Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
LOCAL TRANSPORT FUND (LTF) FY 2017-18 CAPITAL SCHEME APPLICATION
Local Authorities shall complete one form per scheme. A scheme may comprise a single project or package of associated projects
Local Authority Conwy County Borough Council Scheme Name Glan Conwy to RSPB Active Travel Route Existing or New LTF Scheme New Date of Scheme Start: 2016/17 Estimated Completion: 2018/19 Scheme Category Active Travel LTF Funding required for 2017-18 £1,260,000 Total funding required to complete scheme £1,482,000 from 2018-19 onwards Project Manager Contact Name Victor Turner Contact Telephone 01492 575402 Contact email [email protected] Name: Andrew Wilkinson
Job Title: Head of Neighbourhood Services Authorised by (e.g. Head of Finance or Transport Services)
Signature:
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
SCHEME DESCRIPTION
Please provide a brief description of the scheme. If your application is for a scheme that will take longer than a financial year to complete, we require a description of the whole scheme and the elements to be delivered in each financial year.
Attach A4 location maps, project(s) drawing(s) and any other supporting information separately.
The proposed scheme is to provide a shared, off-road walking and cycling route to link the communities of Glan Conwy and the Conwy Valley to the coastal towns of Llandudno Junction, Conwy and beyond, providing safe and affordable access to education, employment and key facilities and services via purposely built active and sustainable travel infrastructure.
The scheme links to the existing route from the RSPB to the town of Conwy, the current employment site at Llandudno Junction (which is proposed to be developed further for retail) and to NCR 5 to access towns across the North Wales coast (see attached Location Map).
The scheme would upgrade the existing path around the RSPB site, splitting off from this to the west to provide a separate path to a bridge over the railway to a layby on the A470, from which it would link into a shared use path into Glan Conwy (see phase 1 design drawings in Appendices 1 and 2).
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
Sustainable Development Principle
The Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, places a duty on public bodies to apply the sustainable development principle in everything they do, through the five ways of working. Please describe how you have followed the five ways of working in the development and appraisal of your proposal.
The Five Ways of Working Long Term – please describe how you have considered long The scheme will provide the infrastructure to support and term needs. What are the impacts of your proposal on future promote active travel from Glan Conwy and the Conwy valley to generations? education, employment, facilities and services in Llandudno Junction, Conwy and beyond.
It also provides a vital starting point for linking potential future active travel infrastructure along the A470 strategic corridor through rural villages and towns with the walking and cycling network along the North Wales coast.
Prevention – please describe how you considered options to The busy and congested interchange of the A470 and A55 prevent the problem from getting worse or occurring in the first represents a barrier to active travel by Glan Conwy residents place. and those from further down the Conwy valley, encouraging them to rely on the car for their everyday journeys.
The provision of a dedicated, safe, alternative walking and cycling route that links commuters directly to education, employment, facilities and services in Llandudno Junction, Conwy and beyond will prevent this interchange acting as a barrier to active travel, reduce congestion along the strategic route (in particular the A470/A55 interchange) and reduce the air pollution and risk of accidents associated with this.
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
Integration – please describe how you have considered the The wider impacts of the proposal would be: wider impacts of your proposal. to further develop the integrated active travel network in the County Borough of Conwy, linking coastal and rural communities, which will encourage healthier lifestyles and reduced congestion on strategic road routes; to integrate public and private infrastructure development by providing the publicly funded infrastructure to link with that provided by the proposed privately funded retail development in Llandudno Junction, which will take full advantage of the economic and employment opportunities that this offers; to integrate the “active tourism” offer in the area from the town of Conwy, through Llandudno Junction, the RSPB reserve, Glan Conwy and into the Conwy valley, combining cultural, ecological and adventure based tourism on a discovery tour of the area, thereby enhancing the economic and employment prospects of this area.
Collaboration – please describe who you collaborated with and The scheme has been developed in conjunction with the how, in the development and appraisal your proposal. Council’s Community Development Service (CDS), which is responsible for the following service areas:
Active and Creative Lifestyles Business & Tourism Youth Service Culture & Information Strategic Planning & Communities
The CDS has an extensive collaborative working network with
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
the health, business, tourism, culture and economic development sectors.
The CDS recognises that the scheme delivers benefits in all these areas and, as such, has funded the detailed design of phase 1 of the scheme in 2016/17.
Involvement – please describe who you have involved and Extensive consultation was carried out for this link as part of the how, in the development and appraisal of your proposal Conwy Estuary Strategic Route project in 2005/06, when options were being considered.
Consultation with elected members, as the political representatives of the local communities, has continued throughout the development of the project. The local County Borough Councillor for Glan Conwy, who is also the Council’s Cabinet Member for Tourism, Marketing and Leisure has discussed the potential benefits of the scheme with the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure.
Consultation was carried out with the RSPB as part of the feasibility stage of the scheme, and this has continued during the detailed design phase.
Consultation was carried out with the Welsh Government / NMWTRA as part of the feasibility stage of the scheme, and this has continued during the detailed design phase. The latest consultation with the Welsh Government’s Development Control Team (see Appendix 3) advises that they do not envisage any issues with the proposals in principle.
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
Consultation with Network Rail (see Appendix 4) has been undertaken and this advises that they are content with the overall scheme and would require further detailed input during its implementation.
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
SCHEME BUSINESS CASE
1. STRATEGIC CASE The case for change, fit with policies and objectives.
The Case for Change Glan Conwy is the most northerly village in the Conwy Valley, located across the estuary from the town of Conwy and approximately 2 miles south of Llandudno Junction. It has a population of around 3,000 which is primarily residential.
The A470 Cardiff to Llandudno Trunk road passes through the village, with a major interchange with the A55 trunk road situated 1 mile north of the village.
Walking and cycling access from Glan Conwy to schools, Current Situation and Issues shops, businesses, employment sites and public transport hubs What are the local and wider issues that this scheme will address? Include in Llandudno Junction and Conwy, including access to NCR 5 baseline data where available. What will happen if no action is taken? is currently only available via the A470 trunk road and by navigating the A470/A55 interchange.
If no action is taken, the A470/A55 interchange will continue to represent both a physical and psychological barrier to active travel from Glan Conwy and the Conwy Valley, perpetuating the severance and disconnect that exists between the rural and coastal communities, leading to more use of the car for such journeys and adding to the congestion along this strategic route.
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
The aim of the scheme is to provide a safe, affordable and sustainable active travel route between Glan Conwy, Llandudno Junction linking into NCR 5 and beyond to Conwy, Deganwy and Llandudno.
Scheme outputs The specific outputs for the 2 year scheme will be the What are the specific outputs that the scheme will deliver? (objectives and construction of: outcomes should be set out in the next section) A walking and cycling route Llandudno Junction via the RSPB site and a pedestrian / cycle bridge over the railway to connect to the A470 (Year 1) A walking and cycling route from the bridge into Glan Conwy (Year 2) The scheme was included as one of the priorities for Conwy County Borough Council in the Joint North Wales Local Transport Plan.
The A470/A55 interchange has been proposed by the North Local Transport Plan Wales Economic Ambition Board as a key location for the siting Please indicate where this scheme sits in the Local Transport Plan and any other related policies and plans. of a park and share/ride site to facilitate travel by construction and other personnel for the new Wylfa power station on Anglesey, sourcing existing nuclear power industry workers from the Trawsfynnydd area. Therefore, reducing congestion at this junction will be a key factor in the development of a major strategic project in North Wales.
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
The Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, places a duty on public bodies to seek to achieve the well-being goals and objectives in everything they do. With reference to the Well-Being of Future Generation goals and objectives, outline below how your scheme meets the Local Transport Fund objectives: http://gov.wales/docs/dsjlg/publications/150623-guide-to-the-fg-act-en.pdf
Well-being objective Local Transport Fund Objectives Scheme objectives/outcomes
The scheme provides a safe, affordable and sustainable active travel route linking to the regeneration area of Llandudno Junction, where economic growth through the further development of the retail, leisure and tourism sector is A prosperous Wales progressing and will generate additional employment for local Investment that clearly supports WG economic residents. priorities for jobs and growth, in particular for City Regions, Enterprise Zones, North Wales Economic Llandudno Junction is a retail, service and employment centre Ambition Board, local growth zones and regeneration areas serving a large hinterland. Employment sites include Tre Marl Investment to reduce economic inactivity by Industrial Estate, Tesco, Cineworld, Welsh Government Offices delivering safe and affordable access to and The Point Business Park. employment sites Conwy is a World Heritage Site with a numerous tourism-related businesses plus Conwy County Borough Council offices and
resilient infrastructure resilient infrastructure Ysgol Aberconwy secondary school.
The scheme will be the first reasonable active travel route that A healthier Wales connects Glan Conwy with Conwy and Llandudno Junction Investment that will encourage active and sustainable travel providing an alternative route for walking and cycling that avoids Connect communities through sustainable and through sustainable and Connect communities the busy A470/A55 interchange, which acts as a barrier to active
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
travel. With the development of further retail and leisure facilities and associated employment opportunities at Llandudno Junction as part of its ongoing regeneration, the route would provide the timely introduction of much needed infrastructure for active and sustainable travel.
The link with the RSPB nature reserve and the coastal NCR 5 route through to Conwy, Llandudno Junction and further afield to Deganwy and Llandudno will provide a better quality of life for local residents who are likely to use the route for leisure activities A more equal Wales as well as for accessing education, employment, services and Investment that will improve quality of life particularly facilities. those living in disadvantaged and rural communities by delivering safe and easy to use transport to key facilities and services Whilst being ranked fairly low (1542) in the overall Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation, Glan Conwy was ranked 309 in terms of Access to Services, indicating that this is a key issue for the area.
The scheme will connect Glan Conwy with Conwy and Llandudno Junction and other coastal communities by reducing the active travel distance from Glan Conwy by 1.3km.
A Wales of cohesive communities The A470/A55 junction continues to represent both a physical Investment that will help connect communities and enable access to key services and psychological barrier to active travel from Glan Conwy and the Conwy Valley, perpetuating the disconnect between the rural and coastal communities.
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
2. TRANSPORT CASE
Describe the social and cultural, environmental, and economic impacts of the scheme including a value for money assessment. Please include any other relevant impacts.
The provision of the scheme will have a direct impact on health of up to 3,000 residents of Glan Conwy, encouraging them to walk or cycle to Llandudno Junction and Conwy as opposed to making this journey by car.
It will also provide affordable access (through active travel) from Glan Conwy to education and employment sites and facilities and services in Llandudno Junction and Conwy by Social and Cultural Impacts providing an alternative route to the A470/A55 interchange Summary of the social and cultural impacts of the scheme, who is affected, which acts as a barrier and severs connectivity between these how, and key qualitative/ quantitative supporting evidence. Please consider communities. the following impacts: physical activity, journey quality, number and severity of accidents, security, access to employment, access to services, For residents who already undertake this journey by walking or affordability, severance, option and non-use values. cycling, the quality of journey will be vastly improved in terms of risk from vehicular traffic and exposure to exhaust fumes.
The quality of essential vehicular journeys along the A470 to the A55 will be improved through a reduction in congestion at the key strategic interchange at the A470/A55 and the associated reduction the risk of accidents.
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
A reduction in car usage to travel between Glan Conwy and Llandudno Junction and Conwy as a result of the provision of a convenient walking and cycling route would reduce greenhouse emissions and improve air quality. This would also lead to less congestion in the towns of Llandudno Junction and Conwy (a key benefit for the historic environment of this town).
An ecological walkover survey of the proposed route was undertaken in 2013 as part of the feasibility study for the scheme. Several areas adjacent to the route were highlighted as having potential for protected species. While consideration Environmental Impacts of these areas is important, the risk that ecology will be directly Summary of the environmental impacts of the scheme, who/ what is and adversely affected by the proposed scheme was affected, how, and key qualitative/ quantitative supporting evidence. Please considered to be low as part of this study. consider the following impacts: noise, air quality, greenhouse gases, landscape, townscape, historic environment, biodiversity, water environment. A derelict stone building near the entrance to the Station house has suitable roosting features for bats. This is approximately 38 to 40m beyond the proposed footway/cycleway. If any works are to take place on the building or the area immediately around the building, it was recommended that further advice from an ecologist should be sought.
It was recommended that the clearance of shrubs and trees is kept to a minimum, in order to ensure potential foraging and commuting flight paths for bats are not severed.
Several areas of scrub have been recognised as having habitat suitable for reptiles. It was recommended that if areas of scrub require removal, a phased clearance method for the scrub
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removal should be implemented and further advice from an ecologist on this method should be sought.
It was recommended that vegetation clearance of trees and shrubs should be carried out outside of bird breeding season (and between October and February inclusive) to avoid impacts on breeding birds.
Opposite the layby there is a woodland habitat surrounding the Old Rectory, much of the wood appeared suitable for badgers as well as for foraging bats and breeding birds. No badger setts were seen within 30m of the proposed construction footprint, however it is likely that they are within the area. It was recommended that best practice measures to avoid harm to badgers during the construction period should be implemented.
Cycling and walking journey times and their reliability between Glan Conwy and Llandudno Junction/Conwy will be improved Economic Impacts by the proposed scheme, which reduces the distance travelled Summary of the economic impacts of the scheme, who/ what is affected, by 1.3km. how, and key qualitative/ quantitative supporting evidence. Please consider the following impacts: journey time, journey time reliability, transport costs, accident costs, productivity, local economy, land, capital costs, and revenue The scheme will also provide affordable access (through active costs. Include evidence on Transport economic benefits e.g. BCRs and on travel) from Glan Conwy to employment sites and facilities and wider economic benefits including jobs created. Explain what steps have services in Llandudno Junction and Conwy. been taken to ensure costs have been kept as low as possible and to quantify how the funding requested will represent value for money in terms of the Local Transport Fund Outcomes. Llandudno Junction is a retail, service and employment centre serving a large hinterland. Employment sites include Tre Marl Industrial Estate, Tesco, Cineworld, Welsh Government Offices and The Point Business Park. Economic growth through the
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
further development of the retail, leisure and tourism sector is progressing and will generate additional employment for local residents. The provision of both public and private infrastructure development, which will take full advantage of the economic and employment opportunities that this offers.
Conwy is a World Heritage Site with a numerous tourism- related businesses. The tourism industry already employs 10,820 full-time equivalent workers directly or indirectly in Conwy county, bringing in £559m. Conwy County Borough Council’s Strategy for Tourism, Destination Conwy, sets out the vision of the Council and its local tourism partners’ for the development of the tourism offer and increases in employment numbers in the sector. The scheme would contribute to this strategy by providing affordable access to employment and enhancing the “active tourism” offer, combining cultural, ecological and adventure based tourism on a discovery tour of the area.
The combination of the promotion of active travel, congestion reduction, access to employment growth areas and the wider benefit to the tourism industry makes investment in this scheme excellent value for money.
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
3. DELIVERY CASE Can the scheme be delivered?
A project plan identifying timelines for activities and key milestones must be provided for each scheme appropriate to the scale, complexity and risks associated with the scheme. Where key stages / milestones have been reached / completed, give date when reached where applicable. As a minimum, information should be provided on design; timing of statutory processes/planning consent, land acquisition, procurement, construction, scheme opening and completion where these apply to the scheme.
Information on risks to delivery and mitigation measures in place or proposed must be included.
2017/18 Qtr 1 o Conclude discussions and obtain final approvals/agreement with Network Rail, Welsh Government Development Control and RSPB. o Planning approval. o Completion of tender/contract documents for phase 1 of scheme (RSPB route and bridge) Qtr 2 - 3 o Procurement of phase 1 of scheme construction. o Detailed design of phase 2 o Commencement of phase 1 scheme construction. Qtr 4 o Completion of phase 1 scheme construction. o Completion of tender/contract documents for phase 2 (A470 route)
2018/19 o Procurement of phase 2 (A470 route) scheme construction. o Construction of phase 2 scheme.
2019/20 – 2021/22 o Monitoring and evaluation.
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
4. FINANCIAL CASE
Financial expenditure profile
£000s, Outturn prices (gross of grant / contributions shown separately below) Pre 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 Later Total 2016/17 projected Surveys 6 Design 63 11 74 Land Purchase Accommodation Works Construction 1300 230 1530 Project Management 83 17 106 Monitoring and Evaluation 2 2 2 6 GROSS TOTAL 63 1400 247 2 2 2 1716 63 140 25 2 2 2 234 Match funding amount, percentage contribution and funding source(s) (100% (10% (10.1% (100% (100% (100% (13.6% (insert name of organisation) CCBC) CCBC) CCBC) CCBC) CCBC) CCBC) CCBC) NET TOTAL 0 1260 222 0 0 0 1482
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
Quarterly Expenditure Profile
(Expenditure should be planned as early as possible in the financial year to ensure confidence in a full spend. Expenditure planned for Quarter 4 should be limited to minimise the risk of underspend)
Forecast FY2017-18 Expenditure (in £000s)
Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Surveys 6 Design 11 Land Purchase Accommodation Works Construction 520 455 325 Project Management 25 23 20 15 Monitoring and Evaluation GROSS TOTAL 25 560 475 340 Match funding amount, percentage 35 60 45 contribution and source(s) (insert name of 0 (6.3% CCBC) (12.6% CCBC) (13.2% CCBC) organisation) NET TOTAL 25 525 415 295
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Local Transport Fund FY2017‐18 Capital Scheme Application
5. COMMERCIAL CASE
How will the scheme be procured? What is the number and experience of the likely suppliers? What are the key contractual arrangements, what is the contract length?
The project management and detailed design of the scheme has been to be undertaken by the Council’s internal consultancy with specialist support as required from experienced external consultants, who have been procured by competitive tendering. This arrangement will continue through to completion of the detailed design for phase 2 in 2017/18.
The construction of the scheme will be procured in 2 phases over 2 years. The procurement of both phases of the construction will be undertaken by competitive tendering and will focus on contractors who have the necessary skills and experience of delivering similar projects. It is likely that the contractors will subcontract the bridge fabrication to specialist suppliers.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
How and when will you measure if the scheme has been successful? Post delivery monitoring plan, data collection, and relevant targets?
Usage of the active travel route will be monitored through cyclist and pedestrian counts over a period of 3 years starting in 2019/20, following the completion of the scheme.
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