ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ Introduction 11 1. Introduction

1.1 Overview of

Staffordshire, situated in the north of the Region, is one of the largest shire counties in the country. It covers 262,300 hectares and in 2001 it had a total population of 805,000. Whilst the majority (70%) of the County is classified as rural, it has significant urban areas including , Tamworth, , Lichfield, , and Newcastle-under-Lyme. Approximately 45% of the population resides in these towns. The County is rich in terms of landscape and biodiversity, ranging from the rugged hills of the to the heathland of Cannock Chase. It also has a number of nationally renowned tourist attractions including Shugborough Hall, the Peak District National Park, Lichfield Cathedral, Drayton Manor Park, Alton Towers, and Racecourse. Located near the geographical centre of the country, Staffordshire has good transport links to the north and south, and improving links to the east and west. Due to its location, large amounts of road and rail traffic pass through the County. The M6 and M54 motorways; the A38, A50, A34, A5, A50 and A500 Trunk Roads; and the West Coast Mainline run through the County, accounting for significant volumes of through traffic. The completion of the M6 Toll has improved access to the southern parts of Staffordshire, whilst the A50 provides an important link for the north of the County to the east and west. The dominant mode of transport in Staffordshire is the car. In 2001, 80% of households owned a car, compared to 73% nationally. Low levels of competitiveness in Staffordshire’s economy have traditionally seen it lags behind the economies of other counties. The County has an above average employment rate, which is generally considered a sign of a healthy and competitive economy. However, its Gross Value Added (GVA), a comparative measure of productivity and economic well-being, is below the national average. It currently stands at £27,785 per employee compared to a national average of £28,954. The future success of Staffordshire’s economy requires diversification in order to strengthen its economic base. Although it is reshaping - with job creation in high technology and other growth areas such as the logistics and distribution industry - the County has a relatively narrow economic base. Compared nationally, Staffordshire is lacking employment in the knowledge intensive services - including education, health and finance. These services - which are crucial to future economic success - provide employment for 39% of Staffordshire’s workforce, compared to a national average of 46%. In examining employment within growth industries (specialist business and professional services, environment, and ICT), 16.3% of Staffordshire’s workforce is employed within such industries, compared to 21.5% nationally. The County’s economic characteristics have been shaped by its historic dependence on manufacturing and minerals industries; its location to the north of the West Midlands conurbation; and its proximity to the North West and East Midlands Regions. Of the County’s 387,500 employed residents, some 137,000 (35%) commute out of the County to their place of work. Main employment destinations are the West Midlands conurbation and the City of Stoke-on-Trent, accounting for 45% and 24% of out commuters respectively. These destinations are also major centres for shopping and leisure. The East Midlands Region and North West Region also receive a significant proportion of workers from Staffordshire, accounting for 9% and 8% respectively.

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The Indices of Deprivation 2004 provide a useful relative measure of deprivation and the different dimensions of deprivation for every Super Output Area (SOA) in . Just under one-tenth (8%) of Staffordshire’s population live in SOAs which fall into the 20% most deprived nationally. Deprivation is mostly concentrated in Burton upon Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tamworth, and Cannock. There are additional pockets of deprivation in , , Stafford, and . Over the next 15 years, Staffordshire is expected to experience significant growth in housing and employment related developments. In order to meet the need for new dwellings and to replace demolished stock, the Regional Spatial Strategy states that 2,900 houses annually will be built until 2007, reducing to 2,500 per annum between 2007 and 2011. It is estimated that 683 hectares of land are still to be developed if the Structure Plan targets for employment developments in the period to 2011 are to be met. In recent years our core focus has been the regeneration of Staffordshire to make it ‘a great place for people to live, work, invest and visit’. The delivery of this Local Transport Plan (LTP) will be one of the mechanisms used to realise this aim. Staffordshire has many positive attributes, including its central location, picturesque landscape, rich heritage, internationally renowned universities, and excellent leisure facilities. However, we have a strong desire to achieve more. This LTP, together with the policy documents outlined in Chapters 2 and 3, forms an integral part of our efforts to improve the economic and social fabric of Staffordshire.

1.2 Staffordshire’s Second LTP

This is Staffordshire’s second LTP, for the period 2006 to 2011. Map 1.2 shows the LTP area: it covers 96% (251,247 hectares) of the total land area of the County, and 85% (686,578) of its population. The remaining area of the County comprises the urban areas of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough and Staffordshire Moorlands District that adjoin Stoke-on-Trent. These areas are incorporated in a Joint LTP for North Staffordshire which enables us to consider holistically the important links these areas have to Stoke-on-Trent in terms of regeneration, travel patterns, and access to key services. The Joint LTP for North Staffordshire has been developed in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and is available on our website. Unless stated otherwise, the Staffordshire LTP area will be referred to as Staffordshire or the County throughout this document. In this LTP we:- ü provide a long-term transport strategy for the County that covers the period up to 2016 and reflects our wider ambitions whilst conforming to national and regional transport strategies; ü illustrate links with wider agendas including land-use planning, the local economy, health, education, and the environment; ü describe how investment in local transport can contribute towards national, regional, community and corporate objectives; ü consider the transport needs of individuals and businesses using the County’s transport network; ü detail how the national shared priorities for transport – reducing congestion, better accessibility, creating safer roads, improving air quality – are to be delivered in the County; ü describe how quality of life issues are affected and can be improved by the delivery of the LTP;

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ü describe how the Strategic Environmental Assessment has influenced the LTP’s strategies and policies; ü show our investment priorities, alongside cost-effective, value for money solutions that meet local and national targets; ü set out local transport objectives, indicators, targets, and trajectories that form the basis of our transport priorities; and ü describe our performance management procedures, including monitoring and risk management techniques, which will be adopted over the next five years. The structure of the LTP is shown in Diagram 1.1. Alongside the LTP, we have undertaken a Strategic Environmental Assessment. A Bus Strategy, Bus Passenger Information Strategy, Network Management Plan, and Transport Asset Management Plan have also been produced – copies of these can be found in the Annexes. A Rights of Way Improvement Plan is being prepared and is described in Chapter 4. References to these documents appear throughout the LTP. Our LTP sets out an ambitious programme of effective, value for money schemes that will bring about real and sustainable improvements to Staffordshire’s transport network. These schemes will deliver our transport priorities, strengthen Staffordshire’s economy, protect built and natural environments, and improve residents’ quality of life. In order to provide value for money, we will implement schemes that offer the greatest benefit for the largest number of people. Consequently, we will focus our investment on the County’s strategic centres - Stafford, Cannock, Burton upon Trent, Tamworth, and Lichfield. Approximately 42% of the population live in these towns, and 70% rely on them for key services. These towns also experience more deprivation compared to other areas of the County, have lower car ownership levels, and experience greater community severance. In these urban areas, there is greater scope to encourage more people to walk, cycle or use public transport. We believe that the prospects for efficient delivery of the LTP have been significantly improved following a recent reorganisation of our Development Services Directorate - which will take the lead in delivering the LTP. For example, the creation of a Joint Planning Unit brings together the highway maintenance and capital programme functions, and includes staff from our construction industry partners. This is not a bidding document. The Government has already identified indicative capital funding allocations (planning guidelines) for each year covered by the LTP. This has enabled us to prepare a realistic and deliverable programme of schemes. The Government’s assessment of the LTP’s quality, and of our delivery of its targets, will affect the annual planning guideline that we receive over the next five years. This means that we could receive up to 125% of the annual planning guideline if our performance is rated as well above average, and a minimum of 75% of the annual planning guideline if our performance is rated as weak. Regardless of the final funding allocations, we will supplement the LTP settlement by using our own capital and revenue funds and securing funds from external sources such as developers. Separate funding provision is made for schemes that cost more than £5 million - these are described in Chapter 10.

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Diagram 1.1 : The Structure of Staffordshire’s LTP

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1.3 Staffordshire’s First LTP

During the five years to March 2006, we estimate that £330 million has been invested into a wide range of transport schemes, resulting in significant improvements to the County’s transport network. Over 720 schemes were programmed for implementation over the course of the first LTP; we estimate that 620 of those will be completed, ranging from the construction of bypasses to the installation of pedestrian crossings. Significant achievements include:- ü the number of children killed or seriously injured reduced by 50%, six years before the national target deadline; ü 87% of the population living in Staffordshire’s eight main towns are within 350 m of a half-hourly or more frequent bus service; ü 59% of rural households (defined as being outside a settlement of 3,000 or more population) are within 800 m of an hourly or more frequent bus service; and ü the Biddulph and bypasses were both completed on time and within budget. Further and more detailed information regarding the improvements which have been made over the course of the first LTP will be provided in the 2005/06 Delivery Report. Despite our successes, a number of significant challenges remain, including:- ü influencing ‘hearts and minds’ by encouraging individuals to use alternatives to the car, particularly for shorter journeys; ü improving access to healthcare facilities and other key services for residents living in deprived communities; ü further reducing the number of road accidents that result in death, serious, or slight injury; ü ar resting the deterioration of the road network and improving its overall condition; ü ensuring that traffic congestion does not become a persistent problem in Staffordshire’s strategic centres and on inter-urban routes; ü minimising the impact of traffic in historic settlements and other sensitive areas; and ü reducing the negative impact of road traffic emissions on the natural environment.

1.4 Key Problems

Staffordshire has three main transport problems that we and our partners will tackle over the course of the LTP and beyond. They are:- 1. Accessibility The ability of an individual to access employment, education, health, retail, and leisure opportunities significantly contributes to their quality of life, as well as their life chances. We recognise the value of good accessibility. Over the last ten years, we have invested significant sums in walking, cycling and public transport initiatives. At the same time, the number of households owning a car has increased; but access to essential services and jobs continues to be a major problem for a significant proportion of the County’s population.

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2. Road Safety Considerable progress has been made in reducing the number and severity of road accidents in Staffordshire. This reduction is due to a combination of safer vehicles, better road safety enforcement and education, and targeted engineering schemes. Despite these efforts, around 350 people are killed or seriously injured each year on Staffordshire’s roads. 3. Highway Maintenance A well maintained highway network enables the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. Statistics show that the overall condition of Staffordshire’s highway network is just below the national average; we aim to exceed this level over the course of the LTP. However, there is a backlog of highway maintenance schemes, which presents a major challenge for us over the next five years. Two issues that we, and our partners, wish to avoid becoming major problems in the future are:- A. Traffic Traffic congestion is not currently a significant problem on our highway network. However, if the population increases and/ or travel patterns change appreciably, delays and unpredictable journey times may become commonplace within the County. Two current issues are the high volumes of vehicles on certain sections of Staffordshire’s road network during peak travel times, and the high traffic volumes, especially HCVs, in sensitive areas. However, much of Staffordshire’s motorway and trunk road network – particularly the M6 Motorway around Cannock – experience significant levels of congestion, resulting in the frequent diversion of long distance traffic onto the local road network. B. Air Quality Poor air quality caused by traffic is not widespread in Staffordshire. However, some areas of the County, primarily those close to the motorway and trunk road network, do have air quality issues. In February 2006, four Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) were declared in the south of the County. It is anticipated that road traffic will be identified as the main contributor to these areas’ air quality problems. We will develop action plans with Council and the Staffordshire Air Quality Forum to improve the air quality at these locations. A similar approach will be used for any new AQMAs declared over the period of the LTP. In addition, we will manage the impact of road traffic emissions on plant and animal life; the effects of high traffic levels in sensitive areas of the County and on residents’ quality of life. Detailed information about our strategies is found in Chapters 4 to 8. Table 1.1 shows how these strategies are interlinked.

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Table 1.1 : Links between Staffordshire’s Transport Strategies

PP Major Impact P Moderate Impact

1.5 Impact of the LTP

Over the next five years, we expect to make further significant improvements to Staffordshire’s transport network. By 2011 we will have:- ü improved the accessibility of the County’s population to key services, particularly those relating to healthcare; ü reduced the total number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) and slight injury casualties, especially those which have speed as a contributing factor, or involve children or young adults; and ü improve the overall condition of our highway network despite budget constraints.

1.6 LTP Consultation

Consultation has been pivotal in the development of our LTP. In particular, it has informed us of the key problems and issues that our residents and partners would like us to address over the next five years. The main part of our consultation exercise was a comprehensive household survey and travel diary undertaken during November 2005 and completed by almost 3,500 households. This has given us a large amount of useful information. For example, an understanding of the importance residents attach to each of the national shared priorities for transport. This is shown in Graph 1.1.

Graph 1.1 : The National Shared Priorities for Transport Ranked in Order of Priority by Staffordshire’s Residents

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Other consultation has included:- ü ei ght District Stakeholder Meetings involving MPs, County Councillors, District, Borough and Parish Councillors, neighbouring local authorities, Transport Operators, Business Groups, Emergency Services, and various other interest groups; ü presentations to District and Borough Local Strategic Partnership Boards, and large Parish Councils; ü Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Strategic Partnership Transport Theme Group; ü public exhibitions in major towns; ü countywide Household Interview Survey (2000); ü corporate Best Value Customer Satisfaction Survey (2003); ü distribution of 32,000 consultation leaflets; ü 84 Provisional LTP Feedback Slips; ü internet based consultation; ü meeting with local businesses via South Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce and Stafford Tourism Bureau; ü meeting with the local haulage sector via the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association; ü meeting with local environmental groups including English Heritage, Friends of the Earth, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, and the Cyclists Touring Club; ü Staffordshire Community Strategy Consultation; ü Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan Consultation; ü Bus Strategy Consultation; and ü Strategic Environmental Assessment Consultation.

1.7 Involvement

The LTP has been developed, and will be implemented, with the involvement of a wide range of organisations and stakeholder groups including: district and borough councils, healthcare and education providers, transport operators, regional and national Government agencies, and private and voluntary sector organisations. The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Strategic Partnership’s Transport Theme Group has agreed to oversee and steer the implementation of our strategy for Better Accessibility. Staffordshire’s district and borough councils have helped in developing the Accessibility and Air Quality Strategies, and will be crucial in their delivery through their land-use planning and environmental health responsibilities. The involvement of the business sector will ensure that our strategies support economic activity. All of our directorates have been actively involved in the LTP’s development and will be vital in its delivery. For example, the involvement of the Children and Lifelong Learning Directorate is essential in tackling many of the problems of access to schools, higher education, and extra curricula activities. The Social Care and Health Directorate will contribute to the removal of access and health inequalities through transport, enabling clients to retain independence. Colleagues in finance and procurement, performance management, fleet care, culture and leisure, minerals, tourism, economic regeneration, conservation, and equalities have also been involved in the development of the LTP. They have provided important contributions, ensuring that the LTP is comprehensive, coherent and inclusive.

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Regular meetings take place between all our directorates to discuss issues relating to the delivery of the LTP. These discussions have highlighted the need to make the most efficient use of our vehicle fleet. This is crucial in order to maximise use of our existing assets and provide value for money. A Transport Efficiency Review is underway to examine the utilisation of our passenger transport fleet and the effectiveness of our passenger transport activities. Progress on the Transport Efficiency Review will be provided in future Annual Progress Reports (APR).

1.8 Partnership Working

During the first LTP, we created an ethos of partnership working with neighbouring local authorities, national and regional Government agencies, the private and voluntary sectors, and local communities. This approach has generated a number of successful transport schemes, and encouraged the sharing of best practice. A good example of partnership working is the Uttoxeter Market Town Integrated Transport Strategy, developed in co-operation with the Market Town Regeneration Partnership, Derbyshire County Council, and Borough Council. The Strategy identified the main transport issues along with suggested solutions for the town and its hinterland. One of the actions identified in the Strategy was improving Uttoxeter Rail Station and its links to the town centre. As a result, the station has recently undergone a £315,000 facelift, including enhanced bus, taxi, car, cycle and pedestrian facilities, and improvements to lighting and landscaping. Our partner, Central Trains, is now installing CCTV and real-time information displays at the station, which will result in better security for passengers. The Commission for Rural Communities identifies Uttoxeter Rail Station as a ‘Gateway Station’. In recognition of the Strategy’s partnership approach, the Countryside Agency awarded Uttoxeter Beacon Town Status for Transport.

We also work successfully with rural communities through the County’s three Rural Picture 1.1 : Transport Partnerships (RTPs), and with our construction industry partners, Accord Uttoxeter and Wrekin Construction. Examples of the work delivered through these partnerships Rail Station – are detailed in Chapters 4 and 6 respectively. Further examples of partnership The ‘Gateway’ working appear throughout the LTP. to the Town 1.9 Working Across Boundaries

Developing and implementing schemes in conjunction with our neighbouring local authorities is essential as a significant proportion of Staffordshire’s residents travel outside the County to access employment and other key services. Frequent discussions with our neighbouring authorities take place on a variety of public transport, highway maintenance and transport policy matters. A good example of cross boundary working with a neighbouring authority is the improvement of the 481 Stafford to Telford Bus Service - ‘Ruraline’. In co-operation with Telford and Wrekin Council and bus operator, Arriva Midlands Ltd., seven new low-floor, easy access buses were introduced, increasing the service frequency to half-hourly and extending the hours of operation. These improvements were made possible through a successful Rural Bus Challenge bid in 2001. Figures show that between 2002/03 and 2004/05, passenger numbers on ‘Ruraline’ increased by Picture 1.2 : ‘Ruraline’ Low-Floor Easy Access Bus 184%, and customer satisfaction rates of around 80% were achieved. We estimate that one in five of the 500,000 trips now taken each year on ‘Ruraline’ have a car available for that trip. This successful cross boundary working has been recognised with both Councils and Arriva winning The Bus Industry Award for Marketing in 2004.

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The development of major scheme bids involves extensive cross boundary working. In Chapter 10, we describe how we are working with Derbyshire County Council in a proposal for a Burton-Swadlincote Regeneration Route, and Centro in proposals for Brinsford Park & Ride and Cannock Line Rail Showcase. In addition, we make a significant contribution to regional activities. We take an active role in the work of the Regional Assembly and the Regional Transport Group. Several of our employees are dedicated to working on transport and planning issues at a regional level – and take a leading role in the regional traveline company, West Midlands Transport Information Services Ltd. (WMTIS). Further examples of cross boundary working appear throughout the LTP.

1.10 Strategic Environmental Assessment

Under UK and European law, we have a responsibility to examine the likely environmental impact of the LTP through a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). The SEA process was integrated with the development of the LTP, and the two evolved together as shown in Diagram 1.2. The SEA influenced the development of the LTP and provided a strong environmental base for our transport strategies. The iterative nature of the SEA process meant that any likely adverse environmental effects of the LTP were identified and prevented, reduced, or offset as much as possible. As part of the SEA process, we identified and examined alternative approaches to achieving our proposed transport objectives – better accessibility, creating safer roads, effective and efficient highway maintenance, reducing the impact of traffic, and improving air quality. It became apparent that for some objectives, for example effective and efficient highway maintenance, there is only one possible approach; for other proposed objectives, such as creating safer roads, there were many alternatives. This led to the generation of six alternative approaches to achieving the LTP’s objectives, as shown in Diagram 1.3 and Table 1.2. An assessment of the environmental impact of each of these approaches was carried out against a range of environmental objectives including improving water and air quality, maintaining historic environments, and preserving and enhancing wildlife. Diagram 1.2 : The Evolution of the SEA and LTP Processes

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Diagram 1.3 : Strategic Transport Options Vs Environmental Objectives

Table 1.2 : Strategic Transport Options Vs Environmental Objectives

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This assessment influenced our decision making in determining the key themes of the LTP. Sixteen key components/ proposed policies of the LTP were identified. They included public transport, demand management, targeted road improvements, and four major scheme bids. Each of the components/ proposed policies was assessed against a further sixteen SEA objectives, which included local air quality, climate change, and fauna and flora. From this, we were able to identify which of the LTP’s key components/ proposed policies would have an adverse environmental impact and would require further consideration including mitigation measures. An example of the detailed assessment relating to public transport can be found in Annex B. The SEA played a vital role in determining the LTP’s final policies, strategies and proposed actions. For example:- ü cultural heritage and visual aesthetics will now be given greater consideration in new highway schemes. Measures will be taken to ensure that the appearance of new schemes complement their surroundings; and ü through our monitoring procedures, we will ensure that an appropriate level of environmental consultation is undertaken, and that opportunities for environmental enhancements are taken, such as tree planting and the installation of bird boxes. The SEA process confirmed that we already engage in a range of environmentally friendly practices such as the recycling of aggregates in road maintenance; verge maintenance and grass cutting to promote biodiversity; replacing street lights with low energy and reducing light-pollution lighting columns; promoting the Share-a-Lift scheme for commuters; using petrol filtering drainage systems; and noise mitigation measures such as screening. We will continue and improve our environmental practices. For example, we will develop a tree maintenance policy and expand the use of recycled materials in our construction and maintenance contracts, as outlined in Chapter 6. An executive summary of the SEA is found in Annex B, and a full copy is available on request or on our website. Feedback on our SEA’s Environmental Report has been positive. Land Access Recreation (formerly known as the Countryside Agency) has said “the SEA is very thorough in its approach and follows a logical methodology”. English Heritage has said “overall, the Environmental Report provides a clear and comprehensive overview of the assessment process ... ”.

1.11 The Equality Standard for Local Government

Although Staffordshire has a relatively small minority population, we are keen to ensure that our services, and those of our contractors, are fully inclusive irrelevant of a person’s gender, ethnicity, religion or sexuality. Over the course of the LTP, we will establish an Equalities Network, which will comprise representatives from minority groups and aim to ensure that our activities are inclusive and make a real difference to all of Staffordshire’s residents.

14 ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ National and Regional 22

2. National and Regional Context

2.1 The National Context In July 2004, the Department for Transport (DfT) issued a new White Paper on ‘The Future of Transport’. Its overall objective is to “balance the need to travel with the need to improve quality of life”. Specific initiatives within the White Paper include:- ü reorganisation of the rail industry; ü better traffic management to ease congestion; ü the need to hold a debate on road pricing; ü increased road capacity in certain locations, together with measures to manage demand; ü encouragement to develop Quality Bus Contracts (QBC) with bus operators to improve local bus services; ü shared decision-making between regional and local stakeholders; and ü integration of transport decision-making with other local, regional and national policy decisions. The DfT has also issued guidance on the preparation of LTPs. This is structured around several shared transport priorities agreed between Government and the Local Government Association, and they include:- ü Tackling Congestion ü Delivering Accessibility to essential services and facilities ü Ensuring Safer Roads ü Better Air Quality ü Improving Quality of Life A key theme in the guidance is identifying best value for money solutions and, where possible, making best use of existing capacity and infrastructure. It emphasises the need for careful monitoring of local targets, trajectories, and indicators. Another key document of relevance to this LTP is the Department of Health’s White Paper (2004) entitled ‘Choosing Health : Making healthy choices easier’. Together with the earlier publication ‘Saving Lives : Our Healthier Nation’ (1999), it sets out the Government’s aspirations to improve health and reduce health inequalities. In March 2005, the Government published the Adult Care Green Paper ‘Independence, Well-being and Choice’. This signalled a substantial shift in approach towards enabling people who require social care services to have more control and more choice. Greater accessibility of universal services and smarter ‘prevention’ of social care needs are the main focuses of this Paper. It proposed a shift away from residential care in favour of care at home to provide for greater independence. A White Paper ‘Care outside the Hospital’ is expected to take this agenda forward. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister communities agenda contained within ‘Sustainable communities: people, places and prosperity’ highlights the need for thriving and diverse local economies; well-connected communities and environmentally sensitive communities. This LTP will contribute to the objectives of this agenda. In February 2003, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Social Exclusion Unit published its report ‘Making the Connections: Transport and Social Exclusion’. This report examined how difficulties in accessing a range of services could exacerbate social exclusion amongst disadvantaged populations and in more deprived areas. A key outcome was the report’s proposed framework for the Accessibility Planning

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process, which we have adopted in Chapter 4. It is recognised that local authorities and service providers have been taking accessibility considerations into account in their work. However, what was not in place was a formalised process to bring different partners together to more effectively tackle accessibility problems, which we have now achieved and will develop further over the course of the LTP. Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 (PPG13) sets out the transport issues that need to be taken into account in land-use planning. Its key objectives are to:- ü “promote more sustainable transport choices for both people and for moving freight; ü promote accessibility to jobs, shopping, leisure facilities, and services by public transport, walking, and cycling; and ü reduce the need to travel, especially by car”. Accessibility Planning and PPG13 are clearly closely linked in terms of their objectives. Effective implementation of our Accessibility Strategy will support the aims of PPG13 and vice versa. By using Accessibility Planning as a land-use planning tool, it will be easier to influence the location of development to more accessible sites or to identify what transport improvements would be required to ensure that an adequate level of accessibility is provided. Also, the National Air Quality Strategy (2000) has provided the framework for the comprehensive assessment of air quality throughout Staffordshire, as described in Chapter 8. Other key national policy drivers that have influenced the LTP are:- ü Our Towns and Cities: The Future DETR 2000; ü Rural Strategy DEFRA 2004; ü Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; ü New Directions in Speed Management DETR 2000; ü Traffic Management Act 2004; ü Guidance on Decriminalised Parking outside London DfT 1995; ü Future Development of Air Transport in the UK DfT 2002; ü Waterways for Tomorrow DETR 2000; ü Sustainable Distribution: A Strategy DETR 1999; ü Walking and Cycling Action Plan DfT 2004; ü Children’s Act 2004; ü Comprehensive Performance Assessments; ü Local Area Agreements; ü Local Public Service Agreements; and ü Planning Policy Statements.

2.2 The Regional Context

The Regional Spatial Strategy We have played an active role in the development of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the West Midlands (RPG11), which was published in June 2004, including assisting in the co-ordination of the Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) and in the production of the supporting Regional Transport Delivery Plan. The RSS integrates the Regional Transport Strategy for the West Midlands with wider land-use priorities and provides the framework for future land-use development within the County. It also plays a key role in addressing the links that exist between economic, social, and environmental issues.

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The RSS should help ease traffic growth problems in Staffordshire by focusing development into the West Midlands and North Staffordshire conurbations as opposed to dispersing it throughout satellite settlements in the surrounding shires. This will reduce the need for longer distance commuting from the County into both conurbations. The Regeneration Zone in North Staffordshire and Local Regeneration Areas in Stafford, Cannock, Burton upon Trent, Biddulph, Leek, Rugeley, and Tamworth are identified as the main spatial focus to foster economic prosperity. The centres of Burton upon Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cannock, Lichfield, Stafford, and Tamworth are recognised as suitable for larger scale development in the commercial, retail and leisure sectors. The RSS has a strong environmental protection theme and recognises all the levels and significance of environmental designations. In Staffordshire, the RSS upholds the purpose and value of the North and South Staffordshire Green Belts, the National and Community Forests and all the environmental assets of significant value. We have taken this objective into account by carrying out a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the LTP as summarised in Annex B. Specific proposals in the RTS that affect Staffordshire are set out in Table 2.2. Table 2.1 shows the extent to which the delivery of the LTP priorities will influence the delivery of RSS transport policy themes. Table 2.1 : Regional Spatial Strategy and LTP Priority Linkages

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Table 2.2 : Regional Transport Strategy Priorities and Local Actions

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Quality of life issues are addressed throughout the LTP rather than being treated as a separate priority. A three-stage review of the RSS commenced in February 2005. Phase one is to provide a strategic planning context for a variety of social, economic, and environmental challenges faced by the Black Country. Phase two is to address a number of inter- related issues with an underlying theme of making the RSS more regionally specific and concise. At this stage, the outcome of this review for Staffordshire is unclear. However, national policy direction and background studies would imply that more housing and economic development might be directed into the County. Indeed, the private sector is already bringing forward significant development proposals on brownfield land and town centre sites, particularly in Stafford.

The Regional Economic Strategy The Regional Economic Strategy (RES) sets out four pillars: regenerating communities, promoting a learning and skilful region, developing a diverse and dynamic business base, and creating conditions for growth. Improving the transport system is a key element in the latter and is underpinned by the RTS and the LTPs of the region’s local authorities. It proposes three key delivery mechanisms: Regeneration Zones, Business Clusters, and High Technology corridors. It sets out Regeneration Zones for North Staffordshire, the North Black Country, and South Staffordshire, and defines a high technology corridor along the M54 axis which affects a small part of South Staffordshire. The M54-M6-M6 Toll link and Brinsford Park & Ride both improve access to the major investment site at i54 which is being developed by Advantage West Midlands. Reducing the impact of traffic to help achieve more reliable journey times is a proposal of this LTP and, together with our major scheme programme, will attract inward investment to help realise both the RES and our own corporate economic goals.

Smart Growth: The Midlands Way Strategy Produced by Advantage West Midlands and the East Midlands Development Agency, The Midlands Way Strategy describes the delivery of sustainable economic growth, increased productivity and employment, and developing sustainable communities over the next 20 years. It challenges the East and West Midlands to create the conditions that will enable both regions to meet global competitive challenges. It details its three main challenges as:- ü modernising and diversification of the industrial base; ü improving educational and skills attainment; and ü building capacity in urban areas.

The Regional Freight Strategy The West Midlands is a region that both attracts and generates significant volumes of freight, particularly road freight. In addition, a significant volume of the country’s freight passes through the region. The Regional Freight Strategy has been produced in conjunction with adjoining highway authorities, and details the policy measures and interventions that will be adopted by the West Midlands Regional Assembly. It provides the framework for our Freight Quality Partnership work and will provide valuable input to our forthcoming road hierarchy review.

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Rural Renaissance Framework Vision This is an accompanying statement to the RES and identifies a number of key components and actions in rural areas that help contribute towards the four pillars of the RES. It has been prepared by Advantage West Midlands in conjunction with a wide range of partners. It covers the three-year period between 2005 and 2008, and will be reviewed every three years. It provides the framework for our work on the rural element of Staffordshire’s Community Strategy as taken forward by the Staffordshire Rural Forum. Table 2.3 summarises the context in which our transport objectives have been developed. Table 2.3 : The National, Regional and Local Context of Staffordshire’s Transport Policies

20 ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ Local Context 33 3. Local Context

3.1 Characteristics of Staffordshire

Geography The landscape of Staffordshire is varied. Southern Staffordshire lies on a sandstone plateau and is adjacent to the heathland of the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Central Staffordshire includes the west Staffordshire Plain, the Forest of Needwood (part of the National Forest) and the Trent Valley. Much of north eastern Staffordshire is within the Peak District National Park, typified in Staffordshire by deep valleys and hills with limestone outcrops. Whilst the County has a significant rural population, living in settlements ranging from remote hamlets and villages through to larger market towns such as Uttoxeter and Picture 3.1 : Leek. A significant proportion of the population live in the six large centres of Stafford, Cannock Chase Tamworth, Burton upon Trent, Lichfield, Cannock and Newcastle-under-Lyme (which is included within the Joint North Staffordshire LTP). Each of these centres has unique characteristics as summarised in Table 3.1.

Table 3.1 : Characteristics of Staffordshire’s main centres

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Population

Table 3.2 : Population and Area of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

Projections suggest that overall the population of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on- Trent sub-region will increase by 1.5% by 2026. However, more significant increases are expected in eastern and southern Staffordshire, with a decline of 7.5% projected in Stoke-on-Trent. In addition, the composition of the population is also expected to change: an increase in the number of older people will be offset by a decrease in the number of younger people. Approximately 8% of the population of Staffordshire live in communities which fall in to the 20% most deprived nationally. The majority of the deprived areas are found in urban parts of the County, most notably Newcastle-under-Lyme, Burton upon Trent, Tamworth and Cannock. Approximately 50% of Stoke-on-Trent’s population live in the 20% most deprived communities nationally. Levels of deprivation are an important socio-economic indicator, with areas of high deprivation presenting some of the greatest challenges to service delivery. In the sub-region there are particular issues relating to concentrations of deprivation related to:- ü health and disability; ü education, skills and training; and ü employment. Economy

There are approximately 25,000 VAT registered businesses in Staffordshire, with a combined annual turnover of about £24 billion, which provide employment for over 318,000 people. Staffordshire has a long tradition of agriculture, manufacturing, coal mining and sand and gravel quarrying. However, the decline of coal mining and manufacturing has left a legacy of brownfield land, which is now being regenerated to bring new employment, particularly in the service sector. The geographical distribution of employment in Staffordshire has changed over the last decade, with a greater tendency towards economic activity in out-of-town sites. These changing land-use patterns present transport needs that are different to those experienced in the past. In addition, changes in business operations - such as 24- hour opening, ‘just-in-time’ delivery systems, and the centralisation of key services, especially health care, result in more journeys and longer distances travelled. A significant and growing proportion of the County’s economy is supported by tourism. As described above, we have a varied landscape which includes:- ü 57 Sites of Special Scientific Interest; ü 155 Conservation Areas; ü 265 scheduled ancient monuments; and ü over 5,000 listed buildings. Staffordshire’s landscape is shaped by a long process of interaction between natural and human influences. This has given rise to particular visual and ecological characteristics - a sense of identity - in each part of the County, from the upland moors, meadows and woodlands of the Peak District fringe and the Churnet Valley, to the and its tributaries that flow across the County and the farmed landscapes to the west. The County supports a diverse mix of flora and fauna, including ancient woodlands and many rare and endangered species.

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The landscape is under pressure from a range of human activities and in need of careful environmental management to maintain local distinctiveness and retain pattern and diversity within the landscape. Map 3.1 shows the quality of landscapes in Staffordshire together with associated policy objectives. In general high quality environments are conserved and lower quality environments are regenerated. The County has a number of nationally renowned tourist attractions including Shugborough Hall, the Peak District National Park, Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Lichfield Cathedral, Drayton Manor Park, Alton Towers, and Uttoxeter Racecourse. Over the last ten years, the number of annual visitors to the County has increased. In 2004 tourism in Staffordshire generated £685 million which is 50% more than in 1994. Our ‘Short Breaks’ and ‘Taste of Staffordshire’ campaigns, together with the award winning ‘Thrill Hopper’ and Wedgwood Visitor Centre packages, have further helped raise Staffordshire’s tourism profile. The success of Staffordshire’s tourist attractions relies heavily on visitor access by all modes of transport. This poses particular Picture 3.2 : challenges for the LTP including the need for better rail/ bus integration and minimising Shugborough the impact of tourists’ vehicles on local communities and fragile environments. Hall, near Stafford

Travel

Staffordshire has high levels of car ownership. Over 81% of households own at least one car - well above the national average of 73%. It is estimated that there are around 365,000 cars in the LTP area, averaging 1.3 cars per household. Car ownership levels are highest in rural areas of the County. Travel to work is predominantly by car. In 2001, 73% of the population in employment travelled to work by car, whilst 17% travelled by public transport, bicycle or on foot. The remaining 10% work mainly at home. Over half (53%) of all journeys to work in Staffordshire are made within the district of origin as shown in Table 3.3. In total, 65% of people work within the County and over 27% travel further afield. South Staffordshire has the highest percentage of journeys out of the County (55.7%). This has been a long-established trend as many people commute into the West Midlands conurbation. Stoke-on-Trent exerts a similar pull on Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough (31%) and, to a lesser extent, Staffordshire Moorlands (22%).

Table 3.3 : Location of Employment for Staffordshire Residents

National Statistics, Census 2001, special Workplace Statistics, Table W103, Crown Copyright

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Only 7% of people in Staffordshire travel more than 30 km to work but the largest proportion, 38%, travel less than 5 km, as shown in Graph 3.1. Graph 3.1 : Distances Travelled to Work in Staffordshire County Council Area

As would be expected, the choice of mode changes as the distance travelled to work increases. Journeys of less than 5 km are short enough for sustainable modes such as walking and cycling to be viable options. However, of the people travelling less than 2 km to work, 53% make the journey by car. This increases sharply to 80% for journeys between 2 km and 5 km. Data shows that there is still a great potential for increasing the use of sustainable modes for shorter journeys. Graph 3.2 : Modes of Transport used for Graph 3.3 : Modes of Transport Journeys Journeys to Work under 2 km to Work between 2 km and 5 km (Staffordshire County Council Area) (Staffordshire County Council Area)

3.2 Predicted Growth Over the LTP Period

Over the LTP period, the main changes relate to the anticipated growth in:- ü housing: 51,800 new homes between 1996 and 2011; ü employment: 1,000 hectares of additional employment land between 1996 and 2011; ü population: 1.6% increase in population between 2003 and 2011. However, the proportion of people over 60 will rise by just under 30% by 2011; and ü traffic growth: government estimates that there will be a 27% increase in vehicle journeys on all of Staffordshire’s roads by 2011 (from a base of 2001).

3.3 The Community and Corporate Context

We consider transport alongside our other activities. A modern and efficient transport system that links people in both urban and rural communities to jobs, health, education and other services forms a key part of both Staffordshire’s Community Strategy ‘Shaping the Future of Staffordshire 2005-2020’ and our own Corporate Strategy. Copies of both strategies are available either on request or on our website. The vision for the Community Strategy, developed by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Strategic Partnership (SSSP), is that:- ‘Staffordshire will be a place where local communities are enabled to develop in places where people want to live, work, visit and invest, now and in 2020’

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This Vision will be achieved through a series of action plans related to the key priorities set out in Table 3.4. The Community Strategy provides the framework for all other plans and strategies developed by us, including the LTP. The impact of the LTP on the delivery of the Community Strategy priorities is shown in Table 3.4.

Table 3.4 : The Community Strategy’s Key Priorities

It sets out our aims for:- ü economic development and enterprise; ü children and young people; ü healthier communities and older people; ü safer and stronger communities; and ü sustainable communities. Our key community and corporate challenges are:- ü restructuring the local economy, following the decline of our manufacturing base, and moving toward a knowledge based economy; ü fostering an entrepreneurial culture and combating the isolation of those living in rural communities by sustaining villages; ü improving the learning and skills base within the community to support the above economic goals, such as improving services for children and younger people; ü reducing health inequalities by achieving improved health for our most deprived communities at a greater rate than for the rest of the County; and ü helping older people retain as much independence as possible.

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These challenges present the following transport and access needs:- ü reduce congestion and improve the strategic road and rail links to attract businesses to Staffordshire; ü improve access to essential services for people living in rural areas; ü improve access to further and higher education to encourage young people to remain in education; and ü improve access to healthcare facilities with a focus on deprived communities and older people.

3.4 Wider Issues: Setting the Scene

Economy and Prosperity The Regional Economic Strategy and Action Plan 2004/10 and ‘Smart Growth :The Midlands Way Strategy’ sets the economic policy framework within which we operate in Staffordshire. Our own Economic Strategy has seven objectives for promoting economic regeneration in the County:- ü a diversified economy; ü an innovative and competitive economy; ü conditions for growth; ü a skilled workforce; ü a sustainable economy; Picture 3.3 : JCB World ü a healthy and robust rural economy; and Headquarters, ü prosperous communities. Rocester The Audit Commission has recognised our work on economic regeneration and we are one of only three County Councils to have been awarded two star status in this field. The Commission concluded that we had a “strong commitment to success” which had resulted in “more jobs, better skills and higher wages” in the County. Key issues include:- ü Employment - although unemployment in Staffordshire is below national and regional averages - 1.8% compared with 2.6% and 3.3% respectively in January 2006 - localised disparities can be found in former coalfield areas and in certain parts of our larger towns. ü Low levels of productivity and enterprise - although the local economy is reshaping with job creation in high technology and other growth areas, productivity in Staffordshire is still poor with manufacturing GVA at an estimated 92% of the national average in 2003. However, this is higher than the West Midlands GVA which is 82% of the national average. ü Low earnings - the mean full-time annual wage is £21,321 in 2005 or some 90% of the national average. The West Midlands regional average also stands at 90% compared to the national figures. This falls to 81% of the national figure in the district of Newcastle-under-Lyme. ü Struggling agricultural sector – low produce price and declining income. Private sector interest in Staffordshire is becoming more buoyant. In one six month period there were over 3,000 property searches on the InStaffs inward investment website. The number of new jobs created through inward investment in the County during the financial year 2004/05 almost doubled from 2003/04 levels.

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Learning and Skills

Our corporate ambition for children and young people is that “there will be improved opportunities for every child, family and community in the County through an emphasis on a commitment to keeping our children safe, healthy, achieving and enjoying a full and satisfying life, and contributing positively to the society in which we live. We will do this within an economic environment of development, growth and stability”. This is complemented by the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC) Three- Year Vision for Staffordshire which seeks to improve participation, achievement and progression of young people. It states that by 2008 every young person will have access to a wide range of curriculum choice and progress routes. It recognises that transport availability and costs are barriers, especially in rural areas. The LSC aims to secure an increase in the levels of adult skills across its area. Key issues include:- ü Literacy and numeracy levels slightly below national levels - in Staffordshire 40% of adults have level 2 equivalent literacy skills and 22% have level 2 equivalent numeracy skills. For England the figures are 44% and 25% respectively. ü GCSE attainment levels slightly below national levels – in Staffordshire 51% of GCSE students attained 5 or more GCSEs grades A*-C in 2004. The national average is slightly higher at 54%. Results for 2005 showed an increase of 3.5% representing our best ever attainment levels. 88% of school leavers in 2004 then went on to a job with structured learning or continued in full-time education. ü Overall skill levels in the working population are slightly below national levels. At NVQ4 (broadly degree level) the County’s presence stands at 22.2% of the working age population compared to 26.2% nationally. ü Only 53% of 16-19 year olds are in full-time education compared to 58% nationally. Moreover, graduate retention rates from the County’s two universities are relatively low.

Health and Social Care

We recognise that health inequalities exist throughout Staffordshire – particularly in deprived communities - and have a major influence on quality of life. We are currently preparing a ‘Strategy for Healthier Communities’ to help deliver our corporate aims in the period up to 2008. Our own Corporate Strategy recognises the needs of older people and aims that wherever possible, older people will have control over their own lives, live safely and healthily, have an active role in the community, and access the support they need to be as independent as they choose. These issues are being considered in ‘Ageing with Opportunity’, a strategy being developed in partnership with stakeholders. Transport is highlighted as one aspect of people’s lives that affects their level of independence. We are working to achieve the aims of both strategies in partnership with the Strategic Health Authority, Primary Care Trusts, and other stakeholders through the Staffordshire Health and Social Care Board (SHSCB). Key driving forces for change are the need to: improve patient access to services, provide increased choice, and to reduce waiting times for treatment. In order to help inform our work we have produced a comprehensive analysis of health problems in Staffordshire entitled ‘Health in Staffordshire 2005’. The SHSCB has also prepared a strategic plan covering the period 2005/06-2007/08. Copies of both reports are available upon request.

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Key issues include:- ü Health levels in Staffordshire are improving over time. However pockets of health related deprivation can be found throughout the County. ü In line with national trends, Staffordshire has an ageing population, a factor that has major implications for the delivery of health services. ü Inequalities between socio-economic groups - significant differences in the incidence of poor health. ü Life expectancy varies throughout the County and has been heavily influenced by our manufacturing and coal mining legacy. ü Mortality in the County is higher than the national average. ü Mortality rates from circulatory diseases and cancer are also greater than the national average. ü Continuing road deaths - whilst substantial progress was made in reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on our roads between 1994 and 2000, recent trends have seen an increase. The number of KSIs was 567 in 1994, 313 in 2000 but increased back up to 345 in 2004. ü 37% of the County’s population suffers from a limiting long-term illness, compared to 34% nationally. There are large variations across the County, with higher than national average figures found in Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough (39%), (38%), and Staffordshire Moorlands District (37%). Picture 3.4 : ü Obesity in children under the age of 15 is a major issue - evidence suggests Walking Bus, that 1 in 4 children are overweight, with some of them obese. A recent study Stone conducted by the South Western Staffordshire Primary Care Trust identified that almost half (45%) of adults took little or no exercise. Obesity also tends to be more prevalent among lower income groups. ü The incidence of diabetes is higher in Staffordshire than the national average - access to healthy food and encouraging cycling and walking are, therefore, important issues for us. ü Access to primary health care in Staffordshire is slightly better than it is nationally - however, the situation in Staffordshire Moorlands is less favourable. ü Care of the elderly is an important issue for us - the number of older people in Staffordshire is currently 300,000 and this figure is growing quickly. Therefore, we are developing an Older People’s Strategy to deliver the outcomes identified by the Adult Care Green Paper ‘Independence, Well-being and Choice’ published in March 2005. As part of this work, an integrated transport call and support centre for older people will be established in Staffordshire.

Rural Communities

The context for our work in rural communities is provided by the Regional Economic Strategy and the Rural Renaissance Framework. Our work is co-ordinated through the Staffordshire Rural Forum which was formed in 2001 to “promote the economic regeneration and well-being of the County’s rural areas”. An Action Plan was produced in 2002. It identified a number of projects, and progress is regularly monitored by project champions. Project examples include strengthening rural business support, developing the tourist and food sector, enhancing the rural environment, and building strong rural communities. Further information is available on the Forum’s website.

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We facilitate the Staffordshire Rural Forum, its members include Primary Care Trusts, district and borough councils, business support and training agencies, Advantage West Midlands, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), National Farmers Union, and Country Landowners Association (CLA). We have prepared the report ‘Staffordshire: State of the Rural Economy’ to help inform the work of the Forum. A copy of this is available on request. Key issues include:- ü prospects for agriculture are difficult with low produce prices and drastically declining incomes; ü tourism, food and drink are more important to the rural economy accounting for 11% of total employment; ü environment - although farming is now a relatively minor sector, forming only 2% of all employment in the County, it still has a profound impact on the landscape and environment; ü manufacturing - there is a fairly high dependence for employment on a small number of large firms such as JCB in Uttoxeter and Cheadle; ü quarrying and related construction businesses remain a significant feature of rural Staffordshire; ü education - physical isolation can be a serious problem, particularly in some of the more remote parts of the County. However there is some evidence that rural primary schools often achieve a high level of attainment. Financial resources for rural education are a problem with high costs per pupil. Access to training and adult education is also an issue for rural residents; and ü accessibility to key services.

3.5 Role of Transport and the LTP

Economy and Prosperity Transport supports economic growth by meeting the travel needs of business, including tourism and facilitating the efficient movement of people and goods in a sustainable manner. We work closely with both the business and freight sectors, and our partners in these areas have told us that:- ü longer distance travel is generally satisfactory; ü cross County (East-West) communications have been substantially improved by the M6 Toll, A50(T) and A5(T) Weeford- Improvement Scheme; ü north-south communications including connections to Manchester and International Airports are generally satisfactory although increasing congestion on the M6 is a concern; ü West Coast Main Line improvements including provision for more freight services and stopping passenger services at key local regeneration towns are essential; ü connections for freight operators and tourists to East Midlands Airport via the A50(T) and A38(T) are satisfactory; ü improved transport connections are required around the western edge of the West Midlands conurbation; ü local transport accessibility is a problem for employees and the freight industry; ü modern business is a 24-hour/ 7-day week operation, and getting employees to work is a growing problem, particularly in light of continued edge of town developments. Associated issues include the economic viability of early morning/ late night bus services, and personal security when walking or cycling;

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ü delivery of freight can be improved by better local signing and overnight parking provision; ü congestion is not currently a critical factor for the local Chamber of Commerce; ü the transport needs of businesses located along the A38(T) corridor requires ongoing consideration; ü the local economies of many areas in Staffordshire can be revitalised through increased tourism; and ü greater priority should be given to the co-ordination of rail and bus services.

“Staffordshire’s location at the heart of the national road, rail and canal networks, and the proximity of three international airports, means that a world-class transport system is required to help local firms, their supplies, customers and employees move freely. It is also vital for the national economy that Staffordshire’s transport network is able to play its significant role in cross-country movements, and we endorse the County Council’s attempts to meet these targets”. (Chairman of Southern Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce Policy Group)

Table 3.5 : LTP’s contribution towards achieving economy and prosperity objectives

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Learning and Skills

Access to education is a key consideration for the LTP, with the twin aims of increasing participation and reducing traffic. The situation in Staffordshire is similar to the national picture, with a long-term decline in the number of pupils walking to school being matched by an increase in the number travelling by car. For mainstream education, including post 16-pupils, the car accounts for just over 50% of all trips (Staffordshire Household Survey 2000). Walking accounts for one-third, with bus, coach and cycling accounting for the remaining. We currently provide transport between home and school for more than 10,000 pupils each day, using our in-house fleet of 30 modern school buses, alongside 250 contracted coaches and taxis. We estimate that a similar number of pupils travel on local buses. In light of the above, it is perhaps not surprising that the journey to school has a significant impact on peak hour congestion. The Government suggests that nationally up to 23% of urban peak time traffic is generated by the ‘school run’. During 2005 we investigated this issue further and undertook morning peak hour traffic counts at 18 sites in Stafford. We found that traffic volumes were 18% lower during school holidays. Parking around schools tends to exacerbate congestion, causes inconvenience for local residents and increases the possibility of accidents. In this regard, we will continue to promote initiatives to increase access to educational facilities by sustainable modes. In 2003 we established a School Travel Advisory Group bringing together representatives of our Children and Lifelong Learning and Development Services Directorates on a regular basis to examine these issues on a cross sector basis. This Group is complemented by our post-16 partnership – which includes representatives from schools and colleges – which has resulted in sustainable travel initiatives aimed specifically at older pupils. Our work includes School Travel Plans, Safer Routes to Schools and Walking Bus initiatives, as well as providing pedestrian and cycling training in all primary and most secondary schools. The Safer Routes to School programme, and in particular School Travel Plans, increased walking levels by 43% between 2001 and 2004. Walking buses have a health benefit by providing children with exercise before and after school which aids concentration levels during class and contributes to avoiding child obesity. Also, when implementing the National Cycle Network, we will Picture 3.5 : continue to work with our partners to provide links to adjacent school sites. School Cycle Training, Fulford We have also commissioned a study into school travel in the light of the Government’s proposals to allow a small number of authorities to introduce pilot schemes for Home to School transport. We are taking an active interest in this initiative and we are likely to apply for pilot status if and when the Government invites bids. The study assessed school transport policy options at a County level. It examined potential congestion and accident savings, as well as fares and operating costs. The study was complemented by a more in depth case study of an individual high school and its feeder primary schools.

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Table 3.6 : LTP’s contribution towards achieving learning and skills objectives

Health and Social Care

Working with our strategic health partners through the SSSP and the Staffordshire Health and Social Care Board, we will ensure that our LTP meets the needs of vulnerable adults as well as contributing to wider health objectives. In particular, our planning for local buses and community transport will take account of our aim to maximise the independence of vulnerable adults. The key issues that we have identified include the need to:- ü provide improved access to health and social care facilities for patients; ü encourage healthier lifestyles to reduce obesity, heart disease, strokes etc; ü improve fitness and reduce road traffic noise levels to help reduce stress related illness and contribute to improved mental health; ü improve air quality to help reduce respiratory conditions; ü help people with either physical or mental health conditions to take part in everyday activities enabling them to maintain their independence; ü reduce the number of missed healthcare appointments; ü improve linkages between hospital sites; ü improve access for elderly car drivers; ü further reduce road casualties; and ü help attract key health workers by making Staffordshire a good place to live.

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Reorganisation within the health service has resulted in larger centres offering a wide range of facilities. In certain instances, this has increased the distances people need to travel. Many sites are now located on the edge of town, making access for those without a car more difficult. Car parking at many hospitals is now a significant issue and we are working with Mid Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust to encourage the take up of Green Travel Plans. These plans need to take account of the travel patterns of staff, including times when public transport services are not generally available. Further examples of how we intend to work to improve access to health and social care facilities are set out in our Accessibility Picture 3.6 : Strategy (Chapter 4), which also addresses the issue of access to healthy food. Staffordshire In order to reduce missed appointments, we are working with the PCTs and hospitals to Advantage Pass produce a public and community/ voluntary transport guide to assist those patients who do not meet the medical criteria for patient transport. We are committed to maintaining support for community and voluntary transport schemes, which are particularly beneficial to elderly people. We also intend to develop the Government’s Valuing People Initiative, which aims to give better life chances for individuals with learning disabilities. The initiative emphasises four key themes - Rights, Independence, Choice and Inclusion. A number of actions have been identified to help people with special needs:- ü ensuring all main bus companies provide disability awareness training to their drivers, more information is available in Annex E, the Bus Strategy; ü examine the possibility of extending the Buddy Scheme, which permits companions with people unable to travel alone to use the bus for the price of one ticket. This scheme was developed in partnership with bus operator Arriva Midlands and Social Services and Health; ü extension of the concessionary fare in Staffordshire to allow people aged over 60 free travel within the County and on cross-boundary journeys; and ü continued support for Traveline.

Table 3.7 : LTP’s contribution towards achieving health and social care objectives

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Rural Communities Our work in rural areas has been strongly influenced by Staffordshire’s three Rural Transport Partnerships, through our engagement with district and borough Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) and the Staffordshire Rural Forum. Key transport issues raised include:- ü all public transport services must be considered ‘as a whole’ to avoid duplication. Greater co-ordination between existing service providers, including health and voluntary sectors, is needed; ü encourage and educate people to use public transport. Need to examine ways of making public transport more attractive; ü the sustainability of some rural bus services is affected by funding; ü need to establish a closer working relationship with the voluntary sector to assist them in establishing and maintaining services and provide support in improving their services wherever possible; and ü tr ansport costs faced by post-16 pupils from low income families is a major issue. We acknowledge that for a limited number of rural residents access to key services is a major problem. In addressing this issue, we have given careful consideration to the need to achieve value for money from our transport investment. This causes difficulty in many rural areas where low population density and the relatively high numbers of car owning households makes it difficult to attract a sufficient number of public transport users. Notwithstanding this, we have one of the most comprehensive rural bus networks in England, complemented by demand responsive services. These are described in more detail in Chapter 4. The Peak District National Park presents particular challenges for transport. It has a number of very remote and sparsely populated settlements, together with the issues resulting from tourist related high traffic volumes. The Peak District Rural Action Zone has recently won “Rural Pathfinder” status under DEFRA’s Modernising Rural Delivery agenda. This will involve us joining forces with six other local authorities to improve access to services across a rural area with distinct economic, social and community needs. Transport services are a particular issue within the area and an integrated approach will be required to achieve improved accessibility. The partnership work Picture 3.7 : of the South Pennines Integrated Transport Strategy (SPITS) received national Dovedale, recognition in the 1998 White Paper ‘A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone’; The Peak District it will play a key part in addressing these rural transport issues. A copy of the SPITS National Park Business Plan can be found on the SPITS website. Through our developing Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan (PROWIP), we will provide more sustainable access to the countryside including improved facilities for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Further information on the PROWIP is set out in Chapter 4. Our Cycling Strategy incorporates policies to improve access to the countryside; work is continuing towards the phased implementation of the National Cycle Network (NCN). A copy of our Cycling Strategy is available either on request or on our website.

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Table 3.8 : LTP’s contribution towards achieving rural community objectives

3.6 Wider Context : Good Practice from the First LTP Economy and Prosperity Our Economic Regeneration Unit and the inward investment agency, InStaffs, work closely with our other local partners to help regenerate the local economy. Key economic regeneration showcase projects developed during our first LTP have included:- ü Lymedale and Silverdale Business Parks in Newcastle-under-Lyme; ü Towers Business Park at Rugeley; ü Kingswood Lakeside in Cannock; Picture 3.8 : Towers Business ü Chasewater Heaths at Burntwood; and Park, Rugeley ü Beaconside Technology Park in Stafford. 36 33

With the exception of the latter, these initiatives have all helped regenerate former mining areas. Improving transport infrastructure has been vital to regeneration; the M6 Toll, and local bypass schemes at Cannock, Burntwood, and Rugeley (Phase 1), have all made major contributions. Almost 6,000 new jobs have been created in the last few years by regeneration initiatives. Our current projects will create an estimated 16,000 new jobs in the next few years.

Health and Social Care

We have identified schemes to improve access to our major hospitals at Stafford, Cannock, Burton upon Trent, and Tamworth. Provision of a new bus-only access at Stafford Hospital has enabled a significant improvement to the local bus service. We are now looking at detailed plans to improve access at Burton upon Trent. During 2005 we introduced additional bus services to both Stafford and Tamworth hospitals.

Learning and Skills

We have established a Post-16 Education Partnership which includes representatives from the Learning and Skills Council, Connexions, schools and colleges. One of the principal aims of the Partnership has been to accommodate post-16 students’ travel needs on local bus services rather than on contract home-to-school transport. Contract transport is often not flexible enough to take account of after-school activities and the varied start and finish times of post-16 students. In September 2004, journeys were added to four local bus services as an alternative to contract transport for post-16 students.

3.7 Wider Indicators

Our main targets and indicators are described in Chapter 9. We recognise the contribution which transport can make to wider objectives. Therefore, we will be monitoring a number of wider indicators over the LTP period, which are set out in Tables 9.3a and Table 9.3b in Chapter 9.

3.8 Other Corporate Strategies

A Hard Rain: Staffordshire County Council’s Climate Change Action Plan 2005 We accept that climate change is a reality that will, if unchecked, have serious consequences for Staffordshire and its environment. We have, therefore, agreed an internal action plan for tackling climate change, incorporating the following elements:- ü A strategy for energy conservation and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; ü A position statement on renewable energy generation, including wind energy; and ü A strategy for coping with the potential impacts of climate change that cannot be avoided.

Mineral and Waste Local Development Framework Picture 3.9 : A Hard Rain: Transport of minerals and waste is an important issue in Staffordshire. We have over Staffordshire 100 mineral sites producing in excess of 10 million tonnes of aggregates per year. County Council’s Staffordshire is the main supplier of minerals and aggregates in the region and over Climate Change three-quarters of a million tonnes of freight is moved within the County every year by Action Plan 2005 road - the second highest quantity in the region after the West Midlands conurbation. This impacts on our highway maintenance requirements as well as having an environmental impact on our more sensitive communities. We will be addressing these issues through our highway maintenance strategy, our highway development control policy for mineral and waste sites, freight quality partnerships, area strategies, and our road hierarchy review.

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The Local Development Framework, which is currently being developed, will comprise a folder of mineral and waste development documents that will replace the policies and proposals currently found in the Structure Plan, Minerals Local Plan, and Waste Local Plan.

Community Safety Strategy

We recognise that environment and personal safety is central to people’s experience of life. Creating a safe and attractive environment is a key corporate aim and, as such, we are working in partnership with the district and borough councils, Police and Fire Authorities, and the health sector to reduce crime and disorder, and improve the safety of Staffordshire’s communities. Each district and borough council has established Community Safety Partnerships. A Countywide Community Safety Strategy has been produced in conjunction with the Community Safety Partnerships. It follows eight district wide Crime and Disorder audits. The strategy covers a three year period. Those aims relevant to the LTP are preventing anti-social behaviour and youth crime, improving road safety, and promoting the voluntary sector and stronger communities. The LTP supports the Community Safety Strategy through the Creating Safer Roads Strategy. We will work in partnership to promote the safe and responsible use of the highway network. Our Street Lighting Private Finance Initiative arrangement will ensure the full and timely renewal of our street lighting stock to create a safer environment for road, cycleway and footpath users. Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) has been installed at many of the County’s rail stations and town centres to reduce the feeling of isolation, and reduce vandalism and other crimes. CCTV has also been installed on many of the buses used on Staffordshire’s Bus Quality Partnership Routes and near town centre cycle parking facilities. CCTV will be encouraged at every opportunity but especially in areas of high crime.

3.9 Land-Use Planning at the Local Level

We are working closely with the West Midlands Regional Assembly and Staffordshire’s district and borough councils to support the development and implementation of regional and local plans. The integration of transport and spatial planning is central to the development and delivery of effective planning. As a result, our Transport and Planning Policy functions are now organised in one unit. Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) will set the local pattern of housing and commercial development. They are likely to result in changing travel patterns over the next ten years. We will encourage our partners to ensure that new developments likely to generate substantial traffic movements are situated in appropriate and sustainable locations – where they are accessible by walking, cycling and public transport. The LDFs will include local policies for car parking, and establish the extent to which transport assessments and travel plans are needed. We expect that LDFs will continue to make provision to secure contributions from developers towards the cost of:- ü any necessary highway improvements; ü public transport, services and infrastructure; ü walking and cycling facilities; ü the preparation and implementation of a ‘Travel Plan’ to encourage the use of modes of transport other than the private motor vehicle; and ü measures identified in adopted transport strategies.

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Staffordshire’s district and borough councils are currently finalising their Local Plans and/or replacing their Local Plans with Local Development Frameworks (LDFs), as outlined in Table 3.9.

Table 3.9 : Local Plans and Local Development Frameworks within Staffordshire

The full resource implications of the new LDF system are still being assessed and will have an impact on the programming of the above work.

Urban Transport Strategies

Urban transport strategies have been produced as part of the LTP process for Burton upon Trent, Stafford and Lichfield, in co-ordination with the land-use planning process. These strategies are regularly reviewed and further strategies will be developed where necessary to take into account the emerging LDF process. The development of urban transport strategies involves: -

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ü extensive analysis of current problems and opportunities; ü extensive consultation exercises at key stages in the development of the Strategy; ü partnership working with planning authorities and other transport providers; ü identification of potential solutions; ü identification of the preferred Strategy and prioritisation of measures; and ü de livery of the Strategy through the LTP capital programme, revenue support and the securing of non-LTP funding – e.g. from developers and district councils. Traffic analysis techniques including junction modelling and micro-simulation software (VISSIM, COBA, ARCADY, PICADY and OSCADY) are used to help determine the appropriate strategy measures. VISSIM is used to evaluate the traffic impact of various alternative transport and land-use proposals by providing a realistic visual representation of how cars, buses, pedestrians and cyclists will be affected. Accessibility planning techniques will also be used to inform the development of the Strategies. The measures that have emerged through existing urban strategies aim to:- ü promote accessibility to urban centres by all modes; ü improve safety for all users of the transport network; ü improve the efficiency of the highway network to reduce congestion and air quality problems; ü support regeneration of urban centres; and ü provide complementary environmental streetscape improvements funded by district and borough councils and other County Council resources.

3.10 A Long-Term Transport Strategy for Staffordshire

Our long-term transport strategy for the period to 2016 – adopted in February 2006 – has been developed from the policies included in the Staffordshire and Stoke- on-Trent Structure Plan 1996-2011, to reflect the Regional Spatial and Transport Strategies, and the Community Strategy for Staffordshire. The Strategy is based around key aims of:- ü providing the transport infrastructure and services necessary to support continued economic growth in Staffordshire; ü ensuring access for everyone to key facilities and services; ü protecting the natural environment and the fabric of historic settlements; and ü developing a transport system which is safe for all users and which encourages the use of sustainable modes. Our key objectives are to:- ü improve personal security, road safety, and access for everyone, particularly for those people with special needs; ü improve the availability, accessibility, efficiency, and attractiveness of walking, cycling, and public transport; ü promote land-use patterns which can be served by a range of transport modes; ü reduce reliance on private cars; ü make it easier for people to switch between different forms of transport; ü improve the quality of the local environment and attractiveness of town centres, local centres, residential and other sensitive areas; ü ma nage car parking to improve enforcement and to discourage reliance on the private car for work and other journeys where there are effective alternatives; ü reduce transport related pollution; and ü reduce the impact of road freight. 40 33

Under current regional plans, there is likely to be a very limited need to provide some additional road and rail capacity to meet local needs in the period to 2016; in particular this includes additional rail capacity in the Cannock–Walsall–Birmingham Corridor. However, we accept that there is a clearly identified need to cater for increased volumes of long distance traffic passing through Staffordshire; for this reason we support the ongoing upgrade to the West Coast Main Line and the proposal for additional highway capacity in the M6 Corridor. We expect that the completion of both schemes will also offer significant local benefits, particularly economic, and we will ensure that we are in a position to capture these. In addition we believe that there is a strong case for an improved link between the M54, M6, and M6 Toll Motorways and that it may also be necessary to provide additional road and rail capacity in the A38 Corridor between Birmingham, Burton upon Trent, and Derby. We also accept that there will be a need for new highways in areas where there is a need for land – particularly brownfield – to be opened up for development. At present this is likely to include a new link to the south of Burton upon Trent between the A38 and the A511 in Derbyshire. In addition, the proposed change in national planning guidance relating to Housing (PPG3) is likely to result in increased development pressure in southern Staffordshire, placing additional stress on the local transport network. Alongside the work which we are undertaking to support the review of the Regional Spatial Strategy, we will examine the extent to which any additional transport capacity might be needed as a consequence of increased demand for new housing. We will also consider new roads where such an approach is the only way of removing traffic from sensitive areas, including town centres and villages. However, we will only follow such an approach once we have completed a thorough review of the road hierarchy in Staffordshire, and fully investigated other measures which could achieve our aims.

Road Hierarchy Review

We will undertake a full review of the local road hierarchy during 2006 and 2007. This review, which follows a regional review of the Primary Route Network, will consider the extent to which the existing hierarchy reflects changing travel patterns in the County. We will consider a heavy vehicle route strategy as part of this review.

Network Management

We are committed to maintaining and managing our transport network in a way which minimises delays and disruption to travellers. We intend to upgrade our Urban Traffic Control (UTC) systems in order to ensure that we maximise the capacity of our road network and to improve conditions for local buses.

Speed Policy

Staffordshire is a leading authority in speed management and one of the earliest to develop a robust safety camera partnership. We have achieved significant success in reducing speeds and associated accidents, particularly on many of our inter-urban roads. However, the perception of excessive speed remains a significant concern in many residential areas and we are aware that we need to develop a robust policy for the longer term. This policy will include consideration of the future role of safety cameras as well as procedures for Home Zones, rural settlements, and Quiet Lanes. Picture 3.10 : Vehicle Activated We will prepare a Speed Management Strategy alongside our road hierarchy review. Sign in Armitage

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Bus and Rail

We have a long and successful record of collaborative working with the bus and rail industries. This has resulted in the re-introduction of passenger rail services between Walsall, Cannock and Stafford, and significant improvements to local bus networks in Stafford, Tamworth and Cannock. Following the completion of the West Coast Main Line Upgrade we expect to see enhanced rail services for many of our communities. We will continue to work closely with the rail industry to ensure that our stations are accessible by a variety of modes and provide sufficient car parking to cater for increased numbers of passengers.

Pedestrian Access

The majority of personal journeys in Staffordshire – as elsewhere in the country – are less than 5 km in length. This includes a significant number of motorised trips of less than 2 km; we believe very strongly that, wherever possible, people making such short distance trips should be encouraged to walk, cycle, or use public transport. During the last five years we have placed considerable emphasis on the development of cycle routes – particularly to support the National Cycle Network – and on walking routes around many of our schools through the Safer Routes to School initiative. However, we accept that we have made little progress in encouraging short distance walking around our town and village centres. This will be a priority for this LTP.

Cycling

Cycling has the potential to play a major role in improving the health of our residents. It can also help to reduce short distance car journeys, particularly in urban areas. Where appropriate we will ensure that safe and convenient cycle routes and secure cycle parking are provided in our main towns, and we will draw up detailed proposals to achieve this. Elsewhere, we support the National Cycle Network promoted by Sustrans and will develop value for money proposals to complete the network within Staffordshire.

Transport Marketing

Our work with schools and employers through the development of Green Travel Plans has shown that it is possible to secure significant changes in travel behaviour; however, we have not always sufficiently publicised the progress we have made in scheme delivery and we acknowledge that there is still a considerable way to go in promoting public awareness of sustainable travel modes. We are a major partner in West Midlands Travel Information Services Ltd (WMTIS), the company owned jointly by local authorities and bus operators which delivers the national “Traveline” project in the West Midlands region, and we have well regarded in-house public transport information and green travel teams. We intend to build on these foundations to promote greater public awareness during this LTP period including the provision of personal travel planning advice.

Green Travel Plans and Development Control

We recognise the importance of school and company Travel Plans in promoting and enabling the use of sustainable modes including walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing. Company travel plans are used in the planning process to ensure that new developments can be reached easily by walking, cycling or public transport and are therefore accessible for employees. We will continue to promote our Company Travelwise Scheme and increase the number of schools with travel plans working closely with the business and school communities.

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Design and Streetscape

The street environment, particularly in residential areas, is an important factor contributing to people’s quality of life. Transport schemes have a significant role to play in enhancing streetscapes in Staffordshire. High quality design is important and should incorporate features such as good quality paving finishes, green areas and street furniture. It is important that any enhancements to the streetscape are sympathetic to existing buildings, particularly in conservation areas. We will continue to follow ‘Conservation within the Highway’ good practice guidance developed by our Environment and Countryside team.

Safety and Crime

We recognise that safety and crime – and particularly perceptions of safety and crime – have a significant influence on public opinion. We will work with Staffordshire Police, district and borough councils, and transport industry partners to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.

Freight and Distribution

The freight industry is key to the success of Staffordshire’s economy by supporting local manufacturing, agriculture, and minerals industries. The County is also becoming increasingly important as a centre for logistics. However, heavy vehicles are an increasing source of concern among local residents. We recognise the benefits of removing traffic away from sensitive residential and environmental areas, and we will work with the road haulage industry to minimise the impact of heavy vehicles on these areas. We will also encourage the use of the rail and inland waterway network where this is appropriate.

Inland Waterways

We recognise the value of canal restoration in terms of the impact it makes not only in terms of economic development but in enhancing social fabric and providing opportunities for healthy living and recreation. This is enshrined in a variety of ministerial statements, planning documents (PPG13) and Local Authority Plans. Whenever possible it will support such restoration projects We are working with British Waterways, Persimmon Homes Lichfield District Council and the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Trust to secure provision of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal alongside Lichfield Southern Bypasses Phases 2 and 3. Picture 3.11 : Caldon Canal, Cross Boundary Issues Staffordshire Moorlands We already work very closely with our neighbouring shire and unitary authorities regarding all aspects of transport planning and operation. We do not believe that the full benefits of an integrated transport system are achievable without such co- operation and will continue to work proactively across borders.

43 ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ Better Accessibility 44 4. Better Accessibility

Key Points ü The main accessibility issues in Staffordshire are:- † Access to town centres by walking, cycling, and public transport † Access to hospitals, particularly in those urban areas which experience the highest levels of social exclusion in relation to the County as a whole † Access to employment sites, particularly those away from town centres † Ensuring that accessibility issues are considered from an early stage in land-use planning † Enabling higher levels of walking and cycling for shorter journeys through additional infrastructure improvements ü The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Strategic Partnership’s Transport Theme Group has agreed to oversee and steer the implementation of this Strategy

Objective

“To improve access to everyday facilities for all, particularly for those without access to a car”

4.1 Context

Improving access forms a signifi cant element of this LTP and is one of the key priorities in Staffordshire’s Community Strategy. The achievement of our Corporate Strategy – to improve social care and health, develop a learning County, create a safe and attractive environment, promote economic success, and focus on people and communities – also depends on individuals being able to access the services they need. Our household travel survey conducted in late 2005 found that 21% of Staffordshire’s residents considered accessibility to be the most important transport issue in the County. The ability of an individual to access employment and key services such as education, health, retail, and leisure can signifi cantly improve their quality of life, as well as their life chances. Good access to key services can increase levels of social inclusion, improve health and social care inequalities, increase attendance and attainment in education, and facilitate the transfer from welfare to work. Individuals who have access to key services also have the ability to live independently as full and active members of society. The implementation of this Strategy will contribute towards creating safer roads, reducing the impact of traffi c, improving air quality, supporting economic regeneration, and improving quality of life issues. For example, facilitating greater levels of walking and cycling will reduce the impact of traffi c, especially during peak travel periods.

4.2 Accessibility and Social Exclusion

National research has shown that individuals experiencing social exclusion also tend to experience the most diffi culty in accessing services. In turn, accessibility problems also contribute to levels of social exclusion. The Government’s Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) defi nes social exclusion as “what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime, bad health and family breakdown”. Indicators of social exclusion are, therefore, useful in helping to identify those areas of the County

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likely to experience diffi culties in accessing key destinations such as hospitals, higher education, and employment sites. These indicators can be mapped to give an illustration of the geographic spread of socially excluded areas within the County.

4.3 What is Accessibility Planning?

Accessibility Planning is a process that aims to promote social inclusion by assisting individuals, especially those from disadvantaged groups or areas, to access employment and key services. The SEU states that accessibility depends upon the ability of an individual to “get to key services at reasonable cost, in reasonable time, and with reasonable ease”. Accessibility is about more than the availability of transport. It also includes consideration of the location of services, personal safety, information provision, and infrastructure design. As a lead member of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Strategic Partnership, we are working with a wide range of service providers to ensure that accessibility is a primary consideration in decision-making processes. Letters supporting this Strategy from service providers, and other partners, can be found in Annex D. In developing this Strategy, we will follow the Government’s recommended fi ve-stage Accessibility Planning process, which is illustrated in Diagram 4.1. Diagram 4.1 : The Five Stages of the Accessibility Planning Process

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4.4 Stakeholder Consultation

Through the consultation process for the LTP, a range of issues relating to accessibility were raised including:- ü the ability to travel to healthcare facilities, in particular hospitals because they are often located outside town centres, and many hospitals used by Staffordshire’s residents are outside the County; ü health authorities do not always consider the ability of the patient to travel to a particular site when referring them on for an appointment; ü out-of-town employment and retail sites favour car users – travel by bus to these sites is often more diffi cult; ü access to food and healthy diet; ü concessionary pass holders needing to make cross-boundary journeys cannot obtain a discount on a connecting journey if they interchange outside Staffordshire; ü availability of multi-operator ticketing; ü limitations of the conventional bus network in linking the rural population to a range of key destinations; ü limitations of the bus network in matching the opening hours (or shift patterns) of key destinations such as town centres (the night-time economy), hospitals, and major employment sites; ü personal security, particularly for those travelling in urban areas; and ü the range and quality of information relating to public transport services. By bringing together the feedback we received during the consultation exercises and evidence from socio-economic research and mapping, and integrating these with our corporate priorities, we have been able to identify Staffordshire’s main accessibility priorities. These are:- ü access to town centres by walking, cycling, and public transport; ü access to hospitals, particularly in those urban areas which experience the highest levels of social exclusion in relation to the County as a whole; ü access to employment sites, particularly those that are away from town centres; ü ensuring that accessibility issues are considered from an early stage in land-use planning; and ü enabling higher levels of walking and cycling for shorter journeys through additional infrastructure improvement.

4.5 Views on Accessibility in Staffordshire

ü “We would use buses a lot more if there were shelters to wait in, they were reliable and on time.” (Household Travel Survey - a resident) ü “I have diffi culty using public transport with my 11 week-old baby, because there are no ‘buggy’ or ‘disabled’ zones on the buses.” (Household Travel Survey - a resident) ü “I would consider joining a car share scheme as I feel that a car is necessary for people living in rural locations – i.e. for weekly shopping etc. I have tried cycling in to work in Stafford. However, rural cycle routes are not available and roads are too dangerous, so I went back to my car.” (Household Travel Survey - a resident)

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4.6 Key Facts

ü 70% of the County’s population is within 60 minutes travel time by bus of a main hospital (defi ned as a hospital with A&E, and travel taking place between 07:00 and 09:00). ü 77% of the County’s population is within 60 minutes travel time by bus of a main centre (travelling between 07:00 and 09:00). ü 77% of the County’s population is within 60 minutes travel time by bus of a GP surgery (travelling between 07:00 and 09:00). This fi gure will be higher in reality, as the data currently available does not include ‘branch’ surgery locations. ü 72% of the County’s population is within 60 minutes travel time by bus of a supermarket (travelling between 09:00 and 12:00 to a supermarket as defi ned by the DfT). ü 19% of households in the County do not have access to a car. This fi gure varies widely across the County, particularly between urban and rural areas. ü 8% of Staffordshire’s population lives in areas which fall within the 20% most deprived nationally. ü Countywide, Staffordshire’s population is expected to grow by 8,000 between 2005 and 2010. However, in the same period the population aged 60 or over is expected to grow by 26,000 people.

4.7 Socio-Economic Analysis

The impact of social exclusion on accessibility varies across the population. For example, low income may impact upon how often or how far an individual can afford to travel; mobility diffi culties may restrict an individual to only use those bus routes where low-fl oor buses are available, or to only go to those destinations a short distance from a bus stop; poor literacy and numeracy may make it diffi cult to fi nd out what transport is available. Equally, a lack of suitable transport can exacerbate social exclusion, creating a vicious circle. Through improvements to accessibility and transport links, this cycle can be broken. Our research has identifi ed fi ve socio- economic factors that contribute to poor accessibility and vice-versa. ü Unemployment The percentage of the County’s population that are of working age and that currently claim Jobseeker’s Allowance is below national and regional averages. Overall, 1.5% of the population of working age claim Jobseeker’s Allowance. The level of claimants varies across the County with the highest rates in urban areas, most notably in Stafford, Cannock, and Burton upon Trent as shown in Map 4.1. The availability of transport can restrict the range of potential employment opportunities available to an individual and, in some instances, can make it diffi cult for them to enter employment. Research into barriers to accessing employment in the West Midlands was carried out by Cooper Simms Consultancy in 1998. It highlighted a number of issues, including shift work patterns; the need to undertake multi-purpose trips (such as a journey to a childcare provider before a journey to work); and remote employment sites.

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ü Limiting Long-Term Illness 37% of the County’s population suffers from a limiting long-term illness, compared to 34% nationally. There are higher concentrations of the population suffering a limiting long-term illness in areas such as Cannock, as shown in Map 4.2. Until recently, coal mining provided a major source of employment in this area, and so is likely to have contributed to the ill health in later life of those that worked in this industry. Limiting long-term illness can affect mobility and can indicate a greater need to access healthcare facilities.

ü Income The cost of running a private car has remained virtually constant in real terms, despite increases in the cost of fuel and insurance. However, the cost of public transport and taxi fares has risen signifi cantly in real terms which is likely to have a disproportionate impact upon low-income households. Average gross earnings for the County’s population are below national and regional averages. In 2004, average gross earnings in Staffordshire were 88% of the national average and 97% of the regional average.

ü Age The age distribution of an area’s population will affect the accessibility needs and travel choices of that population. The report ‘Diffi culty in Accessing Key Services’ (Offi ce of National Statistics, 2001) found that for those above the age of 54, usage of public transport, community transport and taxis increased with age. It is also likely that the need to access healthcare will increase with age. Staffordshire’s older population is projected to increase signifi cantly over the next decade. Currently, 21% of the County’s population is over 60 and by 2021 this will increase by approximately 27%. Younger age groups are also more prone to experiencing accessibility problems. Those aged under 17 must rely on walking, cycling and public transport to get around, or be reliant on parents and friends for any journeys by car.

ü Car Ownership Car ownership is one of the principal indicators used to identify areas where the resident population may experience diffi culties in accessing key services. Those living in households without access to a car generally have lower travel horizons and are often restricted to using services which are close by; this clearly restricts the range and choice of destinations available to these households. Furthermore, in households where one car is available, it is often the case that the car is used by one member of the household for most of the day and so it is generally not available to other members of the household. As 75% of the County’s households are occupied by more than one person, it is reasonable to assume that this is a problem for a signifi cant number of households. In Staffordshire, 19% of households do not have access to a car, compared to 27% nationally. There are wide variations in levels of car ownership as shown in Map 4.3. For example, in 14% of households do not own a car and in Burton upon Trent the proportion rises to 28%. 43% of the County’s households have access to one car, and 38% have access to more than one. In general, urban areas of the County have lower levels of car ownership than rural areas. High levels of car ownership in rural Staffordshire presents challenges for the accessibility planning process as census data cannot necessarily reveal small pockets of low car ownership in rural areas.

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Deprivation

The socio-economic characteristics discussed above all contribute to deprivation in the County. Countywide almost 70,000 people in Staffordshire live in areas that are in the 20% most deprived nationally. Residents in these areas, shown in Map 4.4, are much more likely to experience diffi culties in accessing key services than residents in less deprived areas. A range of accessibility barriers and issues are likely to be present in these deprived areas, including low car ownership, lower incomes, higher crime rates, poor health, and higher rates of unemployment.

Rural Isolation

The majority of Staffordshire’s rural population is quite mobile, as car ownership levels are high. This gives the ability to access key services some distance away, and to visit family and friends. However, people living on their own in rural areas can experience more isolation than do their urban counterparts. In rural non-car owning households, the feeling of isolation can be quite strong as it is more diffi cult to access services, or to get out and visit family and friends. Lower public transport frequencies can limit journey opportunities and may mean that people stop in at home for longer periods than they would like, thus contributing to rural isolation. It is diffi cult to identify from mapping exercises those areas that experience the most isolation. Working with the community is very important to maintain awareness of the issue. The socio-economic analysis presented has informed our priorities, in the following ways:- ü the growing proportion of older people in the population, combined with the levels of limiting long-term illness, indicate that access to healthcare is likely to be of importance to a large proportion of the County’s population; ü levels of poor health also mean that access to a healthy diet is important for maintaining or improving the general health of the population; ü levels of unemployment and deprivation in some of the County’s urban areas make better access to employment sites a priority to tackle unemployment and help to reduce deprivation; ü low car ownership in urban areas means that a signifi cant proportion of the population must access key services either on foot, bicycle or by public transport (enabling greater numbers of journeys by foot and bicycle are important as many services can be reached in a relatively short distance); and ü maintaining high levels of accessibility by foot, bicycle or by public transport to town centres is vital – town centres provide a range of key services that people need to access, and are generally the easiest locations to reach by all modes.

4.8 Accessibility Analysis

During the development of the LTP, consultees have stated that the main services which are diffi cult to access are:- ü major retail and employment centres; ü healthcare facilities, including those located outside Staffordshire; and ü transport interchanges. This complements the fi ndings of our socio-economic analysis, which showed that access to employment, health, and retail facilities are important in combating deprivation.

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Access to Major Centres The ability to access a main town centre enables a range of services and destination types to be reached in a single trip. Retail, fi nancial, education, employment, and leisure facilities tend to be concentrated in or near to town centres. Map 4.5 illustrates those areas of Staffordshire within 60 minutes travel time by bus to a major centre between 07:00 and 09:00 on weekdays. The characteristics of the population within and outside 30 and 60 minute travel time bands is shown in Table 4.1. The population that lies outside 60 minutes travel time to a major centre is very dispersed across the County. Within current planning guidelines, this would present a challenge in terms of identifying and meeting the accessibility needs of this population. However, with additional reward funding we would be able to address this issue and would bring forward an appropriate action plan and target as set out in section 10.11. Table 4.1 : Access to Major Centres: AM Peak

Access to GP Surgeries

Primary care, delivered through GP surgeries and health centres, is generally the fi rst point of contact most people have with the National Health Service (NHS). This care focuses on the treatment of routine injuries and illnesses, as well as preventive care. Primary care is mostly concerned with a patient’s general health needs, but increasingly more specialist treatments and services are becoming available in primary care settings closer to where people live. Access to GP surgeries and health centres in the County is illustrated in Map 4.6, which shows areas of the County that are within 60 minutes travel time by bus of a GP surgery between 07:00 and 09:00 on weekdays. Table 4.2 describes the characteristics of the population within and outside 30 and 60 minute travel time bands. The dataset does not include branch surgeries, or surgeries outside Staffordshire, thus suppressing the fi gures. Work is under way to add these to the dataset in order to develop a more accurate picture of access to GP surgeries. Progress on this will be provided in future APRs.

Table 4.2 : Access to Main GP Surgeries: AM Peak

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Access to Main Hospitals

Access to hospitals is a main concern for many of Staffordshire’s residents. Accessibility problems to hospitals are compounded by the location of hospitals in non-town centre sites; the fact that certain treatments are not available at all hospitals; and the centralisation of services to a few hospital sites. The last two issues result in longer distances travelled by patients and visitors, and frequently requires travel beyond the County boundary – in both cases leading to longer and more expensive journeys. Elderly residents, particularly those in southern Staffordshire, need to travel to hospitals within the West Midlands conurbation. The requirement to use connecting buses outside the County results in particular diffi culties since travel concessions are not currently available in such cases. Map 4.7 shows areas of the County that are within 30 and 60 minutes travel time by bus of a main hospital between 07:00 and 09:00 on weekdays. Table 4.3 describes the characteristics of the population within and outside 30 and 60 minute travel time bands.

Queens Hospital in Burton upon Trent is located on the western edge of the town. Access for buses is diffi cult as they cannot currently enter the hospital site, to drop passengers off near to the entrance. We are working closely with the hospital to make alterations to the site access to allow buses to properly serve the site. This will greatly improve access to the site by public transport, and will particularly benefi t those with mobility diffi culties.

In partnership with Mid Staffordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, we have examined access to Staffordshire General Hospital in Stafford and Cannock Chase Hospital in Cannock. The results, shown in Map 4.8, are based on actual patient locations. Following our consultation exercises, it is clear that the nearest hospital may not always be where a patient is referred. Development of patient choice policies within the NHS could lead to more patients travelling further to access hospital treatment.

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Table 4.3 : Access to Main Hospitals: AM Peak

Access to Education Accessibility to primary and secondary education is largely dictated by the locations of schools (which relates to walking and cycling catchments), and the policies in place to provide home-to-school transport under our statutory responsibilities. At present we provide transport for:- ü primary school pupils aged under 11 years, living more than two miles from their nearest school, free of charge; ü secondary school pupils aged over 11 years, living more than three miles from their nearest school, free of charge; ü special educational needs pupils regardless of distance, free of charge; and ü subsidised travel for post-16 pupils. The Education Bill currently under consideration by Parliament includes provisions for local authorities to pilot more fl exible eligibility criteria for home-to-school transport. We have carried out an extensive study into the potential costs and benefi ts of differing eligibility criteria on pupils in the County. It identifi es the extent to which this might improve accessibility to schools, and help to reduce car borne trips to and from school. Such a reduction in car trips could contribute to making walking and cycling to school a more attractive option, as well as reducing instances of localised peak time congestion. We operate a fl eet of 30 yellow school buses, which fulfi l some of the home-to-school transport requirement as well as provide transport to extra-curricula activities such as swimming. Operation of this fl eet has helped to raise the quality and effi ciency of home-to-school transport provision in the County. Access to further education establishments is particularly important as it encompasses Picture 4.1 : opportunities for all of Staffordshire’s residents to gain new skills and qualifi cations. In Yellow turn, this infl uences the range of employment that people can enter and thus supports School Bus our corporate aims to develop a learning County and promote economic success. There are two higher and seven further education establishments in Staffordshire, and these are mainly located in the main urban areas. A signifi cant proportion of students from Staffordshire travel into neighbouring local authority areas to attend further and higher education, such as Stoke-on-Trent and Walsall Colleges. In addition, we provide a range of courses at numerous locations throughout the County, such as local community centres, often on an evening class basis. Map 4.9 illustrates those areas of the County that are within 60 minutes travel by bus of a further education establishment between 07:00 and 09:00 on weekdays. Table 4.4 describes the characteristics of the population within and outside 30 and 60 minute travel time bands.

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Table 4.4 : Access to Further Education Colleges: AM Peak

Access to Food / Retail

The ability of the County’s population to access food and a healthy diet was investigated in depth by a study conducted in partnership with the National Consumer Council in 2005. The aims of the study were to:- ü evaluate perceptions of food access throughout Staffordshire; ü establish theoretically “access poor” areas; ü evaluate the range, quality and price of food in a multi-convenience store in “access poor” areas and in a case study area; and ü explore practical approaches to address the problems experienced in a case study area. Findings of the study have been published nationally by the National Consumer Council in their report ‘Putting Food Access on the Radar: How to Target and Prioritise Communities at Risk’. A copy of the report is available on the National Consumer Council’s website. Further mapping has been undertaken to build upon this study, to identify journey times by public transport to food shops. Map 4.10 shows those areas of the County that are within 30 and 60 minutes travel by bus of a supermarket between 09:00 and Picture 4.2 : 12:00 on weekdays. Table 4.5 describes the characteristics of the population within ‘Putting Food and outside 30 and 60 minute travel time bands. Access on the Radar: Evidence suggests that 90% of the County’s population rely on supermarkets for the How to Target bulk of their food shopping and so this is clearly an important travel need. However, and Prioritise we recognise that smaller shops also have an important role to play in ensuring Communities adequate access to food. at Risk’ Table 4.5 : Access to Supermarkets: Off Peak (0900 – 1200)

A number of supermarkets provide countywide coverage for their internet-based food delivery services, and other retailers provide delivery services on a more localised basis. Although not all sectors of the community have access to the internet, the role that delivery services can play is still an important one which will be considered in the action planning stage of this strategy.

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4.9 Barriers to Access

There are a range of barriers that individuals may experience in accessing the destinations and services they need. One or more of these barriers can make access either diffi cult or, in some cases, impossible. As illustrated in Diagram 4.2, which is taken from our Bus Strategy, journeys by public transport can be thought of as an ‘Accessible Journey Chain’. If any part of the chain is not in place, then the journey will be either diffi cult or impossible. Many of the elements of the chain equally apply to journeys undertaken entirely on foot or bicycle. Diagram 4.2 : The Accessible Journey Chain

Tyler, N. (Ed.), (2002) Accessibility and the Bus System.

When developing solutions to accessibility problems, the following barriers will be considered:- ü Location of services – the location of a particular service will directly infl uence how easy it is to access on foot, bicycle or by public transport. In general, the more that services are concentrated onto a few sites serving large areas, or the further away from town centres they are, the more diffi cult they are to access. ü Cost of travel – the cost of a journey by bus can increase signifi cantly where a change of bus is required between two different operators’ services. Two or more tickets would need to be purchased, as inter-available ticketing between operators is not currently available in Staffordshire. Typically, journeys undertaken purely on the services of one operator are cheaper than journeys using more than one operator. ü Availability of transport – whether or not transport is available at the appropriate time of day, and day of the week. ü Fear of crime – fear of crime can be a deterrent to journeys on foot, bicycle, or by public transport. ü Physical barriers – these can include poor pedestrian linkages, lack of low-fl oor buses on a particular route, or the walking distances involved in the journey. ü Information provision – the range and availability of information can have a signifi cant impact on whether a person is aware of the journey opportunities open to them.

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Some barriers become more prevalent for a particular journey purpose. For example, journeys to healthcare services pose a number of problems: appointment times need to match the availability of transport; mobility restricts the types of transport that can be used; the treatment required may only be available at a limited number of hospitals; and the cost of travel can be greater because the journeys tend to involve more than one bus, and tend to be longer. The importance of each of the barriers will vary between different population groups. For example, older people, the unemployed, individuals living in deprived areas or who have English as a second language, women, and those without a car, all will face different but equally problematical barriers. Individuals with English as a second language may experience more diffi culty in accessing information. Addressing fears of personal safety whilst travelling may be a barrier for some women, especially if they are travelling at night. We recognise that concerns about personal safety – including fear of crime – can have a signifi cant impact on the ability of people to travel. In Staffordshire, the highest levels of crime are experienced in the County’s largest urban areas, but even here crime rates are below the national average. Levels of street crime can have a signifi cant impact upon how and when a person chooses to travel. For example, it may affect the destination, the time and mode of travel, and the route taken. Crime mapping for Staffordshire shows that levels of crime vary across the County, as shown in Maps 4.11 and 4.12. There is a tendency towards higher levels of crime in urban areas of the County, most notably in Burton upon Trent, Tamworth, Cannock and Stafford. Levels of violent crime and an individual’s perception of violent crime are likely to affect their travel habits.

4.10 Priorities/ Key Issues

Diagram 4.3 summarises the priority destinations and population groups that have been indicated in our socio-economic research and accessibility analyses. Our priorities come under two broad headings: key destinations/ services and socio- economic (population groups). These priorities feed directly into the option appraisal and action planning stages of the accessibility planning process. All action plans will address one or more of the priority destinations or population groups identifi ed. Ongoing consultation with our partners will enable action plans to be more effectively developed in light of these priorities by making use of their specialist knowledge. For example, our partners, Job Centre Plus and Connexions, will have a better understanding of unemployment issues.

Diagram 4.3 : Summary of Staffordshire’s Accessibility Priorities

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4.11 Option Appraisal and Action Plan

Action Planning is split into two broad areas:- ü localised and issue-specifi c action plans to improve accessibility to a particular destination type or to address a problem in a specifi c area; and ü countywide action plans, which tackle widespread accessibility issues, but integrate with the needs of local action plans. A key priority of this Strategy is to improve access to healthcare facilities. Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals have been identifi ed as having a need for improved access, to continue building upon successful improvements made to date. The Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospital Action Plan is detailed in full below, and will form a signifi cant part of the implementation of this Strategy during its fi rst year. In subsequent years, detailed local action plans will be developed to address:- ü access to employment; ü minimising the fear of using public transport in areas of higher crime rates; and ü access to food stores in areas identifi ed in the ‘Access to a Healthy Diet Study’ and Accession mapping. Countywide initiatives will be implemented alongside local action plans to address a range of issues which impact upon accessibility. These initiatives can be split into:- ü Implementation of the Bus Strategy 2006-2011, which will help to address a range of barriers to accessing key destinations by public transport ü Use of accessibility planning techniques in land-use planning – to ensure accessibility needs are taken fully into account in future developments around the County ü Implementation of the Road Safety Strategy (Chapter 5) which will help to remove barriers to increase levels of walking and cycling to access key destinations Indicative timescales for the implementation of these action plans are shown in Table 4.6.

Table 4.6 : Implementation of Action Plans over the Course of the LTP

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4.12 Local Action Plans

Access to Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals - Background Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals serve a signifi cant catchment population, estimated to be in the region of 320,000. Each hospital has a certain specialism, which generates a need for patients and visitors to travel from Cannock to Stafford and vice versa. Staffordshire General Hospital is located one mile to the east of Stafford town centre. Cannock Chase Hospital is located adjacent to the town centre.

In January 2005, we introduced a new bus service in Tamworth between Stoneydelph, Ventura Park, and Sir Robert Peel Hospital. The service provides direct links to healthcare services and a major retail development which is a signifi cant employer in the town. Previously, accessing both these sites was diffi cult for the majority of the population. Interchange in Tamworth town centre was required, involving a lengthy walk between stops, resulting in unattractive journey times and high fares. Since its launch passenger numbers have been steadily increasing.

Our involvement with the Staffordshire Public Patient Involvement Forum Transport Work Group has raised a number of accessibility diffi culties which patients, visitors, and staff experience when travelling to one of the hospitals or between the two. They include:- ü The need to interchange buses twice for many journeys. For example, a bus into Cannock town centre, to change for a bus to Stafford, to change for another bus to Staffordshire General Hospital. An analysis of patient locations demonstrates that there is a signifi cant amount of travel taking place between Stafford and Cannock to access treatment at both hospitals. Interchange is seen as a barrier to travel particularly in the early morning and at night. ü The frequency of bus services between Cannock and Stafford is only hourly and so can make timing journeys to coincide with appointments diffi cult, and extends journey times. ü Information provision to patients on the availability of public transport is considered inadequate and poor. ü Implementation of strict eligibility criteria for patient transport relating to mobility, means that many patients will need to travel to their appointments independently. ü The location and quality of bus stop infrastructure presents diffi culties for those with mobility impairments. ü A concern that some missed appointments could be attributed to the ability to travel to the hospitals at a particular time. Access to Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals - Progress to Date Accessibility to Staffordshire General Hospital by public transport has been improved over the last decade by partnership working that has taken place between the Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust and ourselves. Improvements include:- ü commercial bus services routed into Staffordshire General Hospital – low-fl oor buses operate to the town centre every 10 minutes; ü construction of a bus gate between Staffordshire General Hospital and Coton Fields estate allowing direct bus links between the two; ü installation of Urban Traffi c Control bus priority at Staffordshire General Hospital - traffi c signals at the entrance/ exit enables buses to gain quicker access to the hospital site;

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ü bus service passing Cannock Chase Hospital upgraded to low-fl oor, and frequencies increased from 3 to 4 buses an hour via the Route 33 to Brownhills Public Transport Partnership; ü the hourly X1 bus service Hanley–Stone–Stafford University has been extended to Stafford Rail Station and the town centre via Staffordshire General Hospital providing patients from Stone with a direct bus service to this location for the fi rst time; ü data sharing to allow patients’ travel patterns to be more closely analysed; and ü partnership working with Public Patient Involvement Forum Transport Work Group.

As part of the Public Transport Partnership on Route 1 between Baswich, Stafford town centre, and Coton Fields, a new access into Staffordshire General Hospital was constructed. This allows buses to travel through the hospital site, signifi cantly increasing the population served by direct buses to the hospital. Picture 4.3 : Bus Gate Between Staffordshire General Hospital and the Coton Fields Estate

Access to Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals - Future Actions Although signifi cant progress has been made to date in making Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals easier to reach, patients, visitors, and staff still experience some diffi culties in accessing both hospitals. In order to meet the identifi ed accessibility needs, the following actions are proposed:- ü Cannock Chase to Staffordshire General Hospitals bus service – a half- hourly bus service between Cannock and Stafford – serving both hospitals – is proposed. This service will replace the existing hourly service which requires a change of bus for passengers travelling to Staffordshire General Hospital. Low- fl oor buses will replace existing step-entrance buses improving access for those with mobility impairments. In addition, this service may have the added benefi t of reducing congestion and parking problems at the hospital sites, especially at Staffordshire General Hospital. We are currently discussing funding requirements with the local bus operator and the NHS Trust. ü Improved information provision – consultation has highlighted that information provision at both hospitals is currently viewed as poor, and is one of the barriers to accessing the hospital sites effectively. Information provision will be improved by:- ü Greater availability of public transport timetable and route information at both hospitals, including displays in public waiting areas inside the hospitals and at relevant bus stops ü Greater availability of public transport timetable and route information at those GP surgeries referring patients on to the two hospitals ü Production of hospital-specifi c public transport guides designed to meet the information needs of patients and visitors ü Investigating the possibility of including automatically generated public transport information with appointment letters posted out to patients ü Details of available community and voluntary transport within public transport information guides

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ü Improved bus stop infrastructure – improvements are needed to the bus stop location and layout at Staffordshire General Hospital, where those alighting from a bus need to walk up a steep slope towards the main entrance. Increasing the number of buses that serve the hospital is likely to mean that a greater length of lay-by will be needed to accommodate the additional buses. Raised kerbing and a new waiting shelter with seating will be provided. At Cannock Chase Hospital, we are examining new bus stopping locations closer to the hospital entrance. ü Investigate bus-only entrance for Staffordshire General Hospital – it is known that a bus-only entrance to Staffordshire General Hospital would reduce journey times by enabling buses to bypass the traffi c signals on the main entrance to the hospital site. As shown in Map 7.2, slow and queuing traffi c occurs on the Picture 4.4 : A518 Weston Road on the approaches to the main hospital entrance. Reduction Slope to the to delays incurred by buses may lead to the possibility of increasing service Entrance of frequencies, which further enhances accessibility. Further investigation is needed Staffordshire before a fi rm commitment can be made to its implementation. General Hospital ü Continued data sharing – Mid Staffordshire Hospitals NHS Trust has provided data on patient locations. Mapping these locations gives a clearer picture of patients’ travel patterns and ensures that, where possible, transport provision can be more closely matched to patients’ needs. ü Partnership working – continuation of partnership working with the Mid Staffordshire Hospitals NHS Trust will enable action to be taken to meet any new or previously unidentifi ed accessibility challenges that may arise in the future. Access to Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals - Monitoring the Action Plan Together with Mid Staffordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, we will monitor the implementation of this Action Plan and its impact upon tackling known accessibility issues. Two local accessibility indicators have been established, as follows: “to increase the number of people living within 30 and 60 minutes travel time of Staffordshire General Hospital during the AM peak, from a base of 20,480 and 100,995 in 2005 to 23,500 and 120,995 by 2010/11” “to increase the number of people living within 30 and 60 minutes travel time of Cannock Chase Hospital during the AM peak, from a base of 76,025 and 178,454 in 2005 to 81,025 and 198,454 by 2010/11” In addition, the following data will also be collected:- ü Number of passengers boarding buses at Staffordshire General Hospital ü Number of staff using the bus for travel to work ü Level of patient satisfaction with public transport information provision

4.13 Countywide Action Plans Land-Use Planning Accessibility Planning procedures will be incorporated into land-use planning to ensure that accessibility needs for developments are taken into account from the earliest possible stage so that appropriate actions can be identifi ed. We will use accessibility planning, including Accession software, to assess the accessibility implications of proposed new developments. This will provide a fi rm basis on which to levy an appropriate level of developer contributions to secure a suffi cient level of accessibility to a new development. Accessibility is incorporated into our integrated land-use and transport strategies that have been prepared for Burton upon Trent (BUATMS), Stafford (SUATMS), and Lichfi eld (LTADS). Further details on these strategies can be found in Chapter 10 and Annex K. In addition to this, we have worked with the County’s district and borough councils in developing this Strategy and we will work with them in its implementation because of their land-use planning responsibilities.

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Bus Strategy

Our Bus Strategy, which can be found in Annex E, plays a vital role in delivering the objectives of this Strategy. Accessibility planning techniques will form the cornerstone of informing our local bus service planning, which we undertake on an area basis. The area review process provides the opportunity to revise local bus services in line with changing local accessibility needs. At the start of each review, a consultation exercise is carried out. This enables feedback to be obtained from the public and stakeholders regarding their views on local bus service provision and how well they are meeting local accessibility needs. Geographical Information Systems will be used to give a measure of network coverage, and journey times to key destinations (using Accession) will be used to provide further input into the review process. Bus services provide for a range of accessibility needs, and must be planned accordingly. A framework for the future planning of our bus network is included in the Picture 4.5 : Bus Strategy, which aims to maximise the accessibility benefi ts of the bus network. Bus Strategy The Bus Strategy identifi es three main types of service which should integrate to provide a comprehensive bus network:-

High frequency urban networks ü Links all suburbs/ estates to the main centre for that area ü Provides links to non-town centre destinations, including, but not limited to major shopping centres, hospitals, further education facilities, and leisure facilities. Accessibility assessments are likely to inform the need for these links ü Services should take account of the operating hours of premises, particularly in town centres, at the destinations they serve wherever possible ü Provides interchange at a rail station and seek to take account of train connections outside of those times when the frequent service operates ü Provides easy interchange/ connections with inter-urban services wherever possible ü 100% low-fl oor buses operated by 2011, ahead of the 2015 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requirement for all buses to be accessible ü The majority of stops should be accessible, with information provided

Inter-urban networks ü Links secondary to primary settlements, including those across the County boundary ü Routes as direct as possible to minimise journey times ü Provides interchange at rail stations en-route where possible – links to mainline rail stations served by inter-city or regional services are particularly important ü Operates seven days a week with an evening service ü Partnership working with operators to improve infrastructure and vehicle quality

Rural services ü Provides a link into at least one primary or secondary centre ü Operates at least six days per week to larger villages, with an evening and/ or Sunday service provided based upon an assessment – smaller villages may be provided with a service on less than six days per week dependent upon demand ü Provides interchange to the primary network wherever possible ü Provides interchange at rail stations where practicable

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We may supplement the County’s bus network by providing services which meet other specifi c needs such as access to education and employment. The level of service that will be provided along a given rural route will also depend on the populations of the settlements on the route. A guide is shown in Table 4.7. Where travel demand is signifi cantly higher or lower than would be expected, the level of service may be adjusted up or down accordingly. This is necessary to ensure that our budget for bus services delivers value for money.

Table 4.7 : Rural Bus Service Guideline Service Levels

*subject to demand and cost of provision

It is recognised in the Bus Strategy that there are barriers to access that go beyond whether or not a service is available. With this in mind, the Bus Strategy seeks to address a range of other issues associated with bus use that can be seen as barriers to travel. These include:- ü Punctuality and Reliability – where bus services are experiencing punctuality and reliability problems, we will establish a Punctuality Improvement Partnership (PIP) with the operator. Under a PIP, the partners will share the fi ndings of punctuality surveys and agree targets for improvements. We would be responsible for any improvements relating to traffi c management whilst the operator would undertake to create realistic timetables, and ensure procedures for staff training and retention are adequate. ü Customer Care – we set out customer care standards for contracted services which operators are expected to abide by at all times. We hope that these standards will also be adopted for commercial services. In this way, passengers should be provided with a consistent minimum standard of service. ü Ticketing – a total of 32 operators run bus services either partly or wholly within the County. Where passengers need to make a journey that involves using services run by different operators, the requirement to buy separate tickets can make even a relatively short journey quite expensive. Over the course of the LTP, we will investigate a multi-operator ticketing scheme, using the provisions of the Transport Act 2000.

Launched in January 2006, the PlusBus scheme in Lichfi eld is run by a commercial bus operator with funding support from ourselves. It enables passengers travelling to either Lichfi eld City or Trent Valley Rail Stations to purchase an add-on to their rail ticket allowing unlimited bus travel for one day within the Lichfi eld area, on all operators’ services. In the longer term, the scheme could be expanded to include season tickets, which would be benefi cial to commuters who need to catch a bus to the rail stations.

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ü Infrastructure – as part of our approach to improving the whole journey by bus, the provision of new infrastructure for bus services will be an ongoing process. Infrastructure provision includes priority measures, interchanges, and individual bus stops. Standards for each of these are detailed in our Bus Strategy found in Annex E. ü Information Provision – standards of information for bus services in the County need to be improved. Passenger research has shown that at-stop timetables are one of the most important sources of timetable information for passengers. At present, a signifi cant number of stops in some areas of the County do not have any at-stop timetables, which is of great concern to us. Our requirements for the provision of bus information are detailed in the Bus Passenger Information Strategy, which is found in Annex F. The implementation of this Strategy, using statutory powers where necessary, will substantially improve bus information provision across the County over the next fi ve years.

4.14 Rail Services

Rail services mainly provide for medium and longer distance journeys. Commuting into the West Midlands conurbation from areas in the south of the County accounts for a signifi cant proportion of rail travel by Staffordshire’s residents. The growth in employment in the conurbation, particularly Birmingham, combined with an out-fl ow of population from the conurbation into surrounding shire counties, has increased demand for rail-based commuting. Levels of congestion on main roads into the West Midlands conurbation are high at peak times, and so the rail network is vital for maintaining access to employment. Planning exercises undertaken by the Government and Network Rail will directly infl uence future levels of service on Staffordshire’s rail network. These take the form of:- ü Route Utilisation Strategies (RUS) – the RUS process makes an analysis of the level of capacity available on the network and passenger fl ows. Following on from this analysis, recommended service levels and changes to service patterns for the next fi ve years are put forward ü Regional Planning Assessments (RPAs) – the RPAs are long-term planning documents, which examine how the rail network in a given area should be developed over the next 25 years Proposed service levels from these planning processes are used to develop future timetables and to inform the franchise specifi cation for train operators. Whilst we do not have any formal powers to set service levels on Staffordshire’s rail network, the following action will be taken to infl uence decision making as far as is possible:- ü responding in full to all RUS consultation detailing the needs of Staffordshire’s residents; ü being actively involved in the consultation processes for the forthcoming re- franchising of Central Trains which may lead to it becoming a West Midlands train operator only; and ü continued lobbying of Government and train operators in the ongoing development of timetables. Alongside improvements to rail services, we recognise that the development of good quality facilities at stations, including car parking, will help to attract more people onto rail services. Rail stations can have a large hinterland, which may not be well served by bus services where this extends into rural areas. The provision of adequate car parking at rail stations can reduce the length of car journeys by attracting people onto rail for the most part of their journey. Ensuring that rail stations have good quality passenger facilities, can remove some of the barriers to accessing public transport such as poor personal security.

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Over the course of the LTP, it is expected that the following station improvement schemes will be taken forward in conjunction with Network Rail and the relevant train operator:-

ü Lich fi eld Trent Valley – Lichfi eld Trent Valley is located 1⁄2 mile from the A38(T), on the eastern edge of Lichfi eld, and is easily accessible by road. Demand for parking at both Lichfi eld Trent Valley and City Rail Stations regularly exceeds capacity. It is also known that rail-users regularly travel beyond Lichfi eld to access car parking at Blake Street and Four Oaks Rail Stations, before travelling on to Birmingham. Additional car parking at Lichfi eld Trent Valley could help to reduce these journeys. Signposting on the A38(T) could also divert some existing car-borne traffi c onto rail at Lichfi eld. A bus interchange on the station forecourt is planned to allow direct interchange between bus and rail, removing the need to walk 150 m to access bus services on Trent Valley Road. ü Stafford – during the course of the fi rst LTP, bus interchange and improved Picture 4.6 : pedestrian access was provided at Stafford Rail Station. However, car parking Improvements at the station needs to be expanded to help further increase patronage levels. made to Stafford The Government has identifi ed a need for additional car parking at Stafford Rail Station Rail Station, as part of the West Coast Main Line Strategy, to attract more passengers onto longer distance services. It is envisaged that rail industry funding should become available for this scheme. ü Burton Upon Trent – car parking provision at Burton upon Trent Rail Station was improved during 2005. A second phase of improvements is planned for the station to enhance the forecourt area, provide a bus interchange, and new pedestrian crossing facilities. ü Tamworth – a signifi cant growth in commuting from Tamworth means that car parking at the station is often over subscribed. Possible options for expanding car parking provision will be investigated in conjunction with the rail industry. We have provided bus stopping facilities at the station. However, further work Picture 4.7 : will be undertaken to investigate how more bus services could call at the station Stafford to increase opportunities for bus/ rail interchange. Rail Station The North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership (NSCRP), with members from the North Staffordshire Rail Users Group and local authorities, has been established to promote the Crewe–Stoke–Uttoxeter–Derby rail service with the aim of increasing patronage levels. The Partnership’s offi cer will work with the local community and the train operator to raise the profi le of the line, and will enable the train operator to better understand the needs of those using the line. We will support projects developed by NSCRP, with funding if appropriate, where the projects are shown to contribute towards achieving LTP’s objectives.

4.15 Surface Access to Regional Airports

Staffordshire falls within the catchment of three regional airports, namely Birmingham, Nottingham East Midlands, and Manchester. The ‘Future of Air Transport’ White Paper published in December 2003, forecasts signifi cant increases in the amount of travel from regional airports, and it emphasises the need for strategies to be developed to cope with surface access demands to these airports. Access to regional airports by public transport will need to be improved to lessen the impact of the increase in long- distance journeys on the highway network as a result of rising air travel demand. Airports are also major employers. Accessibility for employees, as well as passengers, needs to be considered in any assessment of surface access to airports. Manchester Airport is relatively close to the North Staffordshire conurbation, Birmingham Airport to Tamworth, and East Midlands Airport to Burton upon Trent. The requirement to access employment at airports for each of these areas needs to be more clearly understood to establish what additional transport links would help to meet accessibility needs.

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We are currently working with Warwickshire County Council to develop a new bus link between Birmingham Airport and Tamworth. Discussions with Arriva Midlands are also underway to explore the possibility of extending a recently introduced service between Swadlincote and Nottingham East Midlands Airport into Burton upon Trent. Both Birmingham Airport and Manchester Airports have their own rail stations. We would like to see the direct rail link from Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester Airport re-established. At present interchange at Crewe is required, lengthening journey times by rail.

4.16 Taxis

Taxis have an important role in the transport network by:- ü operating 24 hours a day, at times when public transport does not operate; ü offering opportunities for travel not provided for by public transport routes; and ü providing door-to-door transport, which is often essential for people travelling with heavy luggage or those with mobility diffi culties. The accessibility that taxis provide can be maximised by ensuring that facilities for Picture 4.8 : taxi pick-up and drop-off are provided at public transport interchanges and other key Taxis Leaving destinations. Wherever possible, taxi pick-up/ drop-off areas should be provided Stafford Rail adjacent to rail stations and National Express coach stops to enable easy transfer for Station those travelling with heavy luggage.

4.17 Long-Distance Coach Travel

A limited number of scheduled long-distance coach services to and from towns in Staffordshire are provided on a fully commercial basis by National Express. Some of these services provide direct journeys between points where rail travel would require interchange (e.g. Lichfi eld to Bristol). We will continue to ensure that suitable facilities Picture 4.9 : for coaches are provided in our major towns. National Express 4.18 Physical Accessibility Coach Leaving Stafford Rail Physical accessibility standards for public transport and pedestrian infrastructure Station are well established in good practice guidelines, and are largely governed by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). In respect of public transport, all vehicles operating on local bus services must be fully accessible by 2015 in accordance with the DDA. We expect signifi cant progress towards this target over the next fi ve years. On all Public Transport Partnership routes, we have installed raised kerbs to allow level boarding to low-fl oor buses, improving accessibility for mobility impaired and disabled passengers. All pedestrian infrastructure is designed to meet the accessibility requirements of mobility impaired and disabled users. Virtually all signal-controlled pedestrian crossings in the County have now been modifi ed to comply with the latest guidelines.

4.19 Walking

Walking forms an essential part of every journey, regardless of the mode used. A good quality pedestrian environment is, therefore, vital to any strategy to improve accessibility. Increased pedestrian activity contributes to the following policy objectives:- ü improving accessibility to locally provided services; ü reducing reliance on the private car for short journeys; and ü increasing the levels of exercise amongst the population, contributing to a healthier lifestyle.

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Data shows that 22% of journeys to work are less than 2 km and 43% are less than 5 km, yet only 9% of journeys to work are on foot. It would appear that the lack of willingness to walk applies equally to journeys for other purposes. Clearly there is a huge potential to switch short journeys away from the car to on foot. Town centres, district centres, schools, and transport interchanges all have signifi cant catchment populations within a reasonable walking distance. For instance, in Burton upon Trent 16% of the population live within a 15 minute walk of the town centre and 61% live within 30 minutes as shown in Map 4.14. With this in mind, our urban area strategies, detailed in Annex K, include proposals to increase the level of pedestrian activity. Pedestrian safety forms an important part of our Road Safety Strategy found in Chapter 5. Installation of crossing facilities, provision of footways, and new lighting all contribute to removing barriers to journeys on foot. Safety problems only need to be perceived for them to be a barrier to walking. Removal of these perceived barriers will be important in encouraging greater levels of walking. Our efforts to improve the condition of our footways, which are described in Chapter 6, will also help. As part of our obligations under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW), we are in the process of preparing a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP). The ROWIP is intended to be a mechanism for improving our public rights of way network and other non-motorised routes for all users. Our ROWIP takes account of Public Footpaths, Cycle Tracks, Public Bridleways, Restricted Byways, and Access Land established under CROW. Although public rights of way are generally considered to be a recreational resource, they can also play an important role within the wider transport network, providing safe routes to schools and other services, and also providing a traffi c free environment suitable for walking and cycling. The ROWIP, which will be completed by November 2007, takes a strategic approach to managing public access and incorporates:- ü the extent to which local Rights of Way (ROW) meet the present and likely Picture 4.10 : future needs of the public; Public Right ü the opportunities provided by local ROW for exercise and other forms of outdoor of Way on recreation and the enjoyment of the area; and Chasewater ü the accessibility of local ROW to the blind or partially sighted people, and Country Park people with mobility problems. To date, work has concentrated on gathering information on the extent to which rights of way meet the present needs of the public. Improvements to the existing network to better meet the needs of walkers, cyclists, horse riders, and wheelchair users will be identifi ed. A mapping exercise has been undertaken to assess the suitability of the countryside within Staffordshire for outdoor recreation and the anticipated demand. Factors such as the proximity of the population to the countryside, agricultural land classifi cation, ecological sensitivity, land amenity value, and the density of the recorded rights of way network have been assessed. The outcome of the exercise will enable an assessment to be made of the likely existing demand for countryside access, areas where there is a shortfall in access provision, and areas most appropriate for encouraging further public access. We have recently completed a consultation exercise with Staffordshire’s parish, district and borough councils, key stakeholder groups such as British Waterways, and the Peak District National Park. This informed us of the extent to which our ROW network meet the present needs of the public and what improvements could be made to the network to encourage greater use. The identifi cation of those routes which are particularly suited to use by persons with mobility impairments, and routes

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which can be improved to accommodate such use, was also provided. The issues can be broadly categorised as the maintenance and upgrade of ROW surfaces and associated infrastructure (e.g. gates) in order to comply with the requirements of Disability Discrimination legislation:- ü dealing with obstructions and clearance of overhanging vegetation to enable routes to be more accessible and easy to use, including better and more informative signage; ü improving connectivity within the network particularly, to local facilities and to resolve anomalies in the existing network such as gaps in the network (especially public bridleways), paths which stop at parish boundaries, and paths which duplicate others. Such work may involve paths alongside canals; ü better lighting of ROW and improved maintenance to enhance their condition and attractiveness to enable and encourage greater use of the network; ü encouraging greater use of ROW through promotion; and ü opportunities for improving ROW in relation to large scale developments. In addition, we are undertaking a survey to establish public opinion on our network including suggestions for future improvements. The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Local Access Forum (JLAF) has been Picture 4.11 : regularly consulted and involved in this work. By working in close co-operation with The Staffordshire the JLAF, a number of interim policies and an overall objective, detailed below, have Way & the Way been identifi ed for improving public access. These are closely linked to our LTP for the Millennium priorities and wider quality of life issues. The overall objective of our ROWIP is “to Leafl et ensure greater use of and accessibility to the public path network by people of all ages and abilities in order to increase enjoyment of open-air recreation and exercise and as a means of promoting sustainable transport”. The interim policies include:- ü Improve the condition of the public path network so as to increase its attractiveness to as wide a range of people as possible by replacing existing licensed stiles with kissing gates, where applicable. People will be more easily able to walk between homes and services, thereby increasing accessibility. ü Improve unsuitable path surfaces on the public path network, particularly those areas in close proximity to the population so as to maximise opportunities for people to make short journeys to facilities and services on foot or cycle, thereby increasing accessibility. ü Improve links between existing multi-user routes by creating paths or upgrading existing paths to establish more multi-user routes that link with homes and facilities such as local shops, schools, workplaces and service and recreational facilities, thereby reducing congestion and giving a better quality of life. ü Engage and encourage more local communities and volunteers to become involved in the improvement and promotion of their local path network by expanding the existing Community Paths Initiative to give local communities a better quality of life. ü Ensure that the path network is improved and not detrimentally affected by major development proposals and opportunities to encourage people to walk, cycle or gain access to bus or rail services are optimised, thereby reducing congestion. ü Encourage greater use of the path network and public access land by promoting a range of well-signposted and way marked routes for use by walkers, cyclists and horse riders to encourage shifts in chosen modes of transport away from the car. The provision of such routes, predominantly off-road, will also assist in the achievement of road safety targets.

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Improvements identifi ed from the work we have completed include:- ü path surface improvements to assist countryside access for those with limited mobility; ü replacement of existing stiles with kissing gates, where appropriate, at locations identifi ed by local communities to assist access to the countryside for the less agile; ü attention to watercourse crossings, replacing existing structures due for refurbishment, with structures of modern design, with two handrails and non-slip surfacing; and ü route creations to address fractured multi-user network, reducing need to use roads and addressing dangerous road junctions. We expect to make an early start on implementing these where resources permit, particularly where there is a synergy with the wider LTP priorities.

4.20 Cycling

Cycling can provide an effective alternative to the car or public transport for short distance journeys of around fi ve miles or less. It is as fl exible as the car in terms of timing journeys and, in urban areas, average journey speeds are often higher than by car. However, the design of the road network, levels of traffi c, and attitudes of other road users are often major barriers to increased levels of cycling. Many people lack confi dence to cycle alongside motor vehicles on normal roads. Continued development of segregated cycle facilities may be necessary to enable increased numbers of cycle journeys. Staffordshire already has a comprehensive network of cycle lanes and off-road cycle tracks. Currently, the County has 263 km of cycle lane/ track. Over the course of the LTP, provision for cyclists will be primarily concentrated in urban areas where journeys tend to be shorter, and where there is potential for increased levels of cycling. We will also continue the development of our longer distance network, particularly where this supports the National Cycle Network. Safety whilst cycling is a concern for many cyclists and non-cyclists. A number of Picture 4.12 : measures, which are outlined in our Road Safety Strategy (Chapter 5), are intended Shared Cycle to tackle these concerns. These include cycle profi ciency training, and street and and Footway cycle way lighting. in Stafford

4.21 Community, Voluntary, and Demand Responsive Transport Services

We provide support for a number of community-based transport schemes. This includes 13 voluntary car schemes, 4 minibus schemes, 4 combined minibus/ car schemes, and 5 other schemes which include Luncheon, Stroke and Hospice Clubs. These provide door-to-door transport for people who are unable to access normal public transport either through mobility diffi culties or lack of a public transport service at a particular time or to a particular destination. Graph 4.1 provides a breakdown of journey purposes for our voluntary car schemes. Providing access to healthcare accounts for over three-fi fths (62%) of voluntary car journeys. Therefore, maintaining and developing community based transport will contribute signifi cantly towards improving access to hospitals and GP surgeries. Graph 4.1 : Voluntary Car Schemes - Journey Purposes 2004/05

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During the fi rst LTP period, we developed a Community Transport Guide to assist existing schemes and help encourage community groups to establish transport schemes. The Guide has been widely distributed to existing voluntary and community transport groups, as well as other community groups. In addition, we also support a range of bespoke rural transport schemes including:- ü Gnosall Ruralink: A community based rural transport initiative funded through Rural Bus Challenge (RBC) with signifi cant support from Arriva Midlands. Two six-seater vehicles operate a fi xed route (Monday–Saturday) between the villages in the Gnosall area, with connections with the Ruraline 481 service that operates between Stafford and Telford. When the local service does not Picture 4.13 : operate, the vehicles are available for community groups. The scheme has Community resulted in improved access for the community to employment, education, Transport Guide health services, shopping, leisure and social activities. Over last two years, the service has carried over 16,000 passengers. Since the upgrade of the 481 service, outlined in Chapter 1, passenger numbers on the Gnosall Ruralink have increased by 35%. ü Staffordshire Border Car: A demand responsive service launched in July 2004, which provides a range of daily journey options (Monday-Friday) in the rural area to the east of Market Drayton. Staffordshire Border Car provides connections with the Hanley–Market Drayton–Shrewsbury bus service and discounted through tickets are available. During its development, we worked closely with Shropshire County Council to take account of cross-border travel needs. Funded entirely through RBC, the service is operated by a local taxi company using an 8-seat, fully accessible vehicle. Through increasing journey Picture 4.14 : opportunities in the area, residents have benefi ted from better access to key Gnosall Ruralink services, such as retail, health and employment. Passenger numbers have been steadily increasing week by week and, in the fi rst seven months, over 1,200 passengers have been carried. ü Postbus: We support three Postbus routes, which are operated by Royal Mail, who use specially prepared mail Picture 4.15 : vans to pick up passengers, as Staffordshire well as post, once or twice a Border Car day. These services are able to offer transport opportunities for people living in isolated settlements where a conventional bus service is not possible. The Postbus routes that operate in Picture 4.16 : Staffordshire are:- One of Staffordshire’s Postbuses PB1 – Stafford–Knighton– PB3 – Stafford–Eccleshall–Cotes Heath PB5 – Rugeley–Abbots Bromley ü Moorlands Traveller East: A demand responsive service, which operates in the Staffordshire Moorlands. It picks up passengers near to their home to travel to and from Leek and operates 07:45–17:00 Monday-Friday. Two fi xed route journeys operate as Service 443, which diverts to Meerbrook and Elkstones on request. Picture 4.17 : Moorlands Traveller East

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ü South Staffordshire Ruralink: In partnership with the West Staffordshire RTP, we brought together several communities, and statutory and voluntary sector organisations to develop and implement an inter-village transport service, which also linked to mainline bus services. South Staffordshire Ruralink was launched in June 2003 and provides an invaluable transport service for ten isolated communities in mid-South Staffordshire. The service is operated as a taxibus Picture 4.18 : and runs on three days each week. South Staffordshire Ruralink Logo The population covered by each of these schemes is shown in Table 4.8. A total of 51,200 people, outside of urban areas, in the County are served by one of these schemes. Map 4.15 shows the geographical coverage of these schemes, in relation to the County’s bus services operating hourly or better. The rural transport schemes operate largely in areas not served by a regular bus route, and so ensure that accessibility to essential services is maintained in sparsely populated rural areas.

Table 4.8 : Population Coverage of our Rural Transport Schemes

4.22 Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Concessionary Fare Scheme

The Transport Act 2000 provides for a minimum 50% discount on local bus services (the statutory concession) for elderly and disabled people. From 1st April 2006 this concession is being extended to allow free travel. On behalf of six district and borough councils, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we administer the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Advantage Pass Scheme. This scheme offers signifi cant benefi ts beyond the statutory minimum, including travel at any time of day throughout the County, and to certain destinations further afi eld.

4.23 Partnership Working

A range of existing partnerships has been used to develop this Strategy, and they will play a vital part in its implementation. Each of the principal partnerships is detailed below, along with examples of progress to date. Stoke- on-Trent and Staffordshire Strategic Partnership Ongoing development of this Strategy will be carried out in conjunction with the County Strategic Partnership. Three of the Partnership’s Theme Groups - Transport, Rural, Economy and Prosperity - will be involved in this process. The Transport Theme Group has agreed to oversee and steer the implementation of the Strategy. The Economy and Prosperity Theme Group, which includes representatives of a range of organisations, including Business Link, Connexions, and Job Centre Plus, has agreed to play an active role in the development of an action plan to improve access to employment. Post-16 Education Partnership Our Post-16 Education Partnership was established as a result of the Education Act 2000. It comprises representatives from the Learning and Skills Council, Connexions, Headteachers, and our Children and Lifelong Learning and Development Services Directorates.

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The principal aim of the Partnership has been to accommodate post-16 students’ travel needs on local bus services rather than on contract home-to-school transport. Contract home-to-school transport is generally not fl exible enough to take account of after- school activities and the varied start and fi nish times of post-16 students. In response to this, a GIS analysis of post-16 students’ home postcodes in relation to existing local bus routes and the school attended has been undertaken. The results from this analysis identifi ed the extra journeys that need to be added to local bus services to enable students to meet their travel needs. In September 2004, journeys were added to four local bus services. An example of this analysis is shown in Map 4.16. A further benefi t of transferring post-16 students to local bus services is that they are then able to use their bus pass to travel at other times (e.g. weekends) at no additional cost. Access to a Healthy Diet/ Food and Health Partnership The Access to a Healthy Diet project has been developed in partnership with the National Consumer Council. Extensive work has been undertaken to identify potentially access-poor areas across the County in relation to food shops. This represents one of the most comprehensive projects of its type undertaken in the UK. Following the completion of the initial research project, a partnership has been set up to take the recommendations forward. This comprises our Consumer and Transport and Policy Services, together with Primary Care Trusts, Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Chamber of Commerce, and Supermarket chains.

Bus Operators

We work closely with bus operators and have developed formal partnerships for each of our main routes. These partnerships generally include representatives from the bus operator, our Transport and Planning Policy and Engineering Services, district or borough councils, and neighbouring local authorities where relevant. Partnerships are focused on improvements to core bus routes with specifi c aims:- ü Improve the quality of bus travel, e.g. through better customer care ü Implement priority measures, e.g. traffi c signal priorities, to assist punctuality and reliability of services ü Provide low-fl oor accessible vehicles on designated routes ü Improve bus stopping facilities by provision of raised kerbs to allow level boarding, and waiting shelters where possible ü Provide clear information both at stops and in leafl ets There is clear evidence from across the County that the partnership approach has been successful in improving accessibility and increasing bus patronage. For example, virtually all bus services now running in Tamworth are operated with low- fl oor accessible vehicles; patronage levels have increased on many inter-urban PTP routes such as Service 481 (Stafford to Telford).

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Service 481 is an inter-urban bus route linking Stafford with Newport and Telford in Shropshire. In partnership with Telford and Wrekin Council and Arriva, a successful Rural Bus Challenge bid was submitted in 2001, which resulted in a route upgrade that included:- ü Improved daytime frequencies ü Improved evening and Sunday timetable ü Fully accessible vehicles ü Standardised route ü Links with Gnosall Ruralink Passenger numbers on the 481 have been steadily increasing. In the fi rst month passenger numbers grew by 70% and in the following year by 21%, making the route one of the fastest growing in the country. In early 2004 the County Council undertook a series of passenger interview surveys, to establish the scope of any modal shift and what factors were infl uencing passenger usage. The results are summarised as follows:- ü 19% of passengers had a car available for their journey ü 66% of passengers who were travelling by bus more frequently than a year ago would previously have used their car for the additional journeys ü Work, education and shopping account for 80% of trips on the 481 ü 25% of passengers use the 481 to travel to work ü Over 50% of passengers use the service daily, and a further 20% use the service two to three times a week ü 78% of passengers rated the service as “good” or “very good” ü Most passengers used timetable leafl ets rather than other sources of information such as the Internet or Traveline

Train Operating Companies

We work closely with Department for Transport (Rail), and Train Operating Companies to improve conditions for longer distance travel. Through this work we have implemented solutions to accessibility issues, including service provision, rail station facilities, and information provision. For example, we have secured improved local bus services to replace the temporarily withdrawn Stafford to Stoke-on-Trent local rail service. An increased frequency of service is now offered with rail tickets valid for travel on the bus service, which has been incorporated into the National Rail timetable. The revised arrangements have enabled the provision of direct bus link to be established to Staffordshire General Hospital from Stone and Barlaston achieving a signifi cant improvement in accessibility. We are currently working with the rail industry to enable the long-term reinstatement of local rail facilities, whilst retaining the benefi ts of the improved bus service. Project partnerships with the rail industry are set up as necessary to take forward the implementation of certain improvements that enhance the accessibility of the rail network. Improvements to Uttoxeter (discussed in Chapter 1) and Burton upon Trent Rail Stations have been completed over the past year. A two-phase scheme to improve Burton upon Trent Rail Station was developed in partnership with Central Trains, Network Rail, and East Staffordshire Borough Council. The fi rst phase of works, which Picture 4.19 : has now been completed, included the re-surfacing of the main car park, installation of Burton upon CCTV, and new lighting. A second phase to re-model the station forecourt and improve Trent Rail Station bus interchange facilities will take place over the course of the LTP. Improvements

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Primary Care Trusts/ Health Authorities

Staffordshire is covered by the Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority; six NHS Trusts (one of which is the Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust); and eight Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). The strength of partnership working varies with each of the authorities. However, to realise accessibility improvements to healthcare facilities, it will be necessary to strengthen these partnerships. To date, a strong partnership has been developed with the Mid Staffordshire Hospitals NHS Trust and the Staffordshire Public Patient Involvement Forum Transport Work Group. This partnership has played a key role in the development of the Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals Action Plan.

TravelWise

Our TravelWise Team works with a number of major employers across the County to develop Travel Plans and encourage less reliance on the car for travel to work. TravelWise relates well to this Strategy since it encourages lift sharing schemes (which may enable a person without a car to be provided with necessary transport to work); works with bus operators to provide discounted season tickets (which relates to the cost of travel element of accessibility); and provides a source of feedback from employers as to where transport links may need to be improved to facilitate better access to employment, particularly for the unemployed.

The Spirit Group based in Burton upon Trent have, with the support of the Council, introduced a number of different initiatives to make sustainable travel a realistic option for their staff. A car parking permit scheme for those living near to the head offi ce will encourage walking and cycling. To this end, the Halford’s Bikes4Work scheme has been introduced to help potential cyclists purchase bikes at a discounted price via their salary. Potential bus users have also been considered, with the introduction of the Arriva Bus Green Card scheme. A further discount of 50% on passes will be given by Spirit, making bus travel the cheaper option for their employees. For those employers whose options are more limited and must use a car, Spirit have joined the County car sharing scheme, Staffordshire Share- A-Lift, and have so far signed up 7% of their total staff of over 600. Spirit has calculated that over the next 12 months they will save approximately 55 parking spaces.

Rural Transport Partnerships

We support three Rural Transport Partnerships (RTPs) - West Derbyshire/ North Staffordshire, West Staffordshire, and Eastern Staffordshire - which aim to promote social inclusion and tackle rural isolation through improvements to transport provision and access to services. They do this through:- ü Increasing awareness of, and promoting the use of, existing public and community transport services ü Improving co-ordination and integration of existing transport services ü Working with communities and groups prone to social exclusion to identify their transport needs and solutions ü Promoting walking, cycling, and car sharing opportunities etc. ü Assisting in the development, implementation and monitoring of new transport services The fi rst of these partnerships was established in 1998 and, with our partners, we recognise that after eight years there is a need for assessment and re-appraisal. Following a conference held through the auspices of the Staffordshire Rural Forum in

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June 2005, we have been working towards the establishment of a single, countywide, Rural Access to Services Partnership (RASP). We have now reached agreement with our principal partners – including Agency Advantage West Midlands – that this is an appropriate way forward and we expect to formalise the new arrangements early in 2006. We are currently considering the governance arrangements for this partnership which will have close links with the Local Strategic Partnerships and the Staffordshire Rural Forum.

Cross Boundary Working

We recognise that administrative boundaries can act as barriers to access and we work closely with neighbouring authorities through:- ü Rural Transport Partnerships – the RTPs have developed strong cross-border working relationships with a number of neighbouring local authorities, including Derbyshire County Council, and the Peak District National Park Authority. ü Public Transport Partnerships (PTP) – we have a joint partnership with Derbyshire County Council covering Burton upon Trent and Swadlincote. ü Major Scheme submissions – we are working alongside Centro to develop a major scheme bid to improve stations on the Walsall to Rugeley rail line, known as the ‘Chase Line’. A showcase project that will improve accessibility of the rail network along this corridor is planned. A further example is the Burton- Swadlincote Regeneration Route, where we are working with Derbyshire County Council. Further details on both these schemes are provided in Chapter 10. ü Local bus services – many local bus services operate across the County boundary, providing for the accessibility needs of the population along the route both inside and outside of Staffordshire. These routes are jointly planned with the relevant neighbouring authority and the cost of provision shared as appropriate.

4.24 Value for Money

Developing and implementing effective value for money schemes which improve access to key services is crucial. Revenue funding – which is necessary to support many of our accessibility initiatives – is at a premium in Staffordshire. However, we have an excellent record in maintaining services. As we have described, we have managed to maintain local bus services throughout Staffordshire. Some gains will come from schemes that are not specifi cally targeted at improving accessibility, such as the installation of CCTV or the maintenance of our footpaths and street lighting.

4.25 Minimising Risks

Successful implementation of this Strategy relies on extensive partnership working. Whilst we will play a signifi cant role in taking forward this Strategy, partners must also take ownership and the outcomes which have been agreed with them. One of the main risks, therefore, is that partners do not engage suffi ciently in the accessibility planning process or commit the resources needed for action by their organisations. This risk is most signifi cant for those non-transport related accessibility solutions – for instance the choice of hospital locations, or the opening hours of a GP surgery. It is felt that the ongoing development of strong partnerships and close working relationships with organisations engaged in accessibility planning will mitigate against this risk as far as possible.

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Better public transport plays an important part in improving accessibility. Securing additional bus services, and retaining socially necessary (but not commercially viable) bus services is heavily dependent on revenue rather than capital funding. Bus operating costs have been rising at a much faster rate than infl ation as the cost of fuel, insurance, and drivers’ wages has increased in recent years. Rising operating costs have in turn put increased pressure on the revenue budget needed to maintain levels of service. The Bus Strategy (Annex E) expands on this risk in more detail. However, the risk can be mitigated against by seeking alternative funding methods when appropriate. For example, using capital grants to fund new vehicles to enhance service frequency on a bus route, developer contributions, or external funding initiatives such as the DfT’s Kickstart.

Table 4.9 : Better Accessibility and Quality of Life Outcomes

4.26 Targets and Trajectories/ Local Accessibility Indicators

We have established targets for four mandatory and four local performance indicators. Four of these are BVPIs, relating to the number of passenger journeys (BVPI 102), satisfaction with local bus services (BVPI 104), ease of use of our footpaths (BVPI 178), and the proportion of our pedestrian crossings which have facilities for the disabled (BVPI 165). With the exception of the target to increase access to the Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals (LTP 1), all the targets have been carried forward from the fi rst LTP and have been stretched in order to make them more ambitious and realistic, taking account of what we expect to experience over the next fi ve years. Due to the inability of measuring cycle usage and given national trends, the target for cycling will be to have no reduction in cycling levels from a baseline of 2003/04 to 2010/11.

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Consideration will, however, be given to more stretching local targets linked to specifi c initiatives and circumstances. Graph 4.2 : The Number of People Living within 30 and 60 minutes Travel Time of Staffordshire General and Cannock Chase Hospitals During the AM Peak (LTP 1)

Graph 4.3 : The Number of Bus Passenger Journeys (BVPI 102)

Graph 4.4 : The Percentage of Bus Users Satisfi ed with Local Bus Services (BVPI 104)

Graph 4.5 : The Number of Cycling Trips (annualised index) (LTP 3)

Graph 4.6 : The Percentage of the Population in the County’s Main Urban Areas within 350m of a Bus Stop with a Minimum Service Frequency of 30 minutes to a Major Centre

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Graph 4.7 : The Percentage of Rural Households will be within 800m of an Hourly or Better Bus Service to a Major Centre

Graph 4.8 : The Percentage of our Footway Network that is defi ned as “easy to use”

Graph 4.9 : The Proportion of Pedestrian Crossings with Facilities for the Disabled

4.27 Predicted Expenditure (£000s)

Infl uence of the Strategic Environmental Assessment The accessibility strategy supports many of our environmental objectives as it is centred around making facilities more accessible by non-car modes which is benefi cial for wildlife, air quality and human health. The Rights of Way Improvement Plan will also benefi t wildlife as the network will become better managed. Re-surfacing and sympathetic lighting on the network will be benefi cial for the setting of historical buildings and conservation areas more generally.

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 ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ Highway Maintenance 66 6. Effective and Efficient Highway Maintenance

Key Points

ü This strategy underpins the whole LTP as it:- ß Improves conditions for all highway users ß Makes our roads safer ß Encourages walking and cycling ß Enhances the quality of Staffordshire’s streetscapes ß Enhances residents’ quality of life ü The maintenance and integrated transport delivery programmes are fully integrated ü The first edition of our Transport Asset Management Plan has been completed ü Recycling opportunities are maximised

Objective “To maintain the highway network to a standard that provides for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods”

6.1 Context

Highway maintenance remains a key priority and we will continue to invest a significant proportion of our resources - financial and human - into this activity in order to ensure that the highway network facilitates the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. We have a legal duty to maintain and repair the transport assets in our ownership. This includes the public highway, such as roads and bridges, and its associated street furniture, such as traffic signals, bollards, and road signs. In order to maintain and improve these assets to best meet the needs of users, both now and in years to come, we have produced a Transport Asset Management Plan (TAMP). The TAMP provides an integrated and structured approach to managing, maintaining and enhancing our largest tangible asset - the highway network. The main objective of highway maintenance is to ensure the safe movement of all road users. However, other benefits include increased levels of walking and cycling, reduction in traffic noise, and improvements to the quality of public open spaces. Consequently, the implementation of this Strategy will contribute towards the strategies of better accessibility, creating safer roads, reducing the impact of traffic, and improving air quality. Effective and efficient highway maintenance also contributes towards many of the key priorities in our Corporate and Community Strategies, helping to promote economic success, improve health, create a safe and attractive environment, and enhance residents’ quality of life.

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The delivery of highway maintenance and construction schemes within the County is undertaken by Staffordshire Highways - a unique partnership arrangement which includes our construction industry partners, Accord and Wrekin Construction. The partnership is unique in two ways:- ü The partners bear some of the project risks (further details are provided below) ü Employees of Accord and Wrekin Construction are based within the Council and share resources Staffordshire Highways aims to improve the delivery of highway maintenance and construction projects by harnessing private sector innovation and creativity, and public sector commitment and focus. It is responsible for all aspects of highway work, from day-to-day repairs, to new major road building schemes. It is delivering a wide range of benefits including:- ü major economies of scale in purchasing; Picture 6.1 : ü long-term investment in quality; Staffordshire ü a committed, stable and highly skilled workforce; Highways Logo ü greater accountability; ü commitment to innovation and value for money; ü close co-operation and monitoring delivering for the long-term; and ü planning and programming improvements. The recent reorganisation of our highway services has resulted in significant changes to the delivery of our maintenance functions, including:- ü The formation of a Transport Asset Management Unit. The Unit aims to adopt a strategic approach to highway maintenance by identifying the optimal allocation of resources for the management, operation, preservation and enhancement of highway infrastructure that meets the needs of current and future users. ü The formation of three maintenance areas, which are shown in Map 6.1. These areas are managed by Area Highway Managers who are responsible for a total of eight divisions, replicating the administrative areas of the County’s district and borough councils. The three Area Highway Managers maintain close contact, in addition to communicating with adjacent local authorities - this ensures that any negative impact of their maintenance and transportation strategies on Staffordshire are minimised. In accordance with the Traffic Management Act 2004, whenever possible, we will co-ordinate with adjacent authorities on cross boundary works in order to minimise congestion and disruption.

6.2 Staffordshire’s Transport Assets

The transport assets in our ownership are varied and include:- ü 1,100 road bridges ü 2,560 footbridges and bridleway bridges ü Over 6,000 km of road, the classification of which is shown in Graph 6.1

Graph 6.1: The Classification of Staffordshire’s Roads by Length ü 270 pedestrian and traffic control facilities

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Map 6.1 Staffordshire’s Highway Maintenance Areas

This product includes mapping data licensed from Ordnance Survey with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office © Crown copyright and / or database right 2006. All rights reserved. Licence Number 100019422.

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ü 263 km of cycle lane/ track ü 200 km of retaining wall ü 148,000 road gullies ü Over 100,000 road lighting units and illuminated signs Further transport assets are detailed in the TAMP.

6.3 Views on Highway Maintenance in Staffordshire

ü “I had considered that the job might be too small for anyone to bother with - but how wrong I was. Within a day of my telephone call [to CLARENCE] one of your inspectors called and a couple of days later the bad area had been tarmacked.” (A caller to CLARENCE) ü “I commute between Leek and Glossop on a daily basis and wanted to pass my thanks to the gritting crews who do such a great job keeping that road clear. They did a fabulous job last year... I managed to get through every day (and I don’t have 4-wheel drive), and got home worry free after the first snow of winter last night....” (Letter from a resident of Leek) ü “I would just like to thank the highways team for the high standard of work carried out and for their polite, cheerful, hard-working and co-operative manner....” (Letter from a resident of )

6.4 Key Facts

ü Staffordshire Highways has been awarded the ‘Sword of Honour’ by the British Safety Council for its inclusive culture of safety. Through its maintenance partner Accord, it is one of only forty organisations to be presented with this award. ü Seventy of Staffordshire’s road bridges are Listed Structures, and one is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. ü We have been awarded the Institution of Structural Engineers’ Heritage Award for developing and implementing an innovative and unique solution to strengthening an historic bridge in Stafford. Picture 6.2 : 6.5 Transport Asset Management Plan (TAMP) Sword of Honour The first edition of our TAMP has been completed and can be found in Annex H. The TAMP is an evolving document, and new editions will be produced during the course of the LTP; these will be made available on request. The TAMP will ensure that our highway maintenance budget is utilised in the most effective and efficient manner in order to gain the maximum life and benefit from our highway assets, both now and in the future. The TAMP identifies the optimal allocation of resources for the management, operation, preservation, and enhancement of the highway network. Prudent stewardship of valuable assets is the TAMP’s raison d’être. The benefits to be gained through the TAMP are:- ü Reduced life-cycle costs; ü Ability to track performance using defined levels of service; ü Enhanced management of risks; ü Improved transparency in decision-making; ü Ability to predict the consequences of funding decisions; and ü Ability to discharge valuation and financial reporting responsibilities.

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The structure and content of our TAMP has been guided by the County Surveyors’ Society’s (CSS) ‘Framework for Highway Asset Management’, and the Midlands Service Improvement Group (MSIG), which comprises 13 highway authorities. Members of the MSIG have agreed to work together to develop a common understanding of the issues to be addressed in TAMPs, and to share best practice, aid cross boundary working, and benchmark processes and performance. The MSIG has engaged the services of consultants, Opus International, to develop a set of detailed guidelines that members will follow whilst developing their TAMPs. As a result, our TAMP has been structured as follows:- ü Business Processes - identifies the main business processes that affect asset management outcomes, and describes ways to improve them. ü Levels of Service - defines the current and future levels of service for the road network. ü Service Options - outlines how the options available for dealing with the ongoing demands placed on the network are identified and evaluated. ü Life-cycle Plans - outlines the manner in which we are likely to manage our assets to provide the proposed levels of service. ü Financial Management and Valuation - describes how financial projections related to the service options are determined and identifies the sources of funding. Information from the asset valuation is also provided. ü Risk Management - describes the risks associated with the management and ownership of the road network and the processes used to manage them. ü Forward Work Programme - describes the forward work programme, how it is constructed and updated, and the level of confidence held in its predictions. ü Performance Management - describes how our performance will be monitored and measured. ü Improvement Action Plan - outlines the future improvements planned for the TAMP. During 2006 and 2007, we expect to complete a full valuation of our highway assets. This will include further data collection, particularly in respect of category 3 and 4 footways, retaining walls, road signs and lines, trees, highway drains, and other smaller, low value items. We are currently working with the MSIG and the Department for Transport to devise an agreed method of asset valuation that will be utilised by all members of the MSIG. This will comply with the Whole of Government Accounts programme. Following the Gershon Efficiency Review, local authorities are tasked with making efficiency and productivity improvements. Some of the cost savings which will be gained through the TAMP are described later in this chapter. However, we calculate that we have already made a £30,000 efficiency saving working with other members of MSIG by commissioning Opus International to provide a TAMP framework. In addition, the performances of Accord and Wrekin Construction are judged on, amongst other things, their ability to make savings by using recycled materials and ensuring economies of scale through purchasing processes. Further examples are provided in Section 6.13, and will be described in subsequent TAMPs and APRs. We are currently requesting tenders to develop a bespoke Integrated Highway Management System (IHMS), which we anticipate will be operational by mid to late 2006. The IHMS will include asset management modules that will enable us to comply with the Traffic Management Act 2004. We will ensure that ongoing maintenance costs for all new infrastructure are incorporated within the IHMS. The IHMS will provide facilities for the management of the entire highway network, including all associated highway assets. Prior to the completion of the IHMS, temporary registers are being put in place to ensure all new construction and maintenance details, and inventories are updated electronically.

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6.6 The Condition of the Highway

We recognise that the condition of our highway network is just below average compared to other local authorities. Using 2004/05 Best Value Performance Indicators, of the 34 County Councils in England, Staffordshire stands at 18th in relation to the condition of its category 1, 1a and 2 surface footways, and principal, non-principal classified, and unclassified roads. A household survey conducted in 2003 found that almost half (46%) of Staffordshire’s residents thought that the condition of the County’s highway network had deteriorated since 2000. We acknowledge that this is unsatisfactory and we will take steps to improve the network’s condition during the course of the LTP. Information on the current condition of our highway shows that the non-principal classified road network continues to deteriorate in line with predictions. However, the condition of the unclassified road network and surface footways is better than predicted. A new survey method for assessing our principal roads has recently been introduced, and therefore it is not possible to comment on their overall condition. The condition of our principal roads will be reported in future APRs. Examining our latest survey data gives us the most accurate indication of the current condition of our highway assets. This shows that:- ü 22% of principal road carriageways have negative residual life based on Deflectograph surveys ü 30.82% of principal road carriageways are above the Track Type Survey indicator intervention level (BVPI 223) ü 23.91% of non-principal classified road carriageways are above the Scanner road condition indicator intervention level (BVPI 224a) ü 25% of unclassified road carriageways are above the intervention threshold based on Coarse Visual Inspection (CVI) (BVPI 224b) ü 30% of category 1, 1a, and 2 surface footways are above the intervention threshold based on Detailed Visual Inspection (BVPI 187) Using this data, together with current average costs for maintenance works, we are able to provide an indication of the existing backlog of structural maintenance works in Staffordshire. This is shown in Table 6.1.

Table 6.1 : Current Backlog of Structural Maintenance Works

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The condition of our highway network is exacerbated by rising costs within the engineering and construction industries that have outweighed the annual increases in our maintenance budget. This has resulted in a real-terms reduction of the budget - a situation made worse by:- ü High flows of Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) traffic. The volume of freight moved by road within the County is the second highest in the region, totalling over 76 million tonnes per annum. Current HCV flows on the network are illustrated in Map 6.2. It is recognised that vehicles with high axle loadings, such as HCVs and buses, are responsible for virtually all carriageway wear. ü Tighter and enhanced design specifications. For example, traffic reduction and calming measures, anti-skid surfacing, village gateways, coloured surfacing, and cycle tracks are now installed regularly at appropriate locations across the network. ü Compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. Wherever possible, we are sympathetic to the needs of people with disabilities in our designs. For example, dropped kerbs and tactile paving are almost always installed at all new bus stops and pedestrian crossings. ü The increasing popularity of personal injury and damage claims. In 2001/02 we paid out approximately £205,000 in compensation for personal injury or property damage claims resulting from incidents on the highway; in 2004/05 this rose to over £585,000. It is important to recognise that the amount paid out refers to the amount paid out in that year, irrespective of the year the incident occurred. Despite these problems, we believe that improved targeting of our resources, combined with better information which we are collecting, will enable us to secure improvements to the condition of our highway network over the next five years. However, unless we are able to identify additional on-going funding, it is likely that we will also need to explore other funding options, such as a Private Finance Initiative approach and/ or prudential borrowing. Prudential borrowing would enable us to borrow money for capital schemes from conventional financial institutions, which can then be repaid over a set number of years without a binding contract with an outside company. However, we will also continue our long-standing practice of spending at a level greater than that indicated by the Formula Spending Share on highway maintenance schemes. In 2005/06, we intend to spend a total of £28 million of revenue funding on highway maintenance and management. This is explained in more detail in Chapter 10.

6.7 Highway Maintenance

A significant proportion of our total maintenance budget (approximately 37%) is spent on structural carriageway and routine cyclical maintenance. Structural carriageway maintenance is carried out on the basis of need, identified through highway condition surveys. The types of maintenance work carried out, once a need has been identified, depends on the nature of the deficiency, the importance of the road in terms of classification and usage, and the funds available. There are three broad types of structural carriageway maintenance:- ü Reconstruction - undertaken when a section of road fails ü Resurfacing - used on a section of road where the surface course has deteriorated ü Kerbing/ Drainage Works - undertaken when the edge of the road requires support and/ or is suffering accelerated deterioration due to ingress of water that is not able to drain away. These works may also be required purely on safety grounds.

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118 66 and one main preventative carriageway maintenance:- ü Surface dressing - undertaken as a preventative treatment to extend a road’s life by up to three times, dramatically improving whole life costing and/ or correcting skid resistance deficiencies identified by the annual SCRIM surveys and wet accident clusters. Resurfacing has an optimum life of twenty years, whilst the optimum life of surface dressing is seven years. Despite this, the latter, which is considered a more short- term fix, is often our only option due to our limited maintenance budget. However, with the adoption of the TAMP, we will take a longer-term view on maintaining highway assets. For example, we will continue to use Deflectograph surveys, in addition to Scanner surveys - Deflectograph surveys assess the condition of the Picture 6.3 : layers of the road, whereas Scanner surveys assess only the surface. Surface Dressing We have compiled an initial five-year maintenance programme for schemes on our principal and non-principal roads, which can be found in Annex H. In accordance with the Traffic Management Act 2004, we will, wherever possible, co-ordinate these works with those scheduled by statutory undertakers and developers. Routine cyclical maintenance is undertaken at regular intervals, and includes grass and hedge cutting, weed control and gully emptying. We will ensure that any impact on the wider environment is minimised during the course of such work. For example:- ü Hedge cutting will not take place until after the end of the bird nesting season ü Grass cutting in rural areas will consist of a one metre swath in order to protect plant and animal life on the remaining verge, with a full width cut every three years to balance this with the protection of field hedges and drainage ditches. Grass cutting is undertaken by hand in some wildlife corridors to protect rare plants and wildlife, as shown in Picture 6.4 ü Pesticides that do not harm plants, animals, and water courses will be used for weed control ü Routine cyclical maintenance policies will be reviewed over the next two years in consultation with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and our own Natural Environment Unit Picture 6.4 : We currently have a basic road gully emptying inventory. This indicates that there Grass Cutting in are 146,000 road gullies that are emptied and cleansed once per year, and 7,100 Staffordshire that have been identified as requiring a second visit each year due to their location or Moorlands environment. In addition, blocked gullies that are reported via CLARENCE, or identified by highway inspections, are emptied and cleansed on a further one-off basis. With effect from April 2006, all gully maintenance vehicles will be fitted with Global Positioning Systems and in-cab information units that will allow the location of each gully to be accurately recorded, together with the date, time, and action taken. When a gully cannot be cleansed, the information will be used to arrange other maintenance work to enable the gully to become serviceable; when a gully is blocked, consideration will be given to the need for a second scheduled visit. This will reduce the number of expensive one-off call-outs to individual gullies. Gully arisings are currently taken to the nearest licensed gully waste disposal facility, which is in Telford. This is expensive in terms of the disposal costs levied by the facility, travel time, and fuel. Therefore, we are considering the construction of our own licensed facility near Stone, located centrally in the County. This would result in significant savings on disposal and travelling costs, and would have associated environmental benefits due to reduced travelling. Planning permission has been granted for the facility and it is envisaged that it will be operational by the end of 2006. The estimated projected return on capital is only one year, after which we will make a continual substantial saving that can be directed into other highway service improvements.

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Approximately 44% of our total maintenance budget is spent on routine structural maintenance, maintenance not identified by highway condition surveys, and winter maintenance. Routine structural maintenance includes area planned patching programmes, repairing potholes and unrecoverable accident damage, and is primarily undertaken for safety purposes. We aim to repair or make safe defects that may result in a considerable risk of injury or damage to property within 24 hours of the defect being reported. Where the degree of severity dictates such action, defects are repaired or made safe immediately. We are informed of highway defects via our own Highway Inspectors and via CLARENCE (Customer Lighting And Roads ENquiry CEntre) – a 24-hour call centre set up to allow road and lighting defects and hazards to be reported by the public quickly and easily. CLARENCE is based on a service set up in 1990 by Lothian Regional Council, and which is now run by the City of Edinburgh Council on behalf of Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian Councils. Since the introduction of CLARENCE in Staffordshire in 2003, we have received over 75,000 calls and e-mails. A recent survey of callers found that 75% were satisfied with the service. The major element of our winter maintenance programme is precautionary road salting, which prevents the formation of ice on approximately 45% of our road network. We will continue to produce a winter driving leaflet, which shows the roads that will be treated, together with tips for driving in cold weather. Useful contact telephone numbers and local radio frequencies will also be provided. Picture 6.7 : Winter Gritting Routes in Staffordshire Picture 6.5 : CLARENCE Lion

Picture 6.6 : Winter Driving Leaflet

We are one of the founder members of the National Salt Spreading Research Group (NSSRG) and have been an advocate of the ‘pre-wetted’ salt spreading technique for some years. This was recently recommended in the NSSRG’s Best Practice

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Guidance for Spreading Salt. ‘Pre-wetted’ spreading involves adding a brine solution to the rock salt de-icer. It provides a faster acting and more precise treatment than traditional dry spreading, minimising the use and wastage of salt. Continuing this commitment to innovation, we will be hosting a series of NSSRG field trials in 2006. The trials will include comparisons between the effectiveness and value of dry and pre-wetted techniques, as well as the use of agricultural by- product admixtures. Proprietary products, such as Safecote, which include a 3% Picture 6.8 : molasses admixture to rock salt, claim to provide similar benefits to ‘pre-wetted’ Road Gritter using techniques but without the added capital costs of brine tanks and more specialised the ‘Pre-Wetted’ spreading devices. Facilitating a further reduction in the amount of salt needed, Technique these admixtures also claim to offer significant environmental benefits and reduced corrosion to the spreading fleet and highway infrastructure.

6.8 Highway Structures

Highway structures, such as bridges and retaining walls, are seen as an important integral part of our highway network. In recent years, we have undertaken a significant bridge strengthening programme. This is almost complete, with only 46 bridges still requiring strengthening. In the interim, Weight Restriction Orders and other measures are used to manage substandard bridges.

Located within a conservation area in the centre of Stafford, Victoria Road Bridge carries the A518 inner ring road over the River Sow. In order to strengthen the 70 year-old bridge and conserve its appearance and heritage, an innovative solution was developed. This involved the stone parapets being brought up to full current containment standards by internal strengthening, leaving the external appearance of the bridge unaffected. The successful completion of this scheme was only achieved through a partnered approach with the main contractor and close collaborative working with specialist stonemasons. Picture 6.9 : Victoria Road Bridge The close proximity of Stafford Rail Station to the bridge meant that careful planning of the works was necessary in order to avoid disruption for people travelling to and from the rail station. This was achieved through liaison with the station operators and Stafford Borough Council, and led to changes to the scheme’s traffic management measures. In recognition of this work, we were awarded the Institution of Structural Engineers’ Heritage Award.

We are progressing well on the second stage of the analysis of incursion risk at road- over-rail bridges, and an agreement regarding suitable mitigation measures with Network Rail is well advanced. It is anticipated that work will begin shortly, subject to the completion of a financial agreement with Network Rail. In contrast to road bridges, there is no forward maintenance programme for footbridges. This is mainly because the vast majority of our footbridges (98%) are minor structures, lying on Public Rights of Way, and requiring only minimal repair when problems are reported. We do not have a comprehensive inventory for the retaining walls that we have a responsibility to maintain – this will be developed through the TAMP, and will detail capacity, condition, and current remedial and future maintenance works, together with associated costs and time frames.

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6.9 Highway Furniture - Street Lighting

Street lighting is an important element of the highway network, supporting our road safety and accessibility initiatives, helping to reduce the fear of crime, and deterring actual criminal acts. Approximately 19% of our total maintenance budget is spent on street lighting and traffic signals. In May 2003, we entered into a Street Lighting Private Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme valued at over £6 million per year. The PFI is a 25-year commitment to ensure the full and timely renewal of our road lighting stock. During the first five years of the scheme, it is anticipated that approximately 25,000 items will be replaced and, during the life of the contract, over 70,000 streetlights, illuminated signs and bollards will be replaced. As part of the PFI agreement, efforts are made to reduce light pollution and to use energy saving fittings. For example, all existing mercury tungsten lamps will be replaced by 2008 and lighting units will adhere with the requirements of a maximum permissible upward lighting ration of 5%. Estimates indicate that the replacement of our road lighting stock is likely to lead to a 1.5% electricity saving. Our Climate Change Action Plan, discussed in Chapter 8, states that when we negotiate contracts for our electricity supply, we will use all practicable means to increase the proportion of electricity obtained from renewable sources.

6.10 Highway Furniture - Public Realm

The street environment, particularly in residential areas, is an important factor contributing to people’s quality of life. The Office for National Statistics’ Omnibus Survey 2004 found that 82% of respondents thought it important for their street to be a high quality environment, incorporating features such as good quality paving finishes, green areas, and street art. In recognition of the importance of a high quality street environment, we have developed Home Zones in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stafford. These provide an innovative and exciting approach to working with residents in remodelling their local community in order to make it a better place to live. The key to creating a Home Zone is the development of street designs that make drivers drive slowly and carefully. Features such as traffic calming, shared surfaces, trees and planters, and benches and play areas are installed to achieve this.

The Wilmott Drive Home Zone aimed to improve the quality of life for residents on the estate by creating a new, safer, and friendlier community focused street scene. We generated a three-dimensional computer graphic representation of the Home Zone, which enabled local residents to understand and directly influence the planning of Picture 6.10 : 3-D Computer Graphic their local environment. In seeing Representation of Wilmott Drive Home Zone this, Regeneration Minister, Lord Rooker, said, “I’m delighted that Staffordshire is leading the way in developing this sort of open, inclusive, people empowering technology.” A local resident said “we have been in on the design from day one - and the computer technology has made it so easy for us to play around with ideas. We could see exactly what our estate would look like, move the trees around, change the pavement colour - take a virtual trip through the streets we had created.”

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A three-year programme of town centre environmental improvements is scheduled for Stafford, Uttoxeter, and Biddulph. Planned works in Uttoxeter include pavement upgrades, new street furniture, lighting, and surfacing. The choice of materials has been informed by a respect for the town’s unique heritage and residents have been involved in decision-making in order to create a town centre of which they can be proud. In addition, the needs of the disabled, partially sighted, elderly, and those with pushchairs have also received careful attention. The three-year programme will be funded using a mixture of corporate resources, contributions from district and borough councils, developers, and LTP funding. We are committed to improving the quality of our streetscapes through better design, use of appropriate and locally sourced materials, and good maintenance. For example in partnership with South Staffordshire Council, a decorative inset into a pedestrian right of way, which displays the unofficial flower emblem of Wheaton Aston Picture 6.11 : Village - The Snake’s Head Fritillary - has been constructed. Decorative Inset We broadly support the principles contained in ‘Streets For All: West Midlands’, which into a Pedestrian has been produced by English Heritage, the Department for Transport, and Cleaner Right of Way in Safer Greener Communities. This document provides guidance on the management Wheaton Aston of streets and public open spaces. (photo courtesy of South Staffordshire 6.11 Highway Furniture - Tree Maintenance Council) Although trees can have an important landscape, amenity, nature conservation and historical value, they also represent a potential risk to highway users. We already inspect trees on and near to the highway for signs of damage or disease that may cause danger to the highway and its users. However, we will develop a more robust tree maintenance programme, which will be incorporated within our TAMP. This will include the collection of tree inventory data such as condition, safety inspection regimes and life-cycle maintenance.

6.12 Recycling

Over the last ten years, we have placed greater emphasis on seeking recycling opportunities and this has led to a more cost-effective highway maintenance service. We have acquired a considerable amount of recycling experience, particularly in the use of granular fly ash, incinerator bottom ash, foamed bitumen, and high quality granular sub-base. Currently we recycle approximately 50,000 tonnes annually, with resulting savings on landfill and aggregates tax payments. Examining the use of road planing arisings in 2003, we recycled significantly more material than any other local authority in the region with the exception of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council. Further savings have been realised as a result of negotiations with one of Staffordshire’s principal quarry owners, which has enabled bituminous carriageway planings to be combined with gravel aggregate to produce bituminous materials. These are then re incorporated into the highway network, resulting in reduced haulage and material costs, and a reduction in the rate of consumption of Staffordshire’s landfill sites. The requirement to identify and undertake new recycling opportunities is an important element of Staffordshire Highways’ maintenance and construction contracts. By careful scheduling, we have been able to transfer highway arisings between construction and maintenance projects in a manner that minimises recycling processing costs. The quality of the recycled materials continues to improve as a result of experience and a partnered approach to quality control.

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6.13 Value for Money

In an attempt to make the most efficient use of our already over-stretched highway maintenance budget, methods of securing value for money are sought at every available opportunity. A significant proportion of our maintenance work is undertaken on a priority basis, an approach that makes best use of available funding. In addition to this, whenever possible, maintenance work is undertaken alongside new infrastructure schemes, such as the construction of cycle lanes. Staffordshire Highways is already delivering new management methods in order to secure ongoing efficiencies to help deliver an improved product at lower cost. As well as overall improved project control processes, Staffordshire Highways continues to benchmark with other authorities in order to examine ways of improving actual construction techniques and use of recycled materials. Our new approach to programming – co-ordinating our maintenance activities with our integrated transport and other capital works, including those funded by developers – is already bringing benefits, and we will build on this process during the LTP period. This approach also enables us to minimise the impact of works on the highway, supporting our wider traffic management priorities. Also described in Chapter 7, we will be carrying out a review of the road hierarchy. This will help us to identify those parts of the network which are locally, regionally and nationally important, and where we should invest our budget in order to gain the greatest impact and value for money.

6.14 Minimising Risk

Risks create problems in the delivery of the maintenance programmes. If we fail to minimise these risks there are likely to be repercussions on the other LTP strategies, especially the road safety and accessibility strategies. The risks that have been identified include rising aggregate, bitumen and labour costs, the movement of HCVs, third party recoverable and environmental impairments, and personal injury and damage claims. These risks will be managed in order to ensure that the maintenance programme is delivered in full. The principal technique that will be adopted to manage risk is via Staffordshire Highways. Our partners - Accord and Wrekin Construction - share a proportion of the risk. The terms of their contracts state that they must calculate challenging target costs, in agreement with ourselves, for schemes over £20,000. If the target cost is exceeded (by up to 20%), the excess is split equally between the contractor and ourselves. Similarly, where the final cost is up to 20% below the target cost, the saving is also split equally. The target cost method, along with a series of performance indicators - including quality of work, working to deadlines, and use of locally sourced materials - are linked to the contracts being extended. This aims to ensure that work is of the highest standard and is undertaken in the shortest possible time at the most efficient cost. This method means that risks, such as increasing aggregate, bitumen and labour costs, are only paid for when they actually occur and not, as with conventional contracts, incorporated within the contractors’ rates. A further method for reducing risks is via our Code of Practice for Highway Inspections. This document outlines the method and frequency for highway inspections and reporting defects. It is vital that it is followed because if a defect is missed or not considered dangerous by the Inspector, then we will leave ourselves open to legal action if an accident occurs as a direct result of that defect. Such inspections form an essential part of our statutory defence under Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980, against claims where it can be established that reasonable care has been taken to “secure that the part of the highway to which the action relates was not dangerous to traffic”. A reduction in the proportion of our budget set aside to meeting these claims will enable a consequential increase in the funding available for structural maintenance.

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Table 6.2 : Effective and Efficient Highway Maintenance and Quality of Life Outcomes

6.15 Targets and Trajectories

There are four mandatory indicators to measure highway maintenance performance. We have targets established for all of the indicators with the exception of the condition of our non-principal roads (BVPI 224a) due to a change in the measuring methodology from CVI to Scanner. A target relating to the future condition of our non- principal roads will, however, be developed once baseline BVPI data for 2005/06 is available, and this will be included in the 2007/08 APR. The three targets that have been adopted and included in this LTP regard the future condition of our principal roads (BVPI 223), unclassified roads (BVPI 224b) and surface footways (BVPI 187). We acknowledge that these targets are extremely challenging; however, we give a high priority to the condition of our network, and the recent reorganisation of our highway services and its close integration with our construction industry partners, gives us confidence that we can achieve these targets.

Graph 6.2 : Percentage Of Our Principal Roads Where Structural Maintenance Should Be Considered

Graph 6.3 : Percentage Of Our Unclassified Roads Where Structural Maintenance Should Be Considered

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Graph 6.4 : Percentage Of Our Surface Footways Where Structural Maintenance Should Be Considered

6.16 Predicted Expenditure (£000s)

Influence of the Strategic Environmental Assessment

Broadly this Strategy will have positive environmental impacts as ensuring a well maintained network also aids access to services and promotes walking and cycling. Our involvement in the NSSRG and likely adoption of new road grits and spreading techniques will have beneficial effects on water quality as it is likely to reduce run-off and alternative salt compounds. The developing tree maintenance policy and current verge cutting techniques will have positive impacts on wildlife habitats and species with increasing effect in the long-term.

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