and Maintenance elements of the Integrated Transport and Highway Maintenance Grant for 2014-15, and these elements are provisionally allocated within this report.
Should both or either of these bids be successful, officers will bring a further report on the implementation of these proposals to a subsequent meeting of the Executive.Luton Formatted: Font: Not Bold, No Railway Station and surrounding area underline Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 87.During 2010/11 a substantial amount of work was carried out at and around Luton Railway Station including the opening of the replacement footbridge to High Town/Midland Road in October 2010, the new station multi-storey car park in January 2011 and the ground level route between the Station and Bute Street in March 2011. The Thameslink work to lengthen the platforms also took place in Spring 2011, which will eventually help deliver increased capacity at the station.
88.Further improvements at the Midland Road entrance to the station are planned by opening up the entrance by Station House; these works are subject to a Public Inquiry following the publication of Compulsory Purchase Orders. The Public Inquiry is due to be held in March 2012.
89.A new Station Square is planned in front of the station entrance once the construction of the bus interchange and the bus only road in front of the station is completed. Proposals are being developed for a travel centre adjacent to the interchange which will include an information centre, travel planning centre, café and toilets. Plans for this are being funded through Luton‟s LSTF allocation.
32 90.Funding for a new internal footbridge and lifts to make the station DDA compliant is still available and Network Rail are being chased to progress this important project. We are also working with Network Rail to try to identify funding for a new station building.
Luton Dunstable Busway Formatted: Font: Arial, Not Bold, No underline 91.The contract for design and construction of this dedicated Busway between Houghton Regis, Formatted: Bullets and Numbering Dunstable and Luton town centre and onto Luton Airport was awarded in May 2010. Access points along the Busway will maximise the opportunities for buses to serve the three town centres from nearby residential areas and ensure that busway services are able to serve other important employment, shopping and education sites. The scheme is also capable of being extended to serve the growth area to the north of the conurbation.
92.In addition to a high quality segregated route, the scheme incorporates improved passenger facilities and features at over 200 stops on the local road network such as real-time passenger information, improved shelters, level boarding and off-bus ticketing. As such, the scheme will facilitate a step-change in the quality of public transport provision, contributing to an increase in public transport patronage and helping stem the traffic growth in the A505 corridor and around the town centres. It will also make a major contribution to the modal shift targets included in the Airport‟s Surface Access Strategy.
93.Good progress is being made with the design work now complete and construction of the project well underway. The Busway is due to open in April 2013.
Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme (LTCTS) Formatted: Font: Arial, Not Bold, No underline 94.This scheme involves completion of the ring road around the northeast side of the town Formatted: Bullets and Numbering centre, together with traffic management measures on the north side of the town centre. The scheme initially also included a new transport interchange outside the rail station; this is now being delivered as part of the construction of the Luton Dunstable Busway and is being funded by GAF.
95.The scheme will be progressed in accordance with the wider Luton Town Centre Development Framework and facilitates development of the Station Quarter, Power Court and High Town East. Removal of extraneous traffic from Luton town centre will provide significant benefits to pedestrians and public transport users, as well as to service vehicles that need to access the town. Significant land parcels are in the process of being acquired from Network Rail, with advanced accommodation works already complete, including space provided for the road under the new station multi-storey car park.
96.Planning permission for the road has been granted (and subsequently renewed) and the CPOs/Orders for the road published. A Best and Final bid was submitted to the Department for Transport on 9 September 2011 and £15.85 million of DfT funding was provisionally approved in December 2011. A Public Inquiry to consider the CPO‟s was held in January/February 2012. Detailed design is currently being progressed and it is hoped that construction will commence in Summer 2013 with completion late 2014.
Northern Entrance to Luton Airport Parkway Station Formatted: Font: Arial, Not Bold, No underline 97.Luton Airport Parkway station opened in 1999, and currently has one vehicular, pedestrian Formatted: Bullets and Numbering and cycle access to the south-west side off Gipsy Lane. The planned Napier Park and Stirling Place development sites lie immediately to the north-east of the station. Use of the station, which is related to increased passengers at Luton Airport, has grown from 1.9 million passengers per year (mppa) in 2004/05 to approx 9.5 mppa in 2011. The percentage of passengers using rail to get to and from the airport has increased from 16% to 22% over this period. Consequently there is peak period crowding at the existing single entrance.
33 98.The creation of a new northern entrance to Luton Airport Parkway station will improve access for airport passengers undertaking part of their journey by rail, and will be of particular benefit to passengers using the London-bound (up-slow) line by reducing peak period crowding via the existing single entrance. In addition residents, employees and visitors to the Napier Park/Stirling Place mixed use development will benefit from the new station entrance. The two station entrances will eventually be connected by a new dedicated one-way bus route.
99.Construction of the new station entrance is now substantially complete following some delays as a result of a change to the developers of the Stirling Place site and due to the approval processes by Network Rail and the train operator. It is hoped that the new (initially un-staffed) station entrance will be opened in May 2012.
M1 Junction 10a Improvement Formatted: Font: Arial, Not Bold, No underline 100.In January 2009 the Council secured funding and appointed consultants to undertake Formatted: Bullets and Numbering engineering and environmental design to improve the existing M1 Junction 10a roundabout, which experiences significant queues and delays particularly at peak travel times. A high proportion of the existing employment sites in the south and east of Luton are accessed off Junction 10a including Vauxhall, Capability Green Business Park, London Luton Airport and the surrounding campus, and Butterfield. The Junction 10a improvements are also necessary to provide capacity for increased demand arising from development in this part of the town (including growth of the airport). In the last 4-5 years, the Highways Agency has submitted holding objections to various planning applications for key employment and mixed use development sites that will eventually provide around 17,000 new jobs in this area.
101.Following public consultation in Summer 2009 on a number of options, the Council has engaged with key stakeholders in order to develop a preferred design solution. A public information exhibition on the preferred grade-separated junction solution was held in September 2010.
102.An initial bid for funding for this scheme from the Government‟s Regional Growth Fund was unsuccessful. However, a further bid was submitted and resulted in £19.5 million of government funding being confirmed, subject to completion of Due Diligence procedures.
103.117. Work is now progressing on taking the project through the Infrastructure Planning Commission process in order to obtain the necessary powers to implement the project. The pre-submission consultation was held in October/November 2011. Construction is currently programmed to start in Summer 2013 with completion in late 2014.
34